The last two days in Textbook Land (once again, super long)

[wolfie]

I’ll have your job, part deux!!
Customer wants to special order a book. I ring it up but the price on my screen is different than the price on his order slip, so I ask him to wait and I’ll go check on it. Turns out there was a glitch and the used price was written down for a book that only comes new, as in, it comes shrink wrapped new every semester. I go back and apologize and tell him it is at the new price. Cue the suck.


SC: No! I’ll be here next week when the order comes in and I’ll get my USED copy.
Me: Good luck with that, sir, they only come new. It’s a custom edition put out every semester.

Custom edition that comes out every semester, as in there are changes each semester so the previous edition is useless? I'd be tempted to have the store obtain a used copy and sell it to him. After all, he wanted a used copy at the used price - how is it the store's fault if he bought something completely useless?


I have once tried to (and succeeded) in returning a book after the return date, but there was a publisher's error involved. To beat the rush, I bought texts for my second term before the end of first term. On one text (published by the university), they had 2 piles - one with green covers at one price, and one with grey at a somewhat lower price. I looked inside, and the grey ones said "5th printing" while the green ones said "6th printing". To those not familiar with publishing, that means they needed more, so they ran off another batch without changes to the content. Needless to say, I bought the cheaper one.

Next term, the prof used one of the questions in the text as an example, but question "x" in my book was completely different from what he was telling us. Turns out the green ones should have said "2nd edition" (content changed). The campus bookstore looked inside one of each book to verify the issue, pulled the remaining grey ones off the shelf, and allowed me to return mine.

[AdminAssistant]

I'd be tempted to have the store obtain a used copy and sell it to him. After all, he wanted a used copy at the used price - how is it the store's fault if he bought something completely useless?

If it's a custom edition, my feeling is that the store wouldn't be allowed to buy back the books, so there wouldn't be any 'used' copies to begin with.

A number of the business faculty at my previous job had custom books made for their classes - mostly various business cases from Harvard Business Review compiled together. Major PITA.

[dithers66]

You have really pathetic management if they consider you out of line for your answers considering the way you were treated.

[lupo pazzesco]

If it's a custom edition, my feeling is that the store wouldn't be allowed to buy back the books, so there wouldn't be any 'used' copies to begin with.

A number of the business faculty at my previous job had custom books made for their classes - mostly various business cases from Harvard Business Review compiled together. Major PITA.

In the case of these custom books, they're loosebound and shrink wrapped. Essentially, you have to put them in binders so you don't lose pages. Once they're out of the shrink wrap, it's SOL. Because we don't know if pages are missing, we can't buy it back. Plus, since a new shrink wrapped loose leaf book is coming out next semester, and it's only custom made for a certain University, we can't even take it back for our corporate warehouses. Which is all sorts of suck for the customers, I know.

I WOULD have felt for the guy, if he hadn't presented as such an ass. In cases like this where the price is misquoted, and the customer mentions it, I'll go clear it with management to give them either the faculty discount of 15% off, or even our employee discount of 20%. But he hit the ground running for being an ass, and all because I spent less then 2 minutes trying to verify the price in his favor. When I struck out, he flew off the handle at me. Doesn't make me want to help him.

You have really pathetic management if they consider you out of line for your answers considering the way you were treated.

I don't think they did. The only thing that really came close was when I told a customer he was welcome to take my job, and he wouldn't last a day. I was just told to try and watch my mouth after that.

I'm glad we got a new SM, K, he's proving to have almost as low a BS tolerance as I do. D, on the other hand, who authorizes $750 refunds because the customer sucks up and says she bought a t-shirt that D thinks is OMG da BEST SHIRT EVAR...her I could live without, really... Gods that still irritates me that she did that...

Following rules off a cliff can be a bad thing, plus sometimes, the rules make no sense.

<SNIP>

I did question the reason, but all they said was that was the rules. I didn't argue, I've read too much of that here to even start. I just did what they wanted so I could get the package and go home. So even with all the proof at their fingertips, they still needed a piece of paper that could have very easily been forged.

It did occur to me after the fact that they may have needed to make certain I was in a class that needs the software (ie: the multimedia course), but no one actually said that.

Eric the Grey

I hate when rules don't make sense, but we're required to reinforce them. I understand where the people are coming from on the other side sometimes, really I do. But I'm not going to jeopardize my job and break the rules for them, even if I think the rules suck, you know? We're just doing what the big kahunas in corporate have laid down as company law. Much as it sucks, we're bound by it.

In my particular example, though, it's the "mommy told me that you had to, regardless of what your pesky company policy is. My mommy always wins." attitude that made me re-emphasize the rules is rules thing. But I'm just bitchy that way...

