Rewards Cards

[Wildcard]

It seems like everywhere I go now, in every store, the cashier unfailingly asks me the same question:

"Do you have a _______ rewards card?"

I never do and when I respond to them, they generally try to convince me that I need one.

For the uninitiated, the rewards card system entitles customers who have signed up for and received the card to savings not available to the general public.

My main gripe is that I constantly get asked about signing up and it bothers the shit out of me. But really there is a more practical problem with it-- why not just give everyone the savings instead of making people jump through hoops to get them?

I think it comes down to harvesting your information such as email address, phone number, etc. which gets on my fucking nerves as well.

It might make a little sense for some stores, but now it is everywhere! The gas station, the auto parts store, the pharmacy, the grocery store . . . next thing you know, I'll be at a fucking flea market and hear the guy running the ring toss asking me if I have a ring toss rewards card!

Does this bother anyone else, or is it just me?

[bob5695]

we have that kind of shit over here BUT they only ask if you have a card.
i say 'no' and that's the end of the story.

[srijantje]

when I was in europe I was asked that or similar questions constantly,I would would just stare back with a dumb blank face

[Spud17]

I've been asked if I'm a Points cardholder or whatever, and always tell them I'm not interested when they offer one. The so-called discounts are available to all shoppers for most storecards, and are aimed at lazy shoppers.

Using a bottle of fabric softener as an example, the cheapest you're ever going to see it is for brand X, is around £4 for a 2 litre bottle. They'll hold that offer 3 times a year maximum, and what a lot of stores do is bring out smaller versions of the product just before the 'big sale' (the cheapest price), to get customers buying 2 for 1 offers and such, and they end up with 2 or 3 200ml bottles, and so by the time the really cheap offer comes round, it's no good to you unless you're a shopping predator.

Shopping predators know exactly what they want, where to get it the cheapest, and more importantly, when. It's about following patterns and trends in your supermarket or store, and it allows you to see through the truly crappy offers and wait for the ones that are really going to save you money.

People are fooled by the advertising and think they're saving money, but considering their email address, phone number, date of birth, address, and other key pieces of personally identifying information are sold to marketing companies (and anyone else really), they've already paid a huge price before they've even been out and purchased something. Putting your shopping list online for others to see, analyse and scrutinise, is beyond stupid and careless, imho.