Showbits

I was at Borders the other day, but not doing Christmas shopping — that I finished in July. No, I was instead indulging in some sort of credit I'd earned from their Borders Rewards spyware card that I prefer using at my former workplace, Waldenbooks. I'd also earned a coupon for 40% off any DVD "box set", which are, brilliantly, any DVD on the shelves labeled "Box Sets" — the content of which may overlap with the separate "TV Shows on DVD" shelves, which were advertised as 30% off.

Limited to one coupon per customer per day, I was torn between Season 2 of Quantum Leap and one of the many MST3K box sets. I ultimately choose the latter, as retail stores mark up the prices of DVD so much (or rather, discount them so little) that the coupon would just barely make it cheaper than buying it online, and MST3K would be more of a savings. (A friend stopped by later and got the other box set for me.)

At the register, I ask the clerk if I get 40% off the price after the 30% savings is deducted. "I'm not familiar with that promotion," she says, referring to the in-store signage visible from her counter, "but you can't 'stack' the discounts, 'cuz then you'd get 70% off."

If I'd known I'd get a clerk who couldn't do math, I would've waited until I had a 50% off coupon to "stack" atop a 50% off promotion so I could argue it'd be free.

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