The Crazy Lady or B&N stinks

You may not know it but I have quite the temper. It is rare that I get truly worked up over something, but when I do, I am liable to go ape-s**t crazy. And unfortunately, when I get that worked up, I will start firing questions at you where any answer you give makes you look like an idiot. Adam has seen this in action just once and said it was quite impressive.

Well, I got that worked up yesterday and today. Let me tell you what happened.

For five years, I have been reading a book series. It was a five book series, one book released a year. Book four left with a cliff-hanger, did the main character accidentally kill her biggest ally and the man she loved? I have been waiting over a year to find out. The book was released yesterday, January 18.

I had planned for this release. I pre-ordered the book on December 19th from Barnes and Noble using a gift card I had received for Christmas. I planned to read all day and Adam was on notice that dinner would be something I could throw together in 30 minutes. And the master stroke, I ordered an electronic version of the book for my Nook so I could download the book before the stores were even open and begin reading.

So, yesterday I got up at 5:23 am and opened my Nook. My book was not there. I checked on-line, I could not down load my book. At 7 a.m. (8 a.m. in New York), I called the customer service number. I get a representative who informs me my credit card was declined. I paid with a gift card I replied and the gift card has been debited. I have the receipt. Oh, says the rep. After a little more back and forth, the rep credits my gift card and then recharges the book. Then tells me my book should be available for down load in several hours. I am not happy, but ok.

So, at 2 p.m. (seven hours later), I call Barnes and Noble back. And you know what they tell me? My credit card has been declined. I paid with a gift card, twice, there is no way my credit card was declined because I didn't use a credit card. After arguing with the rep for a few minutes, I ask to speak to a manager. Forty-five minutes later (I am tenacious), I finally get to speak to a manager. His name is Mike. Mike tells me Barnes and Noble has a "known problem" with their computer system rejecting on-line purchases made with a gift card. You have had a known problem for a month with your computer system and you haven't developed a fix for it? He will get a system administrator to work on the problem, it will be their top priority, and he will call me back by 3 p.m. on Wednesday to make sure the problem has been resolved.

Well guess what? Three o'clock today rolls around and Mike hasn't called me back. I again call Barnes and Noble back, I refuse to speak to the customer service rep and ask to speak to Mike. They don't know who Mike is. Ok, then I need to speak to a manager. Jeff, the new manager tells me it will be 48 hours before I can download the book. I ordered the book a month ago! I need to speak to his manager. He transfers me to Anna, I wait on hold for almost an hour and a half before Anna gets on the line. Anna can do nothing for me. Ok, then I need to speak to her manager.

Poor, poor Anna. She tells me she is the highest supervisor at her facility. There is no manager above her. I inform Anna that someone hired her and that's the person I want to speak to. Silence greets me. Finally, she tells me she can't give me any numbers. So I asked to be transferred to the corporate office. She can't do that. Then give me a phone number for the corporate office. She can't do that. Finally, frustrated beyond belief, I end the call.

Unbeknownst to Anna, I did a little googling while on hold (what else was I going to do?) and found the phone number of for the Vice President of Public Affairs for Barnes and Noble, Ms. Mary Ellen Keating. I called Ms. Keating's office and got her voice mail (it was 5:45 in New York), the message included her cell phone number. I resisted the urge to call her cell (I know, I am the epitome of restraint), but instead left her a message asking her to call me.

So... do you think Ms. Keating will return my call tomorrow?