Before you take your books to the charity shop...

Discussion on living for a better and more responsible future
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albertajune
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Re: Before you take your books to the charity shop...

Post by albertajune »

As I don't have a second hand book shop near me, my books do go to a charity shop. I put mine into the local hospice shop which I hope benefits local people who need this care.
I do agree about the high street shops closing which is such a shame. However, I believe this is because the people who complain that their local shopping centre is dying, don't support it. Also our local baker closed recently which really didn't surprise me, as their bread was so expensive and people are having to shop where they can get more for their money. Unfortunately, usually the supermarket, which is taking over from high streets.
I live in an area that has a fairly small shopping centre, plus a supermarket. The small individual shops do well as they sell goods that the supermarket doesn't, or give more choice.
It is such a shame that these old shops that served the public well for so many years are going as they are. I honestly can't see it going back to how it used to be. The big complexes are growing more and more unfortunately.
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Stig
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Re: Before you take your books to the charity shop...

Post by Stig »

It sounds like the bookshop is going the way of the second-hand record shop,and will become rarer than hen's teeth on most high streets. Bookshops also face a similar threat to record shops, from digital downloads replacing physical media

I've given up trawling charity shops for records - as someone else said, they have become too savvy (and stick hopelessly optimistic "book" prices on often tatty copies of rare records). Either that or have piles and piles of awful dross for pennies sat gathering mildew in a corner. So I now use proper record shops. If I have records to sell I go to dealers or use ebay.

Would you say there is a distinction between the books sold in your father-in-law's shop and the ones in a typical charity shop? They're usually full of Mills & Boon aren't they? It may be time to find your niche and exploit it.
Steve the Gas

Re: Before you take your books to the charity shop...

Post by Steve the Gas »

Stig, I have some vinyl I may part with - could you tell me where I should go please?
Is there a records wanted anywher?

Sorry )ot:
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Re: Before you take your books to the charity shop...

Post by Benny&Co »

Steve the Gas wrote:Stig, I have some vinyl I may part with - could you tell me where I should go please?
Is there a records wanted anywher?

Sorry )ot:



Awww Steve, there used to be a record place in East London, I bet it's no longer there now though :?
Bev x
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Re: Before you take your books to the charity shop...

Post by Mrs B »

For Steve,

Best to ring them first though to check they are still there as that shop is one of the ones earmarked for demolition

http://www.henrysrecords.co.uk/welcome.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Steve the Gas

Re: Before you take your books to the charity shop...

Post by Steve the Gas »

)t' )t'

{hug}
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Stig
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Re: Before you take your books to the charity shop...

Post by Stig »

There's a very good record store near me (Cob Records in Bangor) but they are choosy when buying and will only take records they want, won't even take junk off your hands for free! Must admit I haven't been there to sell for a long while because ebay works great & records are cheap and easy to post out.

What're you selling Steve? {hug} {hug}
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Orfy
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Re: Before you take your books to the charity shop...

Post by Orfy »

Stig wrote:There's a very good record store near me (Cob Records in Bangor) but they are choosy when buying and will only take records they want, won't even take junk off your hands for free!


I see that as a missed business opportunity.
Having a pile of records to give away free or for a charity donation is a way to get extra possible customers in.
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Stig
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Re: Before you take your books to the charity shop...

Post by Stig »

I might ask them next time I visit, but I suspect the cost of storage may outweigh the potential customer draw. High street shop rent/rates etc..

Back to the subject of books, has anyone got an electronic reader yet (like a Kindle)? Personally I'm not attracted to them but it seems in general they're becoming quite popular.
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Humanist
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Re: Before you take your books to the charity shop...

Post by Humanist »

Stig wrote:Would you say there is a distinction between the books sold in your father-in-law's shop and the ones in a typical charity shop? They're usually full of Mills & Boon aren't they? It may be time to find your niche and exploit it.


We have to try to exploit every niche. We have Mills & Boon, we have 300 year old volumes priced at £500+ and everything inbetween. Unfortunately, the Mills & Boon are the more popular!
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Re: Before you take your books to the charity shop...

Post by Steve the Gas »

I think it's inevitable that sadly books will be no more at some point not too far away, the interweb will take over.

Then it will be Skynet and the Terminator territory too... :?
LittleBrownFrog

Re: Before you take your books to the charity shop...

Post by LittleBrownFrog »

I can't imagine a world without books. I have a kindle, which I like, but it's not the same as a book. Really miss spending an afternoon mooching in some decent second hand book shops - none round here really.
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Humanist
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Re: Before you take your books to the charity shop...

Post by Humanist »

'Real' bookshops - use 'em or lose 'em folks!
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Sunny B
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Re: Before you take your books to the charity shop...

Post by Sunny B »

Interesting topic.

I must admit I like to buy used items where possible to prevent adding to the amount of "stuff" in the world.

Whatever happened to "living lightly"? I kind of feel that we shouldn't need to poseess all these things and that it would be better for the planet if we used libraries, shared and passed around items.
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Re: Before you take your books to the charity shop...

Post by Orfy »

We used to have a second hand book shop that offered 50% of the reatial price back on returned books if you bought another at the same time. That worked will but had for too big a weighting of mills and boom books. I think it went bust because it wouldn't buyback books they didn't sell originally so there was no turnover of new stock.
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