"in store-only" coupons

[KellyHabersham]

Lately, it seems as though most of the coupons which Borders has been sending out via e-mail have been "in-store" only. And the problem with THAT is, I live in an area where most of the Borders stores were closed, and the few which remained open are NOT easy to get to - one is in the airport (not sure how easy that is for the general public to access), and the others are all on the other side of town....which would make for at least four hours just to get there and back by bus.

And while I can kind of understand where the company would want to encourage customers to come to physical locations and shop, how is that supposed to work if there aren't any stores in the area?

[Boozy]

I subscribe to several coupon services, and I get coupon offers every day from places where I don't plan to shop. Usually because they're too far away.

What's the big deal? Just don't use the coupon.

Borders is closing their stores because no one's shopping there. That's the point of the coupon. They probably have a separate marketing plan to increase online sales.

[IDrinkaRum]

Fortunately I live near a Borders bookstore. I pre-ordered Twilight's Dawn by Anne Bishop. It came out on March 1, 2011. I eventually had to e-mail their Customer Service and tell them after 2.5 months of waiting for the book to be shipped, I'm just going to go buy it at a physical store. They sent me a gift card for the amount I paid. It was frustrating. They had several copies of the book in their store near my house, but yet they couldn't ship it to me? I eventually bought the book at a Barnes & Noble.

If you know someone who does go to the store frequently, give them your coupon. That's the only thing I can think to do.

[KellyHabersham]

I subscribe to several coupon services, and I get coupon offers every day from places where I don't plan to shop. Usually because they're too far away.

What's the big deal? Just don't use the coupon.

Borders is closing their stores because no one's shopping there. That's the point of the coupon. They probably have a separate marketing plan to increase online sales.

Well, what I'm referring to are the coupons which are sent to people who have the "Borders Rewards" card, and while I've certainly not used every coupon that was ever sent out, I just find it odd that the company wasn't creating these "in-store only" promotions until after most of the stores closed.

[Boozy]

Good point.

I think that's a pretty good indication of why so many of their stores closed to begin with, then.

[blas87]

That makes me wonder how long the Borders here is going to stay afloat. It was a great place when I was in high school to go after I went shopping across the highway at the mall, to get one of those fancy iced coffees and to read a book or magazine.