I received an email today for 50% off a single item. There isn't a Borders in my area, so the only time I really get to use these coupons in person are when I'm visiting friends in a market that has Borders. I often do use them when they reach around the 35-40% threshold, as that seems like a pretty nice cut. The promise of a 50% coupon made me look into the idea of using it online (something I've not done before).
I didn't have any book in mind, but searched a bit on your site and found something that looked good, a book "Standards of Brewing"
(http://www.borders.com/online/store/TitleDetail?type=0&catalogId=10001&simple=1&defaultSearchView=List&keyword=standards+of+brewing&LogData=[search%3A+26%2Cparse%3A+79]&searchData={productId%3Anull%2Csku%3Anull%2Ctype%3A0%2Csort%3Anull%2CcurrPage%3A1%2CresultsPerPage%3A25%2CsimpleSearch%3Atrue%2Cnavigation%3A0%2CmoreValue%3Anull%2CcoverView%3Afalse%2Curl%3Arpp%3D25%26view%3D2%26all_search%3Dstandards%2Bof%2Bbrewing%26type%3D0%26nav%3D0%26simple%3Dtrue%2Cterms%3A{all_search%3Dstandards+of+brewing}}&storeId=13551&sku=0937381799&ddkey=http:SearchResults)
The regular price that you sell it for is around $32, so I figured I'd check what Amazon has to say about it. They're selling it for around $27. Well, they're better, but you're giving me 50% off, though I did note it would be 50% off the retail price. That said, you even list the discount as a line item 'promotional' discount of $11.99 off the regular price, which is *actually* a discount of 37%, not 50%. So you've already lost me a bit there, as this is starting to feel like a shell game. I figured it would still be a better deal given that it should come out around $20 or so.
Anyway, I'm still on board, and enter some personal information to get a cart going. Shipping has popped up, and I'm looking at about another $4. I stop for the first time and start to weigh my options. I'm going to have to put in more information, put in credit cards, etc. I'm now looking at about $24 to about $27. Your shipping is 3-8 days, and Amazon gives me free two day (as I have Amazon Prime Student). Is this worth it to me to spend the time doing it? I don't need the book in two days, so I'm still saving. I honestly don't care if it gets here tomorrow or three weeks from now, as I'm a bit busy and likely won't get to it for a while. I debate internally, briefly. Yeah, just barely still worth it. I like supporting Borders. I continue.
Now I'm at the cart, and the total is coming in a little higher. Ah, tax. I can't fault you for this, and I really should be faulting Amazon. I'll eat this later on use tax, but in the moment it's tax and shipping vs neither. I justify tax when I use an in store coupon by taking into account that I get the book right away and don't pay (or evoke) shipping. With a shipping cost already built in the tax just feels like the last straw. I'm now sitting at $25 and some change (Borders) vs $27 and some change (Amazon). The gap is now insignificant, especially considering the work I've put in on your site and the fact that shipping will take longer vs a 30-second endeavor on Amazon that will get me the book by Friday.
The scale has tipped, I close the window. Sunk cost be damned, I'm done with that transaction and only take away a bit of knowledge that buying at Borders.com isn't worth it. By your math, Amazon is giving me very very close to a 50% off coupon every single day. A 60% off coupon I guess might get me there, but it seems like it would still be just barely better, and I don't really see 60% off coupons very often. Oh, and don't get me started that to get this coupon in the first place I had to 'like' you on facebook. The ultimate act of desperation and selling out is forcing people to use one of the worst parts of facebook to get something. My full intent was to like you for the coupon and then unlike you immediately (already done, actually).
In the end, I decided that I'd rather give Amazon an extra $2 than support the circus that I had to go through to save that $2. Like I said, I'm not complaining, because it does feel almost unfair in points. I just wanted to give you some actual thought process of a customer that was swayed away from you. Hopefully this will help you in the future.
Oh, and don't make the defense that I could sign up for the Borders Super Special Rewards or whatever to get an additional discount and free shipping. It's not free if it costs $20. If I had a Borders store in my town I might, but who knows. Granted, I have Amazon Prime, which seems unfair, but even if I didn't have Prime this book at $27 still would have fallen into Amazon's free 5-8 day shipping as it's past the $25 mark. And the fact that Amazon gives students free Prime is simply another good thing on their side.
Anyway - again - hope this helps.
Best,
Paul
No comments:
Post a Comment