Books on Board changes policy for Rewards Dollars

koland · 01-29-2009, 07:53 PM

I don't know that they've put this up anywhere on their web site, but their policy has been that Reward Dollars are just like cash and you can get reward dollars (RD) for purchases that are paid for with RD. This resulted in some completely free books (and a few that they paid you to get, when they had 110% rewards). This policy has now changed (and the customer service dept has now decided that those who took advantage of their well publicized policy are all crooks). This is from the letter my mother received today (misspellings and all):

Thank you for shopping with BooksOnBoard. The explanation for the
situation that you reported is that our Rewards system automatically
blocks people from using Rewards dollars in order to get more Rewards
dollars, so that the Rewards system cannot me used fraudulently. The
highest amount of Rewards dollars you could get for any order would
equal the "Total", not the "Sub-Total" for the order.

As a clarification, this is the official response I received when I asked about this in August of last year:

Thank you for shopping with BooksOnBoard. We make no distinction
between paying with Rewards Dollars and paying with cash; you will
receive Rewards regardless of what you use to pay. Please let us know
if you have any other questions so we can provide assistance.

Regards,

Lee
BooksOnBoard Support
The letter my mother received was not from Lee, but from someone else in Customer Support.

lisreed · 01-29-2009, 11:37 PM

Frankly I don't like how BOB constantly takes pot shots at fictionwise, the kindle and anyone else that is competition. On the front page of there website they constantly say how they don't have gimmicks like those other guys with there "rebates". Spare me!

shighfield · 01-30-2009, 08:45 AM

The new policy makes sense, we'll just have to see if they change their front page so people know that.

Lilly · 01-30-2009, 09:34 AM

BOB is my favorite source for books outside of Amazon, it's BOB. I love their straight forward approach. I also love Cyberead coupon method. But the truth is, I've only purchased books from 4 ebook retailers (Amazon, Sony, BOB, & Cyberead); and I buy a lot of books, 22 books a month, every month!

koland · 01-30-2009, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shighfield

The new policy makes sense, we'll just have to see if they change their front page so people know that.

Although I don't have a problem with the new policy (the old policy was insane - it made no economic sense at all), I do with the tone of the email they sent out, especially since this is a complete change in policy and there has been no announcement on their web page of such. The old policy was in effect at least thru the end of the year, at least for some purchasers; accusing a long time customer of fraud is a good way to ensure that customer (and everyone she talks to) doesn't remain one.

shighfield · 01-30-2009, 03:27 PM

Couldn't agree with you more, the tone in that email was totally un called for. I think if you forward that to someone that matters over at BOB something would happen.

Lemurion · 01-30-2009, 04:25 PM

That's one reason I tend to shop more at Fictionwise than BooksOnBoard (though I do shop at both). I have no problems with BoB's new policy, but I've seen enough "cheap shots" (or enough things that read that way) on their website that it has affected my opinion of the company.

I like their deals - and am perfectly willing to do business with them but I don't get the "warm and fuzzy" feeling I get from dealing with Fictionwise or Baen. That's why when all else is equal it's one of their competitors that gets my money.

Having said that it's definitely long past time they changed the policy on Rewards Dollars. I ended up getting Jim Hines' "Stepsister Scheme" with Rewards Dollars I earned from the Random House free book promotion so the net cost to me was $0.17 or so. It doesn't make economic sense for them to do things like that. Calling anything they advertise "fraudulent" is a bit much, though.

rixte · 01-31-2009, 02:20 AM

Yep, that's why I don't shop at BoB either - I just was turned off by the tone of their website in regards to other sites, particularly the bit about gimmicks - since clearly that's what reward dollars *are*, even if they don't call them that. It was enough that even with the old reward dollar system, I was never tempted to switch from Fictionwise to BoB.

I agree that the old system made no sense and for the future of their company I'm glad they made it - but I just don't have a good impression of them based on their remarks.

Over · 01-31-2009, 06:24 AM

My only complaints are the country origin discrimination and having to email back the receipts to get the reward dollars (should be automatic, or are they hoping that people will forget it or even be oblivious to the reward dollars concept?).

Justy · 01-31-2009, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Over

My only complaints are the country origin discrimination and having to email back the receipts to get the reward dollars (should be automatic, or are they hoping that people will forget it or even be oblivious to the reward dollars concept?).

