OT - 'Rewards' Cards

SteveWPBFL

Really? Or just an excuse to charge people without one ANOTHER 15%?

I refuse to patronize retail establishments that require a 'rewards' card to avoid an extra charge, usually around 15%. Winn Dixie, Walgreens, and CVS to name a few are off my list.

Only occasionally do I HAVE to shop at such a place. Otherwise, Costco and RD (where I'm happy to pay to shop), Publix (which is expensive), Wally (entertaining crowd), and others more readily get our business.

Am I cutting my nose off to spite my face? Am I being too 'militant'? Do you really 'save' with a 'rewards' card?

Jeremiah

I generally just tell them I either forgot it or can I use theirs. The cashiers at food lion always just punch in their own. Usually I do my best to avoid them too, though, and try to give publix all my business.

llrickman

Here in Abq it's either smiths with the card or albertsons which is higher than smiths without the card. Won't buy meat or produce at Walmart so I have the card for smiths I do get a free Friday download some kind of weekly free item and .10 off gas for every 100 spent

stlcharcoal

It's more of a way to track you and your spending habits.  They can analyze single transactions via cash, check, etc, but when you can tie all of those transactions together for a month, quarter, and year it becomes VERY valuable.  Big companies pay major amounts of money for those stats, so giving someone some money back keeps it in-house.  If you read the fine print, they can sell that data too.

In any case, it gets to be a brand loyalty issue too.  If people see the "savings" every time they go somewhere because of that card, they might just go there every time rather than another place.  In which case: more money, more data. 

RRP

I occasionally patronize a locally owned liquor store that has an extensive wine selection. They have some type of customer record system that they maintain using customer names and that actually p*sses me off. I never use debit or credit cards at that store and always pay in cash even when I spend a couple hundred dollars. Just the same they still ask for my name so I always reply..."my name? Cash...Johnny Cash"

henapple

You get kroger gas rewards and it does help. I don't mind using the system but just always use my home phone number instead of carrying the cards around. I do like my hotel points. Cashed in $1000 right before Christmas last year... Sher-bear was happy.

stlcharcoal

Remember in the 90's when Radio Shack always ticked everyone off by asking for a phone number?  They were one of the early places to start tracking people by their purchases.

Now people give that information up to restaurants, stores, gas stations, etc. like crazy--and don't think twice about it.

One of the new things is going to be sensors in grocery stores tracking people eye movements on store shelves.  They're also going to start putting RFID chips in the products you purchase.  While this will make checkout a breeze, it also enables them to track with items you put in your cart in a certain order and also them to track your movement in the store to analyze shopping patterns.

With Rockwood, we will be placing a video/audio transmitter with GPS in each bag disguised as a charcoal chunk.  B-)

Jeremiah

Ohhhh now I know what all those pieces of melted plastic were in the RO. )

Mickey

I don't wish to carry any extra cards

tjv

most places I just give them a phone number to get recognized for whatever.

t

travisstrick

I like hitting "cancel" on the credit card kiosk when it asks for my zip code.

Eggcelsior

I don't see it as an extra charge. The price is often in line with similar establishments. It just gives you access to sales.

llrickman

Smiths (Krogers) will send out coupons when you use your card and usually its things you normally purchase and they usually include a could of free items today i got a case of kroger drinking water and a roll of jimmy dean sausage free and used a bunch of other coupons for stuff we were buying

and picked up some baby backs got em on the egg now