Barnes&Noble.com Review

I bought most of my Christmas presents on-line this year, mainly because my nerve disease was fired up, kept me from shopping outside.. I am a Barnes and Noble member, and knew that I could use their online services along with (another program I'm attached to) to save money, and knew of some presents for at least 4 members of my family I could buy from Barnes & Noble.. So I got on-line, and immediately found 2 books my dad would enjoy, 2 books my daughter would enjoy, 1 book, and 1 daily calendar that has some little funny sayings on it for my husband. They had a promotion going, that if you spent a certain # of pre-tax dollars, *which I had", you would receive an red canvas bag as a "thank you", .The other program I was involved with, had a free shipping promotion.

I aways write everything down, and with whom I speak to so that my order can be read back to me. Absolutely everything seemed to be in order. So, 3 days go by, and a box  from Barnes and Noble arrives, and it contains 9 items instead of 7, all of which are satanic books!  Books I would never have ordered! I call customer service immediately, and calmly explained there has been a severe mix-up, as the packaging slip is correct, but the books are wrong, as is the # of items shipped! 

The first thing the Customer Service lady says, is, "It shows here that you got free shipping and a free canvas bag, so the only thing I do to help you at this point, is it if you want to return the books "you ordered" I can send a return UPS label for you to fill out and take to a drop off location. Yes, she said it would be at my costs, because I was "changing my mind about the books I ordered and besides, I would be able to keep red bag!." It seemed she wouldn't listen or concentrate on anything but the fact that the correct shipping order list was included in the box -- not the fact the wrong books were placed in the box!  I asked for a supervisor FIVE timesover the course of our conversation, then, when she finally agreed to transfer me, she responded that "she will tell you the same thing." I said,"Thanks OK, I'll still wait to speak with someone." I was hung up on twicewhile trying to get to a supervisor (hence anyother reason why I've learned over the years to write everything down.)

The supervisor I got, started by apologizing for what I'd been through. She then pulled up my account, and very kindly went through each order that I had made. She apologized (it was like night and day n attitude and in behavior) between the customer service gal and this supervisor!). Unfortunately between the 4 days we waited for the books to arrive and the wrong books betting, sent. Now, 2 of the items I originally ordered were now on back-order, which would mean they would get there after Christmas. So, with her help we found a replacement, but not quite the real thing I wanted. 

She took so much time with me, gave me her direct e-mail address, as well as her direct phone line. She had the shipping waived, send a pick-up slip nd a UPS guy to pick up the old order, and as an apology, sent out a $10 gift card.

I was satisfied, until they sent the order once again, and it was INCORRECT AGAIN. At this point, the supervisor also got her supervisor on the line with me and made a 3-way call, and had me go through all the orders, and the manager had the warehouse send each item out to the correct books to each adress on my Christmas list (which I was going to do -- as they were shipping all to me before), and for my trouble, they upgrading the $10 gift card to $50.00. Even though there were bumps along the way, they took care of the customer. I also took the time to repay them, by contacting each of their supervisors (one I had already met( and one I hadn't, and let them know how professional, helpful, and rare their helpfulness is nowadays. i let the "head "honcho" know how it could ave all been avoided with the first phone call, but the others were incredibly helpful, and follow up up on me after the last order was shipped. THAT'SGREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE -- and it's good to know it STILL EXISTS today!.