Borders launched a loyalty rewards program Feb. 21 for its Borders and Waldenbooks brick-and-mortar customers, but an agreement with online partner Amazon.com will keep it from becoming a multichannel program.
According to Borders spokesperson Ann Roman, Amazon actually owns and operates Borders’ online store, which launched in 2001, and simply gives Borders a percentage of sales. Members of the free Borders Rewards program, however, can track their purchases and receive weekly offers if they register their membership card through the Website. They can also track their Holiday Savings Rewards, which is a 5% return on all in-store sales that can be used toward purchases between Nov. 15 and Jan. 15. The weekly offers are tailored toward the consumer’s profile and shopping habits, according to Roman.
Roman says the loyalty program is the first the company has had that connects each of its stores. Its Waldenbooks stores had a long-running loyalty program, Preferred Reader, that has been phased out during the past two years.
“We ran a pilot program last year in some of our stores and learned a lot about our customers,” Roman says. “They are a lot like all of us, they want a loyalty program that is tailored to their wants and needs.” In addition to the holiday savings program, members who spend $50 a month in-store earn a Personal Shopping Day, which entitles them to one day to receive 10% off at all stores they visit.