Waste Not, Want Not

There are two habits in my life which I know make me stand out among people my own age - I still prefer to pay for things with actual money and I like to read real books. It feels like most people in my age bracket are perfectly content to use their debit card, no matter how small the transaction and want to use their iPad/Kindle/Nook to get all their entertainment. Not me, though. I've covered the cash thing on more than a few occasions, so we're just going to talk about books this time around. I understand every argument there is to be made for an eReader - they are small, light, you can adjust the size of the print to make reading easier and even the cheapest version has enough memory to carry every book that has or will ever be written. Yet, I don't care. To me there is just something about being able to turn actual pages and use actual bookmarks to remember what part of the story I was in. Besides, I get too easily distracted. If I can click out after a few pages to play "Angry Birds" I'm likely to do that, so if I ever want to finish a book I need to stick with the traditional format. Everyone has their own piece of technology they refuse to embrace and this one happens to be mine.

However, I can at least concede that there is still an insane mark-up on books, especially the hardcover editions. I don't care how great a read a book may be, it can be difficult to justify spending $25 on something you will only look at once in your life before lending it to a friend who won't return it for years on end. I won't spend that kind of money on a DVD even though I'll watch certain movies dozens of times throughout the course of my life. That is why I think the sales crunch you always hear book companies complaining about is all of their own doing. It is true that several chain stores have closed in the last few years due to the rise of eReaders, but I would find it easier to believe companies were desperate to sell books if they lowered the prices on them. However, the exact opposite is happening - books are more expensive than ever. Even the discount rack books (which are typically a couple years old) will still cost you more than the newest eReader versions. I'm no economics major and only understand the very basics of supply and demand, but continuing to raise prices of an item while not cutting production numbers do not sound like the moves of a company sitting on warehouses full of product.

The other reason I know book stores can't be in too rough of shape is that they have done nothing to curb their wasteful ways. The first place they could look to trim some costs could be at the registers. I know register tape isn't exactly going to break the bank, but if a company was really looking to cut down on some spending that would be a good place to start and instead receipts are only getting longer. For example the other day I bought two books and the receipt I got in exchange was as long as my arm. The lines going over the transaction were only a few lines, so what made the receipt so lengthy was the writing at the bottom which requested that I go online and fill out a survey to help improve their customer service and if I did that I would have my email address sold and my inbox flooded with spam mail. (They phrased it as "Entered to win a gift certificate" but I know the truth.) While I appreciate the offer, I don't think it is the best use of paper, because pretty much every store does this now and I don't think I have ever followed through and filled out a survey. You can't cry poverty and then turn around print out these volume-sized receipts which seem very wasteful, as it sends a very mixed message.

If that wasn't bad enough, I then got an extra piece of paper in addition to my lengthy sales slip which gave me a list of book recommendations based on what I has just purchased. Like most people I just have the cashier put the receipt in the bag, so I didn't even see the recommendations until I got home, which doesn't help. They could be the best book ideas in history but what are the odds I'm going to hold on to that piece of paper until the next time I go shopping? (I like the thought behind it, but the execution needs work.) The point is, I have worked at more than a few businesses which were nearing the end, so I know the subtle perks (for both customers and employees) are usually the first to go. The fact these stores are still printing out recipes which have more books than the children's book they just sold you for $28 should tell you all you need to know about how much the eBook is really killing their paper counterparts. Just remember that the next time someone starts talking to you about how the book industry is going the way of the dodo bird. To paraphrase a famous literary quote, their demise has been greatly exaggerated.