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[US] B&N leading up to Black Friday and on into Christmas

intromissionintromission Member Posts: 197
edited October 2012 in Shopping USA/Canada
What do folks think...? Can we expect those 50% off coupons again this year?
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Comments

  • iancam33iancam33 Member Posts: 407
    edited October 2012
    I just ordered #7573 for $55.96 and #4193 for $34.96. Free shipping too. They seemed like good prices seeing as #7573 is hard to find from what i understand.
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    Those are good prices, even more considering that 4193 has become harder to find anywhere other than eBay/Bricklink.

    I picked up a 7573 from B&N last month at $60, $56 is even better. :)
  • iancam33iancam33 Member Posts: 407
    I almost bought a few but told myself that would be a bad financial choice.
  • hoyatableshoyatables Member Posts: 873
    It's funny - I really struggle with the "licensed" sets that have crossover appeal like these sets (or, for that matter, sets like Diagon Alley). For whatever reason I can't bring myself to pull the trigger and dive into a new license. If they were simply marketed as "Castle," "Pirate," or "Desert" I bet I would pick them up.

    Maybe it's just having licensed minifigs that don't "fit in." But even there, I could just sell them (or save them for future kids that would undoubtedly not care one lick). Or maybe it is just drawing a bright-line rule somewhere to keep spending in check. Who knows.
  • iancam33iancam33 Member Posts: 407
    I hear you on that note. This was too good to pass up though. i agree i prefer City, Castle and the like over the liscensed ones(star wars being the exception). For me if the set looks cool, has functionality and is a good value i will do my best to get it.
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    I have one each of the PotC sets set aside, just to add to a future Castle collection.

    I think they will be good fodder for that, but not as stand-alone sets. But at 30% off, why not?
  • bluelion3bluelion3 Member Posts: 156
    Groan... I ordered one #7573 and it was canceled. Silly.
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    bluelion3 said:

    Groan... I ordered one #7573 and it was canceled. Silly.

    That is annoying!!! Guess they are finally gone.
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    bluelion3 said:

    Groan... I ordered one #7573 and it was canceled. Silly.

    That is annoying!!! Guess they are finally gone.
  • iancam33iancam33 Member Posts: 407
    @bluelion- did you or from BN? if so maybe i got the last one. I just hope it doesn't come smashed...cross my fingers.
  • bluelion3bluelion3 Member Posts: 156
    edited October 2012
    Yes, I ordered from BN.
    "Your order did not pass our order verification process" from the Sales Audit team.
    It's still listed on their website.
    I think they're just mad because I bought #9472 Weathertop when it had the 33% discount...the price that was probably a mistake.
  • iancam33iancam33 Member Posts: 407
    well i just ordered 4183 as well. couldn't help myself.
  • iancam33iancam33 Member Posts: 407
    i just looked and 9472 is listed at 62.95....bummer.
  • brickupdatebrickupdate Member Posts: 1,020
    That sale at BN last year was the best. They let you get back on line again and again to get the 50% price. It was just too much... and it took regular folks a LONG time to learn about the sale. There were tons of LEGO (and Playmobil and other brands) just sitting on the shelf.

    I would think that BN would have learned there lesson, but who knows. They need to get folks in the store and move product somehow. Beyond some crazy sale at LEGO store on BF (which I don't have high hopes for), this is the sale I am most curious about.
  • brickupdatebrickupdate Member Posts: 1,020
    I hope the mods don't mind me linking to my own blog here, but these are the photos from the BN and other Black Friday sales last year:

    http://brickupdate.com/lego-black-friday/
  • SquareSideSquareSide Member Posts: 170
    Thanks for the link, seeing all those Kingdoms sets makes me wanna cry as I just got back into Lego a few months ago and it seems they are double in price now. Why LEGO so stingy with the Medieval Fantasy stuff? T_T
  • dougtsdougts Member Posts: 4,110
    ^ in this case, probably licensing/contractual requirements.
  • intromissionintromission Member Posts: 197
    I wasn't so bold as to step in line multiple times on the same visit, but I did make use of the coupon at different stores, and the ability to order online and pick up in store was great. Definitely hoping for a repeat this year.
  • CoolsplashCoolsplash Member Posts: 935
    BN has become smarter this year, no way they will offer last years incentive :P
    and they have notorious shipping policies....
  • brickupdatebrickupdate Member Posts: 1,020
    The thing with a store such as BN is that they have lots of financial pressure due to Amazon and others - stuff unrelated to toys. Sometimes, they just want foot traffic, or they use toys to get bodies into the stores. Maybe I'm just wishful thinking here, but these stores make most of their money in the last quarter, and they need a way to lure buyers into them.
  • hoyatableshoyatables Member Posts: 873
    They still have decent in-store sales, especially for those with membership and coupons.

