Why don't we all do this? It costs nothing, and it could be fun!

[senseandsensibility]

My hubby asks to speak to the manager in all the Barnes and Noble stores he enters. He demands to know why Coulter's book is displayed so prominently: directly inside the entrance on both sides of the door, as well as a separate display a few feet away, and again, a separate display near the political books. He quotes some of her most offensive writings, and waits for them to respond. Then he asks why Michael Moore's books were not displayed in three different places when they came out, especially on both sides of the entrance. He waits for them to respond. They usually promise to bring it up with their superiors. He's very comfortable doing this (I'm not), but can you imagine if everyone who was offended by her did this?

[napi21]

1. I's a great idea. What do they tell him?

I suspect it's because the publisher paid extra to have their new product prominently displayed, but I also doubt they'd tell your husband that!!!!

[senseandsensibility]

3. No, their response is generally along the lines

that they're just following orders, (from their corporate offices, I suppose), and don't have any control over it at the store level. Some confide that they disagree with her, or as one put it, "are sick of her face", but they always promise to pass the message along.

[napi21]

8. I'm sure they're telling you the truth and the orders come from Corp.

I think it's great that your husband is doing this, because I'm sure if enough people give the mgr a hard time, the info will get back to the home office, but perhapse another great idea would be to contact B&N office and tell them how much you hate AC destroying the image of their book store by putting her junk at the front door!

Maybe the local level coupled with the HO will resonate!

I never worked for a book store chain, but I was a purchasing agent for a health food chain. The HO paid a lot of attention to this kind of stuff.

[cdb]

2. What quotes does he use?

Kill their leaders and convert them to christianity?

Grief -a - razzi?

Enjoy their husbands death?

[senseandsensibility]

5. All of the above

but there really are so many, aren't there?x(

[treestar]

12. I wonder if it is embarassing to people to buy the book

I mean, who would buy it in a book store without feeling a twinge? Sort of worse than buying porn.

[cdb]

13. Anybody who is stupid enugh to buy

Is not feeling regret or remorse, embarassment or shame. They are buying it with PRIDE that comes from being obtuse and patriotic. They don't give a shit what anybody thinks, especially stinking godless liberals. Proud to be 'Merkans, they are. I think they need to be rounded up and converted to REAL christianity, you know, the tolerant,loving kind that jesus preached...

[senseandsensibility]

17. Well, I've been accused of being cynical, so maybe I'm

not the best judge, but I don't think Coulter's fans have reached the height of self awareness. IMHO, they are completely brainwashed and think that purchasing her book is a fine upstanding thing to do.

[Gabi Hayes]

4. thanks! does he ask them how many copies sell at those stores?

versus, say, how many are remaindered?

sure hope all those bulk sales stories are true.

do they pay bulk for such chain stores, too, or do those go directly to outlets

or what?

she denies that there are any bulk sales, according to a post here earlier.

not that I believe a thing she ever says

[senseandsensibility]

6. He doesn't get into that

but it's a good idea.

[Totallybushed]

7. Great idea!!

I don't have a B&N in my town, but I do have a Books-a-Million. I'll try it.

[rzemanfl]

9. When I bought Mark Crispin Miller's "Fooled Again" it was in a

stack on the goddamned floor at the end of a shelf! In the "Current Events" section! This was like the day after it came out. Kurt Vonnegutt's "Man Without a Country" was in the "Current Events" section too, but it was at least on a shelf at eye level. Kurt Vonnegutt back of store, Ann Coulter front of store. Barnes and Noble sucks.

[formercia]

37. When I was a kid

I used to help Mrs. Barnes pack American Heritage excess copies to send to Third World countries. She was very Right-Wing.

[northzax]

43. um, Ann Coulter, like it or not

has bookscan numbers in the millions. Mark Crispin Miller is a lot closer to the tens of thousands, if that. Bookstores will put use their valuable resources for the stuff that will sell.

[TheCowsCameHome]

10. B&N had a couple of local RW hatemongers at a signing last week

One was a local talk host who clearly has extreme anger/hate management problems, the other a syndicated Boston afternoon host that wrote the book.

I will not patronize B&N ever again. I'll be damned if my money will go to anyone glorifying these people. Borders is a better bookstore, anyway.

Up yours, B&N.

[brook]

15. FYI

Coulter's book was front and center at Borders today.

[senseandsensibility]

19. Yes, the hubby's questioned them , too.

I forget the details now. I think it was around the time of the last Coulter hate fest masquerading as a book. Borders was guilty of the same prominent placement, although there were many liberal books on bestsellers lists out at that time, too. They're definitely no better.

[lostnfound]

24. Borders in Houston today, Coulter was front and center

A huge display as soon as you walk in the door.

On edit: I wonder if they get extra money for doing this? Any chance that some GOP scum is paying a premium to put them there?

[mcscajun]

28. B&N is Blue, Borders is Neutral, Amazon is very RED.

And Borders has one negative article on BuyBlue.org regarding overtime practices.
No business is perfect. Something to think about.

http://www.buyblue.org/directory/alpha

[timtom]

35. God have mercy!!!

I feel terrible! I buy lotsa stuff from Amazon.

As I dis those who patronize WalMart, I must now be dissed.

And I resolve to you, my fellow DUer's, that I cannot, I will not patronize Amazon again.

And this is a very painful decision for me.

