Hahaha. Touche, sir.

Why offer coupons if you're going to restrict them? Why make us pay the same amount for a membership that doesn't offer what it used to? I certainly haven't gone hog wild with the coupons. (I've used 2 in store and 2 online and picked up 6 blu's between the various transactions.) I haven't opened new accounts to get any 20% off deals but I'm not going to be made to feel like a cheat for using coupons that B&N has offered me to use. I'm not going into a store wondering will they accept their coupons or not. That's silly. These are decisions they should have made before the sale started and to delete someone's coupon from an order after it's done is low. (They haven't done this to me, but reading about this happening to others annoys me.) The fun is gone, so I doubt I'll buy anything else from them in the near future and I'll certainly won't be renewing my membership. If Amazon wisely matches this sale, I will gladly shop there instead. I enjoyed the shopping I did and I'm grateful for the deals i got and I'll leave it at that.

+1. I really wish Amazon matches this sale. I would gladly spend Amazon credit even at $20/title. No tax/gas cost either and no haggling with managers/clerks.

i think the term "wholesale" is used very loosely nowadays. i believe the essence of the term is selling to retailers as opposed to consumers. in this respect, i dont believe there is any sort of standard percentage that makes something "wholesale". it prolly varies by product.

wow im boring

I rarely jump into the arena when people argue about store policies, ethics, etc., but most of what you said here is how I feel about the whole thing. I don't mind if I can't use a coupon, B&N could just make the Criterion sale coupon ineligible...problem solved.

I don't mind them changing what comes with the Membership upon my renewal, but to do so halfway through only infuriates customers (maybe, here, I'm speaking for myself). I've been a member for many years now and this will be my last.

Getting books, music, and movies are rarely an immediate need for me and I'm content waiting a week to get it from Amazon or B&N for "free."

The thing that made me respond to this the most is being made to "feel like a cheat." Honestly, I don't care if the price is $14 or $19 for the Criterions, but I'd like to know heading in what I'm dealing with. Again, I'm not saying that I disagree with what B&N is doing (restricting coupon use), I'm just saying that the way in which they are doing it is a bad way to go about it.

I was able to use the $5 coupons on July 15 for a blu ray and a DVD set (both $40 list). One store did have a sign at the entrance regarding the 50% Criterion sale that indicated that blu rays were not included, but all the Criterion blu rays had the sale stickers at this store, and both purchases were at the correct price with the cashier manually entering the coupon without any prompting by me.

Exactly. That's how I feel.

Again, what are the rules for this sale? That may be the policy for all stores or it may be the actions of a single store. Who knows? The one I went to had a sign that said the sale was on select titles. Which titles? A few had the sticker but the two (both blu's) I took up to the register didn't and rang up fine.

There's no arguing that half off Criterion's is a great sale/deal (Especially since I do feel they're generally overpriced.) and I'm glad I got the titles I got. I do wonder why Amazon hasn't jumped in like they did last time?

Had no problem using three $5 coupons on one transaction. I wish I had purchased a 4th title, so I could have tried using the $5 off $50 coupon as well. Still, $13 each for Criterion BD's is a damn good price, plus I'll get 5% off with my B&N MC...

which location(s) did the coupons work? I understand it still might be up to the cashier for them to work. Thanks

I think that the membership has gone way downhill. The online free shipping instead of the 10% off is lame, and it's a weaselly thing to change the rules of a membership halfway through the year.

Now the coupon hassles that people are having just exacerbates the problem. If B&N had put a little forethought into this, they should have just had no coupons valid for the duration of the sale. Then there wouldn't be any hard feelings with folks getting denied at certain stores. The fiasco where they changed the terms of the sale online for the Criterions just shows that they don't have their act together.

Personally, being able to use the coupons for the Criterion sale is one of the main reasons I still have a B&N membership.

Putting on my Devil's Advocate pants.....
Every coupon ever printed by any company has restrictions. These restrictions are pretty easy to follow. If one purchased a new membership during the specified time period they are entitled to use the coupon once. Simple.

