“Coupon Caveats,” or, When the Sum of the Parts < The Whole [Editor’s Note: The views expressed here are solely those of Ross Kaplan, and do not represent Edina Realty, Berkshire Hathaway, or any other entity referenced.] There may be valid reasons to buy an annual Barnes & Noble membership for $25. But, the promised $50...Read More
10¢ x 2 x 20 Gallons = Real Money When gas hit $4 a gallon (and kept going) in 2013, it was hard to get excited about coupons offering 5¢ off a gallon. Sorry, not worth the time or effort. Fast forward to this Fall, when regular unleaded in the Twin Cities is approaching $2...Read More
Lots of Branches on Edina Realty’s (Corporate) Family Tree [Editor’s Note: The views expressed here are solely those of Ross Kaplan, and do not represent Edina Realty, Berkshire Hathaway, or any other entity referenced.] “Membership has its privileges.” –American Express ad campaign Along with rolling out a new, national real estate brand (“Berkshire”), Edina Realty’s...Read More
Papa John’s vs. Papa Murphy’s My apologies to ardent fans of either (and secondarily, to their marketing departments), but the distinction between Papa John’s and Papa Murphy’s was lost on me. At least until yesterday, when the employee standing behind the counter at Papa John’s matter-of-factly informed me — mercifully, with no eye roll —...Read More
Products vs. Services Like a lot of people, I’m sure, I have a drawer-full of coupons — for restaurants, haircuts, and even a massage — that are set to expire unused Monday (Dec. 31). The explanation? The lines have been too long. It’s not a deal if you can’t take advantage of it . ....Read More
“Buy One, Get One Free” My “Noah” line got a chuckle out of the cashier checking me out at Lund’s this morning. Courtesy of all their “2-for-1” specials, my purchase consisted of two boxes of cereal, two chicken breasts, two packages of sliced turkey, two OJ’s, etc., etc. You get the idea . . ....Read More
