[sorta OT] Book Customer Wants Do-Over

My domestic partner is a bookseller, and from one of her email lists
comes the following story, which I found interesting enough, if perhaps
slightly OT, to re-post here without the identifying info:


"I just had a guy walk in who I didn't recognize as he had put on about
25 pounds and grew his hair to shoulder length. He said: I'm the guy
who sold you $7000.00 worth of books for $210.00 and I want them back.

This transaction took place about three years ago and as you would
suspect, his value assessment is off by about six grand. I won't bother
you folks with all the details but this guy actually started going
through the section (these were all religious books) and pointing out
all the books that "belong to him.'

I am stunned! How do you even begin to deal with something like this?
I told him we had a solid deal, he accepted my check and cashed it. He
said he will pay me back what I had paid him plus a little more for my
trouble.

I think not!

Now most of the stuff is gone, but the large sets are still here, about
a grand retail. And it is still here only because I haven't gotten to
listing it online. But I am of no mind to give it back.

What to do????"

Some Guy wrote:

I am of no mind to give it back.

What to do????"

Don't give it back, of course!

__________________________________

John
http://rarebooksinjapan.org

Some Guy wrote:
I am stunned! How do you even begin to deal with something like this?

I assume you have a police department patroling your town.
Next time he shows up, call them and they will bring him to the local
psych ward where he can chat with all those nice folks in their clean
white coats!

Some Guy wrote (quoting his domestic partner):

He said: I'm the guy who sold you $7000.00 worth of books for
$210.00
[snip]
his value assessment is off by about six grand.

So the whole lot of 'em would be worth about a grand, right?

Now most of the stuff is gone, but the large sets are still here,
about a grand retail.

If most of the stuff has gone and what's left is still worth a grand,
then the whole lot must have been worth a fair bit more than a grand.

It doesn't really make any difference, I suppose. The books are hers
now, to do as she likes with, but I just thought I'd point it out,
because it does rather look as if what it boils down to is this:

Your domestic partner paid $210 for books that she would have been
prepared to pay about $1000 for, given that she could retail them for -
what? - perhaps around $3000, and still has the rump of the collection,
priced at about $1000.

Have I got it right? If so, it doesn't make a scrap of difference, I
don't think, if you're talking law. Legally the books are yours. But if
you're talking ethics I guess it comes down to how that price of $210
was arrived at. Was that his asking price? If so, she can send him
packing with a clear conscience.

Or was it her "best offer", arrived at after ten minutes' haggling?
Because in that case perhaps the guy has some cause to feel aggrieved,
having watched half the collection being sold off at ten times the price
he was offered.

But perhaps I'm interpreting her figures wrongly...


John
http://rarebooksinjapan.org

"Some Guy" wrote in message
...

My domestic partner is a bookseller, and from one of her email lists
comes the following story, which I found interesting enough, if perhaps
slightly OT, to re-post here without the identifying info:

Just to clarify: this story isn't about your partner but is about
someone she herself read about ?

....



"I just had a guy walk in who I didn't recognize as he had put on about
25 pounds and grew his hair to shoulder length. He said: I'm the guy
who sold you $7000.00 worth of books for $210.00 and I want them back.

This transaction took place about three years ago and as you would
suspect, his value assessment is off by about six grand. I won't bother
you folks with all the details but this guy actually started going
through the section (these were all religious books) and pointing out
all the books that "belong to him.'

I am stunned! How do you even begin to deal with something like this?
I told him we had a solid deal, he accepted my check and cashed it. He
said he will pay me back what I had paid him plus a little more for my
trouble.

I think not!

Now most of the stuff is gone, but the large sets are still here, about
a grand retail. And it is still here only because I haven't gotten to
listing it online. But I am of no mind to give it back.

What to do????"

....

This guy is deranged, has a grudge, and has this persons address.
The context is immaterial.

He need to be dealt with in the same way as you deal with all
deranged people. After taking a long hard look at them, and
assessing what level of potential threat they actually pose.

The problem being that if he remembers these books from three
years ago he'll also maybe remember being questioned by the
cops as well. And have an even bigger grudge after that.

Maybe the person involved should either try and convince him they
have connections with the Mob who are actually bankrolling
their store, or they should move.


michael adams

....

"Some Guy" wrote in message
...

"I just had a guy walk in who I didn't recognize as he had put on about
25 pounds and grew his hair to shoulder length. He said: I'm the guy
who sold you $7000.00 worth of books for $210.00 and I want them back.

This transaction took place about three years ago

Q.1: Why?
#2: (If Ans. #1 is compelling): Charges for three years for
storage, shelving, heat, fire insurance etc. are $5 per volume
per year -- say $1,000 total.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

"Don Phillipson" wrote in message
...
"Some Guy" wrote in message
...

"I just had a guy walk in who I didn't recognize as he had put on about
25 pounds and grew his hair to shoulder length. He said: I'm the guy
who sold you $7000.00 worth of books for $210.00 and I want them back.

