Is Barnes and Noble copying New Zealand business practice?

Get $20 books for $10 coupon

Huge hit with B&N is this weekend's offer of $20 worth books if you buy (and presumably give) a $10 gift coupon.

Good lord.  Whitcoulls New Zealand has been doing something a lot like that for over a year.  Months and months ago I bought a silver coupon for $10, and started buying books.  And cards.  And stationery.

But there was a bonus.

Every time I spent $100, according to my silver coupon (which was run through a machine each time I spent money) I got a $5 voucher.  Plus, every time I bought at all, I got offers for cheap deals.

Recently, they changed my silver coupon for a sturdy plastic card.  It's red.  It gives me the same deals, and I have saved at least $100 in the meantime, but somehow, I really miss that coupon.

The real message, though, is 'Oh my lord, what else are they going to have to do to keep us buying books?'