Adultery Will I survive? Of course I will I’ve survived storms before.
Each time I think, it cannot get any worse at WHSmith, they prove me wrong.
WHSmith Guildford, would they have Paulo Coelho’s latest book?
I negotiate all the obstacles and obstructions between the entrance and the escalator, and go up to the first floor.
I look in all the obvious places, latest releases, special offers. I draw a blank. Nada.
I seek help from a member of staff. She actually knows what I am after, or another member of staff does, I am taken to where it is seemingly randomly filed. All of one copy.
She pulls it out and hands it to me. Noticing the absence of a half price sticker, I ask is it still on special offer? I am told no, the offer has ended.
Thinking this cannot be, it only was published a couple of weeks ago, I take the book to another member of staff. He scans the book and confirms what I have been told.
A single copy of Adultery, and no longer on special offer.
This beggars belief, a best-seller on special offer, nowhere has it in stock, then when I find a store that has a copy, a single copy it no longer is on offer.
I ask for the manager. Floor manager? No, store manager.
No manager to be found, I settle for deputy manager.
A bizarre conversation then ensues. I am told I should have come to this store not other stores where they did not have a copy. I am then told it does not sell, and it is my opinion that it is a best-seller!
Jamie’s Comfort Food, latest cookbook from Jamie Oliver. Displayed in the window, on special offer at price half price, on display in-store. At half price, better off walking across the road to Waterstone’s, where at least they know about books. Or if you want it less than half price, walk up the High Street to Sainsbury’s, where it is £12-99 (same price as Amazon).
I walk out of the store in disgust.
Fact: International best-seller.
Fact: Second print run in US in less than a week.
Fact: In Sunday Times best-seller list.
It is unbelievable anyone can conduct business in this slapdash manner and still remain in business. WHSmith has become a laughing stock. But I doubt they even care.
Adultery, published earlier this month, an international best-seller from an international best selling author, WHSmith has it on special offer at half price, or it was, but either not in stock, or where they have sold, have not bothered to restock, then when found, no longer on special offer!
If you have an international best-seller on special offer, do you not have it on prominent display?
Gracias a Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Chile iTunes > bit.ly/1yK63Ht http://t.co/lnIx625CTw—
Paulo Coelho (@paulocoelho) August 19, 2014
It is little wonder WHSmith a failing High Street chain, permanent fire sales. The only surprise is that they remain in business.
Tags: Adultery, books, Guildford, Paulo Coelho, WHSmith, WHSmith Guildford, WHSmith Guildford: Paulo Coelho’s latest book
Keithpp's Blog 
August 30, 2014 at 5:44 pm |
I thought you wrote a blog before about buying copies from wh smiths
So not all stores were out of stock
August 30, 2014 at 9:25 pm |
You are correct, there were a handful of WHSmith stores that had Adultery (the exception not the rule), but those that had, and then sold, failed to restock, others never had stocks, and those that did, only two copies.
A perverse way to behave, when you have an international best-seller from an internationally renowned author on special offer, and then to terminate the offer after only two weeks, an offer that few knew about. And then, to claim it does not sell.
If you have anything on special offer, but then hide it away, or not have in stock, then no, it’s not going to sell.
Does a supermarket have items on offer, then hide them away? Of course not, offers are on prominent display. That is the whole point of offers. Put them on display, then shift lots.
August 31, 2014 at 10:30 pm |
Laughable, comment from deputy manager at WHSmith Guildford, opinion Adultery best seller.
Fact: Adultery No2 New York Times best seller list.
https://keithpp.wordpress.com/2014/08/31/adultery-no2-in-new-york-times-best-seller-list/
September 1, 2014 at 10:36 am |
WHSmith Aldershot has enough trouble just trying to get management to replace its ancient tatty old carpet. I think actually trying to sell books might be a bit too much for them!
September 1, 2014 at 12:57 pm |
WHSmith Aldershot has at least one helpful young lady, a rarity for WHSmith where the staff appear to be employed on the basis that they are as thick as two short planks. Deputy manager at WHSmith Guildford a prime example, but sadly a representative sample of nearly all their stores.
There are exceptions. The young lady in WHSmith Aldershot. A young lady in WHSmith Farnham. The Kobo guy in WHSmith Guildford goes out of his way to be helpful. And that is it, I can count on the fingers of one hand.
If you think WHSmith Aldershot bad, try WHSmith Camberley where the store is really grim.
But they do not care.
Unless a book is on very special offer, as was Adultery, only nowhere to be found, WHSmith is not a store I would touch with a bargepole.
It is easy to see why people choose to buy from Amazon, even though they are bullying, tax-dodging, corporate thugs with very poor working conditions.
If I held WHSmith shares, which fortunately I do do not, I would be instructing my stockbroker to sell.
September 2, 2014 at 1:15 am |
Adultery currently featured title on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0091958873/ref=s9_dcbhz_bw_d2_g14_i1_pd?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=08F6MWVJFQS7YXK1XESR&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=491386547&pf_rd_i=266239
£5-99
#Adultery #books #paulocoelho
Same price on Amazon as was in WHSmith half price with 20% discount voucher.
Free postage if order two. Or make order over £10.