We found 23 stores that may have this book...

... but, actually none do.

I was looking for this book: "India: From Midnight to the Millennium and Beyond", by Shashi Tharoor. I heard a speech on this book by him - and I decided that it should be the next addition to my book collection.



I was checking if the local Barnes and Noble carried this book - so that to buy this today. Yes, every now and then, I am an impulse buyer to every retailer's delight.



Here's what I found.

"We found 23 stores in or near 20814 that may have this item in-stock as of Apr 20, 2008." Only one minor problem. Except that that each one of them said in the Availability column: "Not in Stock".

I wonder. What's the point of this feature? How hard can it be to show only those stores that have this book in stock? (and in this case: zero.)

Lego's Business and Marketing

My daughter will turn four soon. I was waiting for this time for the past four years, because I would be able to buy her a Lego model.


I was first exposed to Lego thanks to a very kind family friend who gifted a Lego Set to me. My first Lego set was: Lego Bus Station (Model 379), and it was released in 1979. I was reminded of those days all over again today.





Today, I bought my daughter's first Lego set. It is the Ultimate LEGO Building Set (6166). Here's the picture, on the right. We had great fun, and I was transported in time.


So, I went back to the local Lego Store, to get more bricks. And that's where a bunch of things struck me. I was looking for a large brick box. "Sorry", I was told, "we don't carry those". "We can order from the Lego online store and ship it", they said. "That works", I thought to myself.

Except the model I was looking for, was from LegoEducation.com. "Oops, we can't go to that website, from our store". "What?? You are Lego, and that is Lego too... what's going on?" I spent $71 at the store, nevertheless.


There was a gift waiting for me at the cashier's counter. "Because you spent more than $50, here is a Bionicle..." Okay, but I don't want a Bionicle. I don't like the look of those things, honestly. But, if you truly like the fact that I spent over $50, can I get something else in it's place? Nopes, tough luck. I said fine, Bionicle it is. (really, how much better a customer experience would it have been, if they said: you can add $x more worth stuff, because you spent $50... your choice. Now, that would have been delightful.)

Anyway, I went looking at the Lego's website to order the large brick box I wanted online. More weirdness. "Limit to 5". "Stock unavailable". Are they really trying to reduce supply? What's going on here? Are these beanie babies? They are bricks afterall.

Finally, I went to http://www.craigslist.com/. There was a local dude that was selling over 5,000 pieces from his collection, for around $75. So much for "limit to 5".

Lego, you've lost a customer. For me, it is craigslist from now on.