Barnes & Noble — Attraction in Lone Tree

I've been a fan of B&N forever but today my visit was surreal. I found a book I wanted on their site for about 5 dollars less than normal. Opting for the buy online, pick up in store option, I saw it mentioned it could take an hour. The was only about 10 minutes away so I thought "I'll just go pick it up myself instead."

So I go, find it, go to check out to see it was normal price. I asked why it was different and the extremely friendly cashier said I'd have to buy online to get that price. I was shocked and said that didn't make sense. She agreed but said there wasn't anything she could do. A manager came by, listened, and said that I could buy online, pick up in store now but I'd have to wait for email confirmations, etc before I could take it. She brought me to the customer service desk and went to find someone to help adjust my price because she was on break at the moment.

A rep came up to continue a previous call from another customer so I waited patiently for whomever was sent to help me. That's when the weird really happened. Another employee came up elsewhere and asked if I had been helped. I started to explain that someone else went to find someone when she cut me off and asked what she can help with. I explained the situation and she became immediately defensive saying "sir, do you want us to go out of business?" and that it's the only way to compete online. I said that really doesn't make sense because I'm here and pick it up now. She insisted the only way is to go through the site and then pick it up. I asked if I could do that right now, then take the book in hand, she said no, there's no way this is possible. During this time, I'm pretty much laughing at the absurdity of the situation and this lady said I was mad and there was no need to be. I asked if she really thought I was mad because this entire time I've been patient and conveyed frustration but comical disbelief that an employee kept asking if I wanted to put them out of business while I was in the store with a book in hand to purchase for the same price as buying online and picking up in store advertised. I left and within 5 minutes purchased from amazon for about a dollar less. How ironic. I guess I'll have to wait a day to get it now. Very sad to have this experience at a store I've enjoyed shopping...

The sheer fact we've been treated like trash our last two visits, as members, combined with the treatment I received this morning for a damaged book they sold me last night that i was trying to exchange is exactly what's wrong with this company's trajectory.

I was made to feel like a thief, or a scammer by some impressed-with-herself, edgy cashier. It's exactly why you're selling damaged, heavily discounted hardcovers and exactly why none of you could answer which promotions were running in the annex department...you know, where there are signs posted all over for discounts/sales you aren't honoring...lol.

Is this not laughable to at least one 'm.o.d' in that building? Is there one of you that actually cares?! It would appear to me the way you treat members, who've spent hundreds in that same building over the past couple of weeks, is how you actually feel about your company and jobs. It's sad.

The attitude from the first girl who seemingly couldn't handle such a miniscule exchange before deciding to go the snooty route and point blame onto me as a patron, as well as dispute/deny the treatment we received the night before as something 'that never happened because you didn't see it'..only to say you're a non-titled employee immediately after I asked if you were a manager given you seemed to have eyes on everything. Another LOL!

Let's keep in mind this was over a damaged book you sold us the night before, with a sub- $15 pricetag.

You could have just exchanged the book, yet you lost the sale, and i'm strongly considering going further with this complaint just based on the sheer absurdity of it all- also while considering just how much I've spent with you guys in the past 30 days alone.

Insanity. Good luck- your company for sure needs it!

Collectibles and trading cards are quite literally the only thing keeping it afloat- it most certainly isn't the quality of customer service ..

The only exception here is Kam, who I've had nothing but genuinely pleasant interactions with. Unfortunately this experience completely overshadows good employees like him, who should sincerely consider finding an employer that truly cares about operations...

Good selection, but in-store pick up is the Achilles heel.

I generally purchase online for in-store pick up when possible in order to cut down my shopping time and avoid shipping costs, but also to avoid long cash register lines as well. In my experience, unless you happen to shop at a very low volume time, the cash register line at B&N is always a long wait, so I purchased a book online to hopefully shorten this experience.

Problem 1: confusing signage. There’s a “buy online pickup in store” sign on the customer service kiosk, which is directly to the right of your eyeline as you enter the store. After waiting there to be helped, I was informed the order would be behind the front registers under the other (much smaller) “buy online pickup in store” sign. When I asked “so I just get in line at the sign?”, the employee nodded yes.

Problem 2: no instructions posted. In spite of the aforementioned sign being posted above one specific register (and the resulting implication that this is a register dedicated to this purpose), after standing in line there, I was told they had to help the next people in the actual checkout line before they could help me. Essentially this means that the only way to pick to an online order is to get to the store and get on back of the line at the main cash registers and wait your turn. While this isn’t inherently problematic, after already waiting in two other lines, being told to get in the back of yet another line mostly has the effect of second-guessing the decision to shop at B&N at all. If the line hadn’t been pretty short already I would have left, allowed my purchase to be reshelved after the pickup window, and purchased the same book cheaper through Amazon.

Suggestion: if you want to ease this system, at the very least post actual instructions for the process to pick up such an order upon entering the store. If it can’t be in an email, even a piece of paper on the door would be preferable to wasting time and driving potential customers to other outlets (especially when they regularly beat you on...