UPDATE: Barnes & Noble Limited Receipt Policy Won’t Go National Until October
It used to be that Barnes & Noble would take back just about any item at any time with or without a receipt. That won’t be the case for much longer, a flyer at Barnes & Noble bookstores announces that the store is downgrading its super-friendly return policy on March 3rd to the following: “All returns must be made within 14 days of purchase and accompanied with an original sales receipt. After 14 days or without an original sales receipt, returns will not be permitted (nor permitted to exchange).” First Target, now Barnes & Noble, could this be the start of a trend? Full scan of the flyer, inside…
(Photo: Matt McGee)
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Kind of reminds me of George taking the book into the bathroom and having it flagged. God I miss Seinfeld. Yes, I still watch reruns 100s of times over but want fresh shows. Imagine what they could do with the crap that goes on nowadays?
it’s without…if you know whadda mean!
@jmschn: Maybe they should post signs like…
Free tip: Use your receipt AS a bookmark, or slide it into the book jacket. If you have the book, you have the receipt.
BRILLIANT!
This affects me almost not at all. I almost never return anything and can count the number of returns in the last decade or so on one hand.
How can you not figure out in 14 days if a book is defective, or that you already own a copy?
I’ve worked retail, and know that a very few people can wreak economic havoc with endless returns, either trying to game the system or because they like to “try before they buy”, except that they never actually buy much of anything and the rest of us are paying for them to wear that brand new sweater that they’ll return but that can either never be sold again at all, or can never be sold at the original price again.
Keep receipts! You need them in case there is a discrepancy on the credit card bill or if the product turns out to be defective. Who in their right mind throws out receipts and asks the store to trust them? Get in the habit of dumping them in a shoe box & weeding them out once a month. It costs nothing to keep your receipts.
No one wants to subsidize anyone else’s “trial period” with that book, sweater, or pair of shoes. B&N is not a library, and Target is not your best friend’s clothes closet.
Thoughtfully buy stuff and live with it, or don’t buy it at all.
I just bought a book at B&N yesterday.. asked for a gift receipt.. put it in the cover.. I understand the no receipt policy.. I work in retail.. I’ve seen it all.. but what happens when I give this book as a gift March 4th… (guess I’ll be returning and rebuying on the 2nd..) and quite honestly.. I feel bad for complaining.. check out return policies for stores out in europe and asia.. Our chain over there (which I’ve not mentioned..) has and has always had the same policy as B&N is instituting..
That’s bunk about Target.
You have 90 days to return an item.
If you don’t have a receipt, they can look the item up if you paid with your credit or debit card or even if you paid with a check.
If that doesn’t work, you have two times per year to use your driver’s license to return an idea that is under $20.
The only problem is if you get a baby shower gift and your dumb aunt or whoever didn’t give you a gift receipt for that amazing $50 bouncy seat. BUT, you CAN ask that person for their receipt, OR if they paid any way except cash it can be looked up at the store. It’s simple, really.
But, OH NO, most people bitch and moan about that because they don’t want to hurt the gift giver’s feelings, so OF COURSE that makes it Target’s problem.
How hard is it to come home, take the receipt out of your wallet or bag and plop it into a jar or ziploc bag?
And if it takes you over 3 months to figure out that you already own that item there’s a little thing called a garage sale. Maybe you’ll find other things you didn’t realize you already owned.
return an *item* not an idea
@edrebber: As a matter of fact, my wife bought a book recently that was missing 20 pages near the end.
Hoooray for Barnes and Nobles on this policy change. I don’t know why it was referred to as a “downgrade” because it isn’t. They aren’t saying that you cannot return a book, just that you have to return it within 14 days. Come on guys. You can tell if you like the book after reading ,lets say the first chapter. Why would you wait 14 days to return a book you don’t like anyway. Before you buy the book, look at it in the store! Scan a few chapters to see if it is something you would like. I agree that a receipt is necessary. It only shows that you paid for the book at BN and not at some cheap discount or used bookstore. Again, I see nothing wrong with their new policy.
Upgrade
B & N is UPGRADING their return policy.
Upgrade, as in improving the policy.
Not downgrading as used in the title.
Never figured out why “returns with no recepiets” are a “downgrade”
Never had any trouble with holding onto receipts for awhile just in case I needed to return an item.
