Barnes and Noble Criterion 50% off sale

[SonicH04]

Went to the local B&N this evening with the $5 off $50 coupon and picked up these:

Godzilla
The 39 Steps
Traffic

That, coupled with the 10% off for members, netted each one at $16.39 each. Not bad, I'd say.
I'll stop in tomorrow for 3 more.

[MrAngles]

I was impressed that my order, placed on Tuesday, sent me shipping notification yesterday morning. Today, the shipping status finally updated, and it sounds like they just put the package together today. I'm not a fan of DHL's shipping.

Bad luck. I placed my order Tuesday morning and got the shipping notice later that day. Said it was shipping via "Smart Mail" with a ship date of 7/11.

[cupboy]

Arent' DHL and "Smart Mail" the same thing?

[MrAngles]

Google says that Smart Mail is branded shipping method of DHL. I'm guessing it's probably the cheapest, non-tracked method that they offer, something like media mail for USPS.

[cupboy]

Except that media mail is usually faster.

[Whirlygig]

Still, I'd rather just pick up the cardboard ones in the store, if it's something I just must have. Otherwise I pass over the cardboard stuff. Criterion needs to stick with the sturdy plastic cases, since they must know most stuff is sent through mail these days.

Well, my plan worked. My Lean set (which is, in fact, just like the Three Colors / BBS packaging) and the two "padding" items got shipped in a pretty big box (larger than necessary, actually) and arrived in perfect shape. w00t.

Also, mine used Smart Mail; got the notice on the 11th and it showed up today (14th). Trip was from KY to IA.

[Whirlygig]

Google says that Smart Mail is branded shipping method of DHL. I'm guessing it's probably the cheapest, non-tracked method that they offer, something like media mail for USPS.

From what I can tell by the order I just received that used Smart Mail, it is more like UPS Mail Innovations. It had a tracking number, and DHL tracked it up to when they handed it off to USPS closer to the destination. USPS took it from there (at which point it became untrackable).

The tracking page on DHL further qualified my shipment service as "SM Parcel Plus Expedited".

[csista]

Just a head's up for everyone. If you don't have a B&N that sells movies near you, and you don't want to wait for internet delivery, Best Buy is price matching. (Well, the Burbank, CA location is, at least.) Obviously won't have the inventory of B&N, but could have a decent collection. Plus, it goes towards reward zone points, which is nice. I was able to get Traffic, and Paris,TX without a problem.

[ethanwa]

Just picked up another 27 movies at my local B&N. That makes a total of 48 movies so far and over $1000 spent. YIKES!

[Jordashebasics]

My online order showed up this morning. But I kept an eye on the DHL shipping they listed, and it has only recently announced that it made it to my local post office. I suppose I've been spoiled by Amazon's excellent shipping notification.
Still, at least this means that it's only about 5 days from placing the order to arrival.

[Landy]

Yep, I used Ebates.com for the extra 2% cash back as well. Wouldn't mind seeing any new coupon codes during this sale. Keep in mind though, Ebates usually doesn't combine cash back when coupon codes are used per their policy. YMMV.

W00t! Ebates worked with that Visa 15% off one item coupon code. I just got confirmation of my rebate by e-mail.

If you aren't on Ebates yet, signing up will also get you an additional bonus that you can choose from. There's a variety of gift cards or $5 on Ebates. I just got a $10 B&N gift card pending in my account.

[gregmnyc]

Barnes & Noble is one of the stupidest companies around. I live in NYC, and am a five minute walk from their flagship store on Union Square.. Thier Criterion sale is the only thing they do that makes sense. For other DVDs or books, vis a vis their membership cards, you pay $25 for a membership card, but if you shop there enough, it will pay off. Here's what drives me berserk -- for example: there's a book I want that at full retail runs $150. An online order, the price is $100 (and you get free shipping, and in NYC, esp for books, you'lll often get the book hand delivered the same day so that saves the day over amazon, which is offering it the same or less, but you don't know how long it's going to take). If you take the time to trudge down to an actual bricks and mortar store, you pay FULL RETAIL minus a grand 10% (which scarely covers the tax in NYC) (and you've had to ride up three escalators and try to find the book, which the system shows in stock, but you can't find the book, so then you have to find a salesperson who can't f ind it, and they'll have to find someone else, who'll say "oh that book is in the locked cabinet" and then they have to find someone with the key, and on and on. So to go into a real store, the card holder really is penalized, timewise and moneywise. Why can't they follow Best Buy's example price-wise, a book is a book is a book. You do at least get some nice coupons in the mail about twice a year (take 20% off one item -- of course, only use that online because of the full retail punishment in the stores)

[gregmnyc]

PS. I just looked at their Pick Up In Store feature. Naturallly, that's a mess (e.g., for Three Colours, you pay $39.99 IN STORE, but the Pick Me Up feature shows it at $79.99. Just sheer incompetency.

[ZebraMajor]

B&N have never honored their online prices in store. They have a very high media markup for their retail spaces compared to the other big box stores so they do not even bother to compete. Their customers are trained to pay more for media. From the B&N point of view stocking media in store is costly so allowing an in store pickup sold at a discounted price may deprive a visiting customer from paying full price for the one unit they have in stock.

I tried to buy a soundtrack once online at a discounted price with in store pickup and of course they wouldn't honor the online price. I was ticked but that's just how they chose to enforce their business model. They will go the way of Borders eventually, for better or worse.

[saqibhasan101]

Greg. Dude. Relax.