Comments on: Why I love and don’t like Powell’s http://www.zumsteg.net/2007/04/27/why-i-love-and-dont-like-powells/ Derek Zumsteg's site of doom Mon, 28 Feb 2011 19:03:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Jim http://www.zumsteg.net/2007/04/27/why-i-love-and-dont-like-powells/comment-page-1/#comment-1689 Jim Mon, 21 May 2007 21:22:36 +0000 http://www.zumsteg.net/2007/04/27/why-i-love-and-dont-like-powells/#comment-1689 I'd always heard of how great Powell's is, but had never experienced it firsthand. I noticed last year that some of the used books I was purchasing through Amazon Stores were offered from Powell's books so I went ahead and purchased a couple from them to show support for an 'ol time brick 'n mortar. Your experience with Powell's prices escalating makes me wonder about an annoying experience I've had recently, though. The last two orders I've placed through Powell's Amazon shop were "no longer available" when they had the lowest prices of the various vendors. The excuse was they must've sold it in the store at the exact moment my order came through or something outrageous. The first time it happened, I didn't think much about it except how it was a hassle for me (start a new order with someone else). The second time it happened, I decided that's it for Powells. Liars. Bait and Switchers! I’d always heard of how great Powell’s is, but had never experienced it firsthand. I noticed last year that some of the used books I was purchasing through Amazon Stores were offered from Powell’s books so I went ahead and purchased a couple from them to show support for an ‘ol time brick ‘n mortar.
Your experience with Powell’s prices escalating makes me wonder about an annoying experience I’ve had recently, though. The last two orders I’ve placed through Powell’s Amazon shop were “no longer available” when they had the lowest prices of the various vendors. The excuse was they must’ve sold it in the store at the exact moment my order came through or something outrageous. The first time it happened, I didn’t think much about it except how it was a hassle for me (start a new order with someone else). The second time it happened, I decided that’s it for Powells. Liars. Bait and Switchers!

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]]> By: Gomez http://www.zumsteg.net/2007/04/27/why-i-love-and-dont-like-powells/comment-page-1/#comment-1248 Gomez Mon, 30 Apr 2007 04:14:15 +0000 http://www.zumsteg.net/2007/04/27/why-i-love-and-dont-like-powells/#comment-1248 The markup is because of the store's general demand, given Powell's is a nationally popular bookstore with few locations (one in Portland, one in Denver). I had friends in Vegas who would rave about it. Also, apologies for a) not sticking around and b) potentially embarrassing you at the reading. I didn't realize until the very end that the whole thing was being picked up by KUOW. Also, I hadn't gotten my ticket yet so I wanted to hurry down there and get it. The markup is because of the store’s general demand, given Powell’s is a nationally popular bookstore with few locations (one in Portland, one in Denver). I had friends in Vegas who would rave about it.

Also, apologies for a) not sticking around and b) potentially embarrassing you at the reading. I didn’t realize until the very end that the whole thing was being picked up by KUOW. Also, I hadn’t gotten my ticket yet so I wanted to hurry down there and get it.

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]]> By: Hal O'Brien http://www.zumsteg.net/2007/04/27/why-i-love-and-dont-like-powells/comment-page-1/#comment-1236 Hal O'Brien Sun, 29 Apr 2007 17:47:32 +0000 http://www.zumsteg.net/2007/04/27/why-i-love-and-dont-like-powells/#comment-1236 As I'm mulling this over, I'm reminded of one word: Lobster. When I was a kid in Boston, if you drove up to Maine lobster was relatively cheap. The reason was, lobster couldn't really ship easily, so it was a local supply going to a local market. Then along came air freight. Suddenly Maine could ship off lobster in their tanks across the country, which ratcheted up their market by a <i>huge</i> amount -- while their supply was still the same local lobster beds. I think Powell's is in a similar situation. Their internet sales allow them to sell and ship around the world. But their <i>buying</i> catchbasin is still overwhelmingly Portland, would be my bet. They also have a distortion effect compared to other internet used book retailers because of their reputation, which prompts many people to seek them out first. Add in that Portland is enough of a "book"-y town to have supported plain ol' bricks-and-mortar Powell's (in other words, a larger than typical local demand), and... yeah. Few used books, priced high. Doesn't surprise me at all. That may be a bit too much, <i>Post hoc ergo propter hoc</i>-ish, but hey. :) As I’m mulling this over, I’m reminded of one word:

Lobster.

When I was a kid in Boston, if you drove up to Maine lobster was relatively cheap. The reason was, lobster couldn’t really ship easily, so it was a local supply going to a local market.

Then along came air freight.

Suddenly Maine could ship off lobster in their tanks across the country, which ratcheted up their market by a huge amount — while their supply was still the same local lobster beds.

I think Powell’s is in a similar situation. Their internet sales allow them to sell and ship around the world. But their buying catchbasin is still overwhelmingly Portland, would be my bet. They also have a distortion effect compared to other internet used book retailers because of their reputation, which prompts many people to seek them out first. Add in that Portland is enough of a “book”-y town to have supported plain ol’ bricks-and-mortar Powell’s (in other words, a larger than typical local demand), and… yeah. Few used books, priced high. Doesn’t surprise me at all.

That may be a bit too much, Post hoc ergo propter hoc-ish, but hey. :)

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