[Eric the Grey]

In the case of these custom books, they're loosebound and shrink wrapped. Essentially, you have to put them in binders so you don't lose pages. Once they're out of the shrink wrap, it's SOL. Because we don't know if pages are missing, we can't buy it back. Plus, since a new shrink wrapped loose leaf book is coming out next semester, and it's only custom made for a certain University, we can't even take it back for our corporate warehouses. Which is all sorts of suck for the customers, I know.

This, to me, sounds like the book publisher discovering a way to force student to purchase the new texts every term. They have figured out a way to prevent us from selling the used books, back to the bookstore, OR to other students. At least the custom books we've seen so far have all been bound. THEY however, have added "online content" that the teachers are requiring though, which also means that the bookstore is not buying them back. The cost of the "online packet" (which is nothing but a code to allow you into the class content) is almost as much as the book itself. F***ing greedy-assed publishers.

Who me, bitter?

I hate when rules don't make sense, but we're required to reinforce them. I understand where the people are coming from on the other side sometimes, really I do. But I'm not going to jeopardize my job and break the rules for them, even if I think the rules suck, you know? We're just doing what the big kahunas in corporate have laid down as company law. Much as it sucks, we're bound by it.

Yea. It always amazes me when I hear things like that (in my example). Someone at the top probably thought it up, and since they're the boss, either nobody is willing to point out how stupid the rule is, or the big boss just won't listen to them.


Eric the Grey

[lupo pazzesco]

This, to me, sounds like the book publisher discovering a way to force student to purchase the new texts every term. They have figured out a way to prevent us from selling the used books, back to the bookstore, OR to other students. At least the custom books we've seen so far have all been bound. THEY however, have added "online content" that the teachers are requiring though, which also means that the bookstore is not buying them back. The cost of the "online packet" (which is nothing but a code to allow you into the class content) is almost as much as the book itself. F***ing greedy-assed publishers.

Who me, bitter?

Eric the Grey

Actually, you want to know how they market it to the professors??

"Save money for your students! Have the bookstore buy the loosebound version of popular textbooks for up to 30% less than the hardbound versions and pass the savings on!" Or some other crap like that. What the DON'T tell the profs is bookstores can't return the shrink wrapped version because it's considered custom, thus not even returned for having a restocking fee. And again, since they're loose bound, there's no way for us to buy them back to resell as used. We don't know if there are missing pages.

Oh, and a lot of our books require online access codes, too! One time use only bullshit. We have a history prof that writes his own books, and requires a one time use access code for every student in the class, which only comes with the new books. Bastard...

You're not the only one who's bitter...

[MadMike]

And other then that it was just an error, something which can happen in lots of ways and places. I mean how many times have you seen ad retractions in stores because the price was printed wrong in the paper or a little blip of size or something accidently got ommited.

We had that happen quite a bit with the sales flyers at the home improvements store. Our "out" was that a third party printed them up, and we were not responsible for their errors.

Not that it didn't still piss off a lot of customers, though.

[LadyAndreca]

I've only once gotten a refund after the fact at a bookstore. The professor requested a new edition of the textbook, but the older edition was ordered by accident. I'd bought the book the bookstore put out and taken the shrinkwrap off, but I was polite about it and my refund was approved. (I had to turn around and buy the new edition anyways!)

Oh, and a lot of our books require online access codes, too! One time use only bullshit. We have a history prof that writes his own books, and requires a one time use access code for every student in the class, which only comes with the new books. Bastard...

My husband one had a professor who wrote his own textbook because he wanted a book written the way he thought the subject ought to be taught. He then photocopied it for students that took the class with him because it was HIS book and he COULD.

[Can I have a cheeseburger]

My second job is at a university bookstore, and I haven't seen anything like this. The worst I've seen are those students that come in, and the conversation goes something like this:

Student: "Can you help me find my books?"
Me: "Okay, do you have a book list?"
Student: "No"
Me: "That's okay, we can go over to the computer and print one off, do you know your student ID and password?"
Student: "No"
Me: "Do you know what your classes are and what section you're in?"
Student: "No"
Me: "I'm sorry, we can't help you without any of that information."

It amazes me that there are actually students who come in and just expect their books to appear out of nowhere, even without knowing what their courses are. One today told me her mom had her student ID, so I told her to go outside and call her (we get no mobile phone reception inside this place), and then come back.

I am also amazed that those students (and parents) who do have a book list seem so reluctant to let me see their list. They always pull back when I want to see the list! We need the course codes and ISBN numbers to verify that they're getting the correct books.

