Why I Shop at Borders

Beginning March 3rd, 2008, Barnes and Noble will be changing our return policy to reflect 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).

The above is the new "Barnes and Noble Refund Policy Change." I was confronted with it today when I went to return a book. Since we do not have a B & N very close to us, I rarely go. But I had something to return as well as a gift card, so I decided to go there on an outting today. That is when I was told about their new return policy. Now, the book I was returning was given to me in August, so I realize that it was a bit late to be returning it. But I had the receipt still, so I assumed it would be no problem. I assumed wrong.

OK, now, actually, I have to be honest and admit that the woman behind the counter did allow me to return the book since the policy has only been in effect for a week and I was genuinely uninformed. This woman's kindness is the only reason I did not show my anger at the ridiculous policy. I did ask, though, if it meant you could only get a store credit after 14 days, and she replied, "No, no returns at all after 14 days, even with a reciept." Are you serious??? The more I thought about it as I went through the store, the angrier I got. Here's a scenario: I'm out at B & N and see a book that I think my mother would just love. Her birthday is coming up the next month, so I buy it. Her birthday comes around and the family is watching my mother open her presents. It's a lovely scene. But imagine my horror when my mother opens my present only to tell me that she already owns the book. I quickly recover, though, and simply say, "No problem. Here's the reciept. Get yourself something else." But, no, that's just not going to cut it. Instead, my mom will have to keep the repeat book because the snobby store refuses to take it back. What an outrage!

So here are all the reasons why Borders is much more preferrable than Barnes and Noble and why you should all boycott the latter:

1. B & N is much more stuffy and snobby. I always feel like everyone who works there feels like they are smarter than me (uh, or is it smarter than I?). The personnel at Borders are always very helpful and friendly.

2. I could be wrong, but I don't think B & N has a discount for teachers. Borders gives 20% off materials for the classroom, which, as an English teacher, means basically anything in the store. I buy books, cds, and dvds and always use my teacher discount.

3. As my friend Joseph complained about in a recent blog post of his, Barnes and Noble employees are always pressuring you to pay for a membership. Uh, why would I pay for a membership there when I can be a rewards member at Borders for free?

4. Finally, the stickers on the books at B & N do not come off easily. The book I bought there today (and I bought it only because I had a store credit to use up) had a sticker on the top corner. 20% off - or 30% off for members because they like to rub it in. When I got home and went to peel it off, the sticker was still sticking to the cover, so now I have a book cover with a big sticky mess on it. The stickers from Border always peel right off.

And by the way, I looked up Borders return policy to make sure that it was not the same as B & N. Oh, it's not. It was something like a 60 day policy without a receipt and then store credit with a receipt after that. Now, that's fair. I actually went to go to the Barnes and Noble website and emailed customer service to express my dissatisfaction with the new policy. That'll show 'em! If you're as fired up as I am, which I imagine most of you are not but you never know, you should do the same!

And, in the meantime, to squelch your frustration, here are some pics of Ethan and his cousin Jake: