Moxie Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 (edited) I really try to not buy books. We all have e-readers, we have a great library, I never re-read books. I was gifted a $20 B&N gift card. I finally decided on a cookbook I want. It is $19.77 on their site and the same price on Amazon. It is available for pick-up at my local store. Great! I get there and it is $30 at the store and they do not price match their website. I can order it off their site for the $19.77 but I have pay shipping or spend another $5 to get free shipping. I have Amazon Prime so why would I do that? I didn't buy the book. Wth do I do with this $20 gc that doesn't feel like waste? Edited September 3, 2017 by Moxie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Use the gift card at Barnes & Noble cafe? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 (edited) Use the gift card at Barnes & Noble cafe? I'm so cheap, I only drink black coffee so it feels like a waste. And I just decluttered a ton of mugs. Edited September 3, 2017 by Moxie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapbookbuzz Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 If you don't want it, you can send it to me! Problem solved! :D 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 (edited) Can you regift it? If you really can't find a way to use it give it to someone who will enjoy it.Once upon a time my idea of the perfect gift would have been a bookstore gift card. Now I read almost exclusively on my Kindle (and even most of those come from the library). While I wouldn't turn my nose up at such a present like you, I'd have a hard time trying to use it. Edited September 3, 2017 by Lady Florida. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ailaena Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Buy a game or a puzzle or a toy? For y'all or somebody else? Stationary? A calendar for next year? Chocolate? :D 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 I'd use it to buy dc a nice leather bound journal or myself a nice pen. If all else fails, they do sell chocolate - either for yourself or as gifts for others. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Sell it online. There are sites that will buy your gift card, or allow you to trade them in exchange. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 A lot of places are starting to do that - charge more in their b&m stores. I stood in the middle of Walmart a few weeks back because dh needed a slimmer Camelbak for bike riding. I didn't find one, so I went online and found the Walmart version (Great Mountain?) for $15. Great! Found the exact same one in the store and it was $25. Er........nope! It's disgusting and they're putting themselves out of business. B&N's website is terrible for searching for books so I won't use it at all. If that becomes their better option Amazon will get more of my money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyLife Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Buy a children's book and donate it to the children's hospital. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 And coming back after checking my email - Barnes & Nobles has a 20% off coupon this weekend. LABORDAY17 I didn't do the math on it but maybe that makes up for the shipping? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Regift it to someone who would love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 I don't understand gift cards anyway and I don't buy them very often. "Here's $20 but you can only spend it where I say you can!" I just give cash. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aura Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 If you really don't want to use it, I give another vote for re-gifting. Christmas is coming, and I don't think B&N gift cards expire. (September and the changing weather is always the trigger for me to start thinking ahead to Christmas.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historically accurate Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Options if you don't want a book: Re-gift the card Toy Game Puzzle Crafts for kids DVD CD Purchase a gift for someone else Magazines Journals Stationary Coloring, Sudoku, Mazes, Dot to Dot, etc books 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 My bil used to give us and the kids gift cards....to stores near him, but over an hour away for us. Sigh. He meant well, but like other gift cards to movie theater chains no where near us (how hard is it to check locations on-line folks?) they mostly ended up unused. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Sure it's going to cost more in the actual store than online. They have to pay rent for the nice (non-warehouse) building, pay for staff to take care of customers, etc. Did the website not show the store price when you checked inventory? When I've looked up books, I have always known the store price vs. the online price before going to the store. I'd buy gifts, or magazines. Or, give it away. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forty-two Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 If the cookbook was worth $10 to me (and would cost me more than $10 to get anywhere else), I'd probably just use the gift card to buy the cookbook either at the store or online with shipping - I'm still saving on something I wanted anyway. If the cookbook *wasn't* worth $10 to me (or I could get it for less than $10 elsewhere), then I'd probably re gift the card, or save it for when I needed buy a last minute gift. (I have amazon prime, too, but I still end up buying half of the books I give at birthday parties at the local b&n, because I apparently can't plan ahead enough even with two-day shipping. Fortunately our staple book gifts are actually about the same at either place - the list price is a good one and amazon rarely offers a discount.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Sure it's going to cost more in the actual store than online. They have to pay rent for the nice (non-warehouse) building, pay for staff to take care of customers, etc. Did the website not show the store price when you checked inventory? When I've looked up books, I have always known the store price vs. the online price before going to the store. I'd buy gifts, or magazines. Or, give it away. In was going to suggest a couple magazines. America's Test Kitchen puts out seasonal magazine style publications that are about $10 each. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimm Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Nothing you buy there won't be cheaper elsewhere. Why not just use the money, which was a gift, on something you wouldn't have otherwise bought for yourself? I'm pretty sure that's how the giver of the gift card would like to see it used. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 I wouldn't worry about being practical, I'd get something fun and frivolous. Either a book that looks interesting or a pretty notebook, and definitely a coffee from the cafe. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartlikealion Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 I was just reading the Krazy Coupon Lady's blog on gift cards. She said that Target will give you a partial value of certain gift cards in the form of a Target gift card. So I guess you could find out if B&N is on the list and what value they would offer you for it. Yes, I have noticed the same problem with B&N orders. They don't do store pick up the way other stores do it. You have to pay the shelf price if you do pick up and generally I find the online price better. It's so dumb. The other option is to find a $5 item on the site to add to your order. It could be one of those Memo mate pads. