Racist Barnes and Noble Display

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by I.A.S.K.

Im so not following you here. Its quite obvious that the pic was taken from the outside of the store. What does that have to do with who put the monkey book there?

What's below the monkey book?

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by I.A.S.K.

Im so not following you here. Its quite obvious that the pic was taken from the outside of the store. What does that have to do with who put the monkey book there?

I misunderstood what people meant when they said "display behind the cashier counter." The Barnes and Nobles here, even the ones I call "Mansion Bookstores," pretty much have run of the mill displays that customers can access. I'm not familiar with displays behind the cashier counter that only employees can access.

It's just way too convenient for a display like that to be available for customers to take pictures from the sidewalk. It was either a customer or a dumb employee that may or may not be discovered. Either way, it's nothing for that store or the corporation to take a hit for.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

I misunderstood what people meant when they said "display behind the cashier counter." The Barnes and Nobles here, even the ones I call "Mansion Bookstores," pretty much have run of the mill displays that customers can access. I'm not familiar with displays behind the cashier counter that only employees can access.

It's just way too convenient for a display like that to be available for customers to take pictures from the sidewalk. It was either a customer or a dumb employee that may or may not be discovered. Either way, it's nothing for that store or the corporation to take a hit for.

Agreed.

And when I look at that pic, I can easily see some clown putting that book there and then running outside and taking a pic of it and then running back into the store starting some BS about display they set up.

When they talked to management and they promptly fixed it, that should have been the end of it.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

Agreed.

And when I look at that pic, I can easily see some clown putting that book there and then running outside and taking a pic of it and then running back into the store starting some BS about display they set up.

I thought about that, too.

This gets into the whole "maybe Santa Claus was here" line of discussion, since we don't know. It's still strange to be outraged over this, since we don't know who did it. B&N has apologized and that's pretty much that.

[I.A.S.K.]

Originally Posted by epchick

How do you figure it was "poorly handled" by management. It says in the article that when a customer brought it to the manager's attention, he immediately took the book & blocked all access to the display. I don't see that as poorly handled, nor "ignoring an act of racism."

IDK about your Barnes & Noble, but even the display behind the cashiers have an access where customers could get to it.

Well from the b&n's I've been in you can go behind the counter (the cashiers have to get back there some way) but there is always a cashier there so you couldnt go unnoticed. What was poorly handled was the way the store manager responded (not in action, but in interview). And to let someone get to your display (assuming that its behind the cash register) is poor management as well.

Originally Posted by DrPhil

I misunderstood what people meant when they said "display behind the cashier counter." The Barnes and Nobles here, even the ones I call "Mansion Bookstores," pretty much have run of the mill displays that customers can access. I'm not familiar with displays behind the cashier counter that only employees can access.

It's just way too convenient for a display like that to be available for customers to take pictures from the sidewalk. It was either a customer or a dumb employee that may or may not be discovered. Either way, it's nothing for that store or the corporation to take a hit for.

In my B&Ns basically when you look at that pic imagine that if the bookshelf thingy were clear you'd be looking at the cashiers butt and the cash register. I have not known any store to give customers easy access to their cash registers like that.

Originally Posted by DrPhil

I thought about that, too.

This gets into the whole "maybe Santa Claus was here" line of discussion, since we don't know. It's still strange to be outraged over this, since we don't know who did it. B&N has apologized and that's pretty much that.

Its not odd to be outraged to me. It'd be odd to demand that b&n shut down or something like that or to boycott all b&ns. I think the best b&n could do is appologize and the ensure that this couldnt happen in one of its stores again (which im sure they havent done or at least not in my area).

[epchick]

Originally Posted by I.A.S.K.

Its not odd to be outraged to me. It'd be odd to demand that b&n shut down or something like that or to boycott all b&ns. I think the best b&n could do is appologize and the ensure that this couldnt happen in one of its stores again (which im sure they havent done or at least not in my area).

Then EVERY B&N I've ever been to is poorly managed, because it is soo easy to get in those displays, even the ones behind the cash register---how many times am I gonna have to say it before it really starts to sink in?


"They" can't say that it couldn't ever happen again, because it could. Not even getting rid of all the displays would stop the crazies from figuring out another way to do something like this.

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by I.A.S.K.

Well from the b&n's I've been in you can go behind the counter (the cashiers have to get back there some way) but there is always a cashier there so you couldnt go unnoticed. What was poorly handled was the way the store manager responded (not in action, but in interview). And to let someone get to your display (assuming that its behind the cash register) is poor management as well.



In my B&Ns basically when you look at that pic imagine that if the bookshelf thingy were clear you'd be looking at the cashiers butt and the cash register. I have not known any store to give customers easy access to their cash registers like that.



Its not odd to be outraged to me. It'd be odd to demand that b&n shut down or something like that or to boycott all b&ns. I think the best b&n could do is appologize and the ensure that this couldnt happen in one of its stores again (which im sure they havent done or at least not in my area).

They DID apologize. Did you read the article? They even posted an official statement on their Web site about it condeming it, and the comments from the company spokespeople seem very sincere to me (and I push BS for a living). I'm not sure what else you would like them to do...put a _ _ hole detectors at their entrances?

