Frank and Reid quoted in COINage article on eBay fakes

On Jul 10, 12:17*pm, oly wrote:
On Jul 10, 10:06*am, Macreau wrote:





On Jul 9, 6:36 am, oly wrote:

On Jul 9, 8:02 am, "Mr. Jaggers" lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com wrote:

oly wrote:
On Jul 8, 11:09 pm, Frank Provasek wrote:
Reid Goldsborough and I, along with Barry Stuppler and several other
collectors and dealers, were quoted in an excellent three-page
article on Ebay fakes on page 46 of the July 2009 issue of COINage.
In addition, I supplied six photos to COINage, including two used on
the cover, of unmarked fakes offered on eBay from Chinese sources.

I certainly hope this article will increase pressure on eBay to ban
sales from known counterfeiters, and stop placing penalties and bans
on people who are trying to warn others about fakes.

----
Frank Provasek Rare Coinshttp://www.frankcoins.comEbayFRANKCOINS
Member ANA, Texas Numismatic Assoc, Texas Coin Dealers Assoc,
PCGS, NGC, & ANACS authorized dealer, Texas Auctioneer Lic 11259

You know, between e-bay (for world coins and historical medals and
general books) and Amazon and Borders.com (both for books), the
internet makes my life quite a bit better. Not only do I seem to save
money, but more importantly, I learn about items that I didn't know
existed in the first place. Also, it seems to me that e-bay and
Amazon and borders.com do force the local coin dealers and the local
bookman to price more competitively. In the course of collecting
coins since the late 1960s, I've only bought two and one-half or three
fakes (all gold), and they were all purchased from local dealers, not
e-bay. Are the folks at e-bay haughty??? Maybe (and I really didn't
like their former CEO Meg Whitman). Is e-bay a great resource???
Yes.

The Internet and eBay *rule*!

Borders of course seems to be in a death spiral. This is too bad.

I've noticed that, too. I get countless, breathless emails from them
containing 25% off coupons that expire before I have time to make the long
trip from North Lugburz down to a population center that has a Borders. Not
that long ago, when I first heard of Borders, I sought one out and had to
park a full block away from it because of all the other clients in there at
the time.

James the Bookworm- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Their overwhelming problem is in the realm of finance, not in their
ability to find and vend good books. My vague understanding is that
the Borders' financial problem was MOL inevitable from the get-go it
seems; too much debt to service under any circumstances, let alone in
a recession. Financiers get paid to do the deal up front; if they had
to collect their winnings over the life of the deals, the deals would
get done differently.

We had a long-time Waldenbooks here in the Patch that became part of
Borders before said store closed. So to visit a Borders store, I must
happen to be in Peoria, Chambana, Fairview Heights or B-N (all in the
seventy to ninety mile range). The Borders store in Chambana is very
good, as befits a college town (the store is a long way from Campus,
however).

BUT note that those discount coupons are usually just as valid at
Borders.com - and if you spend fifty dollars (or more) and are rather
patient, you can usually get media mail or some private delivery
equivalent for free. My eldest niece recently gave me a Borders gift
card and I got a 4th Edition (new) Standard Catalog 1601-1700, with
DVD, for only $29 out of my own pocket, free delivery in five days.

It is hit or miss, but Borders' bargain tables are occasionally
fantastic.

oly- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

---------------------------------------------------------------------------**-------------------------------

You still wonder why Borders is going bankrupt.....OLY 2 explaind the
underlying reason. ....and that is the profit margin.....The Standard
catalog 1601-1700's retail price is $ 80.00.....Coin dealers pay $
48.00 * *and distributors get %55 off, that is *$ 36.00...Borders does
get these books at $ 36.00........Now what kind of discount do they
give that it cost 29.00 to Oly??? *Of course one has to know how much
was Oly's nieces gift card. Did she pay for it or *was it a discount
coupon....Where is the profit? 10%. 20%, 25%, 40% is understandable
but in the long run it will cause problems if they apply the same
discount schedule to all their books.

Althought these discounts help the ultimate consumer *it is a slow
death for mega chains. Little here...little there....the profit is
eaten up....As french say " les petit ruisseaux font des grand
rivieres" meaning
small brooks make big rivers ....In this case little misssed profits
would multiply in the long run....- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I had a 30% discount coupon, a $30 gift card and put $29.50 of my own
money in. *It was mailed at no extra charge via USPS at something
higher than the media mail rate. *So, if your base of $36 is correct
(I have no reason to doubt it), then Borders maybe made $15 to $20 on
my internet order. *Operationally, Borders is running great on all
cylinders.

