Gift Certificates & RK47 Online Store's Dilemma Discussions

[UnSub]

I think the only way to solve this is for rk47 to upload all relevant documents, we'll form a committee and get back to him with an answer in 6 - 8 weeks.

[rk47]

err. it's ok. I've been waiting for a reply from tech support of the software. It's pretty fucked up imo. They promised they'll solve the issue.

Sorry to disturb u guys about it, but colleagues aren't really familiar with IT stuff. I'm pretty much just leaving it up to my boss to decide.
Now for the product adding shit....with colors...sizes...tables...

Edit: final outcome:
Buyer of Gift Certificate did not get reward points.

[Wasted]

Edit: final outcome:
Buyer of Gift Certificate did not get reward points.

That's ok I guess, the purchaser knows their gift is going to give the points as well as the money.

MahrinSkel had the right idea though.  The value that you assign to the points is completely arbitrary, it is after all your own currency.  Configure the rewards to assume everyone double dips and you don't 'lose'.  Few things generate buzz like people thinking they have a loophole to exploit and all those people that think they are clever are still bringing money into the store.

[rk47]

 

This appears to happen only when using a gift certificate to purchase an item. After some investigation, it appears that the points system when redeeming gift certificates is not working quite as it should, but this is because NO points should be applied when someone uses a gift certificate to purchase. I am passing this information to our developers so they can fix it in an upcoming revision, and my apologies for any inconvenience. Keep in mind that that rewards points will work properly when purchasing items without using gift certificates.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Glad we're still in development stage...I mean wtf. They been around for years and this issue is overlooked?!

[Lantyssa]

Hah.  So the buyer should have gotten the points and the redeemer none.  I feel... redeemed.

[Paelos]

Hah.  So the buyer should have gotten the points and the redeemer none.  I feel... redeemed.

As do I. That's the logical form of cash = points.

[K9]

But the point of loyalty crap isn't to reward people for spending money, the point is to give people an incentive and encouragement to come back and spend more money with you. The person purchasing a gift card isn't your customer in the sense that they're buying for someone else.

That's a bad way of looking at it. The person who bought the card gave you money. The person redeeming the card gave you jack shit. Why reward someone who gave you nothing on the chance they might give you more? Instead, you reward the person who gave you the money in the first place because they will be more likely to remember that when they purchase gift cards again later.

Points reward programs are as much about getting casual customers to be more regular as they are about "rewarding" current customers.

They're mainly about market research though.

[UnSub]

Loyalty schemes started out as a way of locking in customers by rewarding them for continuing going to the business - give them a small discount, some kind of bonus and they'll hang around.

There's plenty of research around that indicates loyalty programs don't work that well any more because 1) they don't build loyalty, they build expectations of lower price / that bonus and 2) everyone does them so no-one really stands out.

I was unaware of Groupon until recently, but I looked at that business model and wondered who the hell thought it would be sustainable.

[KallDrexx]

I was unaware of Groupon until recently, but I looked at that business model and wondered who the hell thought it would be sustainable.

Sustainable enough to turn down a $6b offer from Google.  They are going to be in for a real surprise 

[rk47]

I was unaware of Groupon until recently, but I looked at that business model and wondered who the hell thought it would be sustainable.

Sustainable enough to turn down a $6b offer from Google.  They are going to be in for a real surprise 

Groupons are good because of the way how information spread these days. Make use of Facebook, Tweets and suddenly you have non-paid marketeers actively spreading your deals to their friend of a friend of a friend EVERY SECOND it was on. Internet is amazing. 

Another question:
Anyone why some shops charge Shipping by Value instead of by Weight?

I'm trying to research that answer. Also workplace update: Graphics designer's hubby had cancer. And she is forced to take care of him. If the condition worsens, we'll have to find a replacement. Not much, basically a designer who can create graphics, design layout of site, photography, lighting experience, html coding, adapt to 3rd party e-store software within a month.

Yeah. I'm gonna die a slow death.

[Lantyssa]

I can do the last two.  My design skills are questionable.  The rest... uh, I have a camera phone.  I think it works.

[KallDrexx]

Groupons are good because of the way how information spread these days. Make use of Facebook, Tweets and suddenly you have non-paid marketeers actively spreading your deals to their friend of a friend of a friend EVERY SECOND it was on. Internet is amazing. 

Oh no, I understand the idea behind Groupon, I just don't see how they can stay competitive.  Many companies (such as Yelp and Google) are now copying them and I would say that they offer much better value (and have better vendor relations) than Groupon.  With Yelp or Google, not only can I look for deals but I can also, say, find reviews of the place offering the deal, and look up much more data relevant to that actual offer. 

[UnSub]

I was unaware of Groupon until recently, but I looked at that business model and wondered who the hell thought it would be sustainable.

Sustainable enough to turn down a $6b offer from Google.  They are going to be in for a real surprise 

Yeah, they really should had taken that. Deep discounting has some uses but isn't something to stand on indefinitely, plus it is relatively easy to copy.

[Sand]

Groupons are good because of the way how information spread these days. Make use of Facebook, Tweets and suddenly you have non-paid marketeers actively spreading your deals to their friend of a friend of a friend EVERY SECOND it was on. Internet is amazing. 

Oh no, I understand the idea behind Groupon, I just don't see how they can stay competitive.  Many companies (such as Yelp and Google) are now copying them and I would say that they offer much better value (and have better vendor relations) than Groupon.  With Yelp or Google, not only can I look for deals but I can also, say, find reviews of the place offering the deal, and look up much more data relevant to that actual offer. 

They are being copied, problem though for the copies is that Groupon was first and consequently has the largest user database of emails to blast out to. That's what business owners want, to know how many potential customers in their market area are going to see the email.
The competitors are trying to build their email lists as big, but I dont think they ever will.

But yes I think they should have taken the $6 bil. While at present all of their competitors have been smaller copy cats, if Google gets into the game then all bets are off.

[KallDrexx]

They are being copied, problem though for the copies is that Groupon was first and consequently has the largest user database of emails to blast out to. That's what business owners want, to know how many potential customers in their market area are going to see the email.
The competitors are trying to build their email lists as big, but I dont think they ever will.

But yes I think they should have taken the $6 bil. While at present all of their competitors have been smaller copy cats, if Google gets into the game then all bets are off.

For start-up copies I agree with you.  However, Yelp and Google have been around for quite awhile, already have email addresses and an established base (as well as established advertising channels).  

The way I see it, the only way you can really have a competitive advantage with a Groupon type of system is via 1) Vendor Relationships and 2) Advertising mechanisms (i.e. mechanisms for advertising your groupons to people).  As far as I can tell, Groupon can't touch Yelp or Google (and probably others) in this aspect without branching out to other markets (which is far from trivial).

[CmdrSlack]

Groupon has been absorbing the more successful of its smaller copycats as well. I have a feeling they may be ok in the long run. I guess we'll see.

[rk47]

Anyway, project progress tracking has been difficult, anyone willing to share how they do the 'objective checklist' sheet they do in game like QUest Journal?

I'm having difficulty keeping track of stuff when writing on diaries. They just get filled up quickly and i had to flip backpages to refer to.