Borders Rewards Program

I have been a subscriber to Borders e-mail newsletter for a few years. The weekly bulletin briefs the current events at Borders and promotional items. The real motive to sign up, of course, is the priggish anticipation of the store coupons that slashes up to 30% off on any one book. Changing business climate and the shifting in consumers shopping habit might have forced Borders and other chains to retain as many customers as they can (recently it has been very aggressive in sending all these in-store coupons that used to be sent only once a month). I don't know since when Borders came up with this customer-love-bombing tactics known as the Reward Programs. You're supposed to pick up a Rewards card with the cashier and earn points from every purchase. What pisses me off (and thus adds to my snowballing pet-peeve list) is Borders now relegates the 30% coupon and reserves the discount for only Rewards cardholders. It means I can no longer just print the e-coupons and redeem at my purchase because I'm not part of the Rewards Program. Borders is trying to exercise control over its customers by locking them into this reward program. I never pay, and I refuse to pay, full price for any of my books. I always look for the coupons, specials, and perks. For example, independent bookseller Green Apple Books waivers sales tax on Independence Day every year. Online vendors like Amazon cuts the prices of almost every item by 20%, 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Maybe it's time to let Borders go. Going in there now is just for the sake of scouring for the my next online purchase.