Half Price Books & Music (banned related)

13

  Comments


  • Deep_SangDeep_Sang 1,081 Posts
    I think yall are taking this a bit too seriously. It's not like dude was doing this to a record store. HPB is a glorified goodwill. They pay about half a cent per record to people bringing them in, and often there are employees who keep all the heat for themselves. Obviously returning that much stuff is kinda lame, but it's not as bad as yall are making it out to be.

    Does anyone feel bad for Toys R Us in that story about the dude ebaying merchandise and returning it? I don't, and HPB is big ol chain too, not a small mom n pop record chop.

    I'm not sure why he posted it up here cause it's kinda asking to get clowned, but whatever, he's young and learning to dig, give him a break.

  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    I think yall are taking this a bit too seriously. It's not like dude was doing this to a record store. HPB is a glorified goodwill. They pay about half a cent per record to people bringing them in, and often there are employees who keep all the heat for themselves. Obviously returning that much stuff is kinda lame, but it's not as bad as yall are making it out to be.

    Does anyone feel bad for Toys R Us in that story about the dude ebaying merchandise and returning it? I don't, and HPB is big ol chain too, not a small mom n pop record chop.

    I'm not sure why he posted it up here cause it's kinda asking to get clowned, but whatever, he's young and learning to dig, give him a break.

    There are people in Portland who put a records on hold. Then list them on ebay. The ones that sell get bought the losers get put back.

  • Deep_SangDeep_Sang 1,081 Posts
    I think yall are taking this a bit too seriously. It's not like dude was doing this to a record store. HPB is a glorified goodwill. They pay about half a cent per record to people bringing them in, and often there are employees who keep all the heat for themselves. Obviously returning that much stuff is kinda lame, but it's not as bad as yall are making it out to be.

    Does anyone feel bad for Toys R Us in that story about the dude ebaying merchandise and returning it? I don't, and HPB is big ol chain too, not a small mom n pop record chop.

    I'm not sure why he posted it up here cause it's kinda asking to get clowned, but whatever, he's young and learning to dig, give him a break.

    There are people in Portland who put a records on hold. Then list them on ebay. The ones that sell get bought the losers get put back.

    That's pretty weak game, they could save themselves a lot of trouble if they just learned a bit more about the records. Is that at half price?

    I'm not condoning any of these actions, btw, just thought dudes were overreacting.

  • BrianBrian 7,618 Posts
    I'm not condoning any of these actions, btw, just thought dudes were overreacting.
    i don't think anyone would be "overracting" if dude didn't come off as a completely clueless toy in the initial post but that's just me...

  • Deep_SangDeep_Sang 1,081 Posts
    I'm not condoning any of these actions, btw, just thought dudes were overreacting.
    i don't think anyone would be "overracting" if dude didn't come off as a completely clueless toy in the initial post but that's just me...

    haha, maybe so

  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts


    I'm not sure why he posted it up here cause it's kinda asking to get clowned, but whatever, he's young and learning to dig, give him a break.

    Holiday - your sense of sympathy is laudable (no sarcasm) but I don't think people are riding that hard on him. All folks are really saying is: "hey, guess what? You took a legit policy and got caught abusing it. That's why you got banned. End of story."

    If people are reacting to him, it's because he bothered to post this up to begin with. I mean, I'm assuming he posted this to elicit a response, if not outright sympathy. There's not much of the latter going around but as noted, I don't think it's deserved.

    Dan: that "put the records on hold and eBay it off" scam is kind of brilliant, however wack. How did folks catch on? And why do stores allow for anything more than a 24-48 hour hold period?

  • kalakala 3,361 Posts
    Who really cares about some little guy/toy stuff like this?

    ps
    i never in my life returned a record bought from a used recrd store/thrift

  • DelayDelay 4,530 Posts
    I hate cheap motherfuckers.

