New Tower Discount Program

[Ralph]

As the long-time sales clerk at Tower/Lincoln Center knelt before me today he whispered that the company was inaugurating a new discount program. All I had to do was give my e-mail address. In exchange I got a membership card, a $10-off certificate for my next purchase of $50 or more before 1 June and an assurance I'd be happy with the program.

Sign up for the program either at a Tower store or at www.tower.com/insider. If you sign up online you get the same $10 coupon to print out and it can be used for online purchases.

I see no downside here.

[Lance]

As the long-time sales clerk at Tower/Lincoln Center knelt before me today he whispered that the company was inaugurating a new discount program. All I had to do was give my e-mail address. In exchange I got a membership card, a $10-off certificate for my next purchase of $50 or more before 1 June and an assurance I'd be happy with the program.

Sign up for the program either at a Tower store or at www.tower.com/insider. If you sign up online you get the same $10 coupon to print out and it can be used for online purchases.

I see no downside here.

Nor do I. However, whenever I order from Tower direct via online, I get a coupon in my box of discs when it is delivered. This has happened for the last two or three months. For example, for the month of May, this is Tower's offer:

Offer 1: May 8-14, 2006: Save 15% on your next order of $25 or more. Free "standard" shipping.

Offer 2: May 15-21, 2006: Save $10 on your next order of $50 or more. Free "standard" shipping.

Offer 3: May 22-31, 2006: Save 20% on your next order of $100 or more. FedEx 2nd day shipping is free.

Further, if you EVER order more than $100 worth of CDs (after all applicable discounts) you get free FedEx 2nd day shipping on any order.

They give individual "Coupon Codes" on their cards for each offer that one can enter in a place on their order form on the web site when you check out. The card is also marked "Special Offer for Select Tower.com customers," so I don't know if this offer applies to everyone or not. I would imagine the coupon codes would work for anyone who shows them on the order.

If you hold all your purchases until the last week of the month to accumulate $100 net, 20% discount applies, plus free shipping, FedEx 2nd day, which is the best deal of all. Naturally, all applicable taxes are added for New York State residents.

Anything that is not immediately in stock (it usually says so on their website) will be back-ordered and held for 30 days. It's not too often that back orders are not filled within that time. No additional postage is ever added. I usually get my discs within three (3) days of ordering.

This seems to me an also outstanding "deal."

[Ralph]

It still doesn't make up for Tower's unilaterally abrogating agreements for discounts for various Lincoln Center subscriber benefit programs. Oh well, can't have everything.

[Holden Fourth]

My one encounter with Tower was disappointing. I ordered the Richter in Carnegie Hall set and after waiting over two months I had to contact them to be told that it was out of stock. This was after I had preordered 6 weeks in advance of release date. I then went straight to Amazon and had the set within 7 days - sorry, no more Tower for me!

[IcedNote]

Link no workie

-G

[jserraglio]

www.tower.com/insider

[Lance]

My one encounter with Tower was disappointing. I ordered the Richter in Carnegie Hall set and after waiting over two months I had to contact them to be told that it was out of stock. This was after I had preordered 6 weeks in advance of release date. I then went straight to Amazon and had the set within 7 days - sorry, no more Tower for me!

With Tower, I think some of the problem is with their financial stability and paying their suppliers promptly. Smaller companies like Doremi [even the biggies, too] cannot wait for long periods of time to receive their due funds. Amazon does not have any problem like this as far as I know. The whole industry has changed dramatically.

[Ralph]

I used my discount coupon and member card today - the clerk said the program is catching on fast. We'll see what future benefits come.

[Corlyss_D]

Sounds like the Borders' Rewards Program

[Ralph]

Sounds like the Borders' Rewards Program

*****

I'm signing up for that one this week.

But Borders has higher regular CD prices than Tower and a smaller selection even in their biggest stores.