Barnes & Noble Booksellers
reviews and complaints

Every time I walk into this store these days, I feel uneasy about something. I work at the mall that this Barnes and Noble is at, so I get coffee in their cafe at least once a day, usually twice. I walked up as a new manager, one I have not yet seen, was yelling at one of the nicest employees behind the counter. He was on her about rearranging her display case while she was 1) the only employee working back there and 2) having to put away what looked like their inventory drop and 3) helping customers in between. I felt he was very rude to her, especially in front of customers. She looked horrified by his unprofessional approach. Then once again, a few days later, I witnessed the same guy going at another female employee over by the comic books. He was threatening her to get her to go to the back with him and she responded by saying no, she won't until she spoke with a higher manager than him because he made her feel uncomfortable. GOOD FOR HER! Then he threatened her with insubordination. It's admirable that she stood her ground and expressed her discomfort in a very reasonable manner. She even took steps back as he started to get closer. He walked off looking bright red and visibly angry. I'm not sure who he is, but I know he's very new. After seeing these two encounters, I'll be sure to avoid this manager when I see him in the store. His rudeness that absolutely verges on harassment has made me feel uncomfortable.

I placed an online order on 5/18 and apparently was cancelled without me being notified. I called to inquire why and was told that my billing address was wrong. All of a sudden it wasn't wrong and "for some reason it was flagged" no one could give me a reason and after being hung up on by a "supervisor" Kaitlyn I called back and spoke to what he claimed to be as her boss Ronak. He was equally as unhelpful as the others and couldn't explain to me why my order was cancelled and why I now have to wait for my bank to release my money? I asked why a 33 dollar gift card couldn't be issued for the inconvenience just to simply place the order again and was told that just couldn't happen if the order was cancelled by the customer... the customer didn't request to have it cancelled and would still like these books. I'm at a loss for words as I've never in all my years of buying books here have ever been treated like this? If it looks suspicious to have multiple names on the order it needs to say that a little more clearly on your website and maybe people will know not to do that. Being that it doesn't say that I used my name and my sons names. I would like to know what is going to be done about this and would like the CEO aware of this. I'm shocked that both "supervisors" I spoke to dont have a boss and refused to give a name, phone number or address to file complaints. Please let me know if we just need to find another company to use and I'd be happy to give them my money for actual products in return

I am extremely upset with these services. I rented a textbook from Barnes and Nobel (and several other companies) as well as purchased textbooks. I never received notification that my rental from Barnes and Noble was due and so they continually charged my card (without notifying me) until my card was expired and then decided to notify me because they couldn't take my money anymore. I responded to that email and never heard back from anyone and now I am getting calls from collections. I called Barnes and Noble today and their worker was not helpful in the least bit and I am extremely ticked off. I have never been late on returning textbooks and because of their failure to notify me I am having to deal with this crap! Way to take advantage of broke college students. I will never be purchasing books from this company again.

May 6, 2018 at 6pm, an Assistant Manager by the name of Chris asked my children to remove their stuff off a table and said there is another table with an outlet on the other side. When my children gather their stuff and headed to the other table, he rudely told them that the table is reserved for the other man who was at the same table we were at.
Choosing a college student over Children, very rude taking advantage because they are young and being snarky with them is unacceptable considering we spend money here so often, while this is also a place for my kids to get their school work done as the college student was doing the same.
I'm offended and very bothered by the rudeness towards my children taking their age for granted.
Respect should be to all of your customers regardless of age, gender and race.

I went to purchase a book at the Barnes and Nobles located on N. 10th Street in McAllen, Texas on 4/23/18 at 1130am to encounter a man standing by the front door entrance who clearly was a Homeless person asking for money for anyone wishing to enter the store. This was very uncomfortable experience as I felt I had to push myself through to enter the facility as he was "guarding" the doors. This is not the first time that people that I have encountered people standing by the entrance asking for money from your customers which is a big turnoff. Then while inside the store, as I was browsing, a young man came up to me asking for money. He then proceeded to go throughout the store asking for money from other customers. This was very uncomfortable because you go to enjoy yourself and expect to have a nice shopping experience only to be solicited for money. I then reported this to 2 employees and the response I got was "oh he is a regular. We allow anyone to come into the store and ask for money". Really? I am sure I not only speak for myself, but the other customers who were approached by this "regular" were uncomfortable as well. This environment no longer provides for a great shopping experience, but esp. for young female customers who approached by strange men. This is very disappointing.

