Classic A huge mistake on BN's part

[geneaber]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I don't know, it seems if they planed to have it implemented by Nov 30th they would certainly know about it now and would certainly include it in the announcement.

Then again, perhaps B&N knows how to under promise and over deliver. Not sure about that considering the over promise on ebook lending.

BOb

I concur in that it does not make sense to have these details sorted out. Maybe they are dipping their toe in the pool to see what the market will tolerate. Truth be told I am sure that they would prefer to stay out of the ebook reader market in order to avoid further price wars with Amazon. Given Kindle's success they cannot sit on the sidelines any longer.


I also agree that the loaning feature was overhyped. However, I do not find the limits overly offensive. No limits on loaning would be complete chaos (and bad for the bottom line). With paper books there are some barriers to complete loaning (i.e. shipping costs). No such limits would impede loaning of ebooks.

[FizzyWater]

Do you suppose it's something simpler - that B&N's ebooks store is really just a "rebranded" website pointing to the eReader.com servers?

So it's not really a part of the regular B&N website/rules/etc.?

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

Do you suppose it's something simpler - that B&N's ebooks store is really just a "rebranded" website pointing to the eReader.com servers?

So it's not really a part of the regular B&N website/rules/etc.?

You aren't saying they would deliberately mislead their customers, are you?

[kezza]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

Do you suppose it's something simpler - that B&N's ebooks store is really just a "rebranded" website pointing to the eReader.com servers?

So it's not really a part of the regular B&N website/rules/etc.?

Even if it was you'd still be able to use some kind of gift card, even if it was an ebook-specific one. I've been getting eReader gift "cards" (they're electronic, not physical) for years for Christmas. I'm a little annoyed that I won't be able to ask for BN cards, instead, since the eReader.com books have to be sideloaded to the nook and don't sync to other devices. Very disappointing!

[phenomshel]

As much as I like B&N; and I really do....the biggest mistake I'm seeing is not giving the people administering their ebook help boards the information they need to be able to do the job correctly. These poor people have no clue about the questions being asked, most of the time, so they're just parroting the FAQ page. If you're going to announce a new device, don't do it til you have enough of said devices to hand out to your help people so they know how to answer the inevitable questions about it. I feel so sorry for those folks, they're running blind, and pissing people off as a result.

[Maike13]

"B&N have announced that initial inventory of the Nook is sold out. Nooks ordered now won't ship until after New Year (Jan 4th)"

On the one hand, I guess it's good for B&N that it's so popular, but it also seems like they missed a huge opportunity to sell more Nooks "for Christmas"

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by Maike13

"B&N have announced that initial inventory of the Nook is sold out. Nooks ordered now won't ship until after New Year (Jan 4th)"

On the one hand, I guess it's good for B&N that it's so popular, but it also seems like they missed a huge opportunity to sell more Nooks "for Christmas"

they sold all they could make. How could they sell more than they can make?

Dale

[desertgrandma]

And they've changed their policy.............


Q. Can I use a Barnes & Noble Gift Card or Online Gift Certificate to buy eBooks?
X No. Currently you cannot. By mid-December, however, you'll be able to buy eBooks with a Barnes & Noble Gift Card or Online Gift Certificate.

[frossie]

I realise this must have been posted elsewhere by now, but for the benefit of the people subscribe to this thread, B&N have announced imminent support for using gift cards to purchase e-books:

http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/...ks/ba-p/413018

[Neil]

Uh, it should be a no-brainer to program accepting gift cards. The way they're set-up you need to enter a default credit card as a site preference. Then, when you order an ebook, it downloads and the default credit card is charged. All they need to do is to allow you to enter agift card's number and make the gift card your default card. Any professional programmer could fix this in less than a day for them. The only extra is that they would need a quick look-up database to determine the funds were available on the card. This is not, IMHO, a programming issue but is a corporate decision.

OOOPS never mind just saw message they are doing it, Not very intuitive how to delete messages here!

[kindlekitten]

you can just go to edit, remove everything and put in "deleted" and leave everyone to wonder if they just missed the posting of the answers to the meaning of life

[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.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by rhadin

I




Bottom line is B&N has given me nothing. I paid for a membership and they aren't honoring it.
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.

Welcome to the "dark side" I understand your frustration with Amazon, but I've dealt with them as a consumer heavily, and have never been disappointed in their customer service. I've returned items, questioned items, and each and every time I"ve been treated fairly and quickly. I subscribe to their "Prime" service, and its the best $80 per year I've spent.

Your comment on their 'brick and morter' store is spot on. My local BN has great sales associates.....except when it comes to answering questions abut the nook, for which I do not blame them at all. You can't answer questions you aren't given the answers to......