Kobo Gift Card Deal - Page 2

NightBird · 03-05-2011, 04:12 PM

My post for the original deal is from the email that I got.

The offer now is for a 30% off coupon for a future deal. So if you buy $55.00 worth of books from the list, before March 23 you will get a coupon for 30% off a book from the list (minus any agency books). It's not really clear but it sounds to me like it is only good for 1 book. What I pasted on this offer was from their website, but after I posted this I also got an email and it says exactly the same thing.

The other thing I wonder about it is if they are going to make us buy off a list, why still have agency books on it? Why not just have a list with no agency books?

I don't know how someone could object to a gift card, either, but they definitely thought better of this offer for some reason.

Fbone · 03-05-2011, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catlady

But you aren't restricted to non-Agency books with a gift card--you can apply it to any book.

It appears from Nightbird's post that we are restricted to a list even for the egift card.

Quote:

Use your Kobo eGift card on any eBook from this list!

Quote:

Discount code is valid for one time use of any eBook from this list excluding those from the following publishers: ...

Fbone · 03-05-2011, 04:46 PM

Can you purchase Agency ebooks using "Border Bucks?" Kobo's original promo was similar although they were more generous.

Fbone · 03-05-2011, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NightBird

The other thing I wonder about it is if they are going to make us buy off a list, why still have agency books on it? Why not just have a list with no agency books?

I don't know how someone could object to a gift card, either, but they definitely thought better of this offer for some reason.

I wonder if Kobo was losing too much money from the original promo.

15% off a $9.99 ebook is only a $1.50 and still some left over as profit if 70/30 split ... less than the original $3.00

NightBird · 03-05-2011, 08:25 PM

I think the statement about the egift card was just an error not corrected when they changed the original terms, because everything else refers to it as a coupon. I suppose, though, even the original terms could have not allowed the egift card to be applied to agency books, since they were giving us the card it could be considered a rebate. They may have changed the terms just to make this more straightforward.

Quote:

Can you purchase Agency ebooks using "Border Bucks?"

Per the Borders website - no.

I looked at a Penguin book and it said this:

Quote:

The publisher does not allow this eBook to be discounted below list price in any way.

For this reason, this eBook is not eligible for any pre-order, bestseller, promotional, coupon, or other discount. It is also not eligible for the accrual or redemption of Borders Bucks through Borders Rewards

Fbone · 03-05-2011, 08:53 PM

Then Kobo's egift card wouldn't have worked on Agency books either since it's the same situation. Why would publishers allow it on Kobo but not Border's when they use the same ebook retail system.

My guess is Kobo couldn't program the egift card redemption to only allow use on certain books. Whereas coupons have always been so.

NightBird · 03-05-2011, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Then Kobo's egift card wouldn't have worked on Agency books either since it's the same situation.

That's what I meant.

Quote:

I suppose, though, even the original terms could have not allowed the egift card to be applied to agency books, since they were giving us the card it could be considered a rebate.

Catlady · 03-05-2011, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fbone

Then Kobo's egift card wouldn't have worked on Agency books either since it's the same situation. Why would publishers allow it on Kobo but not Border's when they use the same ebook retail system.

My guess is Kobo couldn't program the egift card redemption to only allow use on certain books. Whereas coupons have always been so.

I am still not seeing how publishers can tell a bookstore that it can't give away a gift card, or that a gift card it issues cannot be used for certain purchases. It's completely differerent from a coupon.

I don't know how Borders Bucks works, exactly, but it's not a gift card, or they'd call it a gift card.

I have a promotional gift card from BN, for example, that I got free directly from BN. I can apply it to anything I buy from BN, Agency or not, just the same as a purchased gift card.

Fbone · 03-06-2011, 03:52 AM

Kobo was offering an egift card as a reward or rebate. Border Bucks works the same way. As Nightbird helpfully pointed out Agency books can't be purchased with them.

One of two things happened. Kobo couldn't program the egift card to work with the publisher's conditions on select ebooks or the Agency 6 disallowed it as it does the Border's Bucks promotion.

Yes, it is difficult to understand. It's one of the reasons people dislike the Agency system. The Agency publishers are the retailers and have complete control of the ebook purchase and currently the don't allow discounts or rebates of any kind.

Your B&N gift card wasn't due to any merchandise purchase you made, I believe.

CraftyDan · 03-06-2011, 09:08 AM

Keep in mind:

Kobo gift cards != Borders reward bucks

The gift cards are in the classical sense -- they're pre-purchased, transferable store credit. They can be used for anything (except more gift cards) at face value. They would be nearly worthless as GIFTS if you couldn't use them on any product.

The reward bucks are a promotion. It's a store discount with a balance value.

@Catlady

In short, as a sole source supplier, a company would have control in contract negotiations proportional to their demand, and the agency 5+1 hold most of the in-demand books. Not all distributors fell in line with Random house's new contract and their distribution licenses expired.

But over-control in a negotiation isn't without consequences -- Adding a 6th publisher to the lockdown has kicked off movement in the EU's Anti-trust regulators. They're not looking to see if the contracts are valid, they're checking to see if the free market has been locked down by one or a few big players (the 6 largest publishers).

If they can prove collusion, there will be hefty fines to pass around and regulation of the industry. Unfortunately government regulation is regional and seldom do the consumers win.

NightBird · 03-06-2011, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Your B&N gift card wasn't due to any merchandise purchase you made, I believe.

That's what I think is the difference, too.

