Shareholder Purchase Program

[Budge]

Has anyone here used IBM's Shareholder Purchase Program? I am not an IBM shareholder, however I found an IBM shareholder ID # on the net and a link to the sharholder website. The website let's me enter the ID # and with the number it looks like I can save 10% on the notebook I am interested in. My question is the Shareholder ID # specific to an individual shareholder or is it a generic # that all shareholder use? Has anyone here purchased a notebook using the sharholder program without being a shareholder? Did you order online or over the phone?


Thanks,
Budge

[csv96]

Before you buy direct from IBM, email Bill (the guy who runs this forum) for a price quote. 10% may sound like a good deal, but after tax you're only getting about 2-3% off list price. Bill can probably beat that price.

[hmphargh]

to answer your question: i believe that they are specific to each stockholder. i believe that the numbers allowed per person are limited (dont know though ive heard numbers from 1-10 per year). but education deals seem better to me..bill's deals still seem the best to me

[MadeInJapan]

My brother used to work for IBM and had a shareholder account. Although he gave me the number as family members qualify to use it, the IBM sales person had to get confirmation from him before I was allowed to purchase. That was 7 years ago when I purchased a 380series Thinkpad...my first thinkpad.

[dshechter]

I purchased my thinkpad T41p using the shareholder purchase plan, and I only own IBM shares through mutual fund investments. They did not ask for any confirmation.

David

[hausman]

I found an IBM shareholder ID # on the net and a link to the sharholder website. The website let's me enter the ID # and with the number it looks like I can save 10% on the notebook I am interested in. My question is the Shareholder ID # specific to an individual shareholder or is it a generic # that all shareholder use?

Ethics aside, I believe the number you're referring to is a "Offer IDm Number." This is printed on the SPP brochure that's included with my quarterly dividend statement, so I doubt it's personallized.

Do not confuse this with the IBM Investor Services Program (ISP, not SPP) account number, which is personalized to each shareholder. AFAIK it's not required to make a purchase under the SPP (unless they do random spot checks and I've just been lucky.)

[hausman]

I purchased my thinkpad T41p using the shareholder purchase plan, and I only own IBM shares through mutual fund investments. They did not ask for any confirmation.

Strictly speaking you don't qualify for the SPP because the fund(s) own the IBM shares, not you. However, if it works...