Mine arrived today. And thanks to Amazon's Pre-order Price Guarantee, I just got back another $3.12 because the price dropped! Sweet!

I also saved $3.12 for pre-ordering it.

here'a another Barnes n Noble rant- which I went to after findin out our local Borders in the mall had closed (wth?). sorry, no indies overly close to anything I was doing today.

the 'new releases' are all happily stacked out front like hopeful puppies at the shelter waiting for a new home. massive multiple displays of the new Dan Brown book, and all kinds of side tables of 'related' materials or 'similar' reading. no FPW. I ask a sales clerk. she gives me a blank look and says check with customer service in the back, if they have it in stock they should be bale to find it. I locate a manager back there who leads me back up to the front displays and starts pointing out tables and shelves as if I haven't already managed to ascertain for myself it is NOT there. he finally gives up and says he will go check the status. five minutes later he returns and tells me they don't have it, never got it in, and only ordered five copies. "five?" I ask, incredulous, "are you kidding me?" he tells me its not their fault, it's the publisher who made those arrangements. he says he has no clue when it will arrive. he bustles off without even offering to order it for me- a big NoNo in the sales world.

effiing idiots.

That the book wasn't there is bad enough. That a =manager= didn't offer to special order it for you...well, all I can say is, such monkeyshines would never fly at B&N Lincoln Triangle. I promise you that.

We had 6 copies on hand. I bought 'em all and immediately shortlisted another six with the comment, "Wilson's fans are fanatics :out:. Let's not give them any excuse to start their Kicker Man chant."

Why only 6? I went by the local B&N to see the situation and they only had 6 copies as well. Only in the Fiction - New Releases wall. Not the table at the front of the store. Why? Because the WHOLE table was a monument to that Brown guy.

Why only 6? I went by the local B&N to see the situation and they only had 6 copies as well. Only in the Fiction - New Releases wall. Not the table at the front of the store. Why? Because the WHOLE table was a monument to that Brown guy.

6 because that's the maximum number that will fit on a faceout on the New Releases--Fiction wall.

And B&Ns here to sell books. If it's Dan Brown books, that's
the way it is. When they ain't stolen'. Which is a thread...

ever heard, If you build it, they will come?

put a display together of just about anyone, done right, and the books sell. when I put in some time at an indie, we frequently had author signing events and other promotions. ppl didn't know these authors yet, or didn't know them well, but we were all readers there and could dish on the latest with anyone who walked in the door (you like ________________? Barbara's read everything by him and some other writers with a similar style, let me get her for you!) bc it was the owner's belief that most readers also like to talk about what they've enjoyed. and by beginning a rapport with them, we made a lot of suggestive sells. just setting up a pretty display drew buyers to a new author they hadn't tried before. it looked interesting, it looked special, we talked it up. it sold.
my local B&N is apparently one of those booksellers that hires on immediate availability instead of knowledge of the business. I got a lot of blank looks when I first asked for the book. even if they aren't fans/readers of a specific genre you'd think they would understand from a purely business perspective what a NEW RELEASE is, esp on the release date!

you'd think they would understand from a purely business perspective what a NEW RELEASE is, esp on the release date!

This doesn't concerns books but it just happened at Best Buy on Tuesday. Release day for DVDs and CDs. After looking at the New Release wall, in line, and on the endcaps and not finding Season 2 of The Big Bang Theory I asked an employee. He looked on the computer and said that nothing's coming up. "It isn't even in our system." I explained that it was in their Sunday ad. He brought me to the New Release wall, looked and said, "We don't have it."

Then another customer heard this and pointed me towards a cardboard stand at the back of the store that had a few copies on one side.

Meanwhile, at Barnes and Noble I learned that if I go in looking for a new release I should never check in line. It'll be on one of two New Release walls or on one of the tables or stands that run through the middle of the store.

So how's that Ground Zero everybody? Not very much longer until Secret Circles.

...it goes on sale. We're up against Dan Brown's 5-million-copy print run. Jack needs your help against the flood.

Well, I'm not sure how many members are registered on this forum, but you can guarantee that we'll all buy at least one copy.

For years I've been phoning a nearby Borders Bookstore (Bridgewater, NJ) and either having them put an F. Paul Wilson book on reserve for me, or ordering one and putting it on reserve until I arrive to purchase it.

Well, I just phoned them, was told they did not have "Ground Zero" in stock, and that I had to use Borders.com, online, to order a copy. They refused to do the order over the phone. The employee then told me that if I came into the actual store they could order it for me there, but that I would have to pay the fee UPFRONT. I promptly hung up.

What the f**k?

Michael :confused:

Maybe releasing Ground Zero on the same day as Brown's book.... wasn't such a good idea? Plus the difficultly people are having finding a copy unless it was pre-ordered.

Ground Zero is a fantastic read!....and all these blocks...just peeve me off. :mad:

For years I've been phoning a nearby Borders Bookstore (Bridgewater, NJ) and either having them put an F. Paul Wilson book on reserve for me, or ordering one and putting it on reserve until I arrive to purchase it.

Well, I just phoned them, was told they did not have "Ground Zero" in stock, and that I had to use Borders.com, online, to order a copy. They refused to do the order over the phone. The employee then told me that if I came into the actual store they could order it for me there, but that I would have to pay the fee UPFRONT. I promptly hung up.

What the f**k?

Michael :confused:

Fortunately for myself, I have always been treated half way decent at the Barnes & Noble where I've purchased most of the newer Repairman Jack novels over the past few years, and I'm not even a member.
If I don't find it, they order it for me. No hassles; no questions asked. They also call me as soon as it gets in if they've had to have a copy shipped from another warehouse.

I've been reading over some of the difficulties folks on this forum have been having trying to buy their retail copies of Ground Zero through various bookstores. To say the least, it amazes me how poor some customer services have become.