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Bad experience at Chapters Bookshop Parnell Street, Dublin 1.

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    #212
    cloud493
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,835 ✭✭✭✭cloud493


    ordinary_girl wrote: »
    Anyone have any idea how picky Chapters are about second-hand books? I have unearthed a lot of old (but still in very good condition) teen fiction books that I'd like to get rid of. I haven't sold any books in Chapters in years, the last time I did was when the store was in Abbey Street! Tempted to send them an email with a list of titles to see if they'd be interested in taking them so I don't have to carry them through town just to be refused. Does anyone know if they reply to emails? And where is the nightmarish manager everyone here's talking about, I want to be sure to avoid him if I can!

    I'd email them first, chances are they won't take teen fiction books since they probably already have them in stock.


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    #213
    Toby Take a Bow
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭Toby Take a Bow


    ordinary_girl wrote: »
    And where is the nightmarish manager everyone here's talking about, I want to be sure to avoid him if I can!

    The manager everyone is talking to is usually on the information desk on the ground floor. As far as I know, you would be going upstairs so chances are you will avoid him. But I don't know how the process works, could well be they call him up in order to appraise second hand books.

    I would be very interested in hearing if they reply to emails regarding selling second hand books, Ordinary_girl, so if you could respond here, that would be great!
    cloud493 wrote: »
    I'd email them first, chances are they won't take teen fiction books since they probably already have them in stock.

    The shop upstairs often has some of the same titles that they would have downstairs, at least I've noticed a few.


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    #214
    cloudatlas
    Registered Users Posts: 3,709 ✭✭✭cloudatlas


    I've been in there recently selling books and I didn't deal with the grump. Don't bother ringing. You have to go in and show them. If it's a common title or there has been a new edition chances are they won't take it. I got more for Dvd's and Cd's than I got for the books. It depends.


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    #215
    Judge Roy Bean
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 95 ✭✭Judge Roy Bean


    Are you guys talking about the tall guy, wears glasses, really snotty look about him?


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    #216
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,931 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    I know this is about Chapters but I was in the Gutter Bookshop the other day and I thought their service was pretty shoddy. There were two girls behind the till doing something on the computer, possibly twitter, there was no eye contact, there was no please or thank you, the girl at the computer took my money and gave me back my change and receipt by sitting it about an inch from where she was sitting, she didn't even attempt eye contact, or to hand it to me, or to even say thank you. I'd heard such lovely things about this shop and it was my first visit and I have to say I wasn't impressed at all.


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    #217
    Toby Take a Bow
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭Toby Take a Bow


    My issue with the guy from Chapters is the consistency of his rudeness. I don't go in to The Gutter bookshop much (or at all: rarely find my way that end of Temple Bar) but it could just be a one off. Not that that excuses it, but I think we all have one from time to time. Now, if she was constantly at it, that would be a different matter.

    What I don't understand regarding this guy in Chapters is how he keeps getting away with it. I take it he's the manager, but I'm fairly sure he doesn't own the shop. If this is the case, do the owners not check up on him at all?


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    #218
    dukedalton
    Registered Users Posts: 404 ✭✭dukedalton


    Toby Take a Bow wrote: »
    My issue with the guy from Chapters is the consistency of his rudeness. I don't go in to The Gutter bookshop much (or at all: rarely find my way that end of Temple Bar) but it could just be a one off. Not that that excuses it, but I think we all have one from time to time. Now, if she was constantly at it, that would be a different matter.

    What I don't understand regarding this guy in Chapters is how he keeps getting away with it. I take it he's the manager, but I'm fairly sure he doesn't own the shop. If this is the case, do the owners not check up on him at all?

    Maybe he's good at other aspects of his job. The shop certainly is busy in there anytime I go in.

    Suppose it's one of those things where as a customer if you're dissatisfied you complain to the manager. If your complaint is about the manager, most people don't know where to go with it.

    As regards the staff, I remember a couple if years ago hearing some of the more senior staff upstairs in the second hand section bitching about his Hitler-esque personality, but I think most of the staff are young and probably just glad to have a job.

    I remember him from back in the Abbey St days and I can safely say I would not enjoy working with/for him.


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    #219
    Caonima
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 772 ✭✭✭Caonima


    Personally, I wouldn't take snark off any staff member, manager or not. I think a Boards flashmob might be the solution.


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    #220
    Judge Roy Bean
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 95 ✭✭Judge Roy Bean


    Caonima wrote: »
    Personally, I wouldn't take snark off any staff member, manager or not. I think a Boards flashmob might be the solution.

    Sounds like a plan :)


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    #221
    cloudatlas
    Registered Users Posts: 3,709 ✭✭✭cloudatlas


    Caonima wrote: »
    Personally, I wouldn't take snark off any staff member, manager or not. I think a Boards flashmob might be the solution.

    Do you think he'll understand the error of his ways if we present it to him in dance form?


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    #222
    Judge Roy Bean
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 95 ✭✭Judge Roy Bean


    He's gotta be there close to 20 years.

