Barnes and Noble Rant!

erpadmin

Ok, so I decide to go to my local Barnes and Noble superstore to buy the MS Press MCITP:EA Cert pack. Now I know I saw it for around $100 dollars (in truth, I just saw a $1-- in Amazon and B&N.com)

Amazon's got it for $144.89.
B&N has it for $155.24, which after membership discount and using my Barnes and Noble Mastercard, comes out to roughly the same deal.

I figure since I'm in the area, I'm pumped about starting to start my MCITP:EA studies, I can pick up the pack and call it a day. This young lady behind the counter then starts saying with the membership and whatnot it's $230 something. I was like wth?! I saw on the website it was a 100 something.

I know that the online pricing on BN is nothing new to you guys, but it really got me thinking as why BN has to be put up for sale. Amazon really is killing them. I seriously used to love Barnes and Noble but after this visit, I really don't need to go to a place that's no better than your local library, except maybe cleaner (and really, not by much...lmao). I have Amazon Prime thanks to WGU, and I think I'll seriously stick with them. I would cancel my branded Barnes and Noble card, but why ding up my credit by decreasing my available credit. I just use them to buy my products on Amazon!

Yeah Barnes and Noble....you suck! Ridiculously at that!! I just wasn't going to pay like 90 dollars more for something I know I can get cheaper, even if I have to wait.

I'm sticking with Amazon for all of my book purchases, even the printed stuff like the MS Press books. I at least thought BN would be competitive on that. But I guess not....yup...no more BN for me!

pml1

Wow, that's quite a difference between the online and in-store price. I subscribed to Amazon prime a couple of years ago and haven't looked back. I'll occasionally make an impulse run to Books-a-Million on a Friday evening to pickup a paperback for a weekend read, but that's the only time I ever see the inside of a bookstore anymore.

RobertKaucher

I buy almost everything except my groceries from Amazon. My protein powder, books, even socks for my Vibrams. With Prime, there is no reason to go the B&N except for an impulse buy or to pick up a copy of Make or 2700, which I have no intention on subscribing to but enjoy reading sometimes.

earweed

Man, Sorry to hear that. They do that because some people will pay their prices. With the money you save get it shaipped faster. Then you wont have to wait as long.
Myself I'm thinking about doing the 70-646 after I get my MCITP and I will buy 1 book the Sybex written by Darril Gibson. I'll just use 24x7 for the MS Press book. I've done all the actual reading from 24x7 through the whole track so far (only use the book while labbing) nad my books are still in good shape.

rogue2shadow

I love Amazon Prime. Free 2 day ftw!

steve13ad

rogue2shadow wrote: »

I love Amazon Prime. Free 2 day ftw!

Where did you see that it was free? I did see a free month trial.

za3bour

I LOVE amazon and although I'm thousands of miles away but I did bought more than 20 books from them in addition to some CDs and DVDs that are hard to find even an mp3 and some cooool headset.

Their prices is almost always the best and their shipping rates as well , I can't think of any bad experience with them. When I lived in US I loved going to BN from time to time and I did buy some books just for the sake of buying not because they are cheaper.

varelg

No comment on the reasons why all of your discount cards didn't work in your case, although at first glance they should. I am not familiar with their discount cards and membership policies so I won't comment, but I'll say that I use B&N in exactly the same way you described you intent to from now on, for years. I would look up their IT section for new titles, read through the books briefly, check their price or any feedbacks on Amazon and then order from amazon.com. Not that I don't spend anything there though, but I am not going gaga over memberships, discounts and whatnot.
In their defense, I'll say that maintaining such a chain of stores is no small feat and their money has to come up from somewhere. B & N employees have to put bread on their table at home too. And I had a chance to meet some colorfull IT characters at their coffee shop, so they aren't that bad. I would say that shopping at B&N is an overall a pleasant experience, depending what are you shopping for. Although I have noticed these past few months their IT books section shrinking. Another bookstore chain that competes with B&N, Borders, shrank their IT section drastically a long time ago.
Have you tried to escalate your problem to someone above the store's cashier ? Maybe that will help.

tiersten

steve13ad wrote: »

Where did you see that it was free? I did see a free month trial.

He means 2 day shipping is "free" on everything he orders as he's got Amazon Prime.

tiersten

RobertKaucher wrote: »

I buy almost everything except my groceries from Amazon.

You can nearly do a full grocery shop via Amazon with Prime eligible items which is slightly worrying. You can totally get everything delivered straight to your house without ever leaving it and without ever talking to anybody so long as you've got internet + Amazon. The only thing lacking is fresh items like vegetables/fruit and meat. It might be difficult for Amazon to do that in the US due to the sheer size but they could probably do some partnerships with one of the big grocery chains in the UK that deliver.

tiersten

pml1 wrote: »

I'll occasionally make an impulse run to Books-a-Million on a Friday evening to pickup a paperback for a weekend read

Get some kind of eBook reader like a Kindle and you won't even need to do that...

