Time to Disable USPS as preferred shipping for books

Posted on by alexesguerra

Effective 9/20/2017 starting from our Affordable Book Finds

we will slowly delete and disable our preferred books shipping methods using the United States Postal Service

The never ending issue on the inaccuracy of the USPS website tracking website had been costing us time, money as well as negative feedbacks and straining customer relations especially for new first time customers. The website’s messaging on “invalid”, “incorrect” “pre-shipment” will never get fixed. Not only the information finally gets updated until after or on the same day as the items are delivered but the buyers commonly thinks We never shipped the item. Most importantly especially on new first time buyers online they believe the information even though it’s not accurate as the agency is a reputable body of the government.

We realized attempting not to use the USPS as the most economical shipping courier will result to lesser sales on our part but then again our commitment is great customer service, experience and retention.

Moving on, the ADLE International online selling websites will gradually shipped to our preferred shipping couriers UPS and FedEx

Nevertheless our retail selling prices will still strive to offer the best most affordable books even to limited income earners.

Alex Esguerra

Founder

The Future of Online Independent Businesses

Posted on by alexesguerra

From the Independent Business Org’s reviews and surveys for 2015 it looks like the future is very promising yet as any small independent business lies the challenges.

With the recent numbers of low unemployment paving the way for hiring comes still the lack of funding to sustain operations. Coupled with that is the tough competition online specifically on online book selling where the big online giants eats you up alive by selling lower than what publishers or distributors sell new books for example.

Sometimes, one may wonder how can they do that but the word “BIG” comes with the saying meaning they have the promotional expense funding to utilize so who cares. What’s really funny is with the so called giants comes the big consignors also dropping down prices favoring the atmosphere and if they can sell even new books for $0.01 they will.

I recently had a town hall discussion on our small shop and I raised the question as any independent bookseller would. “If your shopping online e.g. books and your browsing on description and price what do you normally look for and what’s important?”

The brave souls then responded, “We’ve even consider buying acceptable book conditions as long as they are the cheapest price in there” So as gracious as I want to feel, what can I say as for all these years our “Affordable” wasn’t cheap as cheap but “quality” comes with it.

So my take on this as we prepare for Book Expo America through the American Booksellers Association initiatives on May 2016 at McCormick Place in Chicago is it’s time to re-express what book selling and book lovers is about. Quality, experience, joy and great service should still be jointly capitulated on our initiatives and expressions and continue to educate the retail and online consumer what it’s all about.

After all 3 out of 10 online cheapest price sales comes with either the return or negative feedback and guess what? Today even feedback are no longer are deterrent as the culprits invade the cheapest price market on book selling.