Report: Powell's Bookstore

Reported By: (portland Oregon)

Powell's Bookstore deliberate misleading information rude snotty and disrespectful to customers Portland Oregon

... I have sold at Powell's many times

1Author 2Consumer 0Employee

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Powell's Bookstore

1005 W. Burnside
Portland Oregon +97227
U.S.A.
Phone: 503-2284651
Web Address:

Category: Sales People

Submitted: Monday, January 19, 2004

Last posting: Thursday, February 05, 2004

I am currently unemployed and in need of cash, so I decided to try to sell some of my books.
I decided to call Powell's bookstore, called them their recording said that they buy used books and to bring them down to the store, so I did.

Powell's is about 8 miles from my house in downtown Portland, where it took me 20 minutes just to find a place to pay to park my truck that was 4 city blocks from the store.

I had about 15-20 books in a box to carry with me and proceeded to walk to the bookstore. Once there I stood in a long line for about 15 minutes, and then got called up to the counter.

I drag all my books out and this broad working there doesn't say a word or even think of smiling and proceeds to flip through my books. Then when she's finished she says "we don't need any of those", I didn't quite understand what she meant so I replied "excuse me?" she says "don't want any of them" real sarcastically.

I asked why not? what's wrong with them? she wouldn't answer just stood there. I then was becoming quite upset and asked her again, and she just stood there saying nothing, and then hollered out to the next person in line to come up.

I said so what does that mean, that you won't buy any of them? She snaps back "NO" and starts helping the next sucker in line.

I gathered up my books again and carried them back to where I was parked which cost me $3.00, and I came home very upset and was tempted to go back to that store and raise some eyebrows but I couldn't afford the gas.

Vicki
portland, Oregon
U.S.A.

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Consumer Comment

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How about a reality check??

Paul Pickle - Raleigh (U.S.A.)

SUBMITTED: Monday, January 19, 2004 POSTED: Monday, January 19, 2004

What makes you think that the bookstore was OBLIGATED to buy your books? What makes you think they will buy anything and everything that makes its way into its door? Obviously this bookstore, and any store for that matter, is only interested in buying merchandise that it knows it will be able to re-sell and make a profit on. That is just common knowledge in the business world.

Is it also the bookstore's fault that the city charges a nominal fee for public parking? Your myriad of complaints makes me think that you were simply having a terrible attitude on that particular day and nothing could possibly make you happy.

If money is so much of an issue for you, then why didn't you call the bookstore before driving all the way over there, spending money on gas and parking. Perhaps you could have given them the titles of your books and they could have told you on the phone whether or not they would buy any of them.

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I have sold at Powell's many times

Kelly - Portland (U.S.A.)

SUBMITTED: Thursday, February 05, 2004 POSTED: Thursday, February 05, 2004

I myself have found myself in need of extra funds and therefore collected all of my unwanted books to TRY to sell to Powell's. I think the largest amount I ever tried to sell at once was probably about 50 books in varying conditions and ages. Powell's took maybe five of them, and gave me a great deal on them too.

If you look around a bit while standing in line you would notice the multiple boards posted in the selling area that state what their most and least wanted texts are as well as ones they simply are not accepting.

I took that initial group of books back at least three times and each time they took more of the books as their need for them came up, I never added any new ones meaning that some books they passed on before they took at another time.

I would agree that it sounded like the seller's behaviour was unnessisarily rude and they should have at least told you a bit more detailed of a reason why they wouldn't take the books, but I also have been in there multiple times when they had constant lines of 15+ people waiting to sell, some of which come in with hundreds of books, most that are unwanted or unusable, enough to make anyone a bit grumpy.