A book store owner in the UK took to his store’s Facebook fan page to seek pity for the store’s dismal sales, and the post actually helped bring paying customers into the shop. The owner of the Saltaire Book Shop posted this cry for help on January 10th:
URGENT! We need customers. Yesterday the shop took £7.50 (that’s about minus 50 after cost of books and heating) and the day before £13 (about £6 after books and heating). Today we have so far taken £6 (about £2). It’s clear this cant keep going on like this and there is a serious question mark over the future of the shop. If you want Saltaire Bookshop PLEASE tell all your friends about us and get them to spend money in the shop (people putting up posters or trying to sell me books dont count!). This is an urgent appeal. The roadworks and blocked pavements before Xmas meant our trade was down 50%.
It worked.On January 12th, the company posted. “We had an excellent Saturday,” the store posted on Facebook. “Thank you everyone who came in to the shop and we would love to see more of you over the next few weeks.”
The Daily Mail has more: “ In just one day he saw his profits boosted to an incredible £300 – 400 times what he usually earned, which has meant better days for the shop owner.”