When is everything not everything?
When it’s on a Linens N’ Things Coupon, of course.
So I got this in my e-mail this morning:
Of course, I immediately notice that “everything” has an asterisk next to it. I kinda wonder how someone can redefine a simple word like “everything.” First, what the dictionary says it means:
Noun:
An amount or quantity from which nothing is left out or held back.
Wow. Sounds like a good deal.
Apparently though, everything, in this case, doesn’t really mean everything. It just means some things, which is probably what the coupon should’ve said, instead of everything. Here’s what’s not included in the 20% off everything sale:
*Offer valid in-store only. Event ends 09/04/06. One coupon per customer. Coupon must be rendered at time of purchase. Sorry coupon not valid towards the purchase of Krups, Capresso, The Sharper Image, iJoy, Wusthof, Nautica, All-Clad, J.A. Henckels, Tempur-Pedic, Custom Windows, Little Giant Ladders, Weber gas grills or Linens ‘n Things Gift Cards. Cannot be combined with any other coupon or offer. Coupon not valid towards previous purchases and cannot be used with Linens ‘n Things credit card first purchase offer. Other restrictions may apply. Please see store or LNT.com for details.
So just to recap, everything only means everything when Krups, Capresso, The Sharper Image, iJoy, Wusthof, Nautica, All-Clad, J.A. Henckels, Tempur-Pedic, Custom Windows, Little Giant Ladders, Weber gas grills or Linens ‘n Things Gift Cards are not included in the group of everything, which is, by definition, all things with nothing excluded.
Got it?
Good.
Technorati Tags: linens n things, deception, silly
September 1st, 2006 at 9:32 pm
To me, that’s just plain old fraudulent, asterisk or no asterisk, and Linens-n-Things should face legal consequences.
Everything is everything.
Even if it’s perhaps legal, consumers should rebel against this preposterous BS/deception by boycotting Linens-n-Things.
Here is Linens-n-Things’ contact page: http://www.lnt.com/helpdesk/index.jsp?display=store&subdisplay=contact&clickid=botnav2_contact_txt
September 2nd, 2006 at 2:13 am
Bed, Bath, & Beyond sends out “coupons” almost identical to this. (Incidentally, we have Linens-n-Things out here too, but I never get jack from them.) I love how much they’re able to exclude from “everything”.
However, one of those 20% coupons saved me quite a chunk of cash on a $300 stand mixer I bought for my wife a few weeks ago, so I guess I can’t complain too much.
September 2nd, 2006 at 3:04 am
BB&B continually sends out 20% coupons. The prices in their stores reflect the fact that these coupons are practically always available — the prices at BB&B are unquestionably higher than they would be if BB&B didn’t have that coupon program. In short, you may “save” on an item to which coupon applies, but all items in the store, including the item you are buying, are inflated a bit to compensate for the loss from the coupons.
Furthermore, the BB&B coupons have a bar code which gets scanned at the time of purchase and gives BB&B marketing data — including information that can identify you personally, even if you are paying in cash.
September 2nd, 2006 at 10:46 am
There’s no doubt the coupons save money, and to me there’s no doubt that the prices at BB&B and L&T are both high on a lot of things. That being said, my annoyance is with the fact that they claim “everything” and don’t offer everything.
Lots of stores exclude items from their sales, but they don’t all claim on their coupons that “everything*” is on sale. That’s what really rubbed me the wrong way.