This is not a lending library.

Thank you. Come again.

2 stone of half price Toblerone with your free reads as he moved you?

Every time I walk past the magazine section of WH Smiths there's at least half a dozen people there perusing the latest publications. In fact, when I were a lad I used to "read" a certain magazine whose name seems a bit like 'enemy' by flicking through it in the shops. The amount of useful information in it was fairly small and it saved me tuppence ha'penny or however much it costs.

Former boss of mine could be seen every day reading the local paper in our branch of Smiths, don't think he ever actually paid for one. I think he still does it, must go to Smiths one lunchtime and see...

..after seeing the latest offerings I was just about to purchase the latest UNCUT (decent article on Madness I think!). If you're splashing out a fiver on a magazine shouldn't you be able to see what you're getting for your cash.

I'm off to Borders now, never any trouble there....

It really hacks me off when I want to grab a magazine and there are stingy buggers using it as a library

the worst is people who read newspapers in shops. 40p stingy Gits buy the thing!

...between browsing, which generally involves spending enough time to decide whether you're interested enough in the contents, and reading a magazine in the sense of looking long enough to get to the end of an article. There's always a lot of debate in magazine companies about the desirability or otherwise of shrink-wrapping a magazine. The argument for is it makes it a more desirable package and everyone gets an un-thumbed copy. The argument against is that people can't sample the magazine. The sales figures in such cases usually show that the shrunk magazine does as well, if not better, than the loose one. Which may go to show that the people doing the most browsing are doing the least buying. Having said that, I would have thought that if you've attracted the attention of a security guard you must have been there quite a while.

Clearly doesn't apply to this organ as I subscribe, and it was only left out once, by mistake, but there have been occasions when I have picked up "the competition" sans coverdisc, to be met with a disinterested shrug by the salesperson. Where's the bloody security guy when you need him?

...at the memory of the impenetrable wall of expensively-suited types in WHS at Liverpool St station, making merry over lunch by reading the Evening Standard for free and getting in the way of anyone who might want to buy one. And this was five years ago when the country was in economic clover, so Christ knows what it's like nowadays.

Can't recommend them enough.

My local library has a fine selection of magazines, and get them in pretty much hot off the press, and provide a comfy leather chair for you to read them!

Couple that with 60p to hire and copy, sorry, listen to a cd at home for up to three weeks.

I've heard good things about books being available at these establishments too...

The Borders store near my work actually has a row of comfy chairs next to the magazines.

with a vested interest.

We actually encourage browsing in completely the reverse of the WHS argument and I've experienced both sides.

WHS hate it, they want people in and out, their average spend is about seven quid a customer less than ours.

Collecting the endless piles of tattoo mags and OK's is a right pain in the arse. We work on the premise that if a customer grabs 5, they'll buy at least 1 and other stuff too.

We gained a real advantage from the WHS decision to sack smaller circulation mags and from their signage discouraging customers from browsing. Most of our customers remark on the WHS attitude to browsing and it irritates those most that wouldn't take the piss.

This may annoy Heppers a little concerning our fanzine, but I can happily report that Word and the American Blues / Guitar mags are the only growers in their section and that his old missive Q is having a terrible time at our place.

Uncut and Mojo readers are not loyal, it depends what's on the cover (usually Dylan or Led Zep) and these are the mags they'll browse.

I'm also sad to report that Record Collector is dwindling downwards monthly.

We've always done well with Word, some of it because of the ability to cross merch ie Pet Shop Boys and John Martyn sold more copies of the mag and the cds.

For those interested - ladies seem to be the worst with the gossip and card making mags gathered at an alarming rate.

Car Mag readers are the worst males, teenagers go for Tattoo Mags.

Da Kidz don't browse NDS mags, they buy 'em.

One real growth area at the mo is bookazines particularly ipod and nostalgia mags and at eight quid a pop they are a fair investment.

Maybe Heppers and Healey and co could branch out with the odd one of these? On a decade, perhaps. Collins and Maconie could wade in, that is if they can get from behind the rocks after their recent ambush and remove the arrows from their hats.

Finally, I can't think of many mags that shrinkwrap standard issues, some US Mags do. Generally, a shrinkwrapped mag will contain something extra/different/free which would make it more buyable than a standard issue.

Therefore the sales lost to browsers are compensated by the buyers buying for the add on.

Right, I've bored you enough. Night!

...they should be killed in their beds.

..obviously.

I think some browsing is perfectly all right. There's talk of reading the cover blurb to see what's inside - but that's not enough for me.

Say it says on the cover "Morrissey - Revealed!". I might buy it if it is an in-depth interview over several pages. But I won't buy it if it is simply the recent near-naked photograph of Morrissey with a paragraph about it. I need a quick flick through to check on that sort of thing.

In the late 80's I used the same newsagent next to my work to buy The Guardian, NME, Sounds, Melody Maker and usually Record Mirror too. Not to mention fags and the unconditional browse-free buying of Q, Smash Hits, Private Eye and Viz.

On one visit though, funds were tight so I had to narrow it down a bit, so I had a wee browse. As I *start to* do this, Newsagent tells me his shop is not a library. I never darken his door again.

..often, before I buy a pie, I'm amazed at the truculence of the shop-keeper if I (quite reasonably) have a couple of trial bites.

I think your analogy is flawed. We are not talking about food, we are talking about reading material. A page with words on it can be read by someone else.

There's very few people here who would dream of buying a CD without sampling it (via Spotify or similar) beforehand. And magazines are more or less the same price as albums these days.

I don't like the idea of someones grubby hands going through a mag before I've read it.
It's supposed to be new, innit?

I have been told that in days gone by Foyles in Charing Cross Road used to allow customers to come in, start reading a book, leave a marker and then return another day to continue reading.
Now if true, that was service.
Any members of the Massive able to confirm this, or even better let us know what books they read from cover to cover? Any problems if the book with your marker was sold?

I have jokingly said "excuse me sir, this isn't a library" when finding work colleagues having a browse in WHSmith, but I've never heard of it being done officially before.

For me, the new peril in WHSmiths is charity muggers and people selling cosmetics, all of whom congragate by the doors and pounce as you enter.

for the retailer but magazines are sale or return so if you don't take it, it's no loss. At least you came in, and you'll probably buy a sandwich or something.

More annoying, in fact, are magazines which have massive subscription offers - and yes I'm including you in this, Hepworth - to try and lure the reader away from the retailer, so you never have to go in the store at all.

The publisher gets your money up front - even for the Cocker-on-the-cover issues - and saves the wholesaler and retailer's cut. Ker-ching!!!