Excerpt from: The View from Blunderstone
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| Most rewards programs from retailers like Borders frustrate me with their continuous deluge of 2 and 3 day offers that are rarely convenient. | I really dislike these new rewards programs that send emails on a regular basis, offering small discounts for the next few days. I treat many of them as spam but I tolerate a few when I feel there's a chance I might take advantage of one of their offers. With the select few I allow in my inbox, I probably take advantage of less than 1% that come in. The old programs were so much more customer friendly. It used to be that after you spent a certain amount, you'd receive some sort of reward that had a relatively long expiration date (months instead of days). You didn't have to rush out to the store to claim your benefit and you didn't receive multiple emails per week, bombarding you with 2-day offers. It was simple and convenient. The current system seems designed for shareholders, not customers. The underlying message is "get them in the store any way you can and hopefully they'll buy more than the current offer." At least, this is the message I hear every time I see their emails. I don't feel it's at all intended to make my life easier. It's simply pushing product with a frenzy whether you need it or not. As a result, I have no more allegiance to Borders or any other stores that use these methods. I used to shop at Borders quite a bit but now, I'd rather go to Amazon or visit an independent bookseller. I'm satisfied that their prices are fair, service is great and best of all, they don't stress me out with a continual barrage of time-expiring offers. | | |
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