Anything beyond that is gravy. Instead of complaining about B&N sometimes following the clear rules, we should be praising them for often not following them.
Companies change discount programs all the time. They are trying to make money and are entitled to change their program whenever and however they choose. If one's not happy with the changes, and complains, I'm sure they would give at least a pro-rated refund of the membership price.
I agree, this is wrong. But again, if those affected complain I'm sure they'd get their coupons back.
Even without the Criterion sales, I save much more than $25 a year on the membership. B&N often has great pricing, and combining those with the membership discount and frequent coupons, one can make it incredibly great pricing. I'm a cheap bastard that never pays more than i have to for a title, and I often find the best price at B&N. Everyone's different, it all depends on what kind of titles you buy and how often you check this forum for the bargains.
Don't say that out loud. We're better off with the randomness, as at least most of us are getting some deals. Make official complaints like this and they will just "turn off coupons", like they did online. Do you really want everyone to be screwed? I'd rather a few people get a great deal than no one at all.
I'm positive that if I complained about the changes and wanted a pro-rated refund, they'd give it to me.
Again, the official policy is that we probably are cheats. Use it more than once, you're a cheat. Use it if you didn't buy a new membership during that time, you're a cheat. It's plain and simple. Each one of us reading the coupon can see that. Sure, I argue that if they really didn't want them used more than once they could easily program their software to allow it only once, just like every other company in the country, so I'll use it every day if they let me. But "officially", only use the coupon once, and only if you bought a new membership during that time period specified. It's very simple. Plenty of people here do it that way, my morals are high like that on many things, but in this case I will try, as I really believe they could easily fix it but choose not to.

But anyway, I guess my main point is that we really have nothing to complain about. Think of the coupons as being not for you, because they really aren't. If they work, sing B&N's praises. If they don't work, fine.

I understood from a manager at one store the $5 off $20 coupons are e-mailed to new members, if so that might explain the widespread confusion and inconsistency since these coupons are not meant for standard issue (certainly not repeated re-use). If that's the case then DVDtalkers complaining about the inconsistency with coupon acceptance might consider that the coupons may never have been intended to be used the way we have been.

Yesterday I suggested to one clerk I got these 2 coupons in my e-mail and she wondered why she didn't get them in hers. I guess it makes sense that B&N employees get free memberships.

Listen, there's no question about that. The $5 coupons are for one-time use for those who bought a membership during a very specific and narrow window, (as stated in the fine print). I think all the angst is cased by the inconsistency, and historical, liberal interpretation and past use of multiple coupons over the three sales so far.

It depends on how you interpret it. The fine print says New, Valid, OR CURRENT membership, meaning those who already had a membership during those dates can also partake... That is how my store clerks have interpreted it.

No, it's "new, valid, AND current". Meaning you just bought it and haven't cancelled it. Three words describing one membership, not different memberships.

Walked up to the counter and saw a paper with the two $5 off coupons taped to it and highlighted (the part about "selling price before discounted was highlighted). Thought I'd try confidentially passing them through but was told they wouldn't be allowed since the clerk recognized me from an earlier trip (on the basis of one time use only). "Don't try to use this again; we had a meeting about those this morning so people are going to be looking out. Don't try to use that at another store." I'm not sure what that meant but if the idea is these can be used on Criterions but only once per account I'll let it die down and try a different store. Last year they told me it couldn't be combined with a sale.

The coupon fine print has no disqualifier stating they are one time use only. That's where the issue of intended use versus fine print comes in.

I have to say it is pretty shitty that some of you are abusing this so much this early in the sale that it is ruining it for a lot of us.

I feel sorry for that guy that wants 1 title and can't use his coupon because some greedy person has abused the system so much within the first few days.

The $5 off $20 is supposed to be applied after all discounts, including the membership discount. So they should never work on $39.99 titles. If those $5 coupons are being accepted, then blame the BN sales clerk. If you can't use a coupon, it's because the BN sales clerk knows how to read.

I used the $5 off $20 no problem because I selected Spartacus, which was $22.49 AFTER ALL DISCOUNTS were applied.

No, $39.99 titles are discounted to $20, so are good for the $5 off $20, if you meet the membership date criteria. In fact, $29.99 titles are valid as well in most interpretations of "selling price after all discounts".
It very clearly says one use only.
Wait, valid coupons won't be denied. So you're upset that people are abusing them now and that might make it so that you can't abuse it later?

Oh Trevor.

It seems you're right. I tried to use a coupon at a different store tonight and was told the manager of the prior store sent out a memo to all area stores to watch out for me specifically because of "coupon abuse."

I understand as a community we all have to be careful to not ruin the deal for everyone. However, at that particular store 2 visits and 3 attempted coupons, at that location, resulted in their strict response so I do not think they tolerated much from the start (YMMV).

Wha? You gotta be kidding. A B&N APB on "Undeadcow"?

The guy punched in my membership number, did a double take towards a post-it over the keypad, and told me that there was a memo sent out earlier today to watch out for me. He explained the policy against "photocopying" and reusing coupons.

I wish I could claim some sort of macho rebel overboard exploitation but feel like my shopping has been consistent what reports in the Criterion sale thread.

I find it hard to believe that based on 2 visits and 3 coupon attempts, if so, they have way to much free time on their hands.

I think I just caught the wrong manager too closely on the heels of prior use. I'm sure this won't be a typical response across the area stores, this manager/employee was by far the strictest.