    Say, did their 50% coupon stack with the membership discount? If so, that's really amazing.
  • BrickarmorBrickarmor Member Posts: 1,258
    All those in favor of a Brick Friday countdown clock on the Forum front page please raise your credit card.
  • brickupdatebrickupdate Member Posts: 1,020
    @hoyatables yes, it stacked with the 10% member discount. It was insane.
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    brickupdate said:

    @hoyatables yes, it stacked with the 10% member discount. It was insane.

    :) Yes, it was wonderful, wish I had been more into it back then. Only got about 20 sets total across several stores.
  • bluelion3bluelion3 Member Posts: 156
    I called the B&N Sales Audit department to understand why my order was canceled. Apparently my account was flagged because I used a coupon code to order a LEGO set online (back in June for #9472), which is not allowed. They called it "promotion violation". Even though I did not use a coupon yesterday, the order was canceled because my account is flagged. When I called, the gentlemen said that "we discussed this before" (which we had not), but that he would unflag my account and I should wait 15 minutes to try the order again.

    (Here's a link to the discussion where I (and others) used coupons to order LEGO sets from B&N back in June.)

    Seems a little heavy-handed...
  • BrickDancerBrickDancer Member Posts: 3,639
    ^wow, that is excessive on B&N's part. They're making you feel like you did something wrong because you used a coupon. Looks like your suspicions (and others) about being blacklisted may have been proven correct.
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    ^ If they don't want to honor the coupon, then don't allow it to check out with the coupon, or cancel that specific order, don't ban future sales, that is just stupid.

    Even more stupid? Not discussing it with the customer or making them aware.

    A nice e-mail saying, "we allowed the use of a coupon that should not have been allowed. We have decided to let this go in the interest of customer service, however in the future please be aware that XYZ coupon cannot be used for Lego".

    Ok fine, that would be a nice way to do it. I might not like the policy, but on a going forward basis, I can deal with it. But to do what they did, is stupid.
  • bluelion3bluelion3 Member Posts: 156
    ^ I totally agree! The shopping cart should have stopped it in the first place.

    I reordered and I have an order confirmation email now, instead of an order cancellation email. So I will finally get to build a Battle of Alamut!
  • iancam33iancam33 Member Posts: 407
    I agree with Legofantexas. They should not have allowed the coupon in the first place. It's like giving you a cookie for not doing your chores and then being yelled at for then eating the cookie.

    great to know you will be the proud owner of that set as well.
  • dougtsdougts Member Posts: 4,110
    nothing worse than covering up software programming/configuration ineptitude with terrible customer service. And companies wonder why it's so hard to retain customers...
  • SquareSideSquareSide Member Posts: 170
    That's pretty bad, they flagging you for something their system failed to catch. They should flag themselves, lol. I was bummed that I got a 20% off one item code from them a few weeks ago and of course LEGOs didn't apply. I went ahead and ordered Palpatine's Shuttle anyway. T_T
  • CoolsplashCoolsplash Member Posts: 935
    I agree with @bluelion3 as the same happened with me. My first order went good and quick, got some smaller sets and the Lego ideas books. Second order, even bigger discount coupon, tried to order something bigger like Forest Police station, it never arrived, got the refund and now they do not bother to entertain my purchase. Last I remember tried to get LOTR sets from BN, all orders got cancelled out and no reasons explained and didn't even bother to send me a reply.

    And now I don't even check BN anymore. It was like, each and order is personally scrutinized and decided. Maybe they are biased. Who knows.
  • SquareSideSquareSide Member Posts: 170
    I haven't had any problems with BN(cept for scrunched products). Although I haven't used any coupon codes yet. lol
  • OdinduskOdindusk Member Posts: 763
    I have something to contribute to this ordeal.

