Barnes & Noble Semi-Annual 50% off Criterion Sale (2 Viewers)

[David Norman]

Despite the language change on the coupons so far the reports I;ve seen today from about 10 separate posters are that the 10/50 coupons are still scanning without a problem.

Still most of the single item 15/20% sound like are still not ringing up automatically though some stores and clerks still are manually entering the discount like always

 

[TonyD]

confirmed it works for now.

I used a 10/50 email code without a barcode.

Guy typed in the code and it worked.

 

[TomF]

Any idea if any more BNTROPICAL/BNSPARKLER type codes may be coming? Even the 20% off single item codes aren't working. But the titles I want are all back in stock now, so I don't want to be greedy. Thanks.

 

[David Norman]

I think the online part of this sale is dead even if another coupon does show up. I haven't seen any additional codes being readied though I strongly suspect another batch of the email style 15/20% codes in a couple weeks. There is a 20% off $75 of more online code starting 7/25, BUT it already has the NO MOVIES or DVD language (not even Criterion specific).
Now there still a possible workaround depending on how it works on the 25th -- most of these style codes have allowed items above the $75 (50/100/150) to qualify for the discount after you
meet the initial $$$ requirement with eligible items. That's have people were doing preorder with the 40% sale + 30% coupon last month and the Tropical and Sparkler coupon while they were active. If you have other books, music, LP that you need you might be able to do Criterion as an add-on.

What you do with the original $75 items I guess is up to you if you decide it's not something you really need.

 

[Adam_S]

The 10 50 coupon did not scan yesterday for me, I printed it Thursday, but the guy typed it in. Looking at my receipt after, he had typed in 10% rather than 10$, it was still better than 5 off 50, but I missed out on a few dollars, oh well.

 

[David Norman]

In the vein of any tiny bit of good news helps
1) A couple reports that the Snail Mail 20% codes that expire 7/29 seem to mostly working in store/

2) The only online code that seems to be working though it requires a least a tiny push. Cheapest item I can find to make it work is a $0.78 kids book. There are some cheaper items, but those all seem to be 3rd Party only
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jane-goodall-michelle-levine/1113142965?ean=9780760789650

5% Off Your Entire Purchase
BNINSURE05 June 20, 2016 at 12:01am to November 1, 2016 at 2:59am Eastern Time -- will work on Criterions online IF you have at least one eligible item of any value. No much, but it may cover most of the sales tax at least.

3) The ability to filter items seems to be fixed now, so price/alphbetized list/release date filters seem to be back after 2+ weeks being broken

 

[Steve...O]

EDIT: My mistake, never mind.

 

[David Norman]

The $10 off $50 coupon didn't scan at my store, but no complaints. $15.29 per disc is still a great deal.

So it sounds like they applied it manually though or was the 15.29 done with a 15% coupon? A couple folks sound like they've had some trouble today, but so far even they had clerks that just pushed it through.

If those are 19.99 Criterions then I've always been very happy to walk out of the store with that price.

 

[Steve...O]

So it sounds like they applied it manually though or was the 15.29 done with a 15% coupon? A couple folks sound like they've had some trouble today, but so far even they had clerks that just pushed it through.

If those are 19.99 Criterions then I've always been very happy to walk out of the store with that price.

Hi David - I owe you and the readers an apology. The cashier scanned the coupon and then told me it didn't apply to Criterions so made the mistake of assuming it wasn't credited to my total. It was. I bought 4 titles so each was discounted $2.50 to arrive at the $15.29 price. It wasn't until I went back and looked at my receipt and noticed the additional discount on top of my member discount that I noticed it.

 

[David Norman]

No apologies needed for me, but I was trying to figure out the 15.29 price without some sort of coupon. I was wondering if you were a member and has applied
15% coupons (which is how the usual 15.29 price comes up) and then tried to stack the $10 coupon. I'm glad you were able to get a group with the discount

 

[sleroi]

The fine print on the 10-50 coupon actually does state that Criterion collection dvds and blu rays are not eligible, which is new. I used the two 20% off regular mail coupons last week no problem. Those coupons only exclude lego and nook and state discount to be taken after all other applicable discounts.

 

[David Norman]

The fine print on the 10-50 coupon actually does state that Criterion collection dvds and blu rays are not eligible, which is new. I used the two 20% off regular mail coupons last week no problem. Those coupons only exclude lego and nook and state discount to be taken after all other applicable discounts.

The language changed Friday morning on both the 10/50 and the normal 15 and 20% email coupons to add the "Criterion DVD and Bluray" phrase, but it didn't seem to affect the way the coupons worked. It's very much like how some of the online coupons were undated after release to include the "Excludes Movies and TV" phrase. All this mucking with coupons after the fact is very new for B&N, I've never seen them update a coupon after it's release or quite frankly even after then put the template in place. Normally it's been pretty solid even when they
officially changed the say a coupon applied.