That doesn't sound bad, but the problem would be doing the corporate
debt service. *If you have too much debt at too high an interest rate,
you can do everything perfect (and as far as I'm concerned, Borders
handled my order properly in all respects) and still be in deep doo-
doo. *It is a financial problem of great company having bad numbers...

oly- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Clarification - I think they dinged me a couple of bucks in there for
state sales tax - the numbers don't come out unless you out that in.
Of course, Borders doesn't get to keep the sales tax, except for a
small cut for collecting it. oly

oly wrote:
On Jul 10, 12:17 pm, oly wrote:
On Jul 10, 10:06 am, Macreau wrote:





On Jul 9, 6:36 am, oly wrote:

On Jul 9, 8:02 am, "Mr. Jaggers" lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com
wrote:

oly wrote:
On Jul 8, 11:09 pm, Frank Provasek wrote:
Reid Goldsborough and I, along with Barry Stuppler and several
other collectors and dealers, were quoted in an excellent
three-page article on Ebay fakes on page 46 of the July 2009
issue of COINage. In addition, I supplied six photos to
COINage, including two used on the cover, of unmarked fakes
offered on eBay from Chinese sources.

I certainly hope this article will increase pressure on eBay to
ban sales from known counterfeiters, and stop placing penalties
and bans on people who are trying to warn others about fakes.

----
Frank Provasek Rare Coinshttp://www.frankcoins.comEbayFRANKCOINS
Member ANA, Texas Numismatic Assoc, Texas Coin Dealers Assoc,
PCGS, NGC, & ANACS authorized dealer, Texas Auctioneer Lic 11259

You know, between e-bay (for world coins and historical medals
and general books) and Amazon and Borders.com (both for books),
the internet makes my life quite a bit better. Not only do I
seem to save money, but more importantly, I learn about items
that I didn't know existed in the first place. Also, it seems to
me that e-bay and Amazon and borders.com do force the local coin
dealers and the local bookman to price more competitively. In
the course of collecting coins since the late 1960s, I've only
bought two and one-half or three fakes (all gold), and they were
all purchased from local dealers, not e-bay. Are the folks at
e-bay haughty??? Maybe (and I really didn't like their former
CEO Meg Whitman). Is e-bay a great resource???
Yes.

The Internet and eBay *rule*!

Borders of course seems to be in a death spiral. This is too bad.

I've noticed that, too. I get countless, breathless emails from
them containing 25% off coupons that expire before I have time to
make the long trip from North Lugburz down to a population center
that has a Borders. Not that long ago, when I first heard of
Borders, I sought one out and had to park a full block away from
it because of all the other clients in there at the time.

James the Bookworm- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Their overwhelming problem is in the realm of finance, not in their
ability to find and vend good books. My vague understanding is that
the Borders' financial problem was MOL inevitable from the get-go
it seems; too much debt to service under any circumstances, let
alone in a recession. Financiers get paid to do the deal up front;
if they had to collect their winnings over the life of the deals,
the deals would get done differently.

We had a long-time Waldenbooks here in the Patch that became part
of Borders before said store closed. So to visit a Borders store,
I must happen to be in Peoria, Chambana, Fairview Heights or B-N
(all in the seventy to ninety mile range). The Borders store in
Chambana is very good, as befits a college town (the store is a
long way from Campus, however).

BUT note that those discount coupons are usually just as valid at
Borders.com - and if you spend fifty dollars (or more) and are
rather patient, you can usually get media mail or some private
delivery equivalent for free. My eldest niece recently gave me a
Borders gift card and I got a 4th Edition (new) Standard Catalog
1601-1700, with DVD, for only $29 out of my own pocket, free
delivery in five days.

It is hit or miss, but Borders' bargain tables are occasionally
fantastic.

oly- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

---------------------------------------------------------------------------**-------------------------------

You still wonder why Borders is going bankrupt.....OLY 2 explaind
the underlying reason. ....and that is the profit margin.....The
Standard catalog 1601-1700's retail price is $ 80.00.....Coin
dealers pay $
48.00 and distributors get %55 off, that is $ 36.00...Borders does
get these books at $ 36.00........Now what kind of discount do they
give that it cost 29.00 to Oly??? Of course one has to know how much
was Oly's nieces gift card. Did she pay for it or was it a discount
coupon....Where is the profit? 10%. 20%, 25%, 40% is understandable
but in the long run it will cause problems if they apply the same
discount schedule to all their books.