    This past January I paid to become one of their members. Shortly after, I started to get these emails with a coupon, begging me to make my first online purchase with them. It was for 20% off of one item.

    After ignoring it, they sent me another one for 40%. Then 60%. I believe the final one they sent me was either 75% or 80% off and I was like OK OK I'll bite, lol. So naturally I found the most expensive LEGO set that was eligible to be paired with this particular coupon code and bought it. It was a $90 set that I paid $20-something for as my final cost.

    Two months later I went online to buy another LEGO set at their full, normal price. Canceled. I called, and was told there was a flag on my account for "suspicious activity" and that's all the operator could tell me at that time. They said they would investigate and get back with me.

    They never got back to me, of course. I haven't tried to make another purchase either. There are plenty of other retailers to give my money to without have to jump through hoops for.

  • littletokilittletoki Member Posts: 519
    I may be the odd person out. All of my transactions with BN both in store and online have been trouble free.

    Curious as to whether they will have a similar sale this BF. just in case, started a little BF Lego fund!
  • brickmaticbrickmatic Member Posts: 1,071
    ^ Now you can join the corner with @rocao all your extra little grab bag pieces.
  • CurvedRoadPlateCurvedRoadPlate Member Posts: 257
    With this drama is it worth becoming a BN member? I have bought sets from them online when deals showed up here or in other forums but I did it as a regular customer. Am wondering if the membership is worth it.
  • forumreaderforumreader Member Posts: 97
    I buy from BN exclusively with coupons and haven't had trouble; sorry to hear that others are having a tough time. I have a membership and have found it quite useful.

    Are those getting flagged by customer service from inside or outside the US? Another forum discovered that BN would pretty much flag all international coupon orders.
  • thorniethornie Member Posts: 245
    ^ It's only worth it if you have a BN near you that stocks a lot of different LEGO. They no longer allow any coupons to be applied to LEGO in online sales, but you can get them to accept the coupon in the store. My BN stores don't stock much LEGO (4 or 5 sets) so I cancelled my membership after they flagged my account for using coupons online during the whole LoTR debacle in the summer. That whole experience has cemented the fact i will never buy anything from that company again.
  • BrickDancerBrickDancer Member Posts: 3,639
    I've had B&N membership since last December and have used it to great benefit, in-store and online. But with the new online restrictions, I doubt I'll renew once its up. Just too much complications for the savings. And as a matter of principal: you bar my Lego then I bar your store.
  • beabea Member Posts: 227
    I dislike B&N more than any other retailer. I've never actually managed to purchase anything from them. They cancelled my first order and I've not bothered since. I'd rather shop anywhere else. Even TRU.
  • littletokilittletoki Member Posts: 519
    @brickmatic ~ I thought the same thing as soon as I hit post comment.
  • rocaorocao Administrator Posts: 4,290
    edited October 2012
    littletoki said:

    I may be the odd person out. All of my transactions with BN both in store and online have been trouble free.

    MAY be? You haven't realized by now that you lead a completely charmed existence?
  • murphquakemurphquake Member Posts: 651
    #rocaosgrabbagcorner @rocao @littletoki giggity!
  • CoolsplashCoolsplash Member Posts: 935
    Maybe someone working with BN will read this thread and do something about their excellent customer service :P
  • stoneboistoneboi Member Posts: 42
    whats with these high handedness from B&N?
  • CupIsHalfEmptyCupIsHalfEmpty Member Posts: 545
    Barnes and Noble have one thing going for them that I hope they don't change. It's the fact they will ship US MSRP'd sets to Canada at a reasonable rate. No other US based company does that.
  • littletokilittletoki Member Posts: 519
    @rocao ~ hey, don't throw that out there! That's just tempting the Fates.

    Oooh did I tell you about this awesome deal I scored - 5 sealed UCS Falcons for $50!!??

    Kidding!!!
  • brickmaticbrickmatic Member Posts: 1,071
    She's kidding of course. Getting 5 sealed UCS Falcons for $50 is ridiculous. She actually had to pay $50 for each of them.
  • littletokilittletoki Member Posts: 519
    *sigh* I wish.

    But I did manage to get some TC-14s for less than $5 each. Here's some of my lovelies. I want to open them and put them in my minifig display case - the hubby says NO.

    TC-14!!!
    sidersddMatthew
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