Bookstore marketing gone bad
When I returned to Rock Hill, S.C., two months ago after a 15-year absence, I was delighted to find a Books-A-Million bookstore here in town.
I love Books-A-Million. We never had a Books-A-Million when I lived here before. We had only a Books-A-Dozen.
But I kind of feel sorry for those poor guys. They probably know damn well how much money I spend with Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Borders. I did sign up for a Books-A-Million membership card, so they politely spam me from time to time.
But this really takes the cake. They’re trying to lure me into their store this week by dangling, of all things, a sports magazine in front of me:
This is pathetically funny on so many levels.
First of all, I work for Sporting News Today. So these Sports Illustrated wankers are now The Enemy, right? No way am I buying a copy of their rag when I can download my own fine publication for free. And if I need a slick magazine, I’ll buy the newly-redesigned biweekly Sporting News itself.
The other reason this e-mail solicitation was pathetically laughable?
Check out that cover story:
Yeah, that’s Alabama. Embarrassing hell out of Clemson on national TV last Saturday.
And yeah: I’m a huge Clemson fan. A hugely embarrassed one, at the moment. So thanks for rubbing it in, Books-A-Million. In my own in-basket.
Try it again in February, guys. You might get my attention then.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:09 am
Wow, a bookstore in Rock Hill (apart from the one by Winthrop, I mean). I remember when the Galleria opened up. The Herald covered it like it was D-Day.
September 5th, 2008 at 11:10 am
I believe I’ve been in that Books-a-million. Seems like I purchased some Tolkien there (to replace worn out paperpacks, if memory serves.) And gotta cup o’ joe, of course.
September 5th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
What’s wrong with the cover story? I find it to be an extremely accurate account of a very fine football team.
*snerk*
ROLL TIDE!!! *dashes before Charles can throw something at her*
September 5th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Why doesn’t “The Enemy” put a good team on the cover? Like the 6th-ranked Missouri Tigers… heh
September 6th, 2008 at 12:53 am
Megs writes:
> ROLL TIDE!!! *dashes before Charles
> can throw something at her*
Oh, sure. NOW you can post comments…
September 6th, 2008 at 1:19 am
It looks like they changed the setup here some, because the comments part definitely looks different. I was surprised I got away with it.
September 10th, 2008 at 8:25 am
Charles don’t be sad. They were just as shocked as we all were. I mean we are used to not beating 9th ranked teams. Megan is right though.:D
Uh, Jason, hush!
Roll Tide!
Tiff