Althought these discounts help the ultimate consumer it is a slow
death for mega chains. Little here...little there....the profit is
eaten up....As french say " les petit ruisseaux font des grand
rivieres" meaning
small brooks make big rivers ....In this case little misssed profits
would multiply in the long run....- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I had a 30% discount coupon, a $30 gift card and put $29.50 of my own
money in. It was mailed at no extra charge via USPS at something
higher than the media mail rate. So, if your base of $36 is correct
(I have no reason to doubt it), then Borders maybe made $15 to $20 on
my internet order. Operationally, Borders is running great on all
cylinders.

That doesn't sound bad, but the problem would be doing the corporate
debt service. If you have too much debt at too high an interest rate,
you can do everything perfect (and as far as I'm concerned, Borders
handled my order properly in all respects) and still be in deep doo-
doo. It is a financial problem of great company having bad numbers...

oly- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Clarification - I think they dinged me a couple of bucks in there for
state sales tax - the numbers don't come out unless you out that in.
Of course, Borders doesn't get to keep the sales tax, except for a
small cut for collecting it. oly

I have a Barnes & Noble "reader's account", which costs me $25 a year, but
gives me a decent discount on everything and a great discount on some
things. Two questions: 1) How is B&N doing compared to Borders? and 2)
Are list prices of books plussed up to allow for all these discounts at
point of sale?

James

"oly" wrote in message
...

....
I had a 30% discount coupon, a $30 gift card and put $29.50 of my
own
money in. It was mailed at no extra charge via USPS at something
higher than the media mail rate. So, if your base of $36 is correct
(I have no reason to doubt it), then Borders maybe made $15 to $20 on
my internet order. Operationally, Borders is running great on all
cylinders.

That doesn't sound bad, but the problem would be doing the corporate
debt service. If you have too much debt at too high an interest rate,
you can do everything perfect (and as far as I'm concerned, Borders
handled my order properly in all respects) and still be in deep doo-
doo. It is a financial problem of great company having bad numbers...

Was the 30% coupon part of a deliberate, limited promotional strategy,
or are they handing them out like candy because they aren't meeting
volume expectations? I assume it's the former but woe to them if it's
the latter.

Auto manufacturers learned the pitfalls of creating unrealistic cost
expectations in buyers every time they held a distress sale. Ditto
for other retailers. Once you've created the default expectation that
"I should be able to get this any time at 20-30 percent off" then it's
almost impossible to get these customers to buy at "normal" pricing.
The subsequent drop in "normal" sales can more than offset any
temporary gain in volume and market share from the discounting spree.

I once had the same problem in reverse with my son. For awhile, I was
giving him a small "bonus" in his allowance because he was doing a few
things well above and beyond his expected responsibilities. When he
stopped and the bonuses stopped, he kicked up a fuss because I had
"cut" his allowance.

On Jul 10, 2:08*pm, "mazorj" wrote:
"oly" wrote in message

...

...
I had a 30% discount coupon, a $30 gift card and put $29.50 of my
own
money in. *It was mailed at no extra charge via USPS at something
higher than the media mail rate. *So, if your base of $36 is correct
(I have no reason to doubt it), then Borders maybe made $15 to $20 on
my internet order. *Operationally, Borders is running great on all
cylinders.

That doesn't sound bad, but the problem would be doing the corporate
debt service. *If you have too much debt at too high an interest rate,
you can do everything perfect (and as far as I'm concerned, Borders
handled my order properly in all respects) and still be in deep doo-
doo. *It is a financial problem of great company having bad numbers...

Was the 30% coupon part of a deliberate, limited promotional strategy,
or are they handing them out like candy because they aren't meeting
volume expectations? *I assume it's the former but woe to them if it's
the latter.

Auto manufacturers learned the pitfalls of creating unrealistic cost
expectations in buyers every time they held a distress sale. *Ditto
for other retailers. *Once you've created the default expectation that
"I should be able to get this any time at 20-30 percent off" then it's
almost impossible to get these customers to buy at "normal" pricing.
The subsequent drop in "normal" sales can more than offset any
temporary gain in volume and market share from the discounting spree.

