[Featured Discussion] - Annoying Stickers

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     I hate these things! I know that some places like Half Price Bookstores need to do it for the whole pricing/barcodes. However what I hate most about them is the after effects of trying to peel the dumb things off. I know that some people leave them on so they don't have to deal with the sticky glue square that's left behind afterwards. I myself hate the look and feel of both, I have been trying to find other ways to get rid of the glue and whatnot. Frankly in my limited search there just isn't much. However my rage is still prevalent.

     Sticky Sticker Madness

     Well you just bought a new books from a local buy/sell used bookstore, we all have them. However when you do they have those funky stickers on the front cover, covering your favorite part of the graphic, or they are just there. You peel it off and the glue still adheres to the cover, or worse the sticker splits and you get tiny pieces of that sticker still stuck to the cover. It's madness and frankly I have hunted and searched for ways to get it off. I honestly don't know the best way to remedy this and I don't suggest using soap and water.

What I do is:

1. Take a utility blade, or knife (if you are careful) and slowly slide between the sticker and cover.
2. Once a bit is up and loose, use your fingers to slowly pull the sticker away going back and forth.
3. Occasionally you may have to repeat 1 on the other side because of a tear, be careful.
4. If you happen to get stuck on glue or it tears too much, this is where I go blank on the best way. I have a bottle of Goo Gone and a spare rag. I apply the Goo Gone to the rag and wipe the area down and use the utility blade (best in this case) to pull any other debris up and off the cover. (WARNING: I am not sure if this is the best way to do so without damaging the cover. I know it's not the best chemical for books and whatnot, but it's the best at what I've found.)
5. Afterwards I use a small damp cloth to wipe any Goo Gone off the cover and quickly use a dry towel to remove any wetness. (NOTE: Please do not use this on Paperbacks. Any liquid on the cover will warp and destroy the cover. I have found out and it made me sad.)

     Now I know that this probably isn't the best method and frankly if you have any suggestions for something better, please let me know. I want to find something better and while I keep trying there just isn't anything I'm willing at the moment to test on a book that I know won't damage the cover. I am open to suggestions, post them in the comments or e-mail me. Thanks!

      I want to take this a step further, is there ANY way at all that something couldn't be done with the barcode already on the book? I mean can't you use that and program the code in your system to whatever price you want to set it as. I know that some stores can't do that, Half-Price books, but on the other hand Meijer doesn't have an excuse I'm sorry. You have shelf labels too, I mean spend the money on shelf labels if you're doing it for book labels (it's probably cheaper too).

     I am just aggravated on all the stickers I have to take off on a monthly basis. Frankly It's somewhere around 10-20 books a month, and while that may not sound like a lot, but when you start doing it and trying to keep the book as perfect as it is, it's more or less annoying. Than I have to try to use Goo Gone, when I am worried that the book won't make it through the glue treatment. I have realized that the longer the book has stayed on a shelf, the worse the glue becomes. Frankly you can almost date the shelf-life of a book on that, it's sad.

     So I will go a step further and ask, what type of glue does Meijer or Walmart use that's so different from Half-Price books or is it the sticker in general. 90% of the time, Half-Price Book stickers come off without any hitch and they earn most of my business at the moment, however Meijer and Walmart I can't ever manage to get them off perfect. Something always arises, and I more than often get frustrated and want to beat whoever marred my beauty. Amazon is by far the worst, and I have no idea why. They have a sticker on the back barcode and sometimes on the front. The back I always have to use Goo Gone on, and I know it's not been on there too long. It's annoying, its painful to do, and just downright unnecessary. Stop doing it, or give me the option to buy the book without the stickers, I'll save you the money of having to not label the book.