Slowhand

You can get a free 1-year prime membership to Amazon.com if you are a student with a valid school email address, (must have a .edu extension.) I'm loving my subscription.

leefdaddy

Yeah, I've had Prime for 3 years now, it's amazing. I buy everything I can from Amazon.

dynamik

Keep in mind that you're paying for convenience at B&N. I've used Amazon Prime almost since it came out and regularly spend hundreds of dollars per month on it. However, it costs Amazon a helluva lot less to stock warehouses than it does for B&N to maintain a retail storefront. I don't fault anyone for using Amazon, as I almost exclusively do, but I really think it's unfair to rag on B&N's B&M locations and their prices. It shouldn't be a secret that their in-store prices are higher than their online prices.

Also, I do own a B&N membership card. I go there almost every day to study over lunch, and I save 20% on my unsweetened passion-fruit ice tea. It pays for itself many times over throughout the year

iDShaDoW

Slowhand wrote: »

You can get a free 1-year prime membership to Amazon.com if you are a student with a valid school email address, (must have a .edu extension.) I'm loving my subscription.

Yup, it's a nice freebie. Only thing I didn't like was that a lot of the heavier stuff I'd wanna order wasn't on their "Prime" list for free shipping. Haven't signed up though, I figure I'll wait til I'm about to graduate and find work so I have some actual income to spend on stuff on Amazon lol.

TrainingDaze

99% of my books come from Amazon due to the convenience of the reviews + low prices.

That being said I do feel guilty that B&N is closing down now and most likely Borders will follow suit because I really enjoy getting a cup of coffee and browsing their books and magazines.

cablegod

RobertKaucher wrote: »

even socks for my Vibrams.

Injinji? I wear those with my VFF's some too. I love my VFF's.

tiersten

TrainingDaze wrote: »

That being said I do feel guilty that B&N is closing down now and most likely Borders will follow suit because I really enjoy getting a cup of coffee and browsing their books and magazines.

Interesting how B&N is now considered as the "little guy" against the giant that is Amazon. People complained about the big chains moving in and destroying the small independant shops and now it is Amazon destroying the big chains...

dynamik

TrainingDaze wrote: »

That being said I do feel guilty that B&N is closing down now

Did I miss something?

tiersten

dynamik wrote: »

Did I miss something?

At the start of August, they were thinking of selling. No idea if that has changed.

dynamik

tiersten wrote: »

At the start of August, they were thinking of selling. No idea if that has changed.

Ah, ok. That's a lot of speculation and changing owners != closing stores. I hope they keep afloat; it'd be a shame if they went under.

erpadmin

varelg wrote: »

Have you tried to escalate your problem to someone above the store's cashier ? Maybe that will help.

Yes, I did escalate the issue. I used my credit card inside my wallet to order from Amazon!

Barnes and Noble is being put up for sale. Amazon is killing their stock price. Shareholders are irate...customers just want a good price, and BN has been going down hill for awhile now.....it stopped being cute.

Those BN Employees won't have a job for too much longer at the rate BN is going. I have finally seen the light!

Devilsbane

steve13ad wrote: »

Where did you see that it was free? I did see a free month trial.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/student/signup/info?tag=gmgamzn-20
Free year for students, just need a .edu address.

erpadmin

dynamik wrote: »

Keep in mind that you're paying for convenience at B&N.(1) ... I don't fault anyone for using Amazon, as I almost exclusively do, but I really think it's unfair to rag on B&N's B&M locations and their prices(2). .....
Also, I do own a B&N membership card. I go there almost every day to study over lunch, and I save 20% on my unsweetened passion-fruit ice tea. It pays for itself many times over throughout the year(3)

1) Before my visit to B&N today, I would have agreed with you. However, when it comes to almost $100 in price, I think I can wait a couple of days. I don't think anyone here or elsewhere on the planet will disagree with that. There is convenience and then there's just lunacy.

2) I don't think it's unfair at all to rag on B&N at all. Their stock price is in the toilet precisely for their stupidity. There was no way I was paying full list price and walking out of there feeling like a moron. I can wait 2-3 days.

3) It's just not convenient for me to travel all that way to the superstore in my area. It is nice and there is always eye candy of the female variety to glance at . But Amazon has definitely made even that novelty wear off.

Devilsbane

I also have a membership. I bought it because I was planning to buy my books from amazon, B&N, and school. It turned out that it was about even to buy a couple of them from amazon with the discount. I bought the membership and bought 2 books. I returned 1 of them before it sent (because it wasn't going to ship out for a month and a half and my class was starting in like 2 weeks). I ended up dropping that class anyway, I was able to test out of it.

I haven't used it since, but my girlfriend uses it frequently for her girly books.

erpadmin

dynamik wrote: »

Ah, ok. That's a lot of speculation and changing owners != closing stores. I hope they keep afloat; it'd be a shame if they went under.

AFAIK, two stores in my area closed. One in Hoboken, NJ and the other in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, NYC. (Wasn't going to UWS anyway, and the one in Hoboken was right by the job, but it was tiny compared to the one I like going to which is in Clifton, NJ).

