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The Inner Workings of the Criminal, errr Customer Mind...

Probably the MOST asked question in a bookstore---or, at least in our bookstore--- is: Where is your non-fiction section?

We've all had our moments where we patiently explain to the customer that "technically" the entire store is non-fiction, except for the section actually labeled FICTION, and is there something specific you're looking for....  9 times out of 10 these customers are looking for the True Crime section---which I've always thought was odd, but hey, it is what it is.

I had one of these non-fiction customers today and she too fell into the "I'm really looking for your True Crime section, but I like to sound more (sophisticated?) so I'll ask for non-fiction" category.

After taking her to the True Crime section, she pauses for a second after looking around and says, "wow, it's such an itty bitty section."


My internal dialogue as I walked away went something like this:

Okay, 2 bookcases standing 6 feet tall and spreading 4 feet across does seem small in relation to the size of our whole store. But, when you're dealing in an environment where every inch of real estate is precious as brick-and-mortar stores dwindle to the point of extinction, 8 feet is HUGE. 

Then:

Well, not every criminal/crime has had someone write a book about it.

Then, as I finally made it around the corner:

Why would we want more True Crime books?
 Shouldn't we be trying to figure out how to stop crime and never have another True Crime book written? 


Just another day in customer land...Oy





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  1. Maybe the lady was looking for inspiration to plan her own crime?!

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    1. Oh dear... I never thought of that! And to think, I showed exactly where she could find that inspiration, lol.

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