High Jinks In The Book Trade

Sir.—Your heading was a good eye-catcher, but I was disappointed there was not a word about Fanny Hill or Lolita! Thank you, however, for the opportunity to reply.

If I seemed evasive to Mr. Dewhurst, it was only until I had time to ascertain the facts, after which I gave him a frank explanation and a refund which he accepted with goodwill.

The fact was that he then had at half-price a book which would normally sell at about 10/-, and as the expense involved in ordering any book under £1 entails no profit margin, we should in fact have been on the losing end, as management consultants have established that it costs about 6 to write a business letter in New Zealand.

But I realise Mr. Dewhurst is raising bigger issues than just this oddity. If the students follow his idea of employing someone to indent special orders for them, they may be able to do so a trifle cheaper, but there are years of know-how to be built up and you will still not have what you want, a good University Bookshop, but just an indent merchant. To support a great community asset like a good bookshop requires that little bit more to cover the employment of skilled staff and a huge investment in stock. The heaviest write-off in stock in our particular business occurs in University texts because of the many changes and variable factors involved in buying two to three months away from our source of supply.

I am unable to comment on Mr. Dewhurst's last paragraph regarding the price of a series of books, as he has not been specific. It certainly does not conform to any pricing or series within my experience.