A letter to Barnes and Noble
This was really the impetus of this website, so it is included here for posterity.
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Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2007 8:44 AM
To: Barnes & Noble Customer Service (Retail)
This morning, my 6 year old son woke up, grabbed his completed form for the Summer Reading program, and excitedly asked me to hurry and get ready to take him to the store get his free book.
When we arrived at the customer service desk, he proudly presented his form and I asked the lady if this is where we were to turn these in. Without so much as looking at it, she took the paper, shoved it under the counter and handed him a piece of paper, telling him it was a coupon and he was to get a book and take it to the front counter. The fact that she did not look at his completed reading list was only worsened by the fact that she did not speak to him or even muster a “good job.” My son thought he could pick a book from the “Magic Tree House” series, but once I read the back of the coupon, I found that there were specific books, that she did not explain or point out to us, or even direct us to their location.
As a membership holder and homeschooling mother of 4 who buys numerous books and educational materials at Barnes and Noble, I was extremely disappointed. The store was not busy, as it was during the middle of the day on a Wednesday. It seems that if a store of Barnes and Noble’s standing took the time to offer a Summer Reading program, they would take the time to inform the employees that the joy of reading pays their salaries, and that young people enjoy praise and encouragement, and not the feeling that they are wasting the employee’s time that must be more valuable than the child’s excitement or feelings.
I am not sure if I will be renewing my membership, and am taking my business to a local Austin bookstore where they employees actually appreciate and enjoy the customers. This was a horrible experience for my son – a boy who spent his summer enjoying filling in and sharing the success of his reading list so much that his four year old sister now tells us to write down HER favorite part of every book we read.
Disappointed Regards,
Round Rock, TX
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