My uncle bought me a gift at best buy recently. It was something I wanted and needed, good job, Uncle. Unfortunately, I’d already gotten a similar, but slightly different version of the product from someone else. My uncle lost the receipt and paid in cash, so there is no way for me to return the item. It’s still sealed, but they won’t take it back. Not everyone who wants to make a return without a receipt is a scammer, but enough of them are that it ruins it for good consumers.
I work for B&N and I can say that this is entirely due to people scamming the system. I have had books returned with all sorts of price stickers from other stores on them: Wal-Mart and Borders come to mind. I’ve had customers return books in Amazon.com boxes.
I’ve also had customers return books that obviously came from a garage sale. I’m talking paperbacks that are yellow with age and have been read through about fifty times. They say they bought it at B&N and they are all rewarded with store credits, if not outright refunds.
It sucks, and I don’t like it either, because it punishes the bad AND the good customers, but I knew it was coming. It was just getting to be too much.
That being said, if you have your receipt and you’re on day 15 or whatever, go in and explain your case, and I’ll bet you get a refund. At least, I’d give it to you.
@MChasteen1: I believe their “First Target..” comment was about the tightened return policy, not some reciept or you die policy.
So freakin relax. Seriously.
I see no problem with the receipt but I do have a big issue with the time frame. Sure you can read a book in the 14 days but during the holiday season? Are we not supposed to begin buying at the big BN sale the day after Thanksgiving? No matter how many situations with which I come up, I have not figured out a way to accomodate both the purchase of a book on black Friday and the hope of returning it after Christmas. The 14 day policy really needs some modification come the shopping season.
It is so pathetic to see that a simple courtesy that was extended to honest shoppers has now morphed into a full-time scamming job for others. Now the honest shoppers get a new ***hole ripped every time a retailer like B&N has to modify their return policy to prevent the scum from dragging the whole company down.
I admit that I had a travel book I had purchased when I thought I was going to Europe, but when I planned to go somewhere else instead, I didn’t need the book (it was perfectly new) I had the receipt tucked in the book so I could return it, but it fell out. What was I going to do about a travel book I didn’t need? I returned it to B&N where I had purchased it, got store credit…B&N still gets their money, and I was a happy customer because I didn’t get any hassle for returning something without a receipt. Now I know to keep a receipt with me, in my wallet, it in a book.
*not in a book
@danisaikou: Oh, yeah, I remember going into a Borders and buying a book on clearance… complete with Barnes and Noble sticker. Oopsie.
I don’t see how this is a problem. I always use my receipts as bookmarks.
Who wants to bet Borders will be changing theirs shortly? These generous return policies have just cost everyone too much money, and companies are trying to cut shrink and loss wherever possible. I don’t see it as a big issue…if I buy something and have a doubt about it, I keep the receipt. Otherwise, it’s on me.
@LiC: Ditto.
@LiC: Ditto
@splendic: yea…damn stores for wanting you to provide proof you actually bought your product there.
Receipts only is a good policy, there is no reason to not keep a receipt, and no reason to not get a gift receipt. Why should stores have to take a hit for you losing things?
Receipts only is probably a good policy nowadays but it should be relaxed during the holidays and people should be allowed to return any unopened item without a receipt at least for one week starting December 26th. My family STILL does not know how to give receipts with gifts and how to prevent children from opening duplicate copies of video games that they get so they cannot be returned. Thankfully I only ask for cash as gifts, no scammy gift cards for me. If they are concerned about fraud just put a limit on it, say 2 returns per person and only return with a drivers license.
On the positive side, I bought a fancy coffee machine at Bed Bath & Beyond in October, and it quit working in early January. They took it back with no questions and no receipt at full retail price, which they cheerfully applied to something entirely different (a HEPA air cleaner). They’ve got my business!
@ xtc46: Amen. I’m sorry that the good get punished for the sins of the few, but Jesus Christ, people, just keep your damn receipts. And there are very few people at this point who should not be able to figure out to give a gift receipt. People abuse policies (this is a prevalent theme in my posting here, but y’all just don’t know how ridiculous people are) and people steal. A lot of people steal. We’ve changed our policy at work as well. People abuse policies no matter what they are, so they have to constantly be made more and more strict. Someday all low-price-point retailers are going to just stop accepting returns, like cheapie dollar stores do. I’m not saying it’s right, but again: People abuse the policies, and cause stores to lose profits. Unless you want your favorite shops (Target for one) to jack up the prices, you have to play by very specific rules.