Purchased a few items from Barnes and Nobles (McAllen, TX location) on [protected]. Few days later, I noticed that I was charged twice for my ONE purchase so I went to the store to inform them of the mistake in hopes to get things straightened out. I provided the manager with my receipt and bank statement as proof that I was charged twice and After spending almost two hours there, I left with no repayment of funds from the McAllen store or at the corporate level. Because my bank had already taken those funds out of my bank account and paid B&N, I was unable to put a stop payment. Because the funds were paid to B&N out of my personal account, I would like them to repay the $81.14 that they overcharged back into my account.

I spent over an hour on online chat support trying to get an error message resolved.The error itself only took about a minute to resolve - the rest of the time was trying to change my user info.

Apparently there was an old address tied to my B&N Membership card. The address was from over 10 years ago, and I couldn't remember the apt number. I gave them the city, state, street address, but they would not give me access - even when I gave them my phone number as verification. I finally just called a local store (while still in the chat session) and had them look up the address on file / change it in their system.

I spoke to a supervisor the next day, and she was about as "customer friendly" as a slice of onion.Last time I'll order from B&N online - Amazon and Books-A-Million will gladly take my money!

I signed up to get a membership at the store with Barnes and Noble. They automatically renewed it without my permission in March 2016. So I thought all right when I buy Christmas gifts this year I will use the stupid thing.

Well I went to cancel it this year and I missed the cancellation deadline by 2 days so now I am stuck with the membership for another year. It is not easy to cancel either. When you use your membership at the store you can just use your phone number. However when you go to cancel your membership you have to use your Barnes and Noble ID.

Also you have to cancel before the automatic renewal 30 days before your membership is expired or you are screwed for another year.

So I set up an online account so I could get rid of the automatic renewal. I don't like how they make you register a credit card to set up an online account but I was able to delete it fortunately.

I've pretty much stopped buying books at Barnes and Noble because I am really angry about this tactic.

My password wasn't accepted. I couldn't find the B&N password in my password list, so I sent a forgot password/new password request. It wouldn't accept my password because it didn't follow their password rules, but the "Account Password Reset" page wouldn't display the password rules so I could find out what kind of password DID meet the rules. I tried to email for help, but you can't email them for help unless you're logged into your account, which I can't do, because I don't have a password. I finally got an email through the B&N Press page, asking them to please forward my message to the main B&N and tell them about the catch-22 they had with their help & support page.

The response I got (with absolutely no means to follow up on it) told me that passwords were case-sensitive and that I should go to Account Password Reset (the page that I told them was the CAUSE of my problems) and "follow the steps we provide."

12-17 AM went to Barnes & Nobles... my wife was at counter & asked for a Capuccino with a discount coupon... Yamile (cafeteria Manager apparently) was the cashier. Then my wife pulled out another coupon & said she wanted another one for me, her husband (my wife had 2 coupons), sitting 10 yards away (table in cafeteria) from where the cashier is. Yamile very rudely abruptly (an exaggerated & unnecessary rudeness, obnoxious) said to her I have to be present physically at the counter to get the coupon price or she wouldn't give it to my wife period (she has seen us at the store many many times, plus we go there since it opened... we are in our 60's now). My wife walked away angrily, with no coffee for herself or me & went straight to the store Mgr.
Mr Jeffrey... Mr Jeffrey heard my wife's comments, fully understood & although late, offered to get her a free-coffee plus the refund on what she had ordered. For my wife it was not a nice moment... for me either because I had to explain to Jeffrey how rude Yamile had been in HOW she talked to my wife, regardless of the issue... this is not the proper way to do "customer service" for Barnes & Nobles or for a Starbucks franchise or whatever it is.
Before leaving I talked to Yamile herself & all she could say was that she thought she did everything "perfectly" well & didn't recognize any issue in the rude tone of voice she used, for no reason. I asked her to apologize to my wife: she wouldn't.
Mr Jeffrey was going to talk to her later... I doubt there was any reprimand because he seems like a very nice Manager but extremely toned-down for something like that...
Perhaps Yamile doesn't realize that verbal-shaming a customer being a smart-butt... for no good reason... goes nowhere (and is never justified), plus reflects on the big picture of how customers feel about B&Nobles when going through that.
Would still like to know that Mgr Jeffrey did something about this, & still expect an apology from Yamile. Mr Jeffreys tried to justify it by saying she is good at "running" the cafeteria & that compensates her abrupt obnoxious smart-aleck character when present: wrong! You are in the people biz when dealing with the public (Starbucks, books etc) & my wife & myself were always respectul, even when complaining.
Str 2792 reg 006 trn 2264 cshr yamile... refunded... B&N Mgr paid for 1 later...
Hope B&MN understands how important it is to have non-conflictive/beligerant employee attitudes when taking care of reasonable & respectfull customers such as us

