Barnes and Noble Clearance Koto

[JoeWorf]

I've had a B&N membership for years now, but I'm seriously considering not renewing it next time around. Why? Simply put, they no longer seem to be stocking the merchandise I originally got the membership for. One of my local stores is far better about stocking collectibles (statues, toys, novelties, etc.) than most others and I frequent it the most. Since late last year there has been a noticeable drop-off in what they stock. Further, when I look on their website I don't see any of the more recent releases such as "Gotham City Sirens" "Catwoman" or earlier Marvel Gallery statue releases and so on. I recognize that they can't stay afloat solely on collectors' sometimes fickle whims nor do they want to be stiffed with unsold peg warmers, but paring down their wares to almost nothing worth bothering with, will certainly alienate a small percentage of the their customer base. I'm primarily a brick and mortar shopper, but as options have dwindled with the demise of said retailers (Tower Records, TRU, Kmart, etc.) I am increasingly turning to the internet for lack of options. Even my favorite LCS seems to order less and less general stock and have forced me to pre-order through them and even then they've dropped the ball on a few occasions...(ARTFX Wonder Woman :cough:: ::cough:: ) I hope B&N survives and rights its ship, but based on employees telling me of recent cuts in hours and their already shaky standing in the retail market, I'd say they're headed the way of the dodo bird, sadly.

[Gothamite]

These jokers need to PM their own website instead of making people place online orders for Store Pickup. So yeah, they do deserve to lose business.

[golem216]

Originally Posted by Gothamite

1) Store prices are gonna be higher than online prices...

2) unless they're put on the Clearance tables and discounted 75% off.

Yeah, when they go on clearance, you used to be able to check the inventory and see the in-store price as sometimes an item is on clearance in the store, but not online.

I have found that if the item is in the display case, it's not included in the inventory count.

I came across the older inventory check as it appears to still be active, but it doesn't display the in-store price, only the online price.

[Gothamite]

My nearest store has an item that was on clearance for $2 last year. After the clearance period ended, the price went back up to $30. They refuse to put it back on clearance. If it won't sell for $2, why would it sell for $30???

[NuSoard]

I was once forced to buy a DVD at Barnes & Noble because someone wanted Schindler's List for a birthday present (weird, I know) and no other store had a copy. This was probably around 2008, 2010...movie came out in 1993, and the DVD was a bare bones version. Price? $35.

$35!!!

Somehow, they're still in business, and all the other bookstores except Half Price Books are extinct.

Edit: WTF, just read your Schindler's List comment in the other thread, Gothamite. Read it after posting this. o_O

[JoeWorf]

Even though we're veering off the B&N clearance topic a bit, I might add that although I'm aware that their online prices and in-store prices can vary a bit (usually only a couple of dollars higher in-store), just last week I went to order a DVD (yes, I still buy DVDs... old school) at the store. I checked the price beforehand and it was around $14.44. When the associate looked it up the in-store price was $29.99!!!! More than double the internet price (and the regular price was $14.99)!!
Really??? Remember now, I'm a card member and many times I've ordered at the store and had it shipped there or I am sometimes required to have it shipped to my address (I've never figured out why some can't be picked up at the store or their rationale for it). I've tolerated their little idiosyncrasies over the years, but admittedly the act is wearing thin as they're gouging even more. If they want the bulk of their sales to be on-line then just shut down the physical sites and go head-to-head with Amazon. Yeah, good luck with that. LOL

[Gothamite]

That's why Koto statues end up being sold for $2 at B&N. I guess they just love having fully stocked shelves for a long time.

[Gothamite]

10% off coupon, good through Wed, July 4, 2018.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/promo...jsp?cid=5420a2

[golem216]

ItHas anyone been able to buy a display at B&N recently? It's not on clearance, but a couple stores nearby have the Boba Fett on display and managers at both stores are insistent that they are not allowed to sell the ones on display.

The one store printed out a sheet of 3 stores that show it in their inventory, but no dice there. 1 was display and refused to sell, 1 was marked as damaged, and the other an inventory error.

I last was able to purchase a display back on March, so I'm wondering if i just got lucky before or if their company policy has changed since then.

[JoeWorf]

Originally Posted by golem216

ItHas anyone been able to buy a display at B&N recently? It's not on clearance, but a couple stores nearby have the Boba Fett on display and managers at both stores are insistent that they are not allowed to sell the ones on display.... I last was able to purchase a display back on March, so I'm wondering if i just got lucky before or if their company policy has changed since then.

I don't work there, but I've been told the same thing several times about not being able to sell display items. A manager (and fellow collector on the side) assured me the policy was true and that "technically" the merchandise in the case belonged to the vendor and was not theirs to sell. I'll take him at his word. I had a similar run-in at a Best Buy years ago over a turntable that was on display. It was out of stock, was not being reordered, was out of the system and the last one in the entire chain nationwide. The salesperson still refused and I asked was it a museum piece earmarked for the Smithsonian? He got testy and stormed off. I got a manager and explained the status (which had been verified by the salesperson) and the manager went, "Makes sense to me. Sell it to him." I got the item (from a very POed salesperson), but don't expect this to work at B&N unless WHEN they go out of business (and they will relatively soon, I'm afraid) and liquidate everything, IMHO.