Great Selection Year-Round is What We Do

How We're Keeping Our Shelves Stocked With the Books You Want

As VP of Operations at ThriftBooks, I'm not only responsible for making sure you get what you order promptly and in the condition you requested, I lead a team that has to source all that product as well. The holidays are upon us, and I am visiting all our busy processing centers with a smile on my face. I am excited because I know we have an incomparable assortment of books, DVDs, Blu-rays, video games, and more for all our customers.

Of course, I see and hear about all the supply chain challenges our nation is facing. I hear about container after container sitting at port waiting to be unloaded. I read about how fuel, transportation, and labor have negatively impacted availability of inventory. It's a very tough time for a ton of companies this holiday season. As usual, you see a great deal of discounts and promotions to get folks in the door, only to then find that the stores are out of stock. As a consumer, you're faced with having to find another merchant who might have the gift you had your heart set on securing, or another item entirely. That's not okay in our mind.

Let me share a little secret with you: We are incredibly proud of our inventory position going into our peak sales period!

The supply chain is our company's lifeblood. Our business model requires that depth and breadth of assortment be at the forefront of what we do operationally each day. We measure success by knowing we have the right items on the shelf at the right time, and can get them to you quickly, at the same everyday low prices we have year-round. Our goal at the beginning of this year was to have the best selection across all our genres and titles. We achieved this goal because we were way ahead of the challenges. With the work of our incredibly talented processing center staff, account managers, and transportation experts, we wanted to be absolutely sure that we were prepared to do the best job possible having what you want in stock and ready to ship to you.

Our inventory is the subject of daily conversations, continuing through the holidays, into the back-to-school season, and throughout the next calendar year. Because we plan collaboratively with the customer as the basis of those plans, we view our inventory to be as strategic as any other key aspect of our business. Our marketing team doesn't need to rely on crazy discounts or gimmicks to attract and retain our customers. It's our job to have what you need on hand, to anticipate your demand, and not concern ourselves with trying to deep discount items that aren't desirable to you just to get them off our shelves. Our job is to make sure you are satisfied to the best of our ability with every order, offer you broad choice year-round, and to always be in a position to exceed your expectations.

We take product availability and your satisfaction very seriously at ThriftBooks. We are here for you. In the event we happen to be out of stock on a title that interests you, just add it to your Wish List so we can notify you the moment it arrives. You'll be surprised how fast those titles show up in our processing centers. I am looking at a truckload of new arrivals pulling up to the dock for sorting even as I write this. It's a regular event around here to see full trucks of supply pulling up and thousands of green packages heading on their way to you, hour by hour, all day, all week, and all month long.

I hope you'll come shop with us again and again. If you're a return customer, thanks for being so loyal and helping us continue to offer a value proposition that gives us happiness. In many cases, your purchase also provides much needed monetary support to schools and local libraries, the places we purchase books on your behalf. If you're a new customer, welcome to ReadingRewards, our celebrated loyalty program! We are glad to have you join in the community that surrounds our brand. We are excited about having the opportunity to serve you and prove how much we care about you.

Your business matters to us, every single purchase. Never settle for less than what you want. It's our job to get you what you want. We love doing our job!

Happy Holidays to all!
Michael Teague
Vice President of Operations, ThriftBooks

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