Merry Christmas!

I've just done the last post-run before Christmas.  We'll still take and process orders, so you'll be able to spend your gift money with us, but nothing will be posted out before Wednesday at the earliest.

However you celebrate the holidays (or even if you don't), we hope you have great time and that 2018 is good to you.

2018 Membership Discount Scheme

We are happy to announce the membership scheme for 2018, which is following on the same lines as the one we introduced for 2017.

The Membership Scheme was set-up with the unabashed aim of us getting some cash up-front.  This is to enable us to increase and improve our stock and other services we provide.  We hope it also provides a real benefit to our customers.  The experience of 2017 seems to point to both these aims being met.

• A - The UK Postal Offer - £20.00.  Free postage on all orders.  This level will open to UK addresses only.

• B - The Discount Offer - £20.00.  A 10% reduction on the cost of all books and products (excluding postage).  This level open to customers world-wide.

• C - The UK Bumper Offer - £35.00.   10% off and free postage.  Again, open to UK addresses only.

To apply, send us an e-mail.  You can apply at any stage of the year, but the sooner you do so, the more savings you can squeeze in!

Social Media and Feedback

The other day I shared this post on our Facebook page.  Since then I've been thinking that most of the pointers are also quite good for small businesses.

Small business rely on word-of mouth.  We live and die by feedback.  If people don't know we exist, then we can't sell them books (or whatever service the business offers).  Also, we like feedback - it let's us know where we're going right (or otherwise!) and what we need to change.  That's why we have the Boast Board.

So:-

• Let us know how you think we've done
• If you've bought through a medium that asks for feedback (ie, Amazon), please leave some
• Mention us on your blog, or whatever
• Follow this blog
• Follow us on Facebook (all our stock updates go there)
• Like or Share our posts
• Tell your friends
• Don't be shy - if you think we might have a book of interest, ask!

Thank you.

Westerns!

As a child I was not one for going out and kicking a ball, climbing a tree or even letting sun touch my skin.  I'd rather spend the afternoon watching the TV.  In those far-off days we had very little choice in viewing, so if I didn't want to watch sport on a Saturday (and I didn't!), it meant old films on BBC2.

So when I saw these, I couldn't resist picking them up for your delectation...

There's even something for the modellers...

For those of who who eschew  the Hollywood version of the West, 'proper' history can be found in our sections on Native American History and C19th Military History.  And if your 'serious' about film we've also got a (sadly depleted) section on  TV and Film Studies.

Books for Christmas

It's time for my annual reminder that books make great Christmas presents.  They also apparently make up-cycled Christmas trees if you want to be trendy - so if you want to buy a do-it-yourself kit, I can provide!

In addition to buying books, there are these other great reasons to send us money if you know someone who is, or should be a customer of ours.

• Gift Tokens - we can open a credit account in any sum in favour of your recipient.  We'll send them a card advising them of your gift and how they can spend it.
• Membership Scheme - I'll soon be announcing the membership scheme for 2018, which would make a splendid gift for a regular customer.  It will be on the same lines as the 2017 scheme (though tweaked to take feedback into account and as it will cover a full 12-month period).

Overseas Customers Please Note

Our default postage method for The Rest of the World (ie, outside Europe) is International Economy.  This means that you have probably already missed the guaranteed delivery for Christmas.  if you want a book delivering by a different method, you will have to specify at the time of ordering.

Books for Trafalgar Day (And Other Times Too!)

The time has come for me to send my annual message that the best way to celebrate Trafalgar Day is to pour out a pink gin and consider what books to buy and read as the nights lengthen.*

*With apologies to our Southern Hemisphere readers.

Sadly, due to an outbreak of lurgy among the Diplomatist family, the anniversary has crept up on us and I've not been able to prepare anything by way of a special offer or interesting post. 

The best thing I could come up with was to rummage through our 'to-do' piles and clear the back-log of naval items.  Accordingly, I've added 18 new titles covering naval history from the Armada to the Soviet Navy.  What to see them and other goodies?  Go and look at our Naval Section!

New Stock

As those that follow us on Facebook already know,* we were lucky enough to buy a nice collection  of military history books this week.  I'm starting to get them online today and hope to finish within the week, so keep an eye out, particularly in our Napoleonic, Naval and World War I sections...

I hope there's something there for you!

*They know most things first - why not join them!

2017 Membership Discount Scheme

Some of you will remember that earlier in the year (before we had our computer problems) we discussed setting up some sort of scheme to reward return customers.

There are many benefits for both us as sellers and you as buyers in having an on-going relationship.  If we know your wants and interests we can offer you first refusal on books as they come it: a quick sale for us; and a need filled for you.  There is no cost involved in this - just drop us an e-mail!

