Then I fear for someones job since they seem to be failing at it. On my last trip covers accounted for almost half of all the shelves I hit up (front, technical, humor, current events, social). That would mean they are not replacing books that are sold due to non-ordering or non-receiving. Either side of that argument is bad news.

Though I suppose it could be an accounting decision then. "Book-A only sold a few copies last year so don't reorder it." Repeat procedure for anything not selling as well as the front list. Then yell at book peons for the empty look of the shelves so more cover-outs get used. You know, that oddly enough makes sense for the large usage of covers. Bad business sense but understandable corporate sense.

Might be time to start chatting up the coffee folk again. They get all the best inside store info and now I'm curious. (Plus the coffee ain't to shabby.)