Stopped into my local Barnes & Noble this afternoon. As soon as I walked in I noticed that in the front of the store, there was a big table with stacks of about 10 different Y2K books (Yourdon, Hyatt, Porlier, Webster, "Making the Best of Basics", "Got Beans?", home canning, ect.) Along side the books was a stack of Y2K pamphlets from Duke Power (equal time and all, I guess).

I wandered abit further back in the store and saw ANOTHER table display with the same books. There was a "centerpiece" flyer that read "The Year 2000 is Coming...Are You Ready?".

I am in this store quite often and this is the first time I've seen it. Alot of people seemed interested and were paging through some of the books.

Anyone else seen such displays in their local bookstores? I'm in Charlotte, NC.

R.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), May 07, 1999

Answers

I'm in Fresno, CA and like the way you described it, Barnes & Noble here had the same display. I guess it's a nation wide thing.

-- Miss. Fresno (suburbia@fresno.ca), May 07, 1999.

Barnes & Noble in Mankato, Minnesota has had a Y2K table for over a month now.

-- Jim Morris (prism@bevcomm.net), May 07, 1999.

Thanks for the responses. So do you think this is because they are getting alot or requests for the literature? Or is someone at Barnes & Noble a GI? If this is a nationwide display campaign, who directed it and why? My local power company is certainly aware and trying to diffuse if.

R.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), May 07, 1999.

The conspiracy continues. The reason that they are putting the books out into front displays are for the simple reason that they can make more on a display of books that are selling well or have the potential to sell well if a person has a curiosity of what people are talking about. But would not actually search the books out.

Sort of like all the Star Wars stuff that is going around and is in stores to sell.

-- Pat (BAMECW@aol.com), May 07, 1999.

Or is it because of Y2k apathy and they are trying to clear out the dead wood?

-- Debbie, bogging down in Y2k apathy (dbspence@usa.net), May 07, 1999.

If it's dead wood, then why all the fancy displays? Why not throw it into the discount section along with the other dead wood?

-- Tim (pixmo@pixelquest.com), May 07, 1999.

Wasn't there a thread many moons ago about a rather unpleasant encounter in a Barnes & Noble? Something about some of the salescritters being less than polite about the customer's Y2K concerns? Interesting...

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.hid), May 07, 1999.

Ya got a point Tim - I'll have to go see for myself.

In my mood of apathy today, I was picturing this time next year, at Barnes & Noble, these three scenarios and trying to pick one: (1) all Y2k books off in the corner at 80% discount. (2) Y2k books selling like hotcakes, people amazed and shocked cuz the economy's in a tailspin; or (3) Barnes & Noble? Crown? Waldenbooks? -- didn't they all close down around January?

-- Debbie (dbspence@usa.net), May 07, 1999.

Mac:

Are you referring to this thread?

A strange thing happened to me at a local book store today

-- Tim (pixmo@pixelquest.com), May 07, 1999.

Tag off...hope this works!

-- Tim (pixmo@pixelquest.com), May 07, 1999.

APATHY KILLS.

-- FLAME AWAY (BLehman202@aol.com), May 07, 1999.

Tim -

Thanks for the link! The poster ("Shocked") did not specify the bookstore, so it may have been a Crown, Bookstar, B&N, or just a local. Think I'll drop by a B&N this weekend, just to see if they have the displays up as well...

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.hid), May 07, 1999.

Perhaps they created a specialized display because enough Y2K books have been selling and more than enough customers have asked for recommendations?

Sales potential and customer desire usually rate.

When I visited Portland, OR, a couple months ago, we visited a B&N looking for a Y2K book on urban survival tips. The Info Desk person was quite interested in other titles, and mentioned they would create a special display ... soon. Why?

Because people kept asking for them.

On Barnes & Nobles web-site, under Browse Subjects right at the upper portion of the page is a special link for ... Millennium Marketplace. Click and see a dedicated page ...Millennium Marketplace: Guidebooks for 2000 - and Beyond

http:// www.barnesandnoble.com/promo/millennium/index.asp?userid=2XXFEBIU0T& pcount=0&srefer=

Another link will eventually lead to ...

Computers: Are You OK with Y2K?

http:// www.barnesandnoble.com/bookshelf/computer/y2k1.asp?userid=2XXFEBIU0T& pcount=0&srefer=

The editors at barnesandnoble.com have pulled together a bestselling list of Y2K titles. We hope everyone has taken the necessary steps to prepare for the millennium. If not, these books will help you and your company become Y2K compliant.

Top 25: Y2K Books

http:// shop.barnesandnoble.com/bookshelf/shelf_results.asp?userid=2XXFEBIU0T& pcount=0&srefer=&feature_code=4&match=exact&options=and&keyword= Computer+Year+2000

2. The Complete Y2k Home Preparation Guide -- Edward Yourdon

7. Time Bomb 2000 : What the Year 2000 Computer Crisis Means to You! -- Edward Yourdon, Jennifer Yourdon -- Date Published: January 1999

21. Time Bomb 2000: What the Year 2000 Computer Crisis Means to You! - - Edward Yourdon, Jennifer Yourdon -- Date Published: January 1998

Maybe people are more interested in preparing than we think. (Could explain the troll action too).

Not Yet Released: Y2K Books

http://shop.barnesandnoble.com/bookshelf/shelf_results.asp?userid= 2XXFEBIU0T&pcount=0&srefer=&feature_code=4&match=exact&options=and& keyword=Computer+Year+2000&sort=P&new=Y

Happy reading!

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), May 07, 1999.

a bit o.t. yesterday I was at wal-mart,and a manager was putting up a display of coleman propane canisters with a sign up that read "stock up for y2k".I asked him if he didn't think that was asking for trouble since the walmart model of just in time delivery was one of the biggest y2k threats.The manager looked me in the eye and said "Oh,we're fine,it's other businesses ya have to worry about." that's awareness for you.....

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), May 08, 1999.