Do Shopper's Cards Really Save You Money? (price, discounts, department store)
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Shopping cards are everywhere now, especially at grocery and department stores. In my state of Texas, one of our big grocery stores, Kroger, requires shoppers to use a shopper's card in order to redeem their weekly sale items. CVS and Walgreens also have shopper card systems that requires the use of such cards, ostensibly to "save" me money. Even when I buy things that aren't on sale, cashiers hit me up to scan my shopper card. I find the use of these cards annoying, first of all, because I think every customer should get the savings whether they have these dumb cards or not, and also because I have enough required cards as it is, so why do I need to collect more of them? Do you think these cards really save the customer money or are they mostly used to benefit the store?
What I've heard about those store cards is that they generate lots of data about your purchasing history, which is sold to those with an interest in what you buy, like your healthcare insurance company, and other corporations that want to sell you stuff and target market you for it. Supposedly, if you buy what your healthcare provider considers unhealthy food, your premiums can go up. I've not been able to verify this, but they are indeed collecting data on your purchases, and what gets done with that data? Who gets it and what do they use it for?
I have no store cards or rewards cards, nor do I want any. Recently Winn Dixie bought out the Sweetbay chain here, and when I went in to the store I used to shop at all the prices had gone up, unless you had their store card. I never went back there again. I don't like being herded like that.
Many of the stores have the option to load online coupons as well - why not save money? (Today for instance, I got 4 boxes of Nature Valley granola bars for a grand total after taxes of $2.98 - I did have two manufacturer coupons so that saved me two but otherwise I got the sale price w/my card and coupons that the store had offered that I'd selected)
What I've heard about those store cards is that they generate lots of data about your purchasing history, which is sold to those with an interest in what you buy, like your healthcare insurance company, and other corporations that want to sell you stuff and target market you for it. Supposedly, if you buy what your healthcare provider considers unhealthy food, your premiums can go up. I've not been able to verify this, but they are indeed collecting data on your purchases, and what gets done with that data? Who gets it and what do they use it for?
I have no store cards or rewards cards, nor do I want any. Recently Winn Dixie bought out the Sweetbay chain here, and when I went in to the store I used to shop at all the prices had gone up, unless you had their store card. I never went back there again. I don't like being herded like that.
The bolded part is not true. The data is used for two purposes. To target offers and to identify trends.
Shopping cards are everywhere now, especially at grocery and department stores. In my state of Texas, one of our big grocery stores, Kroger, requires shoppers to use a shopper's card in order to redeem their weekly sale items. CVS and Walgreens also have shopper card systems that requires the use of such cards, ostensibly to "save" me money. Even when I buy things that aren't on sale, cashiers hit me up to scan my shopper card. I find the use of these cards annoying, first of all, because I think every customer should get the savings whether they have these dumb cards or not, and also because I have enough required cards as it is, so why do I need to collect more of them? Do you think these cards really save the customer money or are they mostly used to benefit the store?
I usually just ask the cashier to swipe their card for me. The few times they "didn't have" their card or it was against store policy, I told the cashier that I would be back later, and magically the cashier found a card in the bottom of the drawer, realized that they could just call the manager for an override, had another cashier hand them a card.
Once you are in the store, they don't want to lose your business.
Given that instituting a card program costs for a store chain probably a few million and probably that much to keep it up, it must mean that the data they collect on you is worth at least that much, if not more.
Shopping cards are everywhere now, especially at grocery and department stores. In my state of Texas, one of our big grocery stores, Kroger, requires shoppers to use a shopper's card in order to redeem their weekly sale items. CVS and Walgreens also have shopper card systems that requires the use of such cards, ostensibly to "save" me money. Even when I buy things that aren't on sale, cashiers hit me up to scan my shopper card. I find the use of these cards annoying, first of all, because I think every customer should get the savings whether they have these dumb cards or not, and also because I have enough required cards as it is, so why do I need to collect more of them? Do you think these cards really save the customer money or are they mostly used to benefit the store?
It's supposed to be win-win. Because the store is tracking your purchases, you get special coupons based on prior purchases, in addition to your "club" savings. Especially if you stop buying an item at a particular store that's been tracking your purchases.
At some stores the cashier scans a generic "club" card to give you the discounts if you don't have a club card.
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