  • hammertimehammertime 2,389 Posts

    Does anyone feel bad for Toys R Us in that story about the dude ebaying merchandise and returning it? I don't, and HPB is big ol chain too, not a small mom n pop record chop.


    I don't think HPB is quite comparable to Toys R Us.

  • Deep_SangDeep_Sang 1,081 Posts

    Does anyone feel bad for Toys R Us in that story about the dude ebaying merchandise and returning it? I don't, and HPB is big ol chain too, not a small mom n pop record chop.


    I don't think HPB is quite comparable to Toys R Us.

    Not really, I was just trying to illustrate that it's not the same as an independent rec shop (assuming HPBs aren't independently owned).

  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts
    The moral of this thread - and most "how I did/didn't get over on
    my local record store" threads - is that if you waste your time trying
    to get over on your local store, and come off as shady, you can kiss
    all discounts, sneak-previews, unpriced record hook-ups, etc, GOODBYE.

    Being on good terms with your local spot is the key to heat - and very "big dude."

  • RockadelicRockadelic Out Digging 13,993 Posts
    SOI is on the money.

    Find out what kind of music the gal/guy in charge is into and hook him up every time you can.

    If you find a $100.00 LP priced at $3.00 tell them you'll pay $25.00. You won't have to do this often, one time should secure you previews if you ask.


    If you see underpriced LP's that you don't care about hip them to it and tell them what the correct price is.

    You will be rewarded.

  • hammertimehammertime 2,389 Posts

    Does anyone feel bad for Toys R Us in that story about the dude ebaying merchandise and returning it? I don't, and HPB is big ol chain too, not a small mom n pop record chop.


    I don't think HPB is quite comparable to Toys R Us.

    Not really, I was just trying to illustrate that it's not the same as an independent rec shop (assuming HPBs aren't independently owned).


    The company is family owned. From Wikipedia:

    "History
    Founders Ken Gjemre and Patricia "Pat" Anderson started the first store with 2,000 books out of their personal libraries in a former laundromat in the Lakewood neighborhood of Dallas, Texas, USA, in 1972. The founders, products of the hippie generation, seem committed to their employees as well as pursuing profits. Employees and their families are offered free health, vision, dental, and psychological insurance, and are able to attend drug rehabilitation programs if they request. They are also given more than three weeks of paid vacation per year and a company-matched 401 (k) plan.


    [edit] Philanthropy
    In 2006, the chain launched an Environmental Education Initiative with campaign encouraging others to "B(eco)me Green." Along with a commitment to the environment, the family-owned company remains loyal to the cause of literacy and education. They offer a year-round 10% discount for teachers and librarians.

    Annually, the chain donates millions of books to non-profit organizations such as Feed the Children, American Red Cross, Better World Books, and more. In addition, Half Price Books stores host a Half Pint Library book drive each year to collect donations of new or gently used children's books to build libraries at pediatric hospitals and special needs clinics in its communities.


    [edit] Publishing
    Half Price Books publishes some of the books it sells, inexpensively reprinting non-copyrighted titles or acquiring the U.S. or English language rights from another publisher. Half Price Books reprints these titles under its publishing arm, Hackberry Press.

    Among other Hackberry Press titles is the children's book series entitled "Say Good Night to Illiteracy," which has 13 editions in print. Stories by amateur writers are compiled and published in an original children's book.All proceeds of the book benefit family literacy organizations, including beneficiaries like Reach Out and Read and the National Center for Family Literacy.[/b]



    I will admit they seem to give people pennies for shit and I would certainly never sell anything to them, but they will also take ANYTHING so I'm sure it evens out more than it appears to. Once I emailed them about opening a store in Michigan and I got a very prompt and nice, personalized reply.

  • Usually the records I am returning are records that I take a chance buying, for sampling purposes, unusual sounds, mostly new age records, experimental ect. Many of the records I buy there I keep (jazz, psych ect) Being a poor college student doesn't allow me to purchase as much as I'd like, so I looked at their liberal return policy as a way to circumvent my sickly bank account. I drop about $60-80 a month, and exchange $80-100...I need to cop a portable turntable

    Being a broke college student is not an excuse for having a weak record game.