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartlikealion Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Do you have an educator card? Don't forget you will get 20% off many of their items with that. Might not work on the cookbook, but might work on some other items. So in that case it might be cheaper on B&N's site than Amazon. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scholastica Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Sure it's going to cost more in the actual store than online. They have to pay rent for the nice (non-warehouse) building, pay for staff to take care of customers, etc. Did the website not show the store price when you checked inventory? When I've looked up books, I have always known the store price vs. the online price before going to the store. I'd buy gifts, or magazines. Or, give it away. This. Exactly. It costs money to maintain a store and staff it. It costs more than to have it sit in a warehouse and get picked by a robot. The only way Amazon stores will succeed is if they can make the no-human model work. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 I think that system is crazy. Businesses want customers to walk in the door. Once you are there they should sell you something, not turn you away. Many stores will price match their own websites -- Staples, for example, which will also match a regular Amazon price. I don't mind paying a few dollars more than Amazon for the opportunity to see a book before buying it. And I will always pay more to a speciality bookstore with super knowledgeable employees. But many of the B&N employees I see are disengaged, if they are there at all. But substantial price differences.... just no. I hope B&N survive, but, imho, they need to realize that people can compare prices with the touch of a phone. Oh, and just for comparison, my favorite camping store -- Campmor -- always has store prices that are lower than the ones on their competitively priced website. I guess they figured that, once you are inside the store, you will buy more stuff than what you came for. Works for me. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 <snip> Yes, I have noticed the same problem with B&N orders. They don't do store pick up the way other stores do it. You have to pay the shelf price if you do pick up and generally I find the online price better. It's so dumb. <snip> I'm not sure it works that way. When you look up a book online, there is a place to click "find in store" and if the item is in stock - on the shelf at the store, so anyone can just walk up and buy it - you can reserve it to pick up later. So yes, it's going to be at the store price, because it's at the store. Maybe they also do "ship to store," I don't know, I've never looked into it. I've only done in-store pickup when I needed a book immediately and couldn't even wait 2 days for something to come from Amazon. It is probably the only way they can maintain the actual store. Amazon prices are simply not sustainable for a storefront. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 I have a B&N gift card and got very excited when I saw something ds wants listed for a good price. So I went to buy it and it said not available online so I check the store price, 4x as much. Forget that! It wouldn't bother me so much if they didn't show the online price. I can understand things being out of stock online but this was specifically labeled unavailable. If it is unavailable online don't have a price associated with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisIsTheDay Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Sell it online. You won't get the full $20 out of it, but I bet you'll get ~$17. Just google "sell my giftcard" or similar. I received a $100 Target gift card. I never shop at Target, so I sold it for $90 on one of the websites. Sure, I would have rather had the $100, but then I wouldn't have spent it anyway! And regifting is a GREAT idea with a B&N card! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Mostly I'm annoyed that a business as big as B&N doesn't match their website price. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartlikealion Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 (edited) I'm not sure it works that way. When you look up a book online, there is a place to click "find in store" and if the item is in stock - on the shelf at the store, so anyone can just walk up and buy it - you can reserve it to pick up later. So yes, it's going to be at the store price, because it's at the store. Maybe they also do "ship to store," I don't know, I've never looked into it. I've only done in-store pickup when I needed a book immediately and couldn't even wait 2 days for something to come from Amazon. It is probably the only way they can maintain the actual store. Amazon prices are simply not sustainable for a storefront. I mean you can see the online price but when you walk into the store it won't be the same. Maybe if you click through the steps "pick up in store" THEN you see the shelf price. But if you are just browsing I think the default prices you see is the online price. Everyone is making excuses for the price difference, but Walmart site to store functions just fine. I guess because Walmart is bigger. When I worked at Best Buy you could certainly price match with bestbuy dot com. ETA: Also, at Walmart and Best Buy it doesn't always get shipped. Sometimes they just pick it up from the shelf for you and have it waiting at the pick up counter. Same for Target. So it is irrelevant if they have it physically in store. You can get the online price, at least if you paid before you drove there. I think you can get it at the online price either way if they give you a quote during your order process and choose "pay in store." Edited September 3, 2017 by heartlikealion 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 I mean you can see the online price but when you walk into the store it won't be the same. Maybe if you click through the steps "pick up in store" THEN you see the shelf price. But if you are just browsing I think the default prices you see is the online price. Everyone is making excuses for the price difference, but Walmart site to store functions just fine. I guess because Walmart is bigger. When I worked at Best Buy you could certainly price match with bestbuy dot com. ETA: Also, at Walmart and Best Buy it doesn't always get shipped. Sometimes they just pick it up from the shelf for you and have it waiting at the pick up counter. Same for Target. So it is irrelevant if they have it physically in store. You can get the online price, at least if you paid before you drove there. I think you can get it at the online price either way if they give you a quote during your order process and choose "pay in store." I agree. Without even comparing them to Amazon one can compare them to other stores that will give you the same price whether you buy online or from one of their stores. That B&N doesn't/won't turns people away. Then they'll blame Amazon for their demise when much of the problem is caused by their own unwillingness to keep customers happy - A happy customer is a returning customer. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 They have more than just books. Surely there's something at a B&N store that you would like or find useful or educational. If nothing else, you could use it on a gift for someone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 I figure it's the "I want to see it first I want it today I want to see other titles I want to pick up a gift while I'm there I want to drink an Americano and browse I want to continue to have bookstores as an option" Tax. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Buy a children's book and donate it to the children's hospital.Depending on where you live, please consider a Spanish language version! Many of our parents would love to read to their kids. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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