And by the way, it is getting harder and harder to use this coupons. Borders recent prices are incredibly high. Everything is marked at MSRP. I'm only using this coupons every now and then on DVD released prior 2005 and out of print stuff. If the don't fix their pricing scheme , they may go the way of the dodo sooner than you think.
n.phelge
10-27-05, 09:32 AM
It was posted that some Borders have Cannibal Holocaust for a sale price of $24.99 . Given that most B&Ms aren't even stocking this title and it is out-of-stock at most online retailers, this might be a good title for use with the coupon, assuming it is allowed on the sale price.
Doug Schiller
10-27-05, 10:59 AM
I remember when Border's was THE place to go to pick up obscure Criterion titles. Not only did they have them all in stock, the prices were amazing.
Something changed about 2 years ago and I never buy DVDs there anymore.
DVDs they would sell for $27-29 went to $45.
The Bus
10-27-05, 11:56 AM
I remember when Border's was THE place to go to pick up obscure Criterion titles. Not only did they have them all in stock, the prices were amazing.
Something changed about 2 years ago and I never buy DVDs there anymore.
DVDs they would sell for $27-29 went to $45.
Not sure what Borders you went to. Their prices have always been high.
Pwman
10-27-05, 12:19 PM
Its their business model. Its called greed. All it takes is one uneducated consumer to buy an overpriced dvd to justify the high price. They figure its easir to make a big profit on one unit rather than a medium profit on a few. I won't buy there as a rule either.
John*D
10-27-05, 01:14 PM
Buying a DVD or CD from a bookstore is like buying a CD or DVD from ones of those chain stores in the mall. Prices are all SRP. I walk into a Borders and just laugh at the prices!
Doug Schiller
10-27-05, 02:19 PM
I have been to Borders from all over Massachusets and Florida (Clw, Orlando, Tampa) and they all had great prices on DVDs and stocked hard to find titles.
Like I said, something happened overnight and their prices changed.
I'm always careful to buy a title at the cheapest and would always walk out of there with 2 titles at a time, I haven't bought one there since.
They were also good at putting titles out before the street date.
Actually, my last purchase from there was the rare Little Shop of Horrors with alternate ending (stilled sealed to this day)
MovieExchange
10-27-05, 02:21 PM
Its their business model. Its called greed. All it takes is one uneducated consumer to buy an overpriced dvd to justify the high price. They figure its easir to make a big profit on one unit rather than a medium profit on a few. I won't buy there as a rule either.
Pretty much. They rely on consumer ignorance and their well-known name. People have heard of Border's, so they shop there. They don't know about online stores like Deep Discount. They don't know of small shops like mine that sell new and previously viewed DVD's.
Kissprooflipsti
10-27-05, 02:52 PM
I have been to Borders from all over Massachusets and Florida (Clw, Orlando, Tampa) and they all had great prices on DVDs and stocked hard to find titles.
Like I said, something happened overnight and their prices changed.
I'm always careful to buy a title at the cheapest and would always walk out of there with 2 titles at a time, I haven't bought one there since.
They were also good at putting titles out before the street date.
Actually, my last purchase from there was the rare Little Shop of Horrors with alternate ending (stilled sealed to this day)
I work at a Borders a couple of nights a week and I have since 2002. They used to discount all DVDs by about 10%. Upper tier Criterions (SRP $39.99) were $35.99 and lower tier ones (SRP $29.99) were $25.99. Likewise, a DVD from another company with a SRP of $14.99 would usually be $12.99 at Borders.
Borders isn't a discount store like Walmart; excepting promotions, their books are always sold at SRP, and so is their music. So the fact that they regularly discounted DVDs was pretty nice. I believe they did it to get an edge in what they perceived as a burgeoning market.
But that changed awhile back. Criterions at Borders now carry the regular $39.99/$29.99 prices, and I believe the same goes for the DVDs of other companies. I guess they changed their business model with respect to DVD.
The selection is still pretty good, though. They carry most everything, which, in my experience, you can't say of many B&M outlets.
That said, even with my discount, I don't commonly buy DVDs there, as they can be found much cheaper online. But that's true of most things.
Ambassador
10-27-05, 03:49 PM
But that changed awhile back. Criterions at Borders now carry the regular $39.99/$29.99 prices, and I believe the same goes for the DVDs of other companies. I guess they changed their business model with respect to DVD.
