So on Saturday (after working my shift at the library) I drove to a nearby city to visit an upscale adult store to make a purchase. I'm not going to discuss what specifically I was there to buy - falls under the TMI (too much information) aspect of life.
I've shopped at this particular store a number of times in the past and I really like it there. It's woman/couple friendly and the place feels clean. Since it was October 31, the staff was wearing costumes for Halloween - NOT the sexy ones they sell, but ones that fit the season. One of the many things I like about this store is that they sell plus size lingerie - some of which goes on sale from time to time. Like costumes for half-price - yes, even plus size costumes. I looked, but didn't actually buy a costume. I had my mind on another purchase. So I looked at the toys, the movies and books. Yes, they sell books.
Now I come to the purpose of this post. I had just signed books at a library conference a week or so ago and hadn't unloaded my books from the car yet. So I'm in there looking around...the manager is there...the store is busy. I think to myself, "I've shopped here quite often. They kind of know who I am. I've mentioned my books before AND the manager's here. So...do I sell myself or not?"
After I made my purchases, I decided...hell, I'm here. I'll chat with her for a minute and see how it goes. She (yes, the manager is a she - another reason I like this place) was friendly and interested. She remembered having heard about me (I've chatted with her assistant manager before). So I took my purchases out to the car, grabbed my short story anthology, my print book and a copy of one the leftover Romanticon cover flats I had for Seeking Truth. I'd intended to just let them look at them...but...during the course of the conversation I decided it would be smart to just let them HAVE the two books.
I found out that some of their customers were interested in reading erotic romance (they have a book section - they sell how-to and erotica books right now). The other sales person (also a woman) was interested in reading my book. Soooooo...I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they'll like my books enough to have me in for a book signing. Maybe they'll even start selling erotic romance books there - now wouldn't that be cool?! I'm keeping my fingers crossed, and I'll let you know how it goes.
So have any of you gone into to book (or adult) store and sold the manager on your books? If so, how did you do it and how did it go? If you're a reader, would you look for erotic romance at an upscale adult store?
5 comments:
Way to go, Francesca!! I would think an adult store would be a wonderful place to sell erotic novels. Lots of women making purchases, might just grab a copy on the way out! The sexy guy on the front of most of them is a very good selling feature! :)
The adult store here doesn't have a book section, but dang I wish it did!
Good luck!
Francesca, good move! Way to go!
...lol, I don't know any adult stores close to where I am. I'm sure they exist in the nearest moderate-sized cities. But I can barely get my other shopping done.
That said, I think some types of adult shops, like you described, would be absolutely perfect venues for erotic romance and I wish they would sell it, for our sakes and for the sakes of their customers.
That's an awesome move Francesca! I would love it if the upscale adult stores would carry erotic romances...I mean the only way now that I can get print copies by ordering online and having to pay shipping...It would be soo cool if I had the option of just going to a local upscale adult shop and picking up some books. How cool would that? I'd say it'd be pretty freakin' AWESOME!
Happy Reading!
Good Luck (my fingers are crossed for you)
Anna Shah Hoque
s7anna@yahoo.ca
Yep, I went into a Borders book store the other day and talked to the shift manager. He had no idea who Sue Grimshaw was and basically BS'd his way through the conversation. Not only that, they'd rearranged their store to cram romance into the farthest back corner of the store, when it used to be near the front. I found it really sad.
Oops, I forgot to mention it was a pretty hard thing to do even when I was talking to an idiot, and there's no way I'd ever walk into a adult toy shop and to that. :)
Crystal the Chicken Hearted
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