Have You Ever Been Convinced by a Bookshop Shelf-talker?
What’s a shelf-talker?
Well they’re those little cards that tell you about a product which are either stuck to a shelf-edge or wrapped around a product, and in a bookshop are generally written by one of the shops staff. (Whether they are actually the employees personal opinion or corporate one is another thing altogether! – and probably depends on whether it is a chain or an independent anyway…!)
I came across the same question in a recent Guardian blog entry and I must admit it did make me think, it wasn’t something that had ever crossed my mind, and really the shelf-talkers have never themselves made me buy a book, but what has is the fact that my local shop tends to shelf them altogether in a highlighted area, and that has tempted me to open my wallet.
It got me to thinking, what effect these little reviews had on us as book-bloggers/addicts. 
So, what about you, do you take any notice of them? Have you ever come across any really interesting/memorable ones?
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I don’t remember ever seeing one of these. There is a shelf in B&N of “Staff Recommendations” or “What the Staff is Reading” or something like that but that’s about as far as it goes. Interesting, though.
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I’ve seen one of these… maybe once. It was an independent bookstore that’s since closed. (They were, unfortunately, in the wrong location to thrive. It’s a shame as I really liked going there.)
So I guess I’m indifferent about them. If we used them more here I’d probably take notice of them and at least look at the book if it sounded interesting, though.
I always find them interesting to read, but I don’t think they’ve ever swayed me to buy a book. I usually have a very firm idea of what books I want to purchase, and they’re mostly ones I’ve already read (and loved). Shelf-talkers (never knew they had a name before!) are far more likely to make me purchase something new at the Trader Joe grocery, though. I’m often convinced there!
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The last book I read was a shelf talker from the library. I think it’s a combination of a great cover as well. I just can’t help picking up the book!
Natasha @ Maw Books´s last blog ..Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
At the bookstore I go to, they use them to point out award winners and such. I find them useful. Whenever I go to the bookstore, I write down the titles/covers that catch my eye, and then I do some research online before making my purchase decision.
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It depends on how well they’re written. Usually they’re hand written, and if I have to strain to read the writing, then forget it. But if the writing of the shelf talker is interesting, I *might* pick up the book and read the back cover. I guess it’s pretty similar to blogs I read: if I like the writing, I stick around, if I don’t like the writing, I don’t bother.
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I’m like Rebecca, I’ve only ever seen the “Staff Recommended” shelf. I like the idea though.
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For me it all depends on the bookstore. In major chains, I tend to ignore them, but I have this prejudice that the people who work in little independent stores must really be more devoted to reading and therefore “have better taste” as jerky as that sounds.
I also decide based on whether there are any tagged books that I disliked.
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I can’t say I ever really look at them. I’m dimly aware that they are there, but at the moment I’monly ususally in new book shops if I want something specific anyway! I do find the ‘if you liked this, you’ll like…… ones helpful when buying books for my son though.
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My local bookstore uses the “Staff Recommended” option and once you’re down with which staff-member you have the most in common with, they are fantastic!
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I pretty much ignore them. I did pay attention to them once when I had just gotten into fantasy because the bookstore had a nice section on “what to read if you like Robert Jordan” and the books had shelf talkers. I wrote them down and looked them up later but I do think I eventually bought both series.
These days if I’m in a regular bookstore I know exactly what I’m looking for and I buy it and go. I buy almost all my books online, it’s cheaper and I’m poor, but I’d love to walk into a bookstore and be able to afford to buy the books that just call to me.
I had a tendency to avoid them. As Trish said, I’ve run into several shelf-talkers were the handwriting is illegible. And more often than not they’re recommending books that are on the bestseller list or ones I’ve already read and didn’t enjoy. I’ve actually only found one bookstore where their employee’s recommendations were completely off the wall (in a good way).
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I tend to read them only if I”m already interested in the book.
I love it when the workers at my local bookstore do this
In fact I found one guy who recommended American Gods once and I think I’ve read everything he’s recommended since…I write down their names if I really like their recommendations to see what comes next :p
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I always feel all warm and squishy when I see them beside books I particularly enjoyed myself. Otherwise, I mainly pay attention to them when they relate to books I’ve already heard of.
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Yes, I’ve definitely been convinced by them before, and haven’t been disappointed. I know this as certainly as I know my name….but can I remember which books? Not a clue! Ha!
I do always feel a sense of companionship when I see a book on the shelf that I’ve really enjoyed that a staff member of a store has felt similarly about. More often than not the books I see on the ’staff recommends’ shelf are not the NY Times Bestsellers, and so it is nice to see books that may not have mass popularity, but are excellent books, featured.
The only bookshop around me that uses them is the big one – Chapters – and I find them annoying more than interesting. They are impersonal, normally about sales and mostly end up laying around on the floor.
But I have been swayed by shelf-talkers in my favorite video store – not your typical Blockbuster. It carries everything, from little known indies to world cinema and most of the employees are serious film-o-philes. I’ve come to trust the opinions on these shelf-talkers.
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