Diplomatist Membership Scheme 2017

The following Membership Scheme is set-up with the unabashed aim of us getting some cash up-front.  This will enable us to increase and improve our stock and other services we provide.  We hope it also provides a real benefit to our customers.

The prices are set on the basis of the benefit you may get in the remaining six months of 2017.

• A - The UK Postal Offer - £10.00.  Free postage on all orders.  This level will open to UK addresses only.

• B - The World Postal Offer - £15.00.  Overseas postage set at the flat rate of £5.00 per parcel.  This level open to customers world-wide.

• C - The Discount Offer - £10.00.  A 10% reduction on the cost of all books and products (excluding postage).  This level open to customers world-wide.

• D - The UK Bumper Offer - £18.00.  A combination of A and C.  10% off and free postage.  Again, open to UK addresses only.

• E - The World Bumper Offer - £23.00.  A combination of B and C.  10% off and postage at the flat rate of £5.00 per parcel.

Apply by sending us an e-mail.

This is by way of an experiment.  If there is the demand it will be repeated in 2018 in one form or another.

Soviet History

We're about half-way between the centenaries of the two Russian revolutions of 1917 and I'm aware that we have a fair number of books on Soviet History, but no 'one-stop-shop' to point people to.

Until now!   Click here for a list of Soviet goodies; from the Revolution, to studies of Stalin's crimes, the Great Patriotic War, the Cold War, and the eventual fall of the USSR.  And for a little light relief, some Soviet art and a photo study of Soviet Bus Stops...*

*The book on bus stops sold with four hours of listing - sometimes you have to be snappy!

Weekend Flash Sale!

Well, we've finally got our laptop back from the repair shop and set up again.  No more messing about with teeny-tiny keyboards on mobile devices!

To celebrate we are having a flash sale!

All orders placed to us direct (ie, not through AbeBooks, Amazon or BiblioDirect) between now and midnight (BST) on Sunday will receive a 20% discount (not including postage).

Don't know how to contact us?  See here.

Computer Problems

I apologise for the lack of updates here and on Facebook, but we've been having computer problems, which have resulted in me trying to run the Diplomatist Empire from a smart phone.

Rest assured that we've been receiving e-mails and able to process orders.  It has, however,  meant that we've not added any new stock to the various selling platforms.  On the bright side, new stock has been piling up, so when the problems have been solved (which may or may not be now) there will be lots of goodies to add.

Feel free to e-mail with any questions you have...

Possible Voucher Scheme

One of the pleasing aspects I've discovered since setting up Diplomatist Books is dealing with return customers.  It's gratifying to know that, having spent money with us, people are satisfied enough to come back!

I've therefore been giving some thought to how to reward such customers and how to entice more. I've come up with two possible voucher schemes.

1. Payment in advance -  (say) £50.00 for Premium Membership which gives you a spending power of £65.00 (which lasts for a year).  This could be set at different rates - Bronze, Silver and Gold.
2. A postage scheme - a payment of (say) £25.00 entitles a UK customer to free postage for a year.

By pure co-incidence both schemes, if successful, would result an injection of capital to invest in more stock and other enlargement...

What do you think?  Have you any other suggestions?  Do let me know by taking part in the poll (completely free of any commitment to take part in any scheme!).

Books to the Arctic

Many of my readers will be familiar with the Little Library movement, which aims to inspire a love of reading, build community, and spark creativity by fostering neighborhood book exchanges around the world.

This, of course, is a Good Thing.

There may be a little library, book exchange, or literacy scheme in your area and , if so, I urge you to support it, but a plea on Facebook from the Far North has caught my eye.   It seems that the free library at Pond Inlet struggles to get books because they're an isolated fly-in only community.

Their address is

Sherry Lynn Earl
Box 309
Pond Inlet, Nunavut
X0A 0S0
Canada

20 Years of Slaying!

Amazingly, 10 March 2017 marks the twentieth anniversary of Buffy the Vampire Slayer*

Yes, I know the film came out in 1992, but I'm talking about the TV series here.

 So, whether your a fully-fledged Scooby, a Watcher, or even The Zeppo, how can you celebrate this?  By buying a book of course!

And we just happen to have some Buffy goodies to hand....

World Book Day 2017 - Flash Sale

World Book Day 2017 take place tomorrow, 2 March.  It's not just for kids, and to celebrate we are having a flash sale!

All orders placed to us direct (ie, not through AbeBooks, Amazon or BiblioDirect) between now and midnight (GMT) on Thursday will receive a 20% discount (not including postage)

Don't know how to contact us?  See here.