Books by Design–Business Lesson Number Three

Welcome to the third installment of Business Lessons à la Books by Design. We’ve been doing a lot of learning around here lately, huh? The scary part is I think I still have a lot left to learn. But I digress.

…. drum roll, please…

The Books by Design Business Lesson Number Three is called, “We Gotta Pay the Rent, Y’all.”

It is true that Books by Design offers a used book trade-in program. I have a spill memorized that I can recite on command, and it goes a little something like this…

Yes! We absolutely do used book trade-ins. You can bring books in for store credit. Depending on the age, condition, and popularity of the titles, you will most likely get $1.50 to $2.00 credit for paperbacks and $3.00 to $4.00 for hardbacks. The store credit can then be used toward HALF of your next purchase, and you pay the remaining balance in cash or check. For example, if you have $12.00 worth of credit, and you pick out $20.00 worth of books you would like to take home, you may use $10.00 of your credit today, and then pay $10.00 (plus tax!) in cash or check. The residual $2.00 in store credit can be used next time you come in. It never expires as long as Books by Design is in business.

I thought this explanation of the trade-in policy was working pretty well all things considered…

… until just a few days ago.

Now it seems as though there may be a bit of confusion circulating, and people think we “swap” books—as in they can bring in a bag of books, load up a whole gaggle of selections from the store, and be on their merry way. No cash. No check. No currency exchange of any kind.

Imagine that! Wouldn’t it be wonderful? If there was a place you could go and essentially borrow books, bring them back in, and swap them for different ones… oh, wait….

… wait for it…

There is a place like that! There is a place exactly like that! It’s called the Public Library!

Now that’s not to say the public library doesn’t have another set of rules all on their own, but if someone is looking to literally swap books in and out, the library is probably the first place to go. Books by Design might not be for them.

Books by Design is a not a government funded institution. Nor is it a cute little mantle over a fake hotel fireplace where you can “Please take one.” Books by Design is a small business owned and operated by yours truly, and since we’re speaking candidly, we have bills to pay. We rent our shop space for our neighbor, and he is above and beyond a fantastic and generous Landlord. As kind as he has been though, he prefers his rent to be paid with money. He won’t let me “swap” books for shop space. And get this… it’s the same way with Georgia Power. They won’t let me pay them for my electricity with books. Ditto for the newspaper advertisers, the internet service providers, and my book suppliers. They all want their share of actual money.

Gah. What party poopers, huh? Talk about raining on my proverbial parade.

So I hate to be the Bad News Book Bear, but Books by Design cannot offer customers an even swap of books. The best we can do is offer you $1.50 to $2.00 store credit for paperbacks and $3.00 to $4.00 store credit for hardbacks. The store credit can then be used toward HALF of your next purchase, and you pay the remaining balance in cash or check. Key turn of phrase: Customers must pay at least HALF of their total purchase in cash or check, so we can pay—gotta pay—those bills, bills, bills.

If you have more questions about the trade-in policy, please feel free to stop in the shop anytime or call Books by Design at 770.823.8763.

P.s. Books by Design would love to have over ONE HUNDRED friends on Facebook by the end of the month! Invite your friends to join our fan page today! =)

Thanks, y’all.