Tom Fletcher [protected]@gmail.com
my wife, Chrsitine

Cannot remember password. Tried to get access by answering security question, but got invalid response to a question "where were you born"? Not likely I forgot that!

Using on-line screen support, tried three times to get password link sent to [protected]@woh.rr.com. Never received a link.

Called customer service. All they would do is promise to send a password reset link. I've never received that email either.

I've been a loyal B&N/Nook customer for many years. Right now, I'm close to giving up since I can't get any satisfactory customer support from B&N to access my account.

If you can help, my cell is [protected].

Purchase a discount on books at groupon! Went to Youngstown State University Barnes & Noble on Dec. 3rd, 2017 to: 1. Get the books my daughter needed for school, 2. Use the groupon scan-able e-gift card. The worker assumed it was coupon, told manager on duty at the time the same. He said they can not honor it, but maybe a full line Barnes could! Found out there is a school one and a regular one, interesting!

Anyway I then had to travel another 15-20 mile in holiday traffic, deal with the terrible parking and crowds. Could only get 2 of the 3 books I was originally going to buy. I was told, no problem using the scan-able e-gift card. Only to find out in the end, YES the school Barnes & Noble can and do accept these!

WOW wasted 2 hours travel time along with extra not necessary driving. Very disappointed.
John

Tonight I brought my children to their favorite place Barnes and Noble to only have thier Christmas dreams squashed. As we are moving through the store all wensee pur products on how to make the Elf on the Shelf more interesting and purchasing pets etc .. This suddenly sparked many questions of the validity of the Elf on the Shelf.
We are talking about a product placement issue if the items were higher or put in a special section this would be easily avoided. I reported it it to the Cashier, she completely ignored me. I then said may I speak to a manager and she said she was on the phone without even looking up.. I then asked to speak to someone whom might care more then this college aged child herself that doesn't have kids and another associate walked up and said how can I help? He was kind. I have my feedback and he said we get those complaints all the time there is nothing we can do. Final answer? Shame on you for ruining Christmas and putting your stores fate into a college age or 20 something year old who could care leas about the magic of Christmas.

On Wednesday, November 29th I came into a Barnes and Noble and purchased a book, along with a coffee. After checking my receipt I realized that I had been overcharged by $2 and asked for a refund for the money. The lady at the counter said she would call a manager, but that she herself could not handle the refund. She then called a manager, however, it took 37 minutes before anyone showed up. During the time that I was waiting the woman behind the counter never apologized, nor even spoke to me. Once a manager finally arrived, he also did not apologize or acknowledge the fact that I had to wait 37 minutes because of faulty planning on the management staff here at this store. When I mentioned my wait time to the manager, he proceeded to tell me that he was on lunch, and that my wait time was beyond his problem. As a retail manager myself, this is extremely uncalled for, and should result in some sort of disciplinary action. An apology should have at least been offered at minimum if nothing else. Their behavior was completely uncalled for and terribly rude, I will definitely never been coming back to this store.

I opened my package today only to find a huge tear in my book. Looked almost as if a child had got a hold of it. Barnes and Noble's customer service is a big fat joke. The woman on the phone had me on hold for what seemed like forever, just to tell me that I'll have to send the damaged product back and wait ANOTHER week for a replacement order to come in.