    I remember going to the old Abbey Street store in 1995 when I was 8 or 9 and he was working there.

    Hasn't changed.

    Still a d*ckhead


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    #223
    maynoothlizard
    Registered Users Posts: 16 ✭maynoothlizard


    I go to Chapter's about five or six times yearly so am in agreement with some of the above posters who've detected a certain froideur from the staff. Unpleasant as it is to be sneered at, though, I don't really care as long as I come away with a haul of books–the lack of human connection wouldn't be a dealbreaker, especially if the human concerned is a douchebag.


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    #224
    Whippersnapper
    Registered Users Posts: 598 ✭✭✭Whippersnapper


    I stopped going to Chapters a couple of years ago. It's one of the most soulless bookshops I've ever been in.


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    #225
    listen_lady
    Registered Users Posts: 43 ✭listen_lady


    Whippersnapper wrote: »
    I stopped going to Chapters a couple of years ago. It's one of the most soulless bookshops I've ever been in.

    Could you elaborate on that?

    Had another run-in with "Mr. Rude" a few days ago. This time I was inquiring about a certain edition of a Shakespeare book I needed for my English course. He was even more acerbic than usual.

    I must say, I'm not offended so much as deeply puzzled by his overt hostility towards every customer. Is it general bitterness about his lot in life or is he deliberately trying to alienate people?


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    #226
    vitani
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,824 ✭✭✭vitani


    I've never encountered this man in Chapters but I find myself wanting to go in, just to see how bad he really is.


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    #227
    mikemac1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,395 ✭✭✭✭mikemac1


    vitani wrote: »
    I've never encountered this man in Chapters but I find myself wanting to go in, just to see how bad he really is.

    Go to the customer service desk and ask a very reasonable question. :)

    Prepare for a sneering remark as if you are the dirt on his shoe :(


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    #228
    dukedalton
    Registered Users Posts: 404 ✭✭dukedalton


    Ask him do they have a second hand section.


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    #229
    Henry Gondorff
    Site Banned Posts: 34 ✭Henry Gondorff


    Do Chapters have a second hand games section?


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    #230
    Wichita Lineman
    Registered Users Posts: 48,742 ✭✭✭✭Wichita Lineman


    I used to be a regular in Chapters on Abbey St, but havent been in since they moved. Must have a peek in sometime soon.


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    #231
    Mr.Saturn
    Registered Users Posts: 3,954 ✭✭✭Mr.Saturn


    Henry Gondorff wrote: »
    Do Chapters have a second hand games section?

    Not in a long, long time.


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    #232
    judgefudge
    Registered Users Posts: 915 ✭✭✭judgefudge


    Does anyone know what the going rate for trading in books. I have about 15 I could trade in but I don't want to carry them all in on the bus if they're going to give me pennies for them.

    I've already checked with chapters and they said they'll take the books, but they ignored my question concerning how much (ballpark) they take books like that for. Anyone have any ideas?


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    #233
    hooplah
    Registered Users Posts: 570 ✭✭✭hooplah


    It depends on what the books are. For non high demand paperback fiction I wouldn't expect more than a euro each, that might be excessive.

    I have sold books to Chapters in the past. It's an alternative to giving them away and I'll do it again but don't expect much.


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    #234
    dukedalton
    Registered Users Posts: 404 ✭✭dukedalton


    I traded in two books recently- one paperback current affairs, one hardback biography- and I got €2 store credit each for them.


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    #235
    judgefudge
    Registered Users Posts: 915 ✭✭✭judgefudge


    I suppose they'd be mainly cult fiction, paperback.


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    #236
    dukedalton
    Registered Users Posts: 404 ✭✭dukedalton


    At I guess I'd say you'd get a euro each, maximum. When I went in I had a couple of current affairs books that I was pretty confident they'd take, but because they already had a copy if each in stock, the wouldn't. On another occasion I had a couple of Irish history books which they wouldn't take because they judged them to be in too poor a condition to sell.


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    #237
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,931 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    There's a cafe in Smithfield where you can swap your old books for their ones. I suppose that only works if they have something you want but I think it's a great idea, especially if you're only getting €1 for them in a shop.


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    #238
    Forever And Ever
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 407 ✭✭Forever And Ever


    Is this guy aware of this thread?


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    #239
    judgefudge
    Registered Users Posts: 915 ✭✭✭judgefudge


    Forever And Ever wrote: »
    Is this guy aware of this thread?

    I emailed a link to the thread to their email address back when the thread was only a couple of pages long. I was told that they would be definitely looking into it or something but obviously nothing has changed. I wouldn't be surprised if it's that rude guy that got the email to be fair, he could have just deleted it.


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    #240
    jd
    Registered Users Posts: 5,701 ✭✭✭jd


    We should have a poll every week of different stupid questions to ask pighead. And then we go in and film the response to the most popular question.


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    #241
    cloud493
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,835 ✭✭✭✭cloud493


    I went into him on saturday when I was buying the new Max Hastings book, had 5 or 6 books in my hands, and I just said to him scuse me where the books :)


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