Making Life Complicated

OK, I admit it: I'm confused. Completely baffled, in fact. By Scripture Union's "New Sales Plan", which does away with their trade representation via STL and gives us in its place a multi-layered and convoluted system administered directly by Scripture Union themselves.

I have the plan before me as I type and I appreciate its entirely laudable aims to enable us "work collaboratively to maximise ministry and sales", to "work creatively, strategically and collaboratively" to reach our customers (that's customers, please note, not consumers: we do get consumers buying up the chocolate, but our book buyers are customers). But does it really take a seven point plan made up of twenty-nine bulleted sub-points in three sub-sections followed by another three sub-sections, with the whole thing spread over two sides of A4, to present a "Supply Proposal"?? What was wrong with having new titles presented to us by STL's sales reps? They were — or at least Roger Compton (hello again, Roger: I did say it's blog or be blogged, remember?), our rep, was — doing a great job for you.

Sorry, guys, but for us at LST the new scheme simply doesn't add up: the idea of having new titles scaled out automatically is a definite non-starter. We don't have the space and we don't have the time to then go through them culling and returning everything that doesn't sell. I know my customers, I know what's likely to sell and I will select and order my stock accordingly.

I find myself wondering how things would look if each and every publisher decided to adopt a similar new title scale-out policy? Booksellers buried alive under mountains of books they didn't order and don't want...

No: the way I see it, it's up to each of us to manage our stock to meet the needs and requirements of our customers. Yes, I acknowledge that that can be something a challenge, especially for newcomers to the trade, and I acknowledge that it can be frustrating for publishers who think that every book they release is destined to be the next big thing. Such, however, is life in the real world.

How do you see it?

Select Catalogues Misprinted

For any members of STL's 'Select' Catalogue scheme who haven't spotted this yet: be aware that the entire print run for the current batch of Select catalogues has been issued as from Wesley Owen, which may cause you some embarrassment as an independent bookseller. STL are raising credits, but you may need to take the initiative...

The problem was spotted by Melanie Carroll at Unicorn Tree Books, Lincoln, who wrote as follows on July 11th:

... my first batch of Select Promotion magazines came today - I had to chase them when I realised I should have already had them a week or so ago - seems I got lost in the shuffle and though set up for them they just never got sent out from the warehouse, ahh well it happens, especially to me at the minute it would seem.

Still 10 out of 10, I chased yesterday, got an apology from Wayne for the oversight and they duly arrived today. that’s pretty good follow through.

So I sit down to look through it - after all it’s my first chance to see what’s in the promotion and think about ordering stock in prior to doing my mail out and on the first page in the welcome blurb section, in the first line it said…

‘… Here at Wesley Owen we have many items’!

So maybe Kate you are onto something with your sneaking suspicion :o)

Now in terms of customer service I can’t complain as I phoned STLD and spoke to a very nice woman, Janette, who went and fetched out some past editions, as well as the crown version and the WO version - and sure enough this go around all versions have the same wording, when of course normally they have a suitable ‘other’ replacing the term WO she assures me. She also said she would pass my upset and concerns on and point out the problem - though of course there is nothing they can do now.

I ended the conversation at least feeling a little assured that its just the way my current week is running. 10 minutes later she phoned me back to say she had passed on the problem to her manager and they were aware of the problem and will credit me back the cost of this issue due to my upset - can’t ask for fairer than that really.

However, OK, I know it was a just a proof read oversight but it really got to me - not least because this is a promotion I pay into by buying the magazines for at least the next 12 months, I know there are benefits and reciprocations: I get better discount to off set the price promotion items, and I know that this edition shall not have cost me anything but that’s just as well because I don’t think I can actually use these ones now as it says the wrong thing, heck it looks like I nicked them from the next city overs WO! and gives the wrong impression to my customers. Well come on it tells the customers that I am a WO and that could cause a bit of confusion - it’s bad enough with me having to do the ‘no we are not anything to do with SSG/SPCK, we are entirely independent with it all being done as my personal mission etc etc’ without having to potentially add the WO bit to the spiel when a customer who had recieved one of the magazines comes in with a return, concern, complaint or issue.

John Duncan of Cornerstone, London, has also followed the matter up with STL:

I have requested a refund and enquired about a reprint. Here is my response:

John
Yes, this was an error on our part. Unfortunately we are not in a position to reprint the catalogues. However, as a good will gesture, I am happy to raise a credit for the catalogues if you are able to supply me with an invoice number from where you were charged.
Regards
Wayne Johnston

(Posted 14th July)