That seems to have changed within the past six months or so. The first SRP that I saw and was surprised at was Warner's The Sea Hawk, which I went to pick up with a 20%-off coupon. But at $19.95 rather than the older $14.95, it simply didn't make sense. Nowadays, the only DVDs I purchase with Borders coupons are those few pre-2005 Criterion, Warner, and Image titles I lack but are still listed at the lower price. (For instance, I recently picked up Image's 2004 release of the silent Bed and Sofa, which came to about $2 less than I could find it online -- and also gave me an excuse to leave the house on a wet Sunday afternoon.) Once I pick up everything I've been meaning to get, Borders is probably going to lose my business with those higher prices.
forumsmy
10-27-05, 11:03 PM
These coupons do help if you find something there that you would otherwise have to pay MRSP for --- OOP, etc. So I agree -- and I have found several things there that I could not elsewhere, including online (except for exhorbinant Amazon sellers prices, for even used versions!! ) That is the only way I buy there and when the coupon will make it cheaper (like on some CD's) than anywhere else, usually the 11.99 ones.
Manzana
10-28-05, 02:08 AM
The only reason I ever used Borders is because I had been given some gift cards. It has taken me a long time to use them up, and when I returned something a few months ago and got a new gift card they told me the new gift card was only good for 3 or 6 months instead of a long time like they used to be. I've actually never spent any money out of pocket at Borders in my life.
Since their coupons are always off regular price and most other retailers I use have discounts more than 20% off, there's no reason for me to go to Borders even when I have 20% or 25% off coupons. For most of this year I've been using Amazon (which takes Borders gift cards) and slowly bleeding the gift card down. I hope to empty my last gift card by Christmas, and I've begged people I know not to get me any more Borders gift cards because it's so hard to find good deals there. In my opinion, Borders has become the biggest joke of a DVD store, just like Rat Shack has always been a joke of an electronics store to me (except when they have items on huge clearance). Just my opinions.
mekeez
10-28-05, 12:30 PM
The only reason I ever used Borders is because I had been given some gift cards. It has taken me a long time to use them up, and when I returned something a few months ago and got a new gift card they told me the new gift card was only good for 3 or 6 months instead of a long time like they used to be. I've actually never spent any money out of pocket at Borders in my life.
If you live in California, it is against state law to have an expiration date on gift cards/certificates unless it is specified to be a promotion. For example, the amazon promo codes end in 6 characters, while the gift codes end in 4 characters and are the ones that you can call and get them extended indefinitely. You have to go past expiration though, for some reason, to get them extended. Done it many times.
redcon1
10-28-05, 01:12 PM
A quick question about Borders Giftcards. Can I purchase other gift cards with them? The reason I'm asking is the rules state you can only use one for each online purchase. If I have two $25 cards, can I buy one $50 and then apply that full amount towards an item that's the same cost? As opposed to only taking $25 off and then applying the other $25 card to another purchase.
Kissprooflipsti
10-28-05, 02:08 PM
A quick question about Borders Giftcards. Can I purchase other gift cards with them? The reason I'm asking is the rules state you can only use one for each online purchase. If I have two $25 cards, can I buy one $50 and then apply that full amount towards an item that's the same cost? As opposed to only taking $25 off and then applying the other $25 card to another purchase.
Yes, you can use two gift cards to buy one gift card. Or at least you can at the Borders I work at.
As far as I know, Borders' gift cards basically never expire. I think the expiration date on them is for the year 3000 or something. I haven't heard of it being changed.
ron
John*D
10-28-05, 03:02 PM
A good thing about BORDERS giftcards is that they can be used on www.borders.com which is run by AMAZON.com, thus meaning Amazon prices!
redcon1
10-28-05, 05:56 PM
That's what I was saying about only being able to use one giftcard per transaction though on borders.com. I'm going to have to take mine and exchange them at a B&M store, then use it on-line.
Manzana
10-29-05, 03:34 AM
I've been using my Borders gift cards at Amazon (via www.borders.com) for a while, as I said above, because Borders in-store prices are so bad. What happened recently is I was given a couple $25 gift cards and I wanted to order more than $25 and use both gift cards which of course Amazon/Borders won't let you do (as redcon1 noticed).
The local Borders store told me there was no way I could put the 2 gift cards together. So I said what if I buy $50 worth of stuff and then return it immediately? I was told that would work, so I did that and the gift card I got back says it expires in 6 months. I asked about that and the person said that was the policy, but had forgotten to mention that ahead of time. Of course I plan to use it all up before then, so it didn't matter. What was also uncool is that the little bit of tax I paid beyond the $50 they wouldn't give back to me as cash even though I paid cash.
