J.C. Penney checks in with travel bargain
 

If I'm the first to post this, it may be my best post so far. I don't know if this is nationwide, but I'm going to Penny's tonight to check it out. Web site has more details, I'll post the beginning here:
http://www.mercurycenter.com/svlife/.../luggage07.htm

"J.C. Penney checks in with travel bargain
Dallas Morning News
Tom Parsons of Bestfares.com singled-out a current J.C. Penney promotion as one of the best bargains for travelers.

With a $100 purchase of luggage, the buyer gets a ``Your Ticket'' travel booklet containing more than $5,000 in travel savings. Last year, Parsons said, the booklets disappeared quickly."

Yeah...and I wonder what Pennys is paying Mr. Parsons for the propaganda.

Never have I wasted my time so much for so little as I have obtaining this booklet.

$$ off of fares at different levels (if you use their consolidator), a description of the Continental executive pack (which was described as a $99 companion coupon in bestfares), the same car rental $ off and upgrades you can get anywhere, 15-30% off (rack rates) at hotel chains, a Prioroty pass ad.....Total BS - waste of time.

Ditto - Parsons sold out...
I stopped by a JCP to take a look. The good news was that the booklets were sitting out in a rack with credit card applications free for the taking (no $100 purchase required in that store!) - The bad news was - it appeared worthless. The biggest disappointment was the $99 CO companion ticket was not in the book - but rather the offer for a privelege pack which we probably all know about and are no longer entitled to. Either Parsons was duped (in which case he should say so on his website and stop promoting the offer) - or he just plain sold out.

Wait, I am confused.

What are the exacts for this booklet. Are the offers only good on CO?? If someone can get these for free without a $100 purchase and the offers are for real, I would be willing to trade for some good stuff.

A reply I received today from bestfares when I complained about this promotion...Edited only to respect privacy:


Dear Mr. Danto,

First of all, my apology for the lack of response to your initial e-mail. I will give you the direct editorial e-mails, xxxxxxxxxxxx Either will come directly to me. Anytime a member has questions regarding what we publish a quick answer is deserved.

I also thank you for sending not only your thoughts on the JCPenney promotion but perspectives from the WebFlyer board.

Upon reflection, our own Internet and magazine articles on this promotion should have carried a proviso to members, making them aware that this promotion's benefits contained items already earned through Bestfares.com membership. That is the second apology I offer you. It was included in the magazine because many non-members read it, plus we thought it very likely that even members might want to share the deal with friends. It would have been clearer (and saved you your wasted time) had that proviso been printed.

Never would be recommend that someone make an unwanted $100 purchase to get benefits that are only a fraction of what people get with a Bestfares.com $59.99 membership. JCPenneys' customer base does not, of course, have these benefits. We have heard from quite a few non-members who received the booklet and were pleased with the deals. For example, one member purchased two pieces of luggage for gifts, and included the booklet with the gifts. Both recipients (neither were Bestfares.com members) were pleased.

I would ask that you please consider that the level of travel deal awareness varies greatly. Like you, I do not jump up and down with glee at a modest discount of hotel rack rates--yet to those accustomed to paying rack rates, the savings are real.

I would also ask that you please judge us in totality, rather than based on one deal. Of course we would like to keep you as a member and would only reasonably expect to do so if we saved you more than the cost of your annual membership each year. That is the bottom line.

Thank you for persevering in your correspondence. I am sorry it was necessary, but I appreciate your extra effort in giving us the opportunity to reply.

We try to ethically walk that fine line between marketing and unbiased information. Tom Parsons' credibility of 17 years is, in large part, what sets us apart from those "million other places" you cite. Believe me, no single deal (of any type) would be deemed worth sacrificing that hard-won reputation.

Your comments have been instructive. I hope my response sheds some light on our perspective on the JCPenneys' deal.

Best regards,

Carol Kaminski
Managing Editor
Bestfares.com

*******************************************

I understand their position, but again I point out that the promotions touted in the article would be atainable to anyone who reads Bestfares, not just members. If you've got the magazine, you can find the hotel discounts, CO prestige packs, Car discounts, etc. I stand by my comments that this was only misleading the reader into thinking that the effort was worthwile. At least, a retraction is due. (A reputable company would have offered to reimburse me for the cost of the luggage.)