Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2011 21:25:02 -0500
From: "Mike B." <yahoo at omniphile.com>
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Borders: What Went Wrong
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>

On 2/17/2011 7:15 PM, Keith F. Lynch wrote:
> "Michael Walsh"<mjw at press.jhu.edu>
>> "Borders Rewards Plus program, a customer loyalty program that has
>> 42 million members, 12 million of which were enrolled in the last
>> two years;"
>
> That means 86% of Americans, including me, are not members.

You are assuming that all their members are Americans I think.  That may
or may not be true.

 > We mostly shop elsewhere.

I'm a member, and I mostly shop elsewhere too.  When I don't, It's nice
getting cheaper prices.

 > And I'm sure the percentage would be even higher
> except that their main competitor stupidly has a similar card program.

I don't think most people are worried by such programs.  All the grocery
stores seem to have them, and so does CVS, my local hardware store, Best
Buy, Office Depot, Staples, etc.  They are very common.

Not everyone is as worried about being tracked as you are, and those
that are, but who still want the coupons and price breaks, join as
someone else.  For example, I have a Giant card, but it's the one my
ex-wife signed up for when we were living somewhere else.  It still
works for me, but she gets credit for any sales, not me.  Just pick some
literary character, use the address of a vacant lot or office building,
and tell them you don't have a phone...then enjoy the savings!  They'll
know that *someone* has a certain buying pattern, that they can sell to
marketers or use for inventory selection, or whatever, but they won't
know it's you.  If they insist on a phone number, give them
one...perhaps a payphone (if you can find one), or Dial-A-Prayer.  If
they catch on, and cancel the card (highly unlikely), then just fill out
another application with different information.

> The Washington Post says all their stores in DC and in PG County are
> closing, and that so is their Tysons store.

I think they are picking stores that are either very expensive to run,
or that have the lowest sales volume or the worst sales trends.

-- Mike B.