Maybe you'll have better luck than I did, but it was a painful experience for me, especially with a manager walking by and sticking her nose in this transaction asking why I would buy something and immediately return it. I said "because that's the only way I can combine 2 gift cards". Duh. "Why do you want to combine gift cards?" "Because Borders through Amazon only allows 1 gift card per order." Duh. (I wanted to say the Duhs but I didn't.) I shouldn't have been surprised that the manager there didn't know anything about Amazon's limitations.
All of this pain because of the totally unnecessary 1 gift card per order limitation. I guess fixing that is too much work for their programmers.
bdhart
10-29-05, 03:50 AM
A quick question about Borders Giftcards. Can I purchase other gift cards with them?
I have done this many times with no problems at two different Borders. Just give them the new gift card and tell them how much you want it for and then give them your gifts cards for payment.
The largest gift cards I have been able to get have been $250. They told me that is the max their system will make a gift card for.
bhauge
10-29-05, 07:47 PM
I have done this many times with no problems at two different Borders. Just give them the new gift card and tell them how much you want it for and then give them your gifts cards for payment.
The largest gift cards I have been able to get have been $250. They told me that is the max their system will make a gift card for.
Unless it's changed recently, I was able to do a GC for $500 a few months ago (I was combining several smaller gift cards and some in-store credits).
ernestrp
10-29-05, 08:01 PM
I noticed in early 2005 that all new releases were priced at MSRP at my local Borders. Dont go there much anymore unless I need to make a pit stop in the restroom.
GizmoDVD
10-29-05, 08:08 PM
It was my Lucky day! I found 'The O.C. Season 2' for $69.99!
Cameron
11-16-05, 12:37 PM
anybody seen a new borders coupon floating around for november?
dx23
11-16-05, 05:09 PM
Only one, which is 15% off one item until 12/31/05:
The only reason I ever used Borders is because I had been given some gift cards.
Ditto. I always frown inside when given a Border's GC because I know the same dollar amount would go a lot farther at Wally, Target or even Best Buy. Not that I would ever turn my nose up at a gift.
Cameron
11-17-05, 12:00 AM
thanks for the coupons...
you guys do know that those gift cards work at amazon right....
Ambassador
11-17-05, 11:55 AM
I always frown inside when given a Border's GC because I know the same dollar amount would go a lot farther at Wally
But at least you should have the satisfaction that you're supporting a significantly less evil corporation than Wal-Mart! ;)
Qui Gon Jim
11-17-05, 12:49 PM
But at least you should have the satisfaction that you're supporting a significantly less evil corporation than Wal-Mart! ;)
The way I see it, there is very little difference between WalMart and Borders as far as being "evil corporations" except that my dollar goes a helluva lot farther at Wally. We aren't talking about supporting a mom and pop vs Walmart here.
I get a kick out of those who refuse to shop at WalMart but think Target and Best Buy are a-ok.
illennium
11-17-05, 01:20 PM
I get a kick out of those who refuse to shop at WalMart but think Target and Best Buy are a-ok.
Target and Best Buy may not be great either, but we're not arguing theoretical similarities or differences. You don't have to oppose big business in general to be troubled by Wal*Mart. There is a wealth of concrete factual information out there detailing Wal*Mart's corporate practices that distinguish it from the others you mentioned. To my knowledge, Borders does not engage in many of these practices.
Ambassador
11-17-05, 03:39 PM
Target and Best Buy may not be great either, but we're not arguing theoretical similarities or differences. You don't have to oppose big business in general to be troubled by Wal*Mart. There is a wealth of concrete factual information out there detailing Wal*Mart's corporate practices that distinguish it from the others you mentioned. To my knowledge, Borders does not engage in many of these practices.
Well, I was being a little facetious in my first post, but I think Illennium is exactly right. Even if there isn't a difference in kind between Wal*Mart and the others being mentioned, there is a huge difference in degree. For one thing, neither Border nor Best Buy attempt to pass themselves off as an embodiment of patriotism, as does Wal*Mart. Nor are they (or Target, for that matter) as ruthless in their business practices as Wal*Mart is. I mean, the way in which Wal*Mart attempts to appeal to core American values while systematically crushing them as far as their own employees are concerned isn't simply paradoxical; its obscene.
I also find that entering Wal*Mart is an incredibly creepy and stressful experience. So I've just stopped doing it.
Buy: