dx23

My question is: can they do this? I just joined a couple of weeks ago with the idea that I would be getting 10% both online and B&M. This is not like the Borders Rewards or Best Buy, which is free. I paid $25 dollars in order to get benefits that non-members didn't have and one of those benefits was 10% off online. They are breaching the agreement we had when I paid those $25. If this is true, I will be asking for a complete refund since these are not the terms I agreed on.

Laser Movies

You can cancel a membership within 30 days and get a full refund. Here is the link below with the details with what you have to do. The process varies depending whether the membership was made online or at a store.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/member...ds2Pid=18046#8

HistoryProf

i'm really glad I decided to order Ride With the Devil blu last night, as every single criterion blu on my wishlist went up in price - some by a LOT. I'm pissed off about this frankly. I was just starting to prefer them for new releases but that's gone now - there's just no incentive without that extra 10% off the discounted prices. I feel completely gypped.

Trevor

^ Couldnt wait for the July 50% off sale?

BuckNaked2k

Well, if this is the way of the future, so be it. I got the most out of my membership which ends in July. I got an unbelievable deal on the Beatles' box sets, and two huge hauls during their Criterion 50% off sales. I certainly won't be renewing if this model holds. If they want to go to a free membership model, that's fine, but they're not getting another $25 from me.

Besides, their in-store pricing for Blu-rays is scandalous, with no discount on new titles even during release week. Rather, they are a Borders-like MSRP. No. Thank. You.

HistoryProf

well first it was the Spring 50% off sale....which i've been building my wishlist for but that didn't happen. 2 or 3 new titles a month are coming out that I want, and there's no possible way to afford them all at some rumored future date that may or may not happen....nor do I feel like waiting who knows how many more months for a list that's growing... who knows what will happen in the future? nothing is guaranteed, and I got it close to 50% off last night because of my membership.

but that's not possible today. which sucks.

Jazzer

As far as I can tell, Trevor is right. I am a member and I have 57 items on my wish list that I have been watching closely, and none of the prices have changed. There used to be a "list price," an "online price," and a "member price." Now there is only "list price" and "online price." The "online price" now is what the "member price" was. At least that is the case with everything I have looked at. There may be some exceptions.

For members, everything is now 2% cheaper. You can use the AAA or Library link and save an additional 10%, which beats Bing's 8%. Previously, these discounts wouldn't stack with the member discount, but now there is no member discount. Members do get free shipping on every order, though, and it stacks with these discounts.

For non-members, everything is now 10% cheaper, since the 10% member discount has effectively been extended to everyone. Order through the Military link and save an additional 6% plus get free shipping. You're only paying 4% more than if you were a member. Until now it was about 12% more (based on Bing's 8% rebate, which was 10% for a long time and has been as high as 14%).

So the question is, is it worth paying $25 a year for a 4% discount and possibly a few extra coupons? In other words, will a few 15% and $5/$5/$5 coupons help you reach the $625 purchase threshold now required to recoup your membership fee? Of course, this is all out the window if they cancel the discount links or change the discount values.

Laser Movies

It all depends what was on your wish list. I had some things that did stay the same price, while other things increased. Price reductions were not made on everything on the web site, and some things only decreased by 5%. Without a member discount factored in I'm seeing some price increases on those items.

I bet most customers are unaware of these links and will just pay whatever discount they can get through the regular B&N.com site. I was already getting free shipping on most orders since it only had to be $10 or more to qualify with a membership. On a lot of orders I could go through Bing to get that extra cash back along with my member discount. Now I'm forced to use either AAA or Library and miss out on Bing. I would have loved having free shipping on all orders if it would allow me to combine a member discount with Bing. But I really see no reason to make a purchase at B&N with Bing anymore since there is nothing to gain now.

Not everything is 10% cheaper. However non-members are seeing discounts ranging from 5% to 10% on some items. They can pay the same price as a B&N member if the item qualifies for free shipping and Library or AAA is used to make the purchase. Of course any coupons used would also have to be of equal value as well to make the comparison valid.

The way things are going it is possible they may eliminate or reduce something else down the road. I have 10 months until my membership expires but there is a good chance I may not renew it this time.

BuckNaked2k

It seems that the above observations are correct, in that the prices would be the same for a member or non-member when ordering through one of the specialty links with a similar coupon.

Right now, there are 15% off coupons available for both members and non-members ("everyone"), and an additional 10% off at the library link. The only additional advantage a member would reap is the free upgrade to express shipping.

Effectively, the $25 annual membership has become B&N's own flavor of Amazon's "Prime".

sumdeus

Does anyone know if the 10% member discount still applies in-store?

Laser Movies

Looks like it does to almost everything in store.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/membership/join2.asp?

SkullOrchard

I just canceled my membership and called CS for a refund of the $25.00 membership fee. The CS rep tried to argue with me that since I made purchases during those first 30 days, that I was ineligible for a refund. What an idiot. After about 20 minutes of arguing and being put on hold while she spoke with her supervisor, she finally told me that I should receive the refund within the next 30 days.

The coupons have been few and far between for the past couple of years. It now looks like pretty much everyone can get the 10% discount using sponsor links. It just doesn't seem worth $25.00 a year to get a shipping upgrade.

HistoryProf

no he's not. I have 15 Criterion blu rays in their own little wish list section. Thursday they were all $26.99 ($29.99 - 10%) - now not a single one is less than $30....they are either $34.19 or $35.99 (10% off MSRP). the $49.95 MSRP The Leopard went up almost $10 and is now $43!!!!!!!


My wishlist prices are complete shit now....and we already got free shipping on all orders $10 or more, who here is ordering anything less than that? This is a bait and switch, plain and simple. I don't live within a 100 miles of a physical store, so this membership is now worthless to me, as the items I went to them for now boast prices on par with freaking Borders.

Trevor

Just for the record, I never said that prices are the same or aren't worse (temporarily). B&N prices flucuate all the time.

I guess I understand wanting to cancel if you're within your first 30 days, but holy crap, from the reactions in this thread you'd think the sky was falling.

Relax. If these prices hold true for several months and member coupons truly stop, then we can bitch and moan.

In the mean time I'm going to shop as I always have, buy what I want at the cheapest place, no matter where it might be.

Laser Movies

I did it all the time. I've ordered many books, CDs, and DVDs for under $10. Since I was able to get free shipping through the military.com and Visa links on the first page I never hesitated ordering anything under $10 if I thought it was a good price.

Sweet Baby James

But I want to bitch and moan right NOW!!!!

Laser Movies

Made a new addition. Hope this is useful.

http://forum.dvdtalk.com/8745343-post3.html

Trevor

^ Looks fantastic, thanks!

sumdeus

You are the freakin' man!

kenbenobi

That's awesome! How the hell did you find all those links?!?!? I think I'm gonna be lovin' that NASA bookstore!

Laser Movies

It's actually very easy. Just add a name at the end of http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ and see what turns up. I found these yesterday afternoon in a few hours of trial and error searching. There are probably a lot of them I missed. I was surprised when I came across the NASA store. I thought I hit the jackpot with Boeing. I'm still searching for the 20% off and free shipping link.

kenbenobi

To quote myself, the NASA link blows. It isn't really 11% off. It populates an 11% coupon. So you can't use another coupon with it...

The Boeing link is giving me 10% off. The main page says 7% off, but my cart says "Member Discount 10%" and it is taking 10% off. And no, I am NOT a member... But that's how it is showing for me...

BTW, I tried to use a Members coupon with that link, seeing as it appeared as if I was a member, but no, that didn't work..

Laser Movies

I have not had much time to play with any of these links but I did just get a coupon to work with the NASA link.

Arthur Dent

Same here. It's giving me the 11% off, too.

Laser Movies

I have a $7.19 CD in my cart and it is taking 11% off and giving me free shipping on an account without a membership. With a 10% coupon my total drops to $5.75 before tax. Was going to test the 15% coupon but it's coming up expired.

Same CD and coupon at Boeing is coming out to $6.01 before tax.