BTW, another oddity of Kobo's system is you CAN actually buy a gift card with a gift card. In other words, if you have $3.00 left in your store credit from a gift card and you buy another gift card for $50.00, you will only be charged $47.00 and you will then have $50.00 in your account.

CraftyDan · 03-06-2011, 05:52 PM

@nightbird,

that's genuinely bizarre. I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

Fbone · 03-06-2011, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CraftyDan

Keep in mind:

Kobo gift cards != Borders reward bucks

The gift cards are in the classical sense -- they're pre-purchased, transferable store credit. They can be used for anything (except more gift cards) at face value. They would be nearly worthless as GIFTS if you couldn't use them on any product.

The reward bucks are a promotion. It's a store discount with a balance value.

They were nearly worthless since they couldn't be used on Agency books.

Maybe Border's complained about it. Since they exclude their "Bucks" reward system.

The normal gift cards everywhere are you pay retailer $25.00 to receive a $25.00 gift card to be used for any purchase.

CraftyDan · 03-06-2011, 09:52 PM

FBone,

You can use Kobo gift cards on Agency books.

Kobo gift cards != Borders reward bucks.

issybird · 03-07-2011, 06:46 AM

The B&N free gift cards came with the purchase of a gift card.

It's possible to get a discount of nearly 8% on agency books at B&N if you use Mr. Rebates or a similar portal. Buy a gift card through Mr. Rebates and get a 4% discount, then use the gift card for purchases, also going through Mr. Rebates.

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03-05-2011, 04:12 PM	#16
NightBird Wizard Posts: 2,364 Karma: 3724797 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: California Device: KPW, KF, KF HD, iPod Touch	My post for the original deal is from the email that I got. The offer now is for a 30% off coupon for a future deal. So if you buy $55.00 worth of books from the list, before March 23 you will get a coupon for 30% off a book from the list (minus any agency books). It's not really clear but it sounds to me like it is only good for 1 book. What I pasted on this offer was from their website, but after I posted this I also got an email and it says exactly the same thing. The other thing I wonder about it is if they are going to make us buy off a list, why still have agency books on it? Why not just have a list with no agency books? I don't know how someone could object to a gift card, either, but they definitely thought better of this offer for some reason.

03-05-2011, 04:46 PM	#18
Fbone Is that a sandwich? Posts: 8,189 Karma: 100500000 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Nook Glowlight Plus	Can you purchase Agency ebooks using "Border Bucks?" Kobo's original promo was similar although they were more generous.

03-05-2011, 08:53 PM	#21
Fbone Is that a sandwich? Posts: 8,189 Karma: 100500000 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Nook Glowlight Plus	Then Kobo's egift card wouldn't have worked on Agency books either since it's the same situation. Why would publishers allow it on Kobo but not Border's when they use the same ebook retail system. My guess is Kobo couldn't program the egift card redemption to only allow use on certain books. Whereas coupons have always been so.

03-06-2011, 03:52 AM	#24
Fbone Is that a sandwich? Posts: 8,189 Karma: 100500000 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Nook Glowlight Plus	Kobo was offering an egift card as a reward or rebate. Border Bucks works the same way. As Nightbird helpfully pointed out Agency books can't be purchased with them. One of two things happened. Kobo couldn't program the egift card to work with the publisher's conditions on select ebooks or the Agency 6 disallowed it as it does the Border's Bucks promotion. Yes, it is difficult to understand. It's one of the reasons people dislike the Agency system. The Agency publishers are the retailers and have complete control of the ebook purchase and currently the don't allow discounts or rebates of any kind. Your B&N gift card wasn't due to any merchandise purchase you made, I believe.

03-06-2011, 09:08 AM	#25
CraftyDan Zealot Posts: 126 Karma: 7724 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Middle Ga Device: PRS-600 and PRS-350	Keep in mind: Kobo gift cards != Borders reward bucks The gift cards are in the classical sense -- they're pre-purchased, transferable store credit. They can be used for anything (except more gift cards) at face value. They would be nearly worthless as GIFTS if you couldn't use them on any product. The reward bucks are a promotion. It's a store discount with a balance value. @Catlady In short, as a sole source supplier, a company would have control in contract negotiations proportional to their demand, and the agency 5+1 hold most of the in-demand books. Not all distributors fell in line with Random house's new contract and their distribution licenses expired. But over-control in a negotiation isn't without consequences -- Adding a 6th publisher to the lockdown has kicked off movement in the EU's Anti-trust regulators. They're not looking to see if the contracts are valid, they're checking to see if the free market has been locked down by one or a few big players (the 6 largest publishers). If they can prove collusion, there will be hefty fines to pass around and regulation of the industry. Unfortunately government regulation is regional and seldom do the consumers win.

03-06-2011, 05:52 PM	#27
CraftyDan Zealot Posts: 126 Karma: 7724 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Middle Ga Device: PRS-600 and PRS-350	@nightbird, that's genuinely bizarre. I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

03-06-2011, 09:52 PM	#29
CraftyDan Zealot Posts: 126 Karma: 7724 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Middle Ga Device: PRS-600 and PRS-350	FBone, You can use Kobo gift cards on Agency books. Kobo gift cards != Borders reward bucks.

03-07-2011, 06:46 AM	#30
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 20,193 Karma: 222235366 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: H2O, Aura One, PW5	The B&N free gift cards came with the purchase of a gift card. It's possible to get a discount of nearly 8% on agency books at B&N if you use Mr. Rebates or a similar portal. Buy a gift card through Mr. Rebates and get a 4% discount, then use the gift card for purchases, also going through Mr. Rebates.

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