Saturday dis and dat.

I notice a lot of my fellow downtown Bend retailers are having 20% "Winter Sales."

Does that really work? I mean, 20% just doesn't seem like enough enticement for consumers used to deep discounts. At the same time, it would represent half of my profits.

I think having 50% sales on items you are actually clearing out -- make a tad bit more sense. At least you'd recoup your money on something you don't intend to carry. But even here, my theory in my store is, I'll sell everything eventually.

I prefer to offer incentives at the point of purchase. If a customer is undecided over two items, I'll make the offer -- "Buy both, and I'll give you 10% off." Or, "I'm totally overstocked on that item, so I'll give you 20% off."

Of course, you have to have people in the store for that to work...

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I know you're not supposed to do this -- I mean, I should buy it and forget it -- but the Barnes and Noble stock I bought one week ago has gone up 3.6%.

Of course, if you factor in the costs of buying -- and the no doubt equal costs of selling -- this ain't near enough, but still.....it's encouraging.

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Interesting that the Trono shooting has not been resolved -- and looks like it may never be resolved.

Apparently the husband vouching for the wife isn't enough -- which means there is doubt in the minds of the investigators. Simply not prosecuting will leave a cloud over the entire affair.

Which sounds like where it will probably remain.

A big gray cloud of doubt.

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Customer shows his girlfriend the Walking Dead books. "This is a great new show on T.V."

"Yeah," I say, "and the graphic novels are just as good."

"I know. I immediately download them on my I-Pad."

"Well.....screw you."

They laugh uncertainly.

"Hey, support your local retailer, " I say. "You'll miss us when we're gone."

Again, they laugh. They're not certain if I'm kidding or not.

I'm not certain if I'm kidding or not.

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Got my Tuesday Reorder of comics today. Totally thought they were stuck in the snows of the Memphis shipping area.

"You mean the deep 1" snows of Memphis?" my UPS driver asks.

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Woman came in with a headpiece --"Do you walk down the street talking into that?"

"Yeah, and you should see some of the reactions."

"Really? I was hoping I could walk down the street crazy talking to myself and no one would notice....."

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