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Jul 25, 2009 - HO Scale

PWRS - We Are "Turning Porters Points" July 26, 2009

 

   

 

  The staff and management would like to thank all of those brave souls who volunteered to help test the new "Porters Points" system.   We will be turning the system on Sunday July 25 for those doing the beta testing. 

      The "Porters" is truly unique when it comes to customer service programs.  There is no other program like it in the model railroad industry the gives you discounts, plus frequent buyer points (Porters Points), plus Manufacturer's credits AND special unique limited edition  products (not available to the public) that you can earn with "Porters Points" and "Manufacturer's Club Credits".

     Those Customer who volunteered will see the first stage of "Porters Points" - the Beta testing will not include the private Porters Lounge" as we want all customer to have equal access to the whole system at the same time.

 

     Now then if you have been procrastination (for way too long) it is time to get your own "Porters" account.  There is "NO CHARGE" for it. Go the "Porters - New User Account Request Form" by clicking HERE.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

What is “PORTERS Points”?

PORTERS Points is PWRS’s new “frequent buyer program” that rewards customers for making product purchases using their on-line PWRS PORTERS Account.

 

How do I earn or get PORTERS points?

You will receive PORTERS Points when you pay for qualifying purchases that are ordered using your PORTERS Account.   The number of PORTERS Points you earn is based upon the dollar value of your purchase, the manufacturer of the product(s) you buy and the size of the discount you receive on your purchase(s).

 

When do I start earning PORTERS Points?

If you are a new PORTERS Account holder, you start earning PORTERS Points on your first purchase.  If you already have a PORTERS Account, you have already earned PORTERS Points on all qualifying purchases you made on or after February 1, 2009.

 

What can I use PORTERS Points for?

PORTERS Points can be used in two ways:

1)  They can be used like “cash” to purchase any product PWRS offers for sale; or

2)  They can be used to qualify for and acquire special, limited-edition products from selected manufacturers that are only available to PWRS customers who have enough PORTERS Points.

 

How many PORTERS Points will I earn when I make a purchase?

Here’s how it works:  the number of PORTERS Points you earn for purchase of a particular product will be calculated by multiplying the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of the purchased product times a “PORTERS Points Factor” (PPF) based upon the manufacturer of the product and the price discount you receive on the product purchase using the following table:

                             PORTERS Points Factor (PPF) Equal to

                                       ------------------ Product Manufacturer -----------------

          Price Discount           North American       PWRS/IMRC                All

            On Purchase:           Railcar Corp          Limited Runs              Other

               0%                            4.0                     4.0                         3.0

          0.1% to   5.0%                  NA                    3.0                         2.0

          5.1% to 10.0%                  NA                    2.0                         1.0

         10.1% to 15.0%                  NA                   1.0                         0.75

         15.1% to 20.0%                  NA                   1.0                         0.5

More than 20%                  0.0†                 0.0                         0.0

† No price discounts are given on NARCorp products.  This applies to the 25th SGCC car which was given as a gift to purchasers of 24 regular SGCC cars.

Formulaically, for any purchases you make through PORTERS, you will earn the following number of points:

                   PORTERS Points Earned = MSRP x PPF (x number of units)

          (rounded to the nearest whole number/integer – no fractions of points)

 

This seems kind of confusing. Can you show me some examples?

Sure. 

Example 1:  Let’s say that you bought 13 North American Railcar Corp’s green N-scale Saskatchewan Grain hoppers (12 regular numbers plus the special 25th car).  For that purchase, you earned 1401 PORTERS Points, calculated as follows:

PORTERS Points Earned = MSRP x PPF (x number of units)

PORTERS Points Earned = 26.95 x 4.0‡ x 13

PORTERS Points Earned = 1401

(‡ Since no one received a discount on these cars.  Note that if you bought all 24 cars and got the 25th car for free as our gift, you earned PORTERS Points only on the 24 cars that you paid for.)       

 

Example 2:  Let’s say that you bought 2 Kato HO-scale AC4400CW locomotives at a 10% discount.  For this purchase, you earned 300 PORTERS Points, calculated as follows:

          PORTERS Points Earned = MSRP x PPF (x number of units)

          PORTERS Points Earned = 150.00 x 1.0 x 2

          PORTERS Points Earned = 300          

 

Do I have to use my PORTERS Account to earn PORTERS Points?

Yes, only purchases made through your PORTERS account will earn you PORTERS Points.

 

How do I know how many PORTERS Points I have?

When you sign on to your PORTERS Account, your Account Home Page will contain a display box indicating how many PORTERS Points you have.  If you click the PORTERS Points History link in this box, you will be able to see the history of all your purchases for which you earned PORTERS Points and all your redemptions of your PORTERS Points.

 

How do I use my PORTERS Points like “cash”?

Just sign into your PORTERS Account as you normally do and order products as you normally do.  When you have finished selecting products to purchase, and are completing your order, you will be asked whether you wish to use your PORTERS Points to “pay” for your purchase or whether you wish to use your normal means of payment.  Just select the PORTERS Points option and your PORTERS Points will be used as cash to pay for your purchase.  Your PORTERS Points balance will be reduced by the number of Points required to pay for the purchase.

Note that you may not use both PORTERS Points and your normal means of payment to pay for an order:  you must pay for 100% of any order with either PORTERS Points or your normal means of payment.

 

Do I use PORTERS Points to pay for the shipping of products I pay for with PORTERS Points?

No, any order you place that you pay for with PORTERS Points will automatically be put in your Goodie Box.  If you want to have these items shipped immediately, you should then request to have items in your Goodie Box shipped – which will generate a separate invoice for shipping which is paid for using your normal means of payment.  (We handle shipping on PORTERS Points purchases in this way to preserve your Points for product purchases.)

 

What is the cash value of PORTERS Points?

PORTERS Points have a cash value of $0.01 per PORTERS Point.

 

Will I earn PORTERS Points on purchases I pay for with PORTERS Points?

No, you will earn PORTERS Points only on purchases you pay for using your normal means of payment (cash, credit card or check).

 

What else can I use my PORTERS Points for?

PWRS has worked with a number of manufacturers to create special, limited-edition products that can only be acquired by accumulating sufficient PORTERS Points.  These unique products can be viewed in the PORTERS Club Lounge, a special members-only area of the PORTERS system.

 

How do I see what’s in the PORTERS Club Lounge?

Access to the Club Lounge is only available to PORTERS Account holders.  However, you may see what’s in the Club Lounge by clicking on this link LINK (or by clicking on the “Visit the PORTERS Club Lounge” link on the PWRS Home Page).  When you are visiting the Club Lounge, you will see the number of PORTERS Points needed to acquire each of the products kept there.


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