"Rewards," huh?
I'm starting to rethink my relationship with my Borders Rewards card. Why can't it be more like a Qdoba card, where I get a free burrito for every so many burritos I buy? Instead it's got this confusing "borders bucks" system which I can't seem to crack, but I'm sure that I still have not accumulated enough for, say, a free book. And I've bought a lot of god damn books from them.
Then, the other perk of this card is supposedly that they send me coupons. Well, they send me about three or four junk advertising e-mails a week, and then maybe a coupon or two. And the coupons are never very good deals. They'll be like "40% off of any of these great titles!" and I won't want any of those books, or "Buy four books, get fifth free!" Like I'm made of fucking book-money. My love of reading still does not outweigh my hatred of always being broke, sadly enough. So I'm going to stick with the library for now, Borders, until you get some sense.
Another thing about the coupons: they're only good for like 2-4 days, and they won't send me the coupon in my e-mail until the day they start, or the day AFTER they start. For example, the one I just got this morning? "Big Birthday Savings! Celebrating 38 years! Save 40% off any one book with this coupon and Borders Reward card (got Borders bucks? You could save an extra $5)! Oct 7-12." Except that it's Oct 8 when I received it. And I don't check my e-mail every day, so chances were good I wouldn't have seen it until Oct 10 or 11, which would mean I would have to print it out and go to the store immediately with the sole intent of using that coupon. Which has never happened in the history of my having this card.
The fact of the matter is, when I buy books, especially at Borders, I never plan to. I just drop by if I'm around the neighborhood, get a coffee, walk around, and sometimes something will catch my eye and I'll go, "Ooo!" And treat myself. Coupons don't fit in well with that regiment, unless I decided to print out every coupon they send me every week and keep it in my wallet just in case I end up at Borders at some point. (Psst: I won't.)
Then, the other perk of this card is supposedly that they send me coupons. Well, they send me about three or four junk advertising e-mails a week, and then maybe a coupon or two. And the coupons are never very good deals. They'll be like "40% off of any of these great titles!" and I won't want any of those books, or "Buy four books, get fifth free!" Like I'm made of fucking book-money. My love of reading still does not outweigh my hatred of always being broke, sadly enough. So I'm going to stick with the library for now, Borders, until you get some sense.
Another thing about the coupons: they're only good for like 2-4 days, and they won't send me the coupon in my e-mail until the day they start, or the day AFTER they start. For example, the one I just got this morning? "Big Birthday Savings! Celebrating 38 years! Save 40% off any one book with this coupon and Borders Reward card (got Borders bucks? You could save an extra $5)! Oct 7-12." Except that it's Oct 8 when I received it. And I don't check my e-mail every day, so chances were good I wouldn't have seen it until Oct 10 or 11, which would mean I would have to print it out and go to the store immediately with the sole intent of using that coupon. Which has never happened in the history of my having this card.
The fact of the matter is, when I buy books, especially at Borders, I never plan to. I just drop by if I'm around the neighborhood, get a coffee, walk around, and sometimes something will catch my eye and I'll go, "Ooo!" And treat myself. Coupons don't fit in well with that regiment, unless I decided to print out every coupon they send me every week and keep it in my wallet just in case I end up at Borders at some point. (Psst: I won't.)