This transaction took place about three years ago

Q.1: Why?
#2: (If Ans. #1 is compelling): Charges for three years for
storage, shelving, heat, fire insurance etc. are $5 per volume
per year -- say $1,000 total.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

$1,000 wouldn't be nearly enough. To properly store 7,000
books, you'd need a clean, low-humidity warehouse and proper
supplies. That's at least $300 a month, $3600 a year, and
$10,800 for the three years in question.

The OP should send him a bill.

Seriously, this reminds me of a local antique dealer. A woman
walked into her shop with an old doll, and wanted to sell it. The
woman asked $200 for the doll, and the dealer bought it,
without quibbling. Gave her cash, and the woman walked
out the door, thanking her.

The dealer put it on the shelf for $500/$600 or so.....where it
sat for a few months, until the seller walked in. Seeing the
doll marked up in price, the seller started screaming and called
911 on her cellphone, reporting that she was being robbed
and gave the dealer's address. Three squad cars pull up,
and find an old woman yelling at an antique dealer. Once
the story was straightened out, the old woman ended up in
court on several charges (and had to undergo mental evaluation).

I'd say that the OP is dealing with a mental case or druggie,
either of whom could be dangerous.

Kris

"Kris Baker" wrote in message
t...

"Don Phillipson" wrote in message
...
"Some Guy" wrote in message
...

"I just had a guy walk in who I didn't recognize as he had put on about
25 pounds and grew his hair to shoulder length. He said: I'm the guy
who sold you $7000.00 worth of books for $210.00 and I want them back.

This transaction took place about three years ago

Q.1: Why?
#2: (If Ans. #1 is compelling): Charges for three years for
storage, shelving, heat, fire insurance etc. are $5 per volume
per year -- say $1,000 total.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

$1,000 wouldn't be nearly enough. To properly store 7,000
books, you'd need a clean, low-humidity warehouse and proper
supplies. That's at least $300 a month, $3600 a year, and
$10,800 for the three years in question.

The OP should send him a bill.

Seriously, this reminds me of a local antique dealer. A woman
walked into her shop with an old doll, and wanted to sell it. The
woman asked $200 for the doll, and the dealer bought it,
without quibbling. Gave her cash, and the woman walked
out the door, thanking her.

The dealer put it on the shelf for $500/$600 or so.....where it
sat for a few months, until the seller walked in. Seeing the
doll marked up in price, the seller started screaming and called
911 on her cellphone, reporting that she was being robbed
and gave the dealer's address. Three squad cars pull up,
and find an old woman yelling at an antique dealer. Once
the story was straightened out, the old woman ended up in
court on several charges (and had to undergo mental evaluation).

I'd say that the OP is dealing with a mental case or druggie,
either of whom could be dangerous.

Kris


Did I miss something?

7,000 books?


Dick Stephens

"Dick Stephens" wrote in message
. ..

"Kris Baker" wrote in message
t...

"Don Phillipson" wrote in message
...
"Some Guy" wrote in message
...

"I just had a guy walk in who I didn't recognize as he had put on about
25 pounds and grew his hair to shoulder length. He said: I'm the guy
who sold you $7000.00 worth of books for $210.00 and I want them back.

This transaction took place about three years ago

Q.1: Why?
#2: (If Ans. #1 is compelling): Charges for three years for
storage, shelving, heat, fire insurance etc. are $5 per volume
per year -- say $1,000 total.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

$1,000 wouldn't be nearly enough. To properly store 7,000
books, you'd need a clean, low-humidity warehouse and proper
supplies. That's at least $300 a month, $3600 a year, and
$10,800 for the three years in question.

The OP should send him a bill.

Seriously, this reminds me of a local antique dealer. A woman
walked into her shop with an old doll, and wanted to sell it. The
woman asked $200 for the doll, and the dealer bought it,
without quibbling. Gave her cash, and the woman walked
out the door, thanking her.

The dealer put it on the shelf for $500/$600 or so.....where it
sat for a few months, until the seller walked in. Seeing the
doll marked up in price, the seller started screaming and called
911 on her cellphone, reporting that she was being robbed
and gave the dealer's address. Three squad cars pull up,
and find an old woman yelling at an antique dealer. Once
the story was straightened out, the old woman ended up in
court on several charges (and had to undergo mental evaluation).

I'd say that the OP is dealing with a mental case or druggie,
either of whom could be dangerous.

Kris


Did I miss something?

7,000 books?


Dick Stephens

Obviously, I missed the dollar sign.

Oh, well....the story's still good. Ignore the math.

Kris

Kris Baker wrote:
I'd say that the OP is dealing with a mental case or druggie,

Based on your extensive experience as a psychologist, social worker and
psychiatrist, right?
If you think that every unreasonable customer that shows up in a store
is a drug addict or deranged, you must have absolutely no experience in
retail sales.