Barnes & Noble - You Lost a Customer

Here's the reason you lost a customer:

I have been shopping at Barnes & Noble for YEARS. Every time I go there the cashier asks me if I have a membership card and when I say "no" the cashier ALWAYS asks if I want one. In early May of 2011, the cashier talked me into it. He told me I'd save money on the books I was buying that day, that I'd get $50 worth of welcome coupons (he specified that the coupons could only be used in certain ways, i.e. some online, in store), and regular notices about sales/specials.

In mid-May of last year I was back at Barnes & Noble  and noted to the cashier that I hadn't received anything yet. She apologized and wrote an 800# on a sticky pad to for me to call.

I called the 800# the next business day. The person told me they couldn't help and that I'd have to go back to the store because some information was incomplete.

I live 75 miles from Barnes & Noble. I wasn't back for a couple weeks, but when I went back I went to customer service and told them what was going on. They looked up my account, noted it had an e-mail but not a street address and while I stood there, they filled it in, had me confirm the info., apologized for the mix up and said I should start getting stuff soon. The person also asked if I checked my junk folder/spam. I do. I told the individual I get lots of e-mails from other companies, too, so my spam filters aren't set very high.

In June or July (sorry, I don't remember which) I was in Sioux Falls again. I still had received nothing re: coupons or info. on sales or ANYTHING. I talked to customer service again. They looked at my account again. They asked me questions about spam/junk again. They said they couldn't see any problems.

Ditto in August.

I was in the Twin Cities twice in September and again in October. I asked cashiers there, too. Same questions. Same answers.

In November I was back in Sioux Falls again and this time the customer service person had me speak with a manager. He was very nice. He did all the stuff that was done in June or July and August and in addition got on the phone with someone at Barnes & Noble. We looked at my online account together. He wasn't sure what was going on. He asked (I was standing right there and heard him) the person on the phone if I'd get my welcome coupons. I don't know if he was certain, but he seemed pretty sure I'd get something.

Earlier this week (it's March) I did. I got an e-mail notice from Barnes & Noble that my membership account would auto-renew.

So. Today, I called the 800# that was in the notice, told the person I was speaking with that I was sorry that he picked up, but that I was irate, I wanted my money back, and I wanted to cancel my auto renew.

He made me explain the whole idiotic story again. I did. At the TOP of my lungs.

He told me I'd get my money back.

He had me speak to a manager/supervisor (I said at some point that I wanted to speak to a manager) but first told me he'd put me on hold while he explained everything. I thanked him and told him to have a nice afternoon and waited on hold for a couple minutes.

I got to repeat the same thing AGAIN.

And was told that I couldn't get my money back because it had been too long.

I was then told memberships could only be refunded within 30 days if the card was unused.

You know what Barnes & Noble? Screw you. Every single time I went to the store and talked to customer service I made a purchase.

The last three times I was in Sioux Falls I did NOT stop at Barnes &Noble. I own a couple thousand books. Over the years I've purchased MANY of them at Barnes & Noble.

Last night I bought four (4) online from Amazon.

Barnes & Noble - your customer service stinks. You get people to buy into your membership based on false promises, you toy with them, and then you do not follow up with them.

I will not set foot in any of your stores again. I have too much self-respect to let you continue lying to me and using me.