    It had nothing to do with the totality of my weakness. I never got store credit for genres I'm interested in. Unless of course people know all genres, than I guess my 'game is weak'.

    I see this like dating a girl who tells you, you can sleep and date other girls, in other words, she wants an open relationship. Since you've only dated anglo-saxon chicks, and maybe a couple of latinas and asian girls, you see it as an open invitation to search out wider horizons, all within the prescribed limits of the relationship.

  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts
    Since you've only dated anglo-saxon chicks, and maybe a couple of latinas and asian girls, you see it as an open invitation to search out wider horizons, all within the prescribed limits of the relationship.

    Oh, Christ. Here we go again.

  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    Since you've only dated anglo-saxon chicks, and maybe a couple of latinas and asian girls, you see it as an open invitation to search out wider horizons, all within the prescribed limits of the relationship.

    Oh, Christ. Here we go again.

    WOW

    I think I just heard cheering from the world's women of color, elated at the prospect of dating this dude.

  • RockadelicRockadelic Out Digging 13,993 Posts
    Since you've only dated anglo-saxon chicks, and maybe a couple of latinas and asian girls, you see it as an open invitation to search out wider horizons, all within the prescribed limits of the relationship.

    Oh, Christ. Here we go again.

    WOW

    I think I just heard cheering from the world's women of color, elated at the prospect of dating this dude.

    Mrs. Robinson, I want to return your daughter. I fucked her but it wasn't exactly what I was looking for. I'll take cash, forget credit, you're other daughter is an ugly bitch!!

  • Deep_SangDeep_Sang 1,081 Posts
    Damn hammertime, I had no idea. That's way cool of them, I take back my analogy in that case.

    Partial thread jack- what's the heaviest record anyone's found at HPB? I think the best record I ever bought there was a copy of Rusty P and the Sureshot 3 - Breakdown NY Style.

  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts

    I think I just heard cheering from the world's women of color, elated at the prospect of dating this dude.

    Ah, but those "women" were merely figurative personifications
    of the perceived-as-exotic Industrial, Goth, E-Z Listening, Polka
    and Bluegrass records that HPB's return policy was allowing him to
    scan for hot flaming nugget sample fodder!

  • Usually the records I am returning are records that I take a chance buying, for sampling purposes, unusual sounds, mostly new age records, experimental ect. Many of the records I buy there I keep (jazz, psych ect) Being a poor college student doesn't allow me to purchase as much as I'd like, so I looked at their liberal return policy as a way to circumvent my sickly bank account. I drop about $60-80 a month, and exchange $80-100...I need to cop a portable turntable

    Being a broke college student is not an excuse for having a weak record game.

    It had nothing to do with the totality of my weakness. I never got store credit for genres I'm interested in. Unless of course people know all genres, than I guess my 'game is weak'.

    I see this like dating a girl who tells you, you can sleep and date other girls, in other words, she wants an open relationship. Since you've only dated anglo-saxon chicks, and maybe a couple of latinas and asian girls, you see it as an open invitation to search out wider horizons, all within the prescribed limits of the relationship.


    did that just really happen?

  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts

  • spelunkspelunk 3,400 Posts
    Usually the records I am returning are records that I take a chance buying, for sampling purposes, unusual sounds, mostly new age records, experimental ect. Many of the records I buy there I keep (jazz, psych ect) Being a poor college student doesn't allow me to purchase as much as I'd like, so I looked at their liberal return policy as a way to circumvent my sickly bank account. I drop about $60-80 a month, and exchange $80-100...I need to cop a portable turntable

    Being a broke college student is not an excuse for having a weak record game.

    It had nothing to do with the totality of my weakness. I never got store credit for genres I'm interested in. Unless of course people know all genres, than I guess my 'game is weak'.

