[rhadin]

I think this is the year that B&N shows its true colors, and I'm getting angrier by the minute. First, it was gift cards. Then came no discount on either the nook or ebooks for B&N members. Now comes member prices for everyone and member discount coupons that can't be used on preorder books (although everyone can preorder at the member price).

I was so peeved by this last policy that I sent the following e-mail to B&N customer service:

I am a B&N member. I recently received an e-mail for a 15% discount for an online purchase on top of my member discount. I tried to use the discount on a preorder, which was denied because it is a preorder.

1. I am greatly upset. I paid to be a member yet I can't get a discount greater than someone who didn't pay.

2. Because of your combined policies of not accepting the coupon for preorders and not giving a special member discount for which I paid, you are stealing value from me.

3. My current membership expires January 31, 2010. Please extend the life of my membership for the equivalent amount of time that you are giving everyone -- paid member or not -- the member pricing. My member # is XXXXXXXXXXXX.

4. In addition, I think B&N owes it to its members to accept coupons on preorders for as long as B&N is giving everyone member pricing even if they are not members. Otherwise, we are not getting the value you promised when we paid the membership fee -- you are breraching your bargain with us. Please advise me how I can get the additional discount on a preorder.

I must say, customer service did what it could to inflame my anger. The response I got was this:

Dear Member,

Thank you for your email. For a limited time, we are testing a promotion on bn.com that offers a lower price on books to all customers.

We value our Members and are always testing offers and benefits to improve our Members? experience. Our Members have told us that they value free shipping. During this holiday season Members receive free shipping on orders of just $10 or more instead of $25 during this holiday season. A benefit only offered to our Members at this time.

As a Member, you will also continue to receive your discount in stores along with special offers and coupons that are not available to the general public.

We hope you found this information helpful, and for full details regarding our Member Holiday Bonus, please click on the following link: [link omitted]

Bottom line is B&N has given me nothing. I paid for a membership and they aren't honoring it. And the response so infuriated me, that I replied to customer service as follows:

Did you have any trouble locating which canned e-mail to use to respond? Clearly, you did not read my message. I know that it is difficult for B&N to actually address questions that are asked and answer them honestly, but why insult people with canned answers to questions not asked?

I have now attempted to write to a different B&N department to vent my frustration:

First, let me say that B&N customer service has deteriorated to the point of being mislabeled as customer service. I wrote the following e-mail to customer service:

[original message omitted; it appears above as the first quote]

What I got was a canned e-mail response telling me how much you value my being a member and therefore only require me to spend $10 to get free shipping rather than $25, as if this is a great perk or even addresses the issues raised.

Let me be clear. I am becoming increasingly disgusted with B&N. I spend a lot of money at B&N every year (I know you can verify that by checking my store and online purchases) yet you continue to treat me as if I bought 1 book a year.

Are you deliberately trying to make me stop buying from B&N and start buying from Amazon? I want direct answers to the issues raised, not platitudes.

Does anyone want to bet on which canned response I will get?

I hate to say it, but I'm beginning to think that I need to stop buying my hardcover books at B&N and start buying them at Amazon. Customer service can't be any worse than B&N's.

CAVEAT: My complaints with B&N are with BN.com, the online store, and not with my local B&N, which provides me with great service. Unfortunately, they aren't separate companies.