Copywriters Without Borders – And Customers Without Loyalty

So, now that Borders is going out of business, what’s going to happen to all the information they collected on me as part of my Borders Rewards Card?

You know–it was a “loyalty program.” But what happened to the loyalty?

Borders emails showed up two or three times a week once I signed up for the card. And the only emails I paid attention to were the ones that featured coupons — significant ones. 20% off one item? Nah, I’ll pass. 30% off? That’s tempting. 40% off any one item? Bingo, I’m there. And frankly, if it was easier or cheaper to get a book through Amazon, or find a used copy on the internet, I did that.

So ultimately, I wasn’t loyal to Borders with my business, and they likely won’t be loyal to me by protecting the information I gave them.

But on the surface, it would seem that I had an ideal customer relationship with Borders. I was in the store often. I usually walked out with at least a magazine. They had my purchase history and could communicate with me easily. In the end, though, it was a hollow relationship.

It’s the subject of my new column on Talent Zoo, which will be on the home page tomorrow.