Bad experience at Chapters Bookshop Parnell Street, Dublin 1.

Desmond_T

Welcome to the club.

cloud493

I order everything from the book depository now so. I went in a little while ago, looking for 'scars' by Cheryl Rainfield. When I asked how much the ordering in would be, its not a massive book for the record, a whopping 33 euro :eek:
6.61 off the book depository, and free shipping

dukedalton

I find with Chapters that the books they have on special offer are usually great value, but anything else they have at full price is more expensive than elsewhere.

Desmond_T

Yeah like, why bother, especially when you've got to negotiate the snotty staff, who should be grateful to have a job.

Zeek12

dukedalton wrote: »

I find with Chapters that the books they have on special offer are usually great value, but anything else they have at full price is more expensive than elsewhere.

Agree 100%. If I'm looking to buy something new in Dublin, Chapters would'nt be my first port of call. But they do have excellent offers in the second-hand section and it's great even just for a browse.
Have to say I've never experienced the rude staff thing; the last time I brought a bunch of old books and Dvds in for exchange the guy who dealt with me upstairs was very friendly and gave me quite a decent exchange price too on an in-store voucher.

endacl

doctork wrote: »

I visited Chapters for the first time last week, having heard good things. Was really surprised at the rudeness of the staff. The man at "Customer Service" silently pointed at the check-outs when I approached him, and then laughed out loud and pointed again when I didn't quite follow his direction.

A simple "the check-out is over there" surely wouldn't have been too difficult. I would have thought that customer-service is the one strength that bookshops have over online stores, and would have expected a lot better.

Its all part of the charm of the Chapters experience! Personally, I love the place.

Agent J

Desmond_T wrote: »

Yeah like, why bother, especially when you've got to negotiate the snotty staff, who should be grateful to have a job.

Build a bridge already.

ThirdMan

This is off topic, but I used to buy vinyls in a record store in Cork. I can't think of the name of it now, but it was upstairs at the corner of Washington Street. Anyway, my taste in music used to be a little more commercial in those days, so the guy behind the counter used to smirk when he seen which vinyls I was spending €50 on. And yet I went back there a few times! I don't know who was worse, him or me.

Lawliet

davearthurs wrote: »

Also the fact is I saw books that looked fine that were being thrown out. The plastic bags were transparent so it was easy to see them.

I realize this post is quite old but as someone who works in the book section of Oxfam I just wanted to clear this up for anyone who got the wrong impression. If the books were in transparent bags they were not being thrown out. We use clear bags to move books between shops, books that are recycled go in heavy duty green bags. In all the time I've been at Oxfam we have never recycled enough books to fill a bag in one go; usually we just throw out one, maybe two a week that are totally destroyed. We don't get near enough donations to be fussy and wasteful, most weeks its a struggle to even fill the shelves.

Violate_Me

I find it staggering that this gentleman has retained his position for so long.

cloud493

Violate_Me wrote: »

I find it staggering that this gentleman has retained his position for so long.

The guy on customer service?

Violate_Me

cloud493 wrote: »

The guy on customer service?

Yes. Anyone I have ever spoken to who have ever been to Chapters has had nothing but bad things to say about him.

And this thread confirms this

Ninap

Violate_Me wrote: »

Yes. Anyone I have ever spoken to who have ever been to Chapters has had nothing but bad things to say about him.

And this thread confirms this

Off topic, but did you really join Boards in 2001? And rack up a grand total of 11 posts since then??

Sulla Felix

Violate_Me wrote: »

Yes. Anyone I have ever spoken to who have ever been to Chapters has had nothing but bad things to say about him.

And this thread confirms this

I get on grand with him. So that's one at least. :P

cloudatlas

Yep the guy at 'customer service' and I'm sure he'd be the type to love this bit of internet fame too.

JR79

Violate_Me wrote: »

Yes. Anyone I have ever spoken to who have ever been to Chapters has had nothing but bad things to say about him.

And this thread confirms this

He is just about the worst person you could have for that job & the way he has treated the staff while I was there was shocking

dukedalton

JR79 wrote: »

He is just about the worst person you could have for that job & the way he has treated the staff while I was there was shocking

Come on JR, you can't lob that grenade in here and just walk away. Explain!

cloud493

dukedalton wrote: »

Come on JR, you can't lob that grenade in here and just walk away. Explain!

This. Come on spill

Clemenza

JR79 wrote: »

He is just about the worst person you could have for that job & the way he has treated the staff while I was there was shocking

Do tell please!

Ms. Koi

I've bought quite a lot of books from chapters, it's one of my favourites for a ramble when waiting on himself.
I've never experienced such bad customer service, but I do agree the staff are very overworked, they seem to have no time to stop and help, which is needed sometimes. They either need more staff or maybe just have floor staff to help with enquiries?

I would love an online catalogue of the second hand books, you can spend hours searching! Although, I do love the ramble!

Sulla Felix

kellief wrote: »

I would love an online catalogue of the second hand books, you can spend hours searching! Although, I do love the ramble!

I'm kind of surprised they don't do a bit of selling online really.

Ms. Koi

Sulla Felix wrote: »

I'm kind of surprised they don't do a bit of selling online really.

They would make quite a bit of money from it.

Clemenza

Online is a terrific idea.

I wonder will they embrace it?

Ms. Koi

Clemenza wrote: »

Online is a terrific idea.

I wonder will they embrace it?

It might be worthwhile saying it instore when I'm there next.

Clemenza

kellief wrote: »

It might be worthwhile saying it instore when I'm there next.

Good idea, I'll do the same tomorrow when I'm there!

jd

kellief wrote: »

It might be worthwhile saying it instore when I'm there next.

To Customer Service guy?

Clemenza

http://www.yelp.ie/biz/chapters-bookstore-dublin

The bespectacled manager is beyond rude.

It's not just us Boardies who think this :rolleyes:

VisionaryP

I'd just like to say well done to the staff member in Chapters Bookstore who refused to allow my 7 year old nephew (who was in obvious distress) to use the bathroom yesterday afternoon, even though we had just made a purchase. Absolute stellar customer service there, well done!

Clemenza

VisionaryP wrote: »

I'd just like to say well done to the staff member in Chapters Bookstore who refused to allow my 7 year old nephew (who was in obvious distress) to use the bathroom yesterday afternoon, even though we had just made a purchase. Absolute stellar customer service there, well done!

Really? That's ridiculous. Some people are arseholes

cloud493

Dunno what that yelp page is going on about their quick ordering and 'genuinley nice staff' :rolleyes:

Well I guess its only a couple of staff that are actually rude in fairness, the rest just always seem to be busy or rushed off their feet, so to speak.