    I see this like dating a girl who tells you, you can sleep and date other girls, in other words, she wants an open relationship. Since you've only dated anglo-saxon chicks, and maybe a couple of latinas and asian girls, you see it as an open invitation to search out wider horizons, all within the prescribed limits of the relationship.

    ^^^^^^^

    Possibly the most confused record related metaphor I've ever seen on SoulStrut.

    Dude, it is glaringly obvious that you just don't know what you're digging for, straight up. And there's nothing wrong with that, cause everyone has to learn, but all anyone is saying is that it is just plain unethical to abuse the return policy - it's a pain for their employees and gives a bad rap to everyone else buying records at that spot. As Paychex said, you will feel the wrath of record karma one way or another.

  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    Also:

    totality of my weakness

    Location?

  • spelunkspelunk 3,400 Posts
    Also:

    totality of my weakness

    Location?

    Taken.




  • this dudes dating advice is more on point than his diggin game.

  • Usually the records I am returning are records that I take a chance buying, for sampling purposes, unusual sounds, mostly new age records, experimental ect. Many of the records I buy there I keep (jazz, psych ect) Being a poor college student doesn't allow me to purchase as much as I'd like, so I looked at their liberal return policy as a way to circumvent my sickly bank account. I drop about $60-80 a month, and exchange $80-100...I need to cop a portable turntable

    Being a broke college student is not an excuse for having a weak record game.

    It had nothing to do with the totality of my weakness. I never got store credit for genres I'm interested in. Unless of course people know all genres, than I guess my 'game is weak'.

    I see this like dating a girl who tells you, you can sleep and date other girls, in other words, she wants an open relationship. Since you've only dated anglo-saxon chicks, and maybe a couple of latinas and asian girls, you see it as an open invitation to search out wider horizons, all within the prescribed limits of the relationship.

    ^^^^^^^

    Possibly the most confused record related metaphor I've ever seen on SoulStrut.

    Dude, it is glaringly obvious that you just don't know what you're digging for, straight up. And there's nothing wrong with that, cause everyone has to learn, but all anyone is saying is that it is just plain unethical to abuse the return policy - it's a pain for their employees and gives a bad rap to everyone else buying records at that spot. As Paychex said, you will feel the wrath of record karma one way or another.

    It's not a metaphor, it's an analogy. I'm not going to try to attempt to prove my digging games is weak or not weak, but whatever I returned were genres that outside my normal proximity. (easy listening, gospel, experimental) I feel no guilt for using their own policy to continue shopping and buying and expanding my knowledge...It beats downloading off soulseek

  • hammertimehammertime 2,389 Posts
    It beats downloading off soulseek


    how?

  • OkemOkem 4,617 Posts
    Usually the records I am returning are records that I take a chance buying, for sampling purposes, unusual sounds, mostly new age records, experimental ect. Many of the records I buy there I keep (jazz, psych ect) Being a poor college student doesn't allow me to purchase as much as I'd like, so I looked at their liberal return policy as a way to circumvent my sickly bank account. I drop about $60-80 a month, and exchange $80-100...I need to cop a portable turntable

    Being a broke college student is not an excuse for having a weak record game.

    It had nothing to do with the totality of my weakness. I never got store credit for genres I'm interested in. Unless of course people know all genres, than I guess my 'game is weak'.

    I see this like dating a girl who tells you, you can sleep and date other girls, in other words, she wants an open relationship. Since you've only dated anglo-saxon chicks, and maybe a couple of latinas and asian girls, you see it as an open invitation to search out wider horizons, all within the prescribed limits of the relationship.






    I can't believe he just said that!








    Meh. Little dudes.

  • It beats downloading off soulseek


    how?

    because I purchased them.

  • PrimeCutsLtdPrimeCutsLtd jersey fresh 2,632 Posts
    great thread...I'm going to start taking records back at the flea market.
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