If they can't even compare with their own ONLINE prices, then forget them!

wastedtime

I swore off B&N a few months back. They sent out one of those 20% member coupons and I thought I would get one of the books I have been wanting. Went through and ordered it then realized I had left my deployed mailing address in there and so I immediately canceled it. I go the warning that said that it may not be canceled if it was too far along in the process. I figured I would be alright due to the fact that I canceled it within 1 minute of accepting the order. It was late so I went to bed.

Next morning I wake up to find that my order hadn't been canceled and was ready to ship. I called up customer service to try to cancel my order only for them to tell me they can't cancel it but they can try to change the address. So hoping that it works I wait until I get a "Your Item has Shipped" email only to find out that it still ends up going there.

Of course I am never going to get that book and the book won't return to B&N(nothing returns from APO AE it is a black hole). After that I decided to try and figure out why I am still a B&N member. Last couple years I spent ~$2500 I even bought books that I knew where more (after discounts) then what I could at Amazon. After this though I don't see the reason in staying with B&N. Even with the discounts on average they are more expensive then Amazon. I have bought other stuff off Amazon and never had any problems (this wasn't my first issue with B&N just the worst one). Half of the places I have been they haven't had one within a hour of me although it recently changed at the place I moved from. It is very rare that I need a book immediately. I have also noticed that Amazon has a better selection when it comes to the books I have been wanting.

Any more when I think of how B&N operates, I think of Looney Tunes and the Powerhouse music.

tpatt100

Yeah online stores and ebook readers is going to eventually kill bookstores. I do miss the days where I would sit in the coffee area buying mochas and cramming for IT certs on my days off.

I would use vacation days to take off tuesday or wednesdays and nobody was ever in there lol.

varelg

TrainingDaze wrote: »

99% of my books come from Amazon due to the convenience of the reviews + low prices.

That being said I do feel guilty that B&N is closing down now and most likely Borders will follow suit because I really enjoy getting a cup of coffee and browsing their books and magazines.

+1 here. Even if they are going for sale I don't think all of the stores will go, some do really good. Probably will be more of a consolidation thing. As far as Borders, I think they'll be first to fold.

Claymoore

While I do buy most of my books from Amazon, I still visit Borders quite often. My wife reads a lot of SciFi/Fantasy/Romance paperbacks. There isn't much of a price difference between Amazon, the Kindle, and Borders on most of those paperbacks, so many times it is cheaper to buy the paperbacks from Borders using their coupons than it is to order it online. The discounts on tech books at Amazon varies, and when I am only saving 8% on Amazon vs the 30% off coupon I have from Borders I will buy it at the store.

The only issue I had with Borders recently was when a clerk would not let my wife and I use the same printed coupon for separate purchases. I left my books at the counter and ordered from Amazon. I'll pay a little more for the immediacy of buying at a local store, but I will not pay more for bad service.

Now with the Amazon app on my Droid I buy even more from them. I tried on a pair of shoes at a local store, scanned the barcode, and ordered them from Amazon. Discounted pricing, free shipping (with my Prime membership), and no sales tax.

msteinhilber

dynamik wrote: »

Keep in mind that you're paying for convenience at B&N. I've used Amazon Prime almost since it came out and regularly spend hundreds of dollars per month on it. However, it costs Amazon a helluva lot less to stock warehouses than it does for B&N to maintain a retail storefront. I don't fault anyone for using Amazon, as I almost exclusively do, but I really think it's unfair to rag on B&N's B&M locations and their prices. It shouldn't be a secret that their in-store prices are higher than their online prices.

Also, I do own a B&N membership card. I go there almost every day to study over lunch, and I save 20% on my unsweetened passion-fruit ice tea. It pays for itself many times over throughout the year

This.

I spent many years managing a local PC store. While we primarily focused on new systems and service, we also stocked a complete line of parts as well. It was almost a daily occurrence to have people come in and complain about retail prices. Some were somewhat decent and understood the concept and would use is in a pinch and some were completely rude and would go off on me in the store and some of those same people (I presume) would post negative comments online about our "obscene prices" which were basically the lowest you could find in a local store anywhere but not quite online prices.

I would work with people though usually, if they were decent about it. I wouldn't match the Newegg price but I would save them a few bucks. The rude ones however, not so much. Those were the one's I would verify the Newegg price, then factor in the $2.99 (at that time, dunno if it changed) rush processing fee, and then would add next day air shipping. I would give the rude customer his new price, which was typically above my regular retail, and then tell him I would just need his payment in full and he would be welcome to pickup his purchase at the store tomorrow as that would be the quickest Newegg would get the same item to him. They either finally got it, or they left pissed off - if they left pissed off so be it, I didn't need them as a customer anyways.

That being said, I also am an Amazon junkie and love my Amazon Prime. But I still support local or brick & mortar companies when I need something right away and have no problem paying the additional cost.