Hi Everyone,
This Sunday is Word on the Street. It is Toronto’s biggest book and magazine fair and I am not going. This is why.
I have been going to Word on the Street for over 10 years and I have really enjoyed it. Last year was the exception. Was it the new location of Harbourfront Centre instead of Queen’s Park Circle? No. The different location was challenging for anyone who regularly visited Word on the Street. Good thing they always provide a free map. Was it the lack of food trucks serving a variety of reasonably priced meals that put me off? No again. There was less food to choose from, and what was available was overpriced. All of the above was a bit unexpected. People have to eat. I found a food court in a nearby building and ate on the cheap. The weather was better than okay and the breeze from Lake Ontario was gentle, soft. That was nice since it has rained for 75% of the times I have been to Word on the Street. So what made last year the reason I am not going this year? The prices!
Publishers and vendors just weren’t discounting their books like they used to. I know this because I have been to Word on the Street for years, know my prices and know how books are discounted for book stores and libraries. At the beginning of the day vendors usually start off with a modest discount that increases as the day goes on. But that didn’t happen last year. From all of the vendors that I wanted to buy books from one lowered their prices. There was a book seller that was trying to sell a paperback for $5 that I bought at Dollarama for $3! I am serious. Am I the only one who thinks there is something wrong with that typesetting? Don’t try to sell me or anyone a paperback for $5 at a book fair that can be bought for $3 at Dollarama! I bought 4 books from Dollarama. All were a great buy especially the one for $2! But then I guess if you don’t know your prices, it is buyer beware.
Since I was deciding on a few books on film, I asked the person representing that vendor if they would give me a quantity discount. They said no. When I questioned why they told me that was the best they could do. “Really?” I asked. “Yes,” I was told. Word on the Street closes at 6pm and it was after 5pm. And they still wouldn’t lower their prices? There weren’t a lot of empty cardboard boxes. Schlepping full boxes of books instead of selling them must be their substitute for the gym. I didn’t buy anything. Especially the, “This is the best we can do,” line. This may come as a shock, but not everyone is an idiot. Some of us really have an idea of how some things work.
I understand that companies want to make a profit. Really, I do. But if a publisher or vendor is ONLY going to offer the public a 10-20% discount on books at the largest book and magazine fair in Toronto someone should really check their margins. Big and small book sellers like Indigo (and all of the other book stores under the Indigo umbrella) get discounts over 30% and sometimes over 40% on every book they sell. I am serious. And if a book gets damaged, they send it back to the publisher at the publishers’ expense. People at book fairs aren’t going to return books to the publisher or vendor because they can’t. That right there is worth at least an additional 5% discount at Toronto’s largest book and magazine fair.
Libraries get discounts of 20% or more, but not as much as book stores. Avid readers as me have a lot of books. I wouldn’t say I have a library but I have a lot. Of course it would be really hard for me to build a library because publishers and vendor charge so much at book fairs. Maybe that’s why I buy a lot of my books in the remainders section of books stores or at library sales. There is one library sale that I try to get to every year. Great books and great prices. I am still reading books from last year’s sale!
Since I am not going to Word on the Street this year, I really hope that the publishers and vendors have all been to the gym in the last few months so they could give the public as much of a discount at Word on the Street as they do to book sellers. Saving a few dollars on a book means book worms can buy more. And isn’t that what it is all about. How else are we going to increase literacy?
There was one book that I bought from the remainders section in southern Ontario that was printed in the UK. I am serious. For anyone who doesn’t believe me, just look on the first few pages/front matter of any book to see where a book was printed. If a publisher can afford to ship books, which weigh a tone, from the UK to sell in Ontario,in the remainders section they, in my opinion, should give a better discount at Word on the Street.
To learn more about Word on the Street, do an online search. They have some great activities for children, writing classes, publishing information and author talks. Just don’t hold your breath if you are wanting inexpensive books. That funny shade of blue will have someone calling 911. Just saying.
Thank you for reading, A. Rebel’s Rant! ;D
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