With the new language however it meant if the coupon failed it was much harder to get a manual application of the discount that was 50/50 on Thursday.
The mailer coupons by the reports I've seen today seem to be scanning fine, but if you go to the web link address on the Coupons the Criterions are on the exclusion list
there as well. That web link seems to be the same for all coupons though and not just specific for one of the other.

 

[sidburyjr]

I can't get any codes to work for non-members. I'm gonna wait until the 25th and try the BNJULY15 code to see if it works. If I can't find a good code, I'll just remember that if you buy $500 from Criterion then you get a $50 credit for a future purchase -- and the 500 counts for their half price sales and is cumulative over several sales.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

The $10-off-$50 coupons worked for me w/out any issue this evening as well (x3).

The salesperson, who's been working at least the last few years at the B&N video section I usually visit, even seemed happier than usual to ring up my purchases. He joked that I was a "professional" w/ the coupons (and my CC reward GCs) and BD sets all ready to go at the counter, LOL. And added that it was the "smoothest transaction" he's had of this sort...

Thanks, David.

_Man_

 

[David Norman]

Always happy to help. I'm now reading a couple reports that people are having the 15% email coupons scan without error and 1 or 2 people say that
the 8/40 worked later tonight. I had heard almost nothing but rejections up until 6pm ET on all codes except the Member USPS 20% coupons and the 10/50 version. In the last couple hrs either certain store POS computers are working differently or BN maybe tweaked them again after getting too many complaints from the stores (and customers).

I can't get any codes to work for non-members. I'm gonna wait until the 25th and try the BNJULY15 code to see if it works. If I can't find a good code, I'll just remember that if you buy $500 from Criterion then you get a $50 credit for a future purchase -- and the 500 counts for their half price sales and is cumulative over several sales.

Dick -- I'm assuming you're trying online orders. If so none of the codes have been working online since midday Wed when they were all shut down -- except today there is one 5% transaction coupon that can be made to work. The instore codes have been iffy except for the $10off $50 coupon which has been pretty steady -- though something may have changed with that now.

The BNJULY15 had it's T&C modified when most of the other coupons were shut down completely and like a couple of other recent codes specifically exclude Movies and TV (not just Criterions). If customers are complaining too loudly then maybe they can tweak it back again, but right now it looks like it will not work directly for Movies at all. If you have $75 of other items (Books, CD/ LP, etc) to order then if it functions the way the other recent codes have acted you might be able get the Criterion to discount at 20% once you meet the base level. What you do with the $75 items afterwards would be up to you if you decide you no longer want the,

 

[David Norman]

Back to square one. First half of the sale has ended, Almost all discount codes are either expired or inactivated now

No online codes are working with the one small exception of the 5% with minor effort.
The BNJULY15 next Monday will be probably the last chance to attempt online extra discounts though likely will not work directly for any movies.

No instore coupons are active unless you saved your Member Mailer 20% coupons which at least do seem to be active,
The Member Welcome coupons are active (8 off 40 single item or 5 off 50 total purchase), but may or may not be allowing Criterions
It sounds like the 8/40 may still be working for items above SRP of $40, but not the 39.99 titles like earlier, but with New World due to release 7/26 that may be OK.

I still suspect there will be another set of in-store coupons on 7/28 , but I have seen any hard evidence of that yet.

 

[Malcolm R]

No instore coupons are active unless you saved your Member Mailer 20% coupons which at least do seem to be active,

I'm not sure those are working, either, as I used one yesterday in-store to buy a book and it seems like she had to do some sort of special override, as scanning the coupon just resulted in a loud, angry BEEP.

 

[David Norman]

Possible, but over the weekend a fairly large number of folks used them without a problem. A couple folks even today said they had no problem.
The last email 20% over the weekend had more issues, but some said those worked fine for them so it is a bit uneven

 

[David Norman]

Via 2 other forum so rumor of a rumor though maybe makes a bit of sense to wait if you are planning another run at some point. Might as well be on the lookout for an easy extra savings

"Thread over on another forum says 20% "Double Discount Day" for member card on Saturday (July 23rd). Supposedly from reputable source (B&N employee)." Member discount is in-store only so no online advantage to this, but if you were planning a store trip anyway it may make a difference when to go.

Not an unreasonable thing though odd time of the year. A bit of a bone anyway. If this is the poster I'm thinking of he has been pretty on target in the past

The remaining member coupons on Monday and Tuesday are working less and less so it seems like the POS computers may be catching up to the new exclusions. The July 25th prelim coupon appears to be completely dead and pulled from their site completely even though it already excluded movie as a direct code


Online OOS items seem to be slowly decreasing -- peaking around 150-160 out of 410 BD yesterday now down to about 120 the last I checked so if you were saving titles keep an eye out.

 

[DavidJ]

Thanks for the continued information and updates, David. It's appreciated.