I have actually missed out on reward dollars a few times because I forgot to email them the receipt. I would say that policy is working in their favour.

Vaseline · 01-31-2009, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justy

I have actually missed out on reward dollars a few times because I forgot to email them the receipt. I would say that policy is working in their favour.

I must admit, I didn't realise I had to do it for quite a while

Over · 02-01-2009, 06:44 AM

Just as I thought. Well, that's their "gimmick".

basschick · 02-01-2009, 04:50 PM

imo when a company implements a new policy, they should be comfortable enough to not only put it on the front of their site as news but to send out a well-written press release so that emails like the one in this thread aren't sent out to customers.

phenomshel · 02-01-2009, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lemurion

That's one reason I tend to shop more at Fictionwise than BooksOnBoard (though I do shop at both). I have no problems with BoB's new policy, but I've seen enough "cheap shots" (or enough things that read that way) on their website that it has affected my opinion of the company.

I like their deals - and am perfectly willing to do business with them but I don't get the "warm and fuzzy" feeling I get from dealing with Fictionwise or Baen. That's why when all else is equal it's one of their competitors that gets my money.

Having said that it's definitely long past time they changed the policy on Rewards Dollars. I ended up getting Jim Hines' "Stepsister Scheme" with Rewards Dollars I earned from the Random House free book promotion so the net cost to me was $0.17 or so. It doesn't make economic sense for them to do things like that. Calling anything they advertise "fraudulent" is a bit much, though.

Though I agree that the tone of that email was offensive, I get the total opposite feeling. Fictionwise leaves me cold - I don't like being tied into one format when I'm buying. And I hate that they will switch it on me - like they know better than I do what I want. No warm fuzzies for me at Fictionwise!
However, BooksOnBoard, other than insisting on downloading .lit files to a temp folder instead of allowing me to choose where to put them, I have no issues with.
I think it's a matter of personal preferences. Like XP vs. Vista.

bgalbrecht · 02-02-2009, 01:33 AM

I just bought some books with my Fictionwise Micropay rebate account, and I received some additional Micropay rebates, and I didn't have to email my invoice to anyone (talk about gimmicks!).

I haven't actually bought anything at BooksOnBoard (I don't count the Random House freebies), so I haven't actually been eligible for Reward Dollars. Is BooksOnBoard really cheaper than Fictionwise for day to day purchases? I admit that I usually buy the eReader format at Fictionwise for the addition 5% Micropay rebate.

01-29-2009, 07:53 PM	#1
koland Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,560 Karma: 8033155 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: TN, USA Device: kindle(all), nook, nookcolor, Sony, Kobo, epic, iphone, iPad, pc	Books on Board changes policy for Rewards Dollars I don't know that they've put this up anywhere on their web site, but their policy has been that Reward Dollars are just like cash and you can get reward dollars (RD) for purchases that are paid for with RD. This resulted in some completely free books (and a few that they paid you to get, when they had 110% rewards). This policy has now changed (and the customer service dept has now decided that those who took advantage of their well publicized policy are all crooks). This is from the letter my mother received today (misspellings and all): Thank you for shopping with BooksOnBoard. The explanation for the situation that you reported is that our Rewards system automatically blocks people from using Rewards dollars in order to get more Rewards dollars, so that the Rewards system cannot me used fraudulently. The highest amount of Rewards dollars you could get for any order would equal the "Total", not the "Sub-Total" for the order. As a clarification, this is the official response I received when I asked about this in August of last year: Thank you for shopping with BooksOnBoard. We make no distinction between paying with Rewards Dollars and paying with cash; you will receive Rewards regardless of what you use to pay. Please let us know if you have any other questions so we can provide assistance. Regards, Lee BooksOnBoard Support The letter my mother received was not from Lee, but from someone else in Customer Support. Last edited by koland; 01-29-2009 at 07:57 PM.

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01-29-2009, 11:37 PM	#2
lisreed Addict Posts: 281 Karma: 1301 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Upstate NY Device: Nook GlowLight 3	Frankly I don't like how BOB constantly takes pot shots at fictionwise, the kindle and anyone else that is competition. On the front page of there website they constantly say how they don't have gimmicks like those other guys with there "rebates". Spare me!