Really poor service Barnes and Noble. I purchased a book from your store via my paypal account on the 27.09.2017, order number - [protected], and to date have not received it. This follows numerous emails to Justin in your customer services department and a telephone call yesterday, 10/11/2017 to this same department where the lady on the other side just kept saying `Ok' to everything I said and then promised at the end of the call that she would send me an update via email but still nothing received. This is really poor service as this was a birthday gift for my wife and was due to arrive on the 25/10/2017. I am very surprised at how I am having to be the person who continually follows up with Barnes and Noble with no answers forthcoming?

I was in your store tonight with 4 children ages 2, 4, 6 and 8. I visit your store twice a week with my two children and purchase books and toys every time. I'm very disappointed at the fact that a store like yours that appeals to children in many ways would have a book titled "dumbest ways to die" at the eye level of children in the check out line. This is unexceptable especially in today's world. I had to explain and answer questions to my a6 year old on the way home that a mother should not have to answer at that young of an age. I am so very diapointed in your store. You have lost a very costomer looks like amazon for buying. This happened at the West nyack NY barnes and Nobel in the palisades mall. And i demand books of that nature be removed from children's reading level. This is not a joke with children.

Suzanne

Barnes and noble bookstore in boone county ky. On technology way, 2 particular staff there were unbelievably rude. I hsve never felt so disrespected. I had purchased 175$ worth of clothes and at the checkout desk, I bought my class textbook. I showed her my price match through barnes and noble campus book store, and was told that I could not price match that since it was noy the same book because the covers were veryyyyy slightly different but had the same ibsn number. But after I said thst the numbers were the same, they then said it was through barnes and nobke campus. Bookstore. So after looking for another possible price match, I told them I had a 20% off coupon, and asked if I could use it on my textbook. They said no, I turned to my husband. And said I wonder why I cant use this coupon on a textbook, this lady cashier said with a big smirk on her face, um because textbooks arent school supplies. And then started giggling like I was a big complete [censor]. In shock, I asked her why she was laughing at me, and her reply was because rextbooks arent school supplies, still giggling and smirking, my husband then replied to her and said maam, that is rude to laugh at my girlfriend like she is stupid. She just kept smiling, so mu husband turned to the manager im assuming and said sir, she is laughing at my girlfriend, he ignored him. After another minute of her still smirking, he repeated himself to the manager and he said ok would u like me to finish the transaction, he replied yes, sir. I feel like as a manager he should of addressed the situation or atleast told her that is not acceptable to do to customers. But instead, he did nothing. I have never felt so disrespected. The girls name was samantha.

Barnes & Noble has the worst customer service ever and their web site is a joke. I tried to apply a e settlement & a gift card to a purchase and it kept on showing me the full amount without the credits deducted. I called customer service and they were of no help. Apparently you are just supposed to believe Barnes & Noble will credit the amounts without seeing it before you hit purchase. What [censor]! I used up my credits and will never purchase another thing from Barnes & Noble.

Returned clothing in the Barnes and Nobles UConn bookstore located in 18 Front St, Hartford, Connecticut.

Cashier was giving me a hard time for no apparent reason. I was returning two items out of the three on the receipt, which I had use a $10 gift card on and the remaining balance with my credit card. They told me that I would have to have return in the form of $10 gift card. This does not make sense, because the third item’s, which I’m not returning, value was much greater than $10, so the gift card should apply towards it. Then they went into the back to get the supervisor or manager, she told me that she may not be able to make the return because the item was bought in Storrs, CT. She also told me that at Hartford the return policy for clothing is within 30 days. Both of which does not seem to be correct. I ask her where is the return policy of within 30 days for clothing written? She could not provide an answer. I showed her the receipt does not specify time of return for clothing. She then proceeded to fiddle with the computer for 15 min and saying that she might not be able to do it because the register is “not taking” the numbers. But for some miraculous reason, after trying it for the 4th time, the register was able to take the retuen and everything went smoothly.

I don’t understand why they make you jump through hoops for a legitimate return? I have long been a barnes and noble customer and have loved shopping any of your stores in the nation. This is the first time I have encounter such passive aggressive action. I’m not sure whether it is because the store is new and the staff aren’t yet trained, if that’s so why do they have to lie about th return policy? This baffles me...I don’t believe this is the image that barnes and noble like to portry and wouldn’t want a bad apple to ruin the basket, hence the reason for my writing. The attitude of the supervisor/manager clearly dictates her staff, I would draw caution if this was one of my own store.