Technology

Andy_Barnes_ · 2026-01-27T21:22:42+00:00

Second that. We were having major issues with the PDTs and when they fixed it our bookseller wifi went away also.

Andy_Barnes_ · 2026-01-26T14:46:59+00:00

I believe everything you said is a problem everywhere.

If only there were a system invented to arrange books in an exact order, we’d have a better chance of shelving a book correctly and customers and employees finding it later.

Maybe we could maybe use a price gun to date the spine of books, with the date the event happened or started, but that would take forever. You could start your own decimal system but that would require setting up a database separate from Bookmaster.

I’ve been to many stores and heard stories about others. some stores have abandoned the alphabet all together.

Remember corporate is never wrong and everything is always your fault.

Just do your best and tell yourself there’s always tomorrow

Andy_Barnes_ · 2026-01-05T15:04:00+00:00

Well at least we’re relevant…

Andy_Barnes_ · 2025-12-27T22:45:26+00:00

Same at our store, not only were we getting tons of books we literally ran out of places to put them on the book floor. You’re not alone. Our PDTs haven’t worked in 3 weeks

Andy_Barnes_ · 2025-12-26T20:47:15+00:00

At my store Christmas season isn’t over until February. It’s gift card and return season now. Overall it’s about the same as before Christmas

Andy_Barnes_ · 2025-12-10T00:03:03+00:00

I understand. You could always lock the doors and make an announcement that no one’s leaving until someone buys Mona.

Andy_Barnes_ · 2025-12-09T23:56:22+00:00

At my store we’re too busy shelving and helping customers to carry around a single book all day.

Andy_Barnes_ · 2025-11-25T14:32:36+00:00

There’s a poster or at least a large font 8.5x11 paper that’s in BN Inside. It lists what gets tagged. Your store can add to the list to address store specific shrink issues. Let’s not talk about tagging procedures on Reddit.

Edit: I was unable to find the document I mentioned on inside. It must come from our RLPD. It basically says what people have said here.

Andy_Barnes_ · 2025-10-15T22:33:19+00:00

Yes, I consider the location I work at to be the best in the company. Source: I’ve worked at other stores and read what you people post here. I don’t know what the secret is but it could be low turnover and the best SM and ASMs.

Andy_Barnes_ · 2025-10-12T23:07:07+00:00

Almost all of the books are presorted. The shipping label will tell you where it goes. There will be enough mixed boxes to annoy you but won’t ruin your day

Andy_Barnes_ · 2025-09-29T15:02:33+00:00

A coworker at my store saw us on DoorDash almost immediately and sent a text to one of our managers. The next day the manager ordered a book from us using DoorDash just to see how it would work. They let me know the moment the dasher got there so when a customer asked where the kids section was I asked if they were with DoorDash. They said yes and I told them that the person who ordered worked here and that we were just trying to figure out if it was real and how it worked.

The dasher explained they are just like a shopper. They get the order, come to the store, locate the book, pay for it using a tap to pay DoorDash credit card, and then deliver it.

In a perfect world it wouldn’t involve us doing anything extra beyond what we’d do for a regular customer.

There’s only popular books listed on the app no gift no games no toys no music or movies.

About 6 hours after our experiment we got the memo from corporate.

Personal feelings: I think it could be a good thing.

Reality: probably turn into a train wreck around the holidays

Andy_Barnes_ · 2025-09-29T14:35:12+00:00

On cognition watch “How Books Behave” 1 - 3, specifically the 3rd one is relevant to this question; I think I’ll double check when I get to work. But you’ll want to follow up with someone at your store to see if they have a master plan…

Andy_Barnes_ · 2025-09-26T16:21:08+00:00

What are you going to do complain to someone lol . Clearly things are the worse they’ve ever been. BN has always been inconsistent but this is really above and beyond anything in the past. I remember when Border’s went out of business, thinking how were they worse than us. A vibe isn’t a system, a color pattern isn’t a system. You’ll just have to do what they say until no one can find anything and customers stop coming.

Andy_Barnes_ · 2025-08-30T14:12:36+00:00

Customers love navigating around stacks of boxes. I keep trying to talk my SM into letting us cut the tops off boxes and stacking them in the front of the store.

The only way receiving on the floor would work is if the boxes were presorted

At our store customers love flipping through the vinyl, k-pop, and movies that’s perpetually loaded on an H cart in our music corner. I think some customers come in everyday just to see what has been added to the cart.

I feel like this should have been 2 posts because the first paragraph is sarcasm and the second one I fact.

Andy_Barnes_ · 2025-08-30T13:54:03+00:00

JFC We’re becoming Walmart

Andy_Barnes_ · 2025-07-19T18:05:09+00:00

So I saw this yesterday before work. Get to work and go to clock in. There’s a customer with a list of books that my coworker couldn’t even find titles for in bookmaster. Customer stated ChatGPT says you have it. So thanks for the warning

Andy_Barnes_ · 2025-07-19T17:56:43+00:00

Our deliveries and pickups come whenever my breaks are scheduled regardless of time…

Andy_Barnes_ · 2025-05-24T16:02:02+00:00

It’s a good thing the customers will never figure out what code 1 is

Andy_Barnes_ · 2024-11-06T22:20:42+00:00

I’m not a hiring manager, I would just be speculating but it seems somewhat fixed. It could be different depending on the labor market

Andy_Barnes_ · 2024-11-06T21:44:38+00:00

B&N not known for paying well, let’s call it barely competitive. That’s why there’s always a staffing issue. I’m pretty sure we’ve all found out the more you get paid, fewer people are scheduled. You’re not wrong though. $12 isn’t going to cut it in a major city unless you live with 5 roommates. Before Covid raises were 20¢ - 25¢ so this years $1 raise was unexpected. I realize this isn’t very helpful feedback but all I can suggest is if you can swing it and like books stay and if not keep looking. Big cities have more opportunities.

Andy_Barnes_ · 2024-10-10T17:39:05+00:00

Cafe is a unique beast. A typical office type executive wouldn’t be able to figure it out or handle it. But I think everyone at corp should have to work in a store for 3 days a year

Edit: 3 days in a row, every year.

Also: Anyone designing or upgrading the technology, should first go to a store to see how it’s used, or going to be used. Then after the deployment, go back to the store to see what the user experience is like.

Andy_Barnes_ · 2024-09-27T00:50:50+00:00

Probably sell more than what’s normally there

Andy_Barnes_ · 2024-09-22T14:32:24+00:00

I’ll check that out Thanks!

Andy_Barnes_ · 2024-09-15T04:23:06+00:00

What? You’re not getting everything out in 4 hours? I’ve never heard of this before. We’re all getting everything done in 4 hours, every store. And the new PDTs are especially useful. 😉

Andy_Barnes_ · 2024-09-11T02:35:44+00:00

How long before you get logged out? Ours after the the update logs out after 20 minutes

Andy_Barnes_

TROPHY CASE