I once had the same problem in reverse with my son. *For awhile, I was
giving him a small "bonus" in his allowance because he was doing a few
things well above and beyond his expected responsibilities. *When he
stopped and the bonuses stopped, he kicked up a fuss because I had
"cut" his allowance.

No, Borders has a 20%, 25% or 30% coupon out there at all times.
Sometimes its on one item, sometimes its on your entire purchase of
"list price" items.

It is a cash flow issue in that no matter what, they gotta have cash
today. Now. ASAP.

They won't make it, which is too bad, they are a great place to buy
books.

I'm not blowing off James' questions, I just don't know about B&N's
finances. Probably go to Google or CBS Marke****ch and find out. I
have come to hate the B&N discount card. It was O.K. at the original
$10, just a few small purchases amortized that; but ****, $25 is an
amount of money that can simply be used for something else (cervza).

oly

oly wrote:
On Jul 10, 2:08 pm, "mazorj" wrote:
"oly" wrote in message

...

...
I had a 30% discount coupon, a $30 gift card and put $29.50 of my
own
money in. It was mailed at no extra charge via USPS at something
higher than the media mail rate. So, if your base of $36 is correct
(I have no reason to doubt it), then Borders maybe made $15 to $20 on
my internet order. Operationally, Borders is running great on all
cylinders.

That doesn't sound bad, but the problem would be doing the
corporate debt service. If you have too much debt at too high an
interest rate, you can do everything perfect (and as far as I'm
concerned, Borders handled my order properly in all respects) and
still be in deep doo- doo. It is a financial problem of great
company having bad numbers...

Was the 30% coupon part of a deliberate, limited promotional
strategy, or are they handing them out like candy because they
aren't meeting volume expectations? I assume it's the former but woe
to them if it's the latter.

Auto manufacturers learned the pitfalls of creating unrealistic cost
expectations in buyers every time they held a distress sale. Ditto
for other retailers. Once you've created the default expectation that
"I should be able to get this any time at 20-30 percent off" then
it's almost impossible to get these customers to buy at "normal"
pricing. The subsequent drop in "normal" sales can more than offset
any temporary gain in volume and market share from the discounting
spree.

I once had the same problem in reverse with my son. For awhile, I was
giving him a small "bonus" in his allowance because he was doing a
few things well above and beyond his expected responsibilities. When
he stopped and the bonuses stopped, he kicked up a fuss because I had
"cut" his allowance.

No, Borders has a 20%, 25% or 30% coupon out there at all times.
Sometimes its on one item, sometimes its on your entire purchase of
"list price" items.

It is a cash flow issue in that no matter what, they gotta have cash
today. Now. ASAP.

They won't make it, which is too bad, they are a great place to buy
books.

I'm not blowing off James' questions, I just don't know about B&N's
finances. Probably go to Google or CBS Marke****ch and find out. I
have come to hate the B&N discount card. It was O.K. at the original
$10, just a few small purchases amortized that; but ****, $25 is an
amount of money that can simply be used for something else (cervza).

I figger that one has to make a maximum of $250 list price purchases to
amortize that membership card, and I certainly top that each year, so I'm
ahead. In fact, the extra savings are what keep me in Amaretto di Saronno,
my personal weakness.

James the Inebriated

On Jul 10, 2:32*pm, "Mr. Jaggers" lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com wrote:
oly wrote:
On Jul 10, 2:08 pm, "mazorj" wrote:
"oly" wrote in message

....

...
I had a 30% discount coupon, a $30 gift card and put $29.50 of my
own
money in. It was mailed at no extra charge via USPS at something
higher than the media mail rate. So, if your base of $36 is correct
(I have no reason to doubt it), then Borders maybe made $15 to $20 on
my internet order. Operationally, Borders is running great on all
cylinders.

That doesn't sound bad, but the problem would be doing the
corporate debt service. If you have too much debt at too high an
interest rate, you can do everything perfect (and as far as I'm
concerned, Borders handled my order properly in all respects) and
still be in deep doo- doo. It is a financial problem of great
company having bad numbers...

Was the 30% coupon part of a deliberate, limited promotional
strategy, or are they handing them out like candy because they
aren't meeting volume expectations? I assume it's the former but woe
to them if it's the latter.