01-30-2009, 08:45 AM	#3
shighfield Groupie!? GROUPIE!?!? Posts: 317 Karma: 649 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: The Dirty Shwa Device: EBW 1150, Kobo Touch	The new policy makes sense, we'll just have to see if they change their front page so people know that.

01-30-2009, 09:34 AM	#4
Lilly Guru Posts: 688 Karma: 2090 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Sony PRS-505, PRS-900 & PRS-950, Amazon Kindle2	BOB is my favorite source for books outside of Amazon, it's BOB. I love their straight forward approach. I also love Cyberead coupon method. But the truth is, I've only purchased books from 4 ebook retailers (Amazon, Sony, BOB, & Cyberead); and I buy a lot of books, 22 books a month, every month!

01-30-2009, 03:27 PM	#6
shighfield Groupie!? GROUPIE!?!? Posts: 317 Karma: 649 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: The Dirty Shwa Device: EBW 1150, Kobo Touch	Couldn't agree with you more, the tone in that email was totally un called for. I think if you forward that to someone that matters over at BOB something would happen.

01-30-2009, 04:25 PM	#7
Lemurion eReader Posts: 2,750 Karma: 4968470 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Note 5; PW3; Nook HD+; ChuWi Hi12; iPad	That's one reason I tend to shop more at Fictionwise than BooksOnBoard (though I do shop at both). I have no problems with BoB's new policy, but I've seen enough "cheap shots" (or enough things that read that way) on their website that it has affected my opinion of the company. I like their deals - and am perfectly willing to do business with them but I don't get the "warm and fuzzy" feeling I get from dealing with Fictionwise or Baen. That's why when all else is equal it's one of their competitors that gets my money. Having said that it's definitely long past time they changed the policy on Rewards Dollars. I ended up getting Jim Hines' "Stepsister Scheme" with Rewards Dollars I earned from the Random House free book promotion so the net cost to me was $0.17 or so. It doesn't make economic sense for them to do things like that. Calling anything they advertise "fraudulent" is a bit much, though.

01-31-2009, 02:20 AM	#8
rixte Addict Posts: 300 Karma: 396757 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: new oasis, paperwhite, ipad, kobo	Yep, that's why I don't shop at BoB either - I just was turned off by the tone of their website in regards to other sites, particularly the bit about gimmicks - since clearly that's what reward dollars are, even if they don't call them that. It was enough that even with the old reward dollar system, I was never tempted to switch from Fictionwise to BoB. I agree that the old system made no sense and for the future of their company I'm glad they made it - but I just don't have a good impression of them based on their remarks.

01-31-2009, 06:24 AM	#9
Over Wizard Posts: 1,462 Karma: 6061516 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cascais, Portugal Device: Kindle PW, Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2", OnePlus 6	My only complaints are the country origin discrimination and having to email back the receipts to get the reward dollars (should be automatic, or are they hoping that people will forget it or even be oblivious to the reward dollars concept?).

02-01-2009, 06:44 AM	#12
Over Wizard Posts: 1,462 Karma: 6061516 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cascais, Portugal Device: Kindle PW, Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2", OnePlus 6	Just as I thought. Well, that's their "gimmick".

02-01-2009, 04:50 PM	#13
basschick Wizard Posts: 1,096 Karma: 4695691 Join Date: May 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	imo when a company implements a new policy, they should be comfortable enough to not only put it on the front of their site as news but to send out a well-written press release so that emails like the one in this thread aren't sent out to customers.

02-02-2009, 01:33 AM	#15
bgalbrecht Wizard Posts: 1,806 Karma: 13399999 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: US Device: Nook Simple Touch, Kobo Glo HD, Kobo Clara HD, Kindle 4	I just bought some books with my Fictionwise Micropay rebate account, and I received some additional Micropay rebates, and I didn't have to email my invoice to anyone (talk about gimmicks!). I haven't actually bought anything at BooksOnBoard (I don't count the Random House freebies), so I haven't actually been eligible for Reward Dollars. Is BooksOnBoard really cheaper than Fictionwise for day to day purchases? I admit that I usually buy the eReader format at Fictionwise for the addition 5% Micropay rebate.

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