I’ve written and re-written my comment too many times.
Here, here! As a former B&N Store employee I agree with the new policy.
B&N and other book stores are not libraries. Stop treating them as such. Stop making cashiers feel like crap for following policies the managers give in to when you complain!
i’ve never been a patron here anyways. all the more reason not to start.
Holiday purchases have a special extended return period, so if you buy something on Black Friday you don’t have to worry. Now if you bought it in September, not so much.
Did you ever wonder why it costs over $10 for a 4-pack of razor blades at Wal-Mart? Theft!.
We live in a world of instant gratification where people will lie, cheat and steal to get what they want. America is being destroyed by lazy, non-hacking criminals that have no concern for this country or its citizens.
The return policy is a great policy. Without a receipt expect nothing. All retailers should adopt this practice without exception.
Now, if you really want to cripple the thieves that have forced retailers to do this, stop buying product on e-Bay that is sold at ‘too good to be true prices’. Do you really think an individual has found a better supplier than the retailer and can actually make a profit selling their goods listed as ‘NEW’ unless they stole it…..If you buy from them, you’re supporting their actions…..
I think it’s worth pointing out that every ex- or current bookstore employee who’s commented on this thread has spoken of the need to address the massive returns fraud that goes on in bookstores. For serious. Our policies are more strict than this (10 days), and yeah, a significant number of our (attempted) returns transactions are bunk. It’s not even scammers–those people are a definite minority. The real problem is regular ol inconsiderate, selfish jerks, which, sadly, form a large percentage of any population. Basically people who don’t know what a library is, and so treat bookstores like one.
There’s also a persistent problem with bookstores located near acting meccas (e.g. NYC, with us), wherein the night before an audition you’ll get thirty people coming in a for a single play, and the day after you get thirty people all trying to return it for a refund. Which is why we don’t permit the return of plays, for one thing.
Textbook returns, where your customers often have an even more foreshortened need for their books, are even more prone to shadiness.
Well! That’s that. 1st. They said 30 day return policy with or without receipt. If no receipt, they used to give store credit. That was OK.. I used to spend about 300-400 dollars in BN. When you buy things some time you tend to buy is just by reading the review or scan through pages in the store and think it is a good book. Then when you buy a lot of books some books tends to be crapy and u want to return it. Well, with the receipt only policy that was OK, at the end of the day you got your money back. With no return after 14 days? even after a receipt that sucks. Well! let me tell you something, Amazon, bookpool.com and hunders of other stores on line will sell the same book about 20-30% off than BN. Advantage of BN store was that you woud return if you didn’t like it after all you paid a full price of the book. Now, shopping on the web is just fun and faster and cheaper. Good buy BN. One day, this will catch up with you.
I bought a book (The Crucible) that I needed for school at BN one week ago, and then realized that I had an old copy of it. I couldn’t find the receipt (sometimes the clerks put them in the bag and they get lost) but figured a store credit would be okay. When I went to return the book (obviously untouched) I was told of the “new” policy. I couldn’t believe it. I questioned the policy and was told by the unfriendly clerk: no receipt or after 14 days – no return. I suggested that she check my credit card for the purchase: we can’t do that. Okay. Can you check my BN Member card: we can’t do that. Okay. How come I wasn’t informed of the new policy: you were-we handed out flyers in the store. Okay. I didn’t get one because I didn’t happen to be in the store at that time. Why didn’t you email me: we can’t email everyone. Okay. I get at least one email a day from BN. Why not email BN Members: we can’t do that. Okay. You just lost a customer! I’ll donate the book to a worthy cause and start shopping at Amazon. I have been a BN Member for over 10 years at $30 a pop. For what? The right to be treated like a criminal.
I received a Barnes & Noble purchased CD as a gift(price $22-receipt dated 12/22)which was duplicated by another purchase of the same album.The Cd was mailed to me out of state. I recently tried to return the CD at the store where it was bought-it is the nearest to my home, but over an hour away and I am disabled. They refused the return-very snottily quoting thier two week policy. the Cd was still originally wrapped, excellent condition & vaid receipt form that store attached. I have gited and spent well over $500 in B&N over last year (no returns!) so I am much p.o’d. I told thses cheap frauds that I will never spend a dime at B&N again, as Borders and Amazon give better service and honor their customers with service.