Auto manufacturers learned the pitfalls of creating unrealistic cost
expectations in buyers every time they held a distress sale. Ditto
for other retailers. Once you've created the default expectation that
"I should be able to get this any time at 20-30 percent off" then
it's almost impossible to get these customers to buy at "normal"
pricing. The subsequent drop in "normal" sales can more than offset
any temporary gain in volume and market share from the discounting
spree.

I once had the same problem in reverse with my son. For awhile, I was
giving him a small "bonus" in his allowance because he was doing a
few things well above and beyond his expected responsibilities. When
he stopped and the bonuses stopped, he kicked up a fuss because I had
"cut" his allowance.

No, Borders has a 20%, 25% or 30% coupon out there at all times.
Sometimes its on one item, sometimes its on your entire purchase of
"list price" items.

It is a cash flow issue in that no matter what, they gotta have cash
today. *Now. *ASAP.

They won't make it, which is too bad, they are a great place to buy
books.

I'm not blowing off James' questions, I just don't know about B&N's
finances. *Probably go to Google or CBS Marke****ch and find out. *I
have come to hate the B&N discount card. *It was O.K. at the original
$10, just a few small purchases amortized that; but ****, $25 is an
amount of money that can simply be used for something else (cervza).

I figger that one has to make a maximum of $250 list price purchases to
amortize that membership card, and I certainly top that each year, so I'm
ahead. *In fact, the extra savings are what keep me in Amaretto di Saronno,
my personal weakness.

James the Inebriated- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Mon viex, you have independently reached the required $ level that I
also have in mind. Of course, I spend more than that at B&N annually
(I am also pleased that the daughter is becoming an absolutely
voracious recreational reader - of high school cheerleader murder
mysteries - so we spend even more there now). But my purchases are in
$10, $20, $30, $40 amounts per visit, and at any one time, that $25
seems like a lot to pay B&N for the right to a discount. The B&N
reader discount program card is another one of those things that I
have really mixed feelings about.

oly

oly wrote:
On Jul 10, 2:32 pm, "Mr. Jaggers" lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com wrote:
oly wrote:
On Jul 10, 2:08 pm, "mazorj" wrote:
"oly" wrote in message

...

...
I had a 30% discount coupon, a $30 gift card and put $29.50 of my
own
money in. It was mailed at no extra charge via USPS at something
higher than the media mail rate. So, if your base of $36 is correct
(I have no reason to doubt it), then Borders maybe made $15 to $20
on my internet order. Operationally, Borders is running great on
all cylinders.

That doesn't sound bad, but the problem would be doing the
corporate debt service. If you have too much debt at too high an
interest rate, you can do everything perfect (and as far as I'm
concerned, Borders handled my order properly in all respects) and
still be in deep doo- doo. It is a financial problem of great
company having bad numbers...

Was the 30% coupon part of a deliberate, limited promotional
strategy, or are they handing them out like candy because they
aren't meeting volume expectations? I assume it's the former but
woe to them if it's the latter.

Auto manufacturers learned the pitfalls of creating unrealistic
cost expectations in buyers every time they held a distress sale.
Ditto for other retailers. Once you've created the default
expectation that "I should be able to get this any time at 20-30
percent off" then it's almost impossible to get these customers to
buy at "normal" pricing. The subsequent drop in "normal" sales can
more than offset any temporary gain in volume and market share
from the discounting spree.

I once had the same problem in reverse with my son. For awhile, I
was giving him a small "bonus" in his allowance because he was
doing a few things well above and beyond his expected
responsibilities. When he stopped and the bonuses stopped, he
kicked up a fuss because I had "cut" his allowance.

No, Borders has a 20%, 25% or 30% coupon out there at all times.
Sometimes its on one item, sometimes its on your entire purchase of
"list price" items.

It is a cash flow issue in that no matter what, they gotta have cash
today. Now. ASAP.

They won't make it, which is too bad, they are a great place to buy
books.

I'm not blowing off James' questions, I just don't know about B&N's
finances. Probably go to Google or CBS Marke****ch and find out. I
have come to hate the B&N discount card. It was O.K. at the original
$10, just a few small purchases amortized that; but ****, $25 is an
amount of money that can simply be used for something else (cervza).

I figger that one has to make a maximum of $250 list price purchases
to amortize that membership card, and I certainly top that each
year, so I'm ahead. In fact, the extra savings are what keep me in
Amaretto di Saronno, my personal weakness.

