Price Point

A funny thing happened on the way to Tower Records' liquidation sale.

Since announcing on Oct. 6 that they would be going out of business, the chain with the famous yellow-and-red bag has been gradually inching up the amount of its discounts. As of Monday, CDs were going for 30 percent off.

So why aren't my music-obsessed co-workers out there scouring the bins for deals? Why am I not doing the same?

When I say "music obsessed," I might be understating the case. These are guys who gather around an office cubicle to discuss the merits of an alternate take over an officially released track. Guys who on their break will head across the street to Borders looking for the new Chuck E. Weiss disc, knowing full well that not only will the store not have it, but it's likely that no one in the music department will have heard of Chuck E. Weiss. But they go just in case. I'm talking about guys who will have a cup of hot water for lunch because they spent their meal money on a disc by an obscure horn player rather than take the chance on it not being there the next time.

You know these guys (and gals). If you've made it to this sentence, there's a good chance that you are one of those guys.

Taking an informal survey, and turning the scenario over in my head, it seems that the magic number for such consumers to act is 40 percent. Once the discount gets to 40 percent, then it's time for action. Not necessarily buying, but time to start getting in the game. Time for making wish lists and checking them twice. Time for reading up on all those albums you've always heard were great but never acquired.

Forty percent makes sense. It's a bigger discount than most sales, and more than even the best coupons that Borders e-mails in its newsletter. It brings the typical full-price CD at Tower down to used-CD price. New for the price of used. Just once, I'd like to buy a car that way, but I'd settle for some Dillards or Poco discs instead.

Box sets start to look attractive at 40 percent. The ones that the newbies haven't bought up at 20 percent, that is.

On Tuesday night, Tower e-mailed a coupon good for an extra 5 percent off in the store. We're getting close now. If you live near a Tower and want good deals on great finds, you're going to have to be on your toes. From 40 percent on, if you see that Wilbur Harden disc (obscure horn player), you better grab it fast. There's likely going to be a guy coming down the aisle who's looking for it, and anybody willing to live on water for lunch will have already done their homework.