if all the book were snapped up, i will go to the counter to ask whether is there any extra copies...usually they'll let me know whether it's available or not and i've tried once in borders and they told me which branch still have it
so i just proceed to the other branch and get a good copy

I'll place an order and wait Do not like my books in bad conditions.

I don't like my book wrapped. But I would not take the book in a bad condition.It's the responsible of a bookstore to manage and care for it book even though it is unwrapped.

It's cheating to sell the bad condition book full price.I always ask for at least half the price if that's the only copy. If they refused to do that, then that's fine I'll just go to another bookstore.

Thats right.
I do the same thing too.
Its like you buy a second hand book though.

i prefer Borders and Kino style with browsing copy. unlike popular where they wrap most of their books, and yeah u can ask for one of their assistants to unwrap the book, but usually its hard to find one that is available, they always look busy and i dont really like bothering ppl like that.

better pick on the wrapped book la.. but if there's only unwrapped book left, have to go with it and buy it cos it's always better than never

i prefer kino style...

coz i'm assure where the books are brand new n virgin.

while borders style is unwrapped books... but there's too many people reading the books till it's no longer brand new and it's looks like 2nd hand / yellowish and torn / bended... it's EXTREMELY bad conditions.

nobody mention POPULAR?
popular pasar seni has browsing copies too, especially for Harry Potter series.
but not much other browsing copies.

however, some fictions are unwrapped so I can juz flip through, read a chapter to see if its interesting~

wat bout unwrap a few and others are wrapped nicely?
therefore ppl browse through those copies onli, browsing copies they are lo!
haha...

Popular books are not tat updated, however bcoz most of them are not wrapped, i prefer to go there.

Well I find Popular lacking in terms of book choices, and well I really prefer wrapped books.

hah..
popular memang not really wide choice of books, especially newest wans..
but i can flip and flip, or sit there, enjoy the air con, read the books!

Seconded. Popular may be good for work books, but is sorely lacking in novels and the likes. I like to call it the 'glorified stationary store'.

Oh... I usually only read the first 10 pages in bookstores, if I like it I'll buy and read at home. There were times when I will try looking for online copies or do some research on the books I wanted to buy before heading to bookstore. Somehow I always feel that it's not nice to just read a book and not buy it

I usually read online reviews, or reviews in magazines and stuff. Then for the book itself, again, I source for it on the Internet. Usually Amazon has the sneak preview thing...

I don't mind the nicely-wrapped books. In fact, many a times, the books wrapped nicely has deterred me from buying the books just because of its nice, embossed cover

you have the right to ask the staff to unwrap the book cover for you. if he doesnt allow it, i'll just purchase the book from another outlet.

I prefer to see bookstores that wrap all their books, but keep one copy unwrapped (whether jacketed or not, not important) so that shoppers can take a look inside. Then when you want to buy, you can buy the wrapped one or the unwrapped one (your choice).

Well, unwrapping books in bookstores is definitely not a crime! It's not the same as copying material from the books or damaging the books. Most people unwrapped the books just want to check if the book is worthy for them to buy or not.

I think bookstores should keep a few copies for browing purpose, and wrap up rest of the copies. That way, everybody is happy, right?!

Second that. Whenever I go to Popular, I'll always end up with a bunch of pens that cost too damned much!

Not often. However, wrapped books are good for collectors. Nowadays you can read the manga online before making the purchase. Just request the cashier to open the wrapper after the purchase. That is customer's right.

That's why bookstores have a dilemma:

When we want to browse, we hope that the books are unwrapped.
When we want to buy, we look for a new, nicely wrapped one.

It's just plain hard to satisfy consumers

And of course when it comes to humans, you get all sorts of behaviour when they're reading books in a bookstore.

Bending the book too much.
Opening the pages too widely.
Licking their fingers to flip pages.
I don't know why or how, but pages could actually go missing as well.

And not to mention when you have books unwrapped, some would just go hog a seat for the whole day!
I mean come on, be reasonable.
The bookstores hate you for doing that you know?
That's why they turn on the air-con so darn cold, hoping you would move your frozen butt elsewhere.

I guess reading books alone doesn't make you conscionable.
Or perhaps they're just too numb from the cold...

what's so hard about bringing the book to the counter to unwrap???