James the Inebriated- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Mon viex, you have independently reached the required $ level that I
also have in mind. Of course, I spend more than that at B&N annually
(I am also pleased that the daughter is becoming an absolutely
voracious recreational reader - of high school cheerleader murder
mysteries - so we spend even more there now). But my purchases are in
$10, $20, $30, $40 amounts per visit, and at any one time, that $25
seems like a lot to pay B&N for the right to a discount. The B&N
reader discount program card is another one of those things that I
have really mixed feelings about.

Since when are you one to pass up a chance to save money?

James the Pennypincher

Mr. Jaggers wrote:
oly wrote:
On Jul 10, 2:32 pm, "Mr. Jaggers" lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com
wrote:
oly wrote:
On Jul 10, 2:08 pm, "mazorj" wrote:
"oly" wrote in message

...

...
I had a 30% discount coupon, a $30 gift card and put $29.50 of
my own
money in. It was mailed at no extra charge via USPS at something
higher than the media mail rate. So, if your base of $36 is
correct (I have no reason to doubt it), then Borders maybe made
$15 to $20 on my internet order. Operationally, Borders is
running great on all cylinders.

That doesn't sound bad, but the problem would be doing the
corporate debt service. If you have too much debt at too high an
interest rate, you can do everything perfect (and as far as I'm
concerned, Borders handled my order properly in all respects) and
still be in deep doo- doo. It is a financial problem of great
company having bad numbers...

Was the 30% coupon part of a deliberate, limited promotional
strategy, or are they handing them out like candy because they
aren't meeting volume expectations? I assume it's the former but
woe to them if it's the latter.

Auto manufacturers learned the pitfalls of creating unrealistic
cost expectations in buyers every time they held a distress sale.
Ditto for other retailers. Once you've created the default
expectation that "I should be able to get this any time at 20-30
percent off" then it's almost impossible to get these customers to
buy at "normal" pricing. The subsequent drop in "normal" sales can
more than offset any temporary gain in volume and market share
from the discounting spree.

I once had the same problem in reverse with my son. For awhile, I
was giving him a small "bonus" in his allowance because he was
doing a few things well above and beyond his expected
responsibilities. When he stopped and the bonuses stopped, he
kicked up a fuss because I had "cut" his allowance.

No, Borders has a 20%, 25% or 30% coupon out there at all times.
Sometimes its on one item, sometimes its on your entire purchase of
"list price" items.

It is a cash flow issue in that no matter what, they gotta have
cash today. Now. ASAP.

They won't make it, which is too bad, they are a great place to buy
books.

I'm not blowing off James' questions, I just don't know about B&N's
finances. Probably go to Google or CBS Marke****ch and find out. I
have come to hate the B&N discount card. It was O.K. at the
original $10, just a few small purchases amortized that; but ****,
$25 is an amount of money that can simply be used for something
else (cervza).

I figger that one has to make a maximum of $250 list price purchases
to amortize that membership card, and I certainly top that each
year, so I'm ahead. In fact, the extra savings are what keep me in
Amaretto di Saronno, my personal weakness.

James the Inebriated- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Mon viex, you have independently reached the required $ level that I
also have in mind. Of course, I spend more than that at B&N annually
(I am also pleased that the daughter is becoming an absolutely
voracious recreational reader - of high school cheerleader murder
mysteries - so we spend even more there now). But my purchases are
in $10, $20, $30, $40 amounts per visit, and at any one time, that
$25 seems like a lot to pay B&N for the right to a discount. The B&N
reader discount program card is another one of those things that I
have really mixed feelings about.

Since when are you one to pass up a chance to save money?

James the Pennypincher

I should have said that in French: Jacques le Grippe-Sou

On Jul 10, 3:40*pm, "Mr. Jaggers" lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com wrote:
oly wrote:
On Jul 10, 2:32 pm, "Mr. Jaggers" lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com wrote:
oly wrote:
On Jul 10, 2:08 pm, "mazorj" wrote:
"oly" wrote in message

...

...
I had a 30% discount coupon, a $30 gift card and put $29.50 of my
own
money in. It was mailed at no extra charge via USPS at something
higher than the media mail rate. So, if your base of $36 is correct
(I have no reason to doubt it), then Borders maybe made $15 to $20
on my internet order. Operationally, Borders is running great on
all cylinders.

That doesn't sound bad, but the problem would be doing the
corporate debt service. If you have too much debt at too high an
interest rate, you can do everything perfect (and as far as I'm
concerned, Borders handled my order properly in all respects) and
still be in deep doo- doo. It is a financial problem of great
company having bad numbers...

