Having worked in a big corporate bookstore, I can sympathize with both sides on this issue.
It's true, if the companies didn't want people to stick around and browse through the books, they wouldn't have put the comfortable chairs and coffee shops and tables there.
On the other hand, you'd be surprised how many people *do* read whole books in the store without purchasing anything. Overall, that loss is probably quite small compared to the gains from providing comfort to customers. As a worker though, it gets incredibly frustrating to see the same person come in every Tuesday night, grab a stack of 10 books, eventually settle on one and read it for the next 3 hours until they're kicked out because the store is closing, leaving their mess of books on the table for someone else to clean up. Next Tuesday, they come back and get a new stack of books, including the book they were reading the previous week so that they can finish it.
90% of people are perfectly fine and reasonable, but that other 10%.... you have no idea how incredibly frustrating they can be.
---------- Post added at 06:00 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:52 AM ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by Manic_Skafe
Spot on. I should also add that after having spent a few years working for a major retailer of books, they couldn't care less about damages or even theft. They've got a stronghold on the market because they've either bought up or pushed out the competition and they've got the publishers in their pocket. They couldn't care less if you lounge and read because with every book sold, they've made several thousand times over cost. It's a racket, really.
You should also know for the next time you spot a cop patrolling in a bookstore, chances are that they aren't there to protect the merchandise but to keep the child molesters and dudes who are looking to hookup in the bathrooms away.
Lounge away.
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The one thing I disagree with here is that they don't care about theft. Granted, more could be done, but when I worked at the major bookstore there was a pretty decent emphasis on preventative security measures and spotting theft in action.
That said - and I believe this is probably true for any retailer - there was more of an emphasis on internal theft than on theft from visitors. The store I worked at was one of the few that didn't have cameras, but all newer stores do, and they're primarily to catch employees stealing (which is why they also exist in receiving and the break room).
It's annoying to be treated like a criminal by the company you work for.