[mcscajun]

36. No dissing from this quarter. You didn't know.

Therefore, no shame/guilt to you. :)

[SmokingJacket]

40. Sheesh, I didn't know that about Amazon.

You'd think, with a name like "amazon,"....

[peacebird]

11. might be nice to also mention that you can buy books cheaper at Amazon

and therefore skip the irritation of seeing Coulter's book displayed front and center when Moore's books were not.

Mention that you USUALLY prefer to Buy Blue but your bloodpressure simply won't allow you to spend hard earned money in a store pandering for a woman who slandered the 9/11 widows.

Then walk out.

on edit - I went to my local B&N the day BrokeBack arrived in the stores and purchased it. I went back the day the Chicks new CD was due and it wasn't there. I asked why and was told they only stock the top sellers due to space limitations. (They stock Vivaldi - I doubt IT is a top seller anywhere)

I will swing by tomorrow to see if they have the Chicks yet. Could mention Coulter and the lack of Chicks at one time. This will be amusing. Please - CHECK to see if YOUR local B&N has the Chicks CD yet. It is after all a topselling CD at the moment. Perhaps I ought to see what its BillBoard rating is... hmmmm..

UPDATE!!! According to BillBoard.com the DIXIE CHICKS have THE TOP SELLING NUMBER 1 CD in the COUNTRY and TOP 200 CHARTS!!!!

[kaygore]

14. Good point and good reason NOT to buy at B&N

[mcscajun]

27. Amazon is RED, B&N is BLUE

There's another factor to consider.

http://www.buyblue.org/directory/alpha

[driver8]

16. I thought Barnes & Noble was Blue??

Is that not correct? If it's not, I need to tell my mother-in-law that she can start shopping at Amazon again.

[IndyOp]

23. B&N is blue - far more blue than Borders... (n/t)

[mcscajun]

26. B&N is Blue, Borders is Neutral, Amazon is very RED.

http://www.buyblue.org/directory/alpha

[TahitiNut]

18. Think about it this way: NOBODY comes in intending to buy a Coulter book.

Those who know who she is wouldn't waste their money - including those who enjoy what she spews. Therefore, in their infinite(simal) marketing "wizdumb," the office POGs at B&N display her books for (ignorant) impulse buyers. They buy 'em out of ignorance or as a gift. B&N is probably pressured by the neoconservapress publishers to carry her books, and B&N knows most will eventually be discounted 80% just to get rid of them. Let's face it - they'll eventually all be reprocessed into toilet paper.

[senseandsensibility]

20. Don't freepers buy them?

:shrug:

[mcscajun]

30. And if the ignorant RWers buy it at B&N,

at least they're unwittingly supporting a Blue company as well. :)
http://www.buyblue.org/directory/alpha

[roody]

21. If your town still has an independent bookseller,

please support them.

[senseandsensibility]

22. That is very good advice, but

it doesn't. Whenever we get out of town, we do.

[Us vs Them]

25. Thank you! That's just what I was about to post.

I'm kind of shocked reading all these posts about people who seem to be regular customers at B&N.

[mcscajun]

29. Hey, at least B&N is Blue

http://www.buyblue.org/directory/alpha

I'm all for the independent bookseller, if you've got one. And if they're Blue, even better. :)
Might be tougher to find out, though.

[murielm99]

39. I agree wholeheartedly.

The only bookstore I patronize is an independent. I make a point of going there and I always buy something.

If they do not have what I want, they are happy to order for me.

BTW, I was just there last week. They do have some copies of anthrax annie's book, but it is not displayed. It is on the shelf with the other political books.

[SmokingJacket]

41. I work at one.

No Coulter book has ever crossed its threshhold.

:toast:

[Patiod]

31. In my very-blue area, there is a mix of right & left displayed at BN

And I didn't see that sicko's book displayed at all - it was almost all Dad-centered stuff (history, sports, "guy" books) on the front-and-center display

At our airport, where I believe the bookstore manager is a Dem (he gives good book reccs - it's just a gut feeling), it's also a mix.

At airports in Redder areas, I notice the rightwing crap gets much more prominant display, and there is little from the opposition.

[senseandsensibility]

32. Really? I live in the ultra liberal San Francisco Bay Area

and Coulter's screed is displayed on both sides of the entrance and in several other places throughout the store.:shrug:

[Patiod]

33. Really? I was just there yesterday and it wasn't front and center

:shrug:

[Chiyo-chichi]

34. Len Riggio

Len IS Barnes & Noble. You could try writing to him and/or his brother, Steve.

Len does donate to Dems. He gave to Kerry, Hillary & the DNC.

The Coulter book placement & displays in his stores are negiotated by the NY office with the publisher. It's all business to him.

[senseandsensibility]

38. I'm glad he gives money to Dems

but if it's all business to him, why bother to contact him? It doesn't sound like he's open to persuasion. I have nothing of monetary value to offer him to change his mind.

[Chiyo-chichi]

42. You're right.

It would not do any good. I guess I threw his name out there to let people know that he is B&N's "decider."

I did a damn good job as a community relations manager at a B&N store, only to have my position eliminated. The store manager, district manager and regional manager didn't fight for me, though I brought in tens of thousands in sales. Blue or not, they'll never get another penny from me.

[mwb970]

44. I did this at B&N Friday.

I told them I would buy my newspapers somewhere else until I could come into their store without being smacked in the face by 20 pictures of Awful Ann right inside the door.

[senseandsensibility]

45. Good for you!

What did they say?