Was the 30% coupon part of a deliberate, limited promotional
strategy, or are they handing them out like candy because they
aren't meeting volume expectations? I assume it's the former but
woe to them if it's the latter.

Auto manufacturers learned the pitfalls of creating unrealistic
cost expectations in buyers every time they held a distress sale.
Ditto for other retailers. Once you've created the default
expectation that "I should be able to get this any time at 20-30
percent off" then it's almost impossible to get these customers to
buy at "normal" pricing. The subsequent drop in "normal" sales can
more than offset any temporary gain in volume and market share
from the discounting spree.

I once had the same problem in reverse with my son. For awhile, I
was giving him a small "bonus" in his allowance because he was
doing a few things well above and beyond his expected
responsibilities. When he stopped and the bonuses stopped, he
kicked up a fuss because I had "cut" his allowance.

No, Borders has a 20%, 25% or 30% coupon out there at all times.
Sometimes its on one item, sometimes its on your entire purchase of
"list price" items.

It is a cash flow issue in that no matter what, they gotta have cash
today. Now. ASAP.

They won't make it, which is too bad, they are a great place to buy
books.

I'm not blowing off James' questions, I just don't know about B&N's
finances. Probably go to Google or CBS Marke****ch and find out. I
have come to hate the B&N discount card. It was O.K. at the original
$10, just a few small purchases amortized that; but ****, $25 is an
amount of money that can simply be used for something else (cervza).

I figger that one has to make a maximum of $250 list price purchases
to amortize that membership card, and I certainly top that each
year, so I'm ahead. In fact, the extra savings are what keep me in
Amaretto di Saronno, my personal weakness.

James the Inebriated- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Mon viex, you have independently reached the required $ level that I
also have in mind. *Of course, I spend more than that at B&N annually
(I am also pleased that the daughter is becoming an absolutely
voracious recreational reader - of high school cheerleader murder
mysteries - so we spend even more there now). *But my purchases are in
$10, $20, $30, $40 amounts per visit, and at any one time, that $25
seems like a lot to pay B&N for the right to a discount. *The B&N
reader discount program card is another one of those things that I
have really mixed feelings about.

Since when are you one to pass up a chance to save money?

James the Pennypincher- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

But it just doesn't seem like I'm saving money when I am buying
nineteen dollars worth of bargain table books & the bookstore employee
sez "Hey, you want to get a $2.00 discount??? It will only cost you
$25!!!" It is a psychological thingie, and as everybody knows, I'm
psycho.

I keep thinking I'll re-up at B&N when I'm buying a $145 boxed set of
something or another. And then when I finally do make that purchase,
I buy it on the internet from Borders.com (or Amazon) instead, because
they are offering a 30% discount. B&N has simply got their card
priced too high.

oly

On Jul 9, 8:50*am, oly wrote:
On Jul 9, 8:41*am, "PC" wrote:

*oly wrote:
e-bay. *Are the folks at e-bay haughty??? *Maybe (and I really didn't
like their former CEO Meg Whitman). *Is e-bay a great resource???

Of course not. *Along with "half-breeds" and "queer lefist elites" you also
have to worry about women in power.

Poor Oly and his racist, sexist viewpoints.

Yep, and I'm kind of hoping Meg Whitman stays in the race for Governor
of California and wins. *She deserves the headache.

We got lucky here in Illinois yesterday - the rather young woman who
will eventually be our first woman governor put it off for at least
four more years. *By not running now, she almost ensures that a
Republican will be elected in 2010 - thank gawd.

oly

Oly, I'm glad that the "rather young woman who will eventually be our
first woman governor" is staying put in her position. As a "card-
carrying Republican", I did not vote for her in her current office in
the many times that she ran, nor did vote for "RamRod" Blagojevich in
the two times that he ran. I do not trust Chicago Democrats (which
all of the highest Illinois state constitutional officers are) and
also, I do not trust Cook or Dupage County Republicans as they do not
understand what people in downstate Illinois (like you and me) need.
Chicago and its suburbs is nothing less than one big fishbowl, and
people from there have no clue what its like to live in "Springpatch"
or Chambana (Champaign-Urbana) or even Chartoon (Charleston-Mattoon).
If I upset any Illinois liberal Chicago Democrats, get over it.