Barnes and Ignoble

OK, here's a vendor that DOESN'T deserve one discretionary dollar, this time of year or ever.

Barnes and Noble. GOD they constantly disappoint. They closed down the convenient 22nd-and-6th location down the street from my apartment last year. So I went online to do some Xmas shopping for family members in Connecticut (HATE schlepping packages on the train). I selected items that were "available for immediate delivery" in their warehouse and ordered on the 16th, to ensure delivery well in advance of the 24th. Bought a bunch of gifts for my little sister, INDIVIDUALLY wrapped and shipped (made the mistake last year of bundling my B&N order...delayed processing on ONE item held up the whole lot).

So on the 18th, my inbox starts filling up with these INFURIATING emails from B&N...apparently some of the items I ordered were NOT readily accessible; there'd be a one-to-five-day hold-up on SHIPPING (not delivery...that's another 3-8 BUSINESS days). What a HUGE, inexcusable disconnect between fulfillment and B&N's etail interface. To pour salt in the wound, they gave me the option of CANCELING my order! Um, a little late for that, ass clowns. Called customer "service" to clarify and expedite...sassy and inept.

NEVER again.
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