Now we are one …

After one year of trading on the online auction house, <the edition> is now an eBay shop.  Reasons to be cheerful, if only since there will be no more exhausting rotation of stock every 10 days.  Let’s be honest though – it may not be September 25^th yet, but there’s no disguising the reality behind the change.  September 25^th … are you ready?  You better be, for this isn’t merely a price restructuring exercise, it’s a paradigm shift - from auction house to high street retail - and the hostile media response won't change anything (see <thematic>).

Talking of negative feedback, it’s time to fess up that two customers have been dissatisfied enough to leave some at this door.  The ‘negs’ complained about postal charges and descriptions.  In both cases, the criticisms seemed a little unfair to me.  But so what ... it isn’t my perception that matters.

P+P charges are just a plain nuisance to sellers of inexpensive items, as the majority of books are.  You don’t expect handling charges from a ‘real’ bookstore.  Why can’t a virtual bookstore get real? - that’s the question on my mind.  So, in a small test of the practicality of waiving p+p charges, the theme this month is ‘freepost classics’ (to UK customers).  But the issue of post and packing charges isn’t a straightforward one.  Online booksellers balance these charges against the stated price of the book (some charge 1p a book and then hike up the p+p).  There are difficulties, but it would be nice to have that real bookstore feeling, so September 25^th will usher in another change for <the edition>.  Why not pay a visit and see for yourself!

The other grievance was about the condition of a vintage first edition.  I don’t actually think there is much wrong here with the actual description of books, and this is reflected in the very positive feedback generally in this area.  However, it does strike me that there <the edition> grading guide is slightly technical and targets book collectors rather than casual readers.  So, over the next couple of months (to allow all existing listings to be altered gradually) there will be a phased overhaul with a much simplified grading system introduced.  This will be based on everyday language rather than jargon. 

Not all change is negative, and sometimes negatives can bring about positives.  Only time will tell if the changes coming our way are ones we'll be glad to embrace.

Happy Reading,

dene october

.get classics post free.

• FREEPOST to UK only (overseas customers: see below) 
• ADDITIONAL savings UK customers: order more freepost classics at £1 off each additional book (in same transaction only) 
• UK CUSTOMERS buying a freepost classic may buy any other book in the shop also at freepost (must be at Buy it Now price and within same transaction) 
• OVERSEAS CUSTOMERS: buy 2 freepost classics, pay just 1 post+packing charge 0R buy 1 freepost classic and any other book in the shop, pay the higher p+p charge only
• OFFERS END September 30th 2008