Kobo launches "Super Points" Loyalty Program

[Acreo Aeneas]

Originally Posted by Fbone

This program seems to be geared to those buying several books a month especially from trad publishers.

Looking at the math:
Spending $20/month = $240/yr for 2400 points.
VIP members (cost $10) receive 4800pts + 10% off + free book from select group.

Unknowns are what type of bonuses would Kobo offer? Can you stack promo codes onto the 10% VIP offer?

For Americans visiting New Zealand, this works out somewhat better. The exchange rate makes a big difference.
Spending NZ$20/month = NZ$240/yr for 2400 pts costing US$152.30
VIP (NZ$10/US$6.35) receive 4800pts +10% + free title from select group. Also, you can redeem titles from trad publishers except Hachette and Wiley. However, I don't know if Kobo adjusts the Super Points when visiting other countries like they do the gift cards.

That would not work. The cost of purchase would be in the home country's currency (or at least the country my account is in). That would mean even if I was in NZ, I'd still be paying USD for my Kobo purchases. So unless I decide to create a new account through Kobo NZ, I don't save any money. Not to mention the cost of the plane ticket, hotel fare, food, and other things.


As for Kobo's SuperPoints, I think I might be getting it and also hoping they make it more lucrative for us readers. Whatever tirade I was typing, in the end it's $10 a year. Guess we shouldn't expect too much.

I took a hard look and from my Amazon purchases recently, I've made over $300 of ebook purchases over the past 12 months. It'd be worth it somewhat for me since I tend to go for good novels in a serial storyline. I love mystery thrillers, action thrillers, sci-fi, and sci-fi fantasy serials. Can't get enough and I already follow, avidly, like 15 different series already.

The only thing I'm concerned about now is the future existent of Kobo here in the US. Amazon already has majority marketshare, though I've never been a fan of their continued persistence in being a monopoly. Their ereaders aren't all that, just some small incremental updates. If they released at least a 8-bit color e-ink screened ereader with expandable storage, then I might consider all future library purchases from them. At this point, I'm splitting purchases between Amazon and Kobo.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by GeoffR

Why especially from trad pubs?

Generally, they're more costly.

[sakura-panda]

I don't understand the program (yet), but I'm trying it. Most of the books I buy are not couponable so I thought I'd try this out. I hope there is some sort of tracking on my account so that I can see what I'm saving, although I could also figure it out at the end of the year. I don't buy books often or consistently, so I can't really figure it out ahead of time.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by sakura-panda

I don't understand the program (yet), but I'm trying it. Most of the books I buy are not couponable so I thought I'd try this out. I hope there is some sort of tracking on my account so that I can see what I'm saving, although I could also figure it out at the end of the year. I don't buy books often or consistently, so I can't really figure it out ahead of time.

It's a tiny, tiny saving.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

I never buy from trad publishers. I'm basically ignoring this as I very much doubt they will ever benefit me. They certainly won't change my buying habits.

On the other hand, virtually every book I buy is from a traditional publisher, and I generally buy several books a week. I don't, however, buy very often from Kobo.

[Cajun]

Originally Posted by Fbone

This program seems to be geared to those buying several books a month especially from trad publishers.

Looking at the math:
Spending $20/month = $240/yr for 2400 points.
VIP members (cost $10) receive 4800pts + 10% off + free book from select group.

Unknowns are what type of bonuses would Kobo offer? Can you stack promo codes onto the 10% VIP offer?

For Americans visiting New Zealand, this works out somewhat better. The exchange rate makes a big difference.
Spending NZ$20/month = NZ$240/yr for 2400 pts costing US$152.30
VIP (NZ$10/US$6.35) receive 4800pts +10% + free title from select group. Also, you can redeem titles from trad publishers except Hachette and Wiley. However, I don't know if Kobo adjusts the Super Points when visiting other countries like they do the gift cards.

Thanks for doing the math. I appreciate the discussion. I'm not sure it would be worth the money for me, but if I could use a coupon I would consider the VIP.

I don't buy a significant amount of books from Kobo. However, I would like to buy more from them. I find their website and the site search to be a painful process.

[GeoffR]

I haven't joined the VIP part yet, but I will soon when I buy my next book. I buy mainly from traditional publishers, but being in New Zealand most of them are discountable anyway, the only ones I buy from regularly that are not discountable here are Hachette (Gateway SF, Gollancz, Orion, etc.) and Macmillan UK (Tor UK.)

From what I can work out the extra superpoints I will get from joining the VIP scheme will be just barely enough to cover the cost of joining, if at all. It will be the other things such as the extra 10% discount on discountable books that will be the real savings, as well as the possibility that some of the promotions might include books that I would buy anyway (I wouldn't count on that, retailers usually promote the books they want to sell and not the ones I want to buy, but it does sometimes happen.)

The basic idea of the scheme appeals to me, being able to earn points by buying books from publishers like Hachette that are not normally discountable anywhere, even if I have to spend the points on non-Hachette books it is still in effect a discount on Hachette books that I couldn't get anywhere else.

[Fbone]

It may still be possible to use a promo code on the VIP membership. It was during the last contest.

[tea2]

With vip you also get a free book a year, apparently, but it's from their selection, which is poor and very small. A lot of romance and selfpubs, which I don't generally read, and the price range is from free (?) to about 10.00.

I spend an insane amount of money on ebooks, so it may well benefit me somewhat, but on the other hand, most of the books I want are 6800 points or over.

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by tea2

With vip you also get a free book a year, apparently, but it's from their selection, which is poor and very small. A lot of romance and selfpubs, which I don't generally read, and the price range is from free (?) to about 10.00.

They have added a couple of new books to the free list since I first checked it, but unfortunately the ones I would have chosen are ones I have already bought: I thought Anne Holt's Punishment (Nordic Crime) was not bad, and Chris Beckett's Dark Eden (Science Fiction) is one I have bought but not read yet, but I loved his other book The Holy Machine so I think it might be good too.

You get 60 days to claim your free ebook, so I will wait and see if they add any more books to the list in that time.

[lkmiller]

Dark Eden looks interesting, but it's not on my list in the US. I've got pretty much all mystery and romance, and I usually read SFF. They range from $1-$20. I've considered picking one of the $20 ones just because. But I'll wait and see if anything better shows up before 60 days.