[RedRoseSpiral]

This, to me, sounds like the book publisher discovering a way to force student to purchase the new texts every term. They have figured out a way to prevent us from selling the used books, back to the bookstore, OR to other students. At least the custom books we've seen so far have all been bound. THEY however, have added "online content" that the teachers are requiring though, which also means that the bookstore is not buying them back. The cost of the "online packet" (which is nothing but a code to allow you into the class content) is almost as much as the book itself. F***ing greedy-assed publishers.

Oh don't get me started on this one. I was so pissed. I found out that I shelled out an extra $20 to my school's bookstore for an access code I needed for my class. If I had bought it online I could have gotten it for $50 instead of $70.

[Hyndis]

And in most of the classes, you don't even need the books to begin with!

I've lost track of how many books I've bought for an absurd price and haven't even used!

Or at very most, I might need to use just a few pages here or there out of the book... Seriously, why are books so damn expensive? Its to the point where I'm almost spending as much on books as I am on tuition!

For the past 2 years I've made a new policy for books. I only buy the book when its actually needed. Funny how many classes I've passed with good grades without even having to buy the book.

[karath]

I found out that I shelled out an extra $20 to my school's bookstore for an access code I needed for my class. If I had bought it online I could have gotten it for $50 instead of $70.

Heh...I've probably saved a few hundred bucks by doing that since my freshman year. The bookstores REALLY spike the prices; not that I can blame them, student laziness is too powerful a force to NOT take advantage of.

[hinakiba777]

Sorry to hear about the screening Lupo. I hope it comes out negative.

Big University has a one month return policy on unused textbooks at the beginning of each semester. So in Fall you have until September 30 and in Winter until January 31. I think this is more than gracious considering you can't drop classes after the 19th. (That's this years date) However, I know people who try returning books in October who get pretty pissy.

Considering that the return policy is normally ten days, they should be pretty damn happy they get a whole month on their textbooks.

I did get really frustrated with Big University Bookstore. It wasn't really anyone's fault, from what I can tell. Just a bunch of little things. Of the 5 courses I'm taking all at BU I only could find books for 2. Class one turned out to be sharing textbooks with it's sister course, but no one book the first Cllass number out. So I could find Learning 102 but not Learning 101. (Which is the course I'm in.) The second class I haven't had yet, but I think that's going to be a reader from the copy store. The third class is what got me POed.

My language class didn't have a book. It was no where in the bookstore, and no one had any clue why it didn't. Eventually I found out that the books were at My University Bookstore. The class is only offered through BU yet the books wer at MU. It was really frustrating.

I've got to say though. I have a lot of respect for the workers at BU Books. The past few days there have been lines from the cash (front of the store) to the book room (back of the store). It's got to be stressful.

This whole little ramble is to bring us to a nice little conversation i had in line yesterday. I think LP will LOVE this.

Girl In Line= Wow this is taking FOREVER.
Me= Yeah these lines are intense. I spent an hour in here on Thursday.
Girl= GOD! I'm going to graduate before I get these books bought.
Me= The line is moving pretty steadily.
Girl= I guess. OH. MY. GOD. I just have the BEST idea! (Total cheerleader voice)
Me=Alright...
Girl= We should get a dollar off the total of our books for ever minute we have to stand in line.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Oh, the bookstore stories always make me and at the same time, Lupo.

My own bookstore experiences were always pretty simple. Of course, when I went to Mercersburg Academy, it was fairly simple to do. Go up to the bookstore window, hand them your schedule, they get your books, turn to Mom or Dad who pull out the checkbook, badda bing.

My (disastrous) one semester at UMD, again, not that bad. I knew the lines were going to be crazy (and they were), but I got through with the minimal amount of suck.

When I was at NOVA, I paid for my own books, which was for me, but hey, price of paying for your own classes. Wasn't too bad for me, since unlike some of my classmates, I waited until after the first class meeting to get my books. By then, I would have the official syllabus and it would say RIGHT THERE what books I actually needed. That way I could go into the bookstore, grab the books listed on the syllabus, instead of grabbing everything listed for that course. I saved some money that way.

Then I went to Strayer for a while, and it was kinda similar to Mercersburg, except for the part where I was paying for it instead of Mom and Dad.

Now I'm at ITT Tech and FINALLY getting serious about not-being-fucking-lazy and so I'm almost done my degree, and the cost of books/materials is included in your tuition, so picking up books is a case of going up to the window, handing them your course schedule, signing your name on a sheet, and walking off with your stuff.

[Gurndigarn]

My husband one had a professor who wrote his own textbook because he wanted a book written the way he thought the subject ought to be taught. He then photocopied it for students that took the class with him because it was HIS book and he COULD.

Lulu.com is the way to do that now... photocopy only the first week or two now, and have your students get the textbook delivered to them. Price for black-and-white can be set fairly low, and color... well... can be lower than the high-end textbooks, at least.