The article does not say where the display was. At my local B&N, there are displays across the windows on both sides of the store, not just behind the cashier. It's very possible this display was nowhere near the cashiers.

[texas*princess]

Originally Posted by I.A.S.K.

Well from the b&n's I've been in you can go behind the counter (the cashiers have to get back there some way) but there is always a cashier there so you couldnt go unnoticed. What was poorly handled was the way the store manager responded (not in action, but in interview). And to let someone get to your display (assuming that its behind the cash register) is poor management as well.



In my B&Ns basically when you look at that pic imagine that if the bookshelf thingy were clear you'd be looking at the cashiers butt and the cash register. I have not known any store to give customers easy access to their cash registers like that.


Its not odd to be outraged to me. It'd be odd to demand that b&n shut down or something like that or to boycott all b&ns. I think the best b&n could do is appologize and the ensure that this couldnt happen in one of its stores again (which im sure they havent done or at least not in my area).

You know what they say about ASSUMING.....

Not all B&Ns are the same size or even set up the same way - just like there are different types/sizes of Wal-marts, Targets, or even Macys dept. stores.

So what might hold true for the B&N in your area, might not be the exact same way other B&N stores are set up.

There have already been MULTIPLE posts in this thread where people have said that some of the B&Ns in their area have those displays ALL ALONG the front walls and some of them are even near 'reading' areas.

And B&N DID apologize... what more do you want from them?!

[texas*princess]

Originally Posted by epchick

Then EVERY B&N I've ever been to is poorly managed, because it is soo easy to get in those displays, even the ones behind the cash register---how many times am I gonna have to say it before it really starts to sink in?


"They" can't say that it couldn't ever happen again, because it could. Not even getting rid of all the displays would stop the crazies from figuring out another way to do something like this.

^^^ exactly... there will always be idiots who think Playboy books are funny books to put right next to Winnie the Pooh books in the children's section.. .that doesn't even require a display.

[agzg]

A pound of flesh! That's what we want!

[SWTXBelle]

The quality of mercy is not strained . . .

[ASTalumna06]

Even if this was an employee who did this, who cares? It was one employee in one B&N store. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to allow one person, who I don't know, with an ignorant view of the president and/or his race, ruin my day.

People do stupid things every day, but that doesn't mean I associate an entire company with that way of thinking or acting (and I could get into a whole metaphor right now about Greek organizations and hazing, but I'm not even going to waste my energy).

Get over it. The end.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by I.A.S.K.

In my B&Ns basically when you look at that pic imagine that if the bookshelf thingy were clear you'd be looking at the cashiers butt and the cash register. I have not known any store to give customers easy access to their cash registers like that.

But that bookshelf isn't clear. What am I missing?

This gets me back to my conclusion that it a run of the mill display that anyone can access. It isn't too different than some boutiques, shoe stores, etc with displays in the windows. Even clear displays in the window behind the cash register. Depending on how many displays there are and how many employees are around to monitor, it isn't impossible for customers to get in this unlocked area.

Originally Posted by I.A.S.K.

Its not odd to be outraged to me. It'd be odd to demand that b&n shut down or something like that or to boycott all b&ns. I think the best b&n could do is appologize and the ensure that this couldnt happen in one of its stores again (which im sure they havent done or at least not in my area).

They apologized. Ensure that it couldn't happen again in any of their stores across the country? Is that a promise that will be upheld by law? LOL. They'd be smarter just to send out a memo to stores about displays and doing their best to watch employees and customers. Adults don't really need promises to calm their outrage over this stupid monkey display.

[I.A.S.K.]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

But that bookshelf isn't clear. What am I missing?

This gets me back to my conclusion that it a run of the mill display that anyone can access. It isn't too different than some boutiques, shoe stores, etc with displays in the windows. Even clear displays in the window behind the cash register. Depending on how many displays there are and how many employees are around to monitor, it isn't impossible for customers to get in this unlocked area.




They apologized. Ensure that it couldn't happen again in any of their stores across the country? Is that a promise that will be upheld by law? LOL. They'd be smarter just to send out a memo to stores about displays and doing their best to watch employees and customers. Adults don't really need promises to calm their outrage over this stupid monkey display.

The ones at my b&n look exactly like the one in the pic but the cashier is right behind them. thus if it were clear you'd be seeing the cashier. Like if you could see through the bookshelf you'd be seeing the cashier & the register. Not that they should be clear.

I didnt mention promises. They're pretty much worthless. They should block access to their displays (at least the ones that can be seen outside) because it will be bad for business to have a repeat of this.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by I.A.S.K.

The ones at my b&n look exactly like the one in the pic but the cashier is right behind them. thus if it were clear you'd be seeing the cashier. Like if you could see through the bookshelf you'd be seeing the cashier & the register. Not that they should be clear.

Oh ok. (edited because I get what you're saying )

Originally Posted by I.A.S.K.

I didnt mention promises. They're pretty much worthless. They should block access to their displays (at least the ones that can be seen outside) because it will be bad for business to have a repeat of this.

Maybe they won't find that to be a worthy longterm investment. Maybe they will. Copycats aside, this type of stuff will remain rare. Perhaps they will just try to keep a closer watch on the displays---just like they should keep a closer watch on the sex books in the kid section.

Such is life, really.