The Seven Types of Bookstore Customers

[sparkchaser]

Seven types of bookstore customers.

Amusing and, based on my experiences as a Browser, largely accurate article.

The Seven Types condensed:

Seekers: want a book — a specific book: only this book will do.

Idiots: can only remember 1 detail, and often not a salient detail — not enough to find the book, but they still have a specific book in mind.

Grazers: love bookstores-as-a-concept, and love lingering leisurely over all the tables, racks, endcaps, promotional displays, and front-of-store placements.

Browsers: have a favourite category, and once you direct them to the appropriate section, they’ll help themselves.

Campers: They come, they sit, they stay for hours.

Independents: don’t want help, but they do want a book.

Time-sucks: who want help, and personal recommendations, and plot synopses and books just like their favorite author’s but not their favorite author’s because they’ve read all those — and they’d like gift ideas and want to know what you’re reading, and who you’re favorite author is, etc. etc. etc.

I'm making the poll anonymous so you can be brutally honest with yourself.

Which of the Seven Types best describes you?

Which of the Seven Types could you do without?

I'm a Browser with a slight Seeker leaning and I can't stand Campers, especially Student Campers sprawled out into little bookstore shanty towns.

 

[Comeflyaway]

I'm a Browser, with some Seeker and some Independent tendencies. Also a former Student (finally done, woo hoo).

I'm a Browser with a slight Seeker leaning and I can't stand Campers, especially Student Campers sprawled out into little bookstore shanty towns.

Don't hate on the students. If you lived in an 8x15-foot-room with a smelly roommate whose sleeping habits are opposite of yours, you'd camp out somewhere else, too ;-)

 

[Wells83]

I'm a grazer. I just love looking around and usually end up with something I never knew I wanted.

 

[Isabell]

I'm a browser and a gazer---I'm always looking for something new. If I walk the aisles randomly, I might trip over something I would have never thought to read.

 

[beer good]

Definitely a grazer.

 

[abecedarian]

I wish I'd looked at the definitions before I voted.. I guess I'm an Independant Grazer with Idiotic tendancies. I blame the coffee fumes for draining every single remaining synapse from my brain case..What am I looking for? Danged if I can remember.

 

[Libra]

Grazer

 

[sparkchaser]

Libra6Poe works at a bookstore. I'd be interested in hearing her take on this.

 

[shadforth]

Hmm..I voted Browser,but reading thru the defs,I'd say I'm an Independant Grazer,tho' I've been called other names! : )

 

[Ryouko]

Browser with a pinch of independent, grazer, and seeker thrown in.

 

[Anamnesis]

I'm an Independent Browser-Grazer who will turn into a Camper if I have the time .

 

[Disenthral]

INDEPENDENT!!!!!!! Even if I need help and someone asks me ill still say " no I'm fine". Which might explain why I cant find books at stores that say they have them online.......

 

[dude]

Mostly a seeker, but part-time grazer as well.

 

[Leeny]

Combo of browser and independent. I'll search the store to find the book I want, and only when I'm sure that I've searched everywhere is when I'll ask for help.

 

[sparkchaser]

Stewart needs to vote.

 

[Sleepy]

I found myself being an idiot at imes but most of the times I'm the independent browser chit chatting with the employees.

 

[Robert]

I'm both Browser and Grazer.

 

[Fantasy Moon]

I think that I can best be described as a Grazer.

 

[speechless]

Hm. I'd have to say I'm a Grazer and a Seeker. I absolutely love bookstores

 

[Landslide]

I'm definitly a Grazer and occasionally a Browser.