Is it discrimination??

[vacanut]

I don't think its discrimination!

I have one of those cards and I actually receive frequent coupons in the mail, so its certainly worth it.

There is another local store that I don't shop at too often, usually just to pick up a few items and I've never signed up for their card and I usually just say I've left my card at home and they ring in the sale prices.

 

[CheshireVal]

Not discrimination, but count me in on the I-hate-those-cards club. They're such a pain in the you-know-what!


I've forgotten my Kroger Plus cards a few times after changing wallets and purses around, and the cashier won't ever give me the sale prices until I fill out a new form for a new card. Ugh!!! I now have about 6 sets of Kroger cards.

Petsmart is doing it too, now, so I've recently added one more shopping card to my wallet.

 

[LadyyRedd]

All of the stores around here have those nowadays. But, if you don't want to sign up, they all have "generic" cards that the cashiers keep at their register and can just scan them through.

Or, just ask the person behind you if you could use their card. I've offered many times to people who were from out of town, didn't have it with them, etc. Their purchases go onto my totals and it helps me earn rewards faster.

Kimya

 

[disneysteve]

1. Of course it isn't discrimination because anyone who wants a card can have one. (though Bicker makes a very interesting point)

2. Everyone seems to be forgetting that before shopper cards, you had to clip out all of the sale coupons from the weekly store flyer to get the discounts. It is far easier to hand the cashier your card.

3. All of the chains around here that have cards allow you to punch in your phone number in place of showing your card. I don't carry any of the cards with me - no room in my wallet.

 

[Christine]

1. 2. Everyone seems to be forgetting that before shopper cards, you had to clip out all of the sale coupons from the weekly store flyer to get the discounts. It is far easier to hand the cashier your card.

3. All of the chains around here that have cards allow you to punch in your phone number in place of showing your card. I don't carry any of the cards with me - no room in my wallet.

Not to be nitpicky, but only one of our stores (Safeway) used the weekly flyer coupons before the card. And then it was only on some items, not the whole store. Now you have to use the card to get a sale price on every item in the grocery store.

Also, Giant and Safeway will allow you to put in your phone number if you don't have your card. Food Lion will not. They might have 4 cashiers open, but only one of those cashiers hold the "generic" card. So, when you say you don't have your card, they all are yelling "Jill, where are you? We need the card." Annoying. I like our Shoppers Food Warehouse. They proudly advertise in their flyer that you don't need a card to receive their sale prices.

 

[Nancy]

My store uses the card, I like the card, I save lots and don't have to search the ads for the store coupons. The only information we take upon handing out the card is name, address and phone number (and you don't evewn have to do that) there are spaces on the form for other info, such as income and family size, but those are all optional and we tell everyone that. We do take a drivers license ID also, but that is so if you forget your card we can look up your number in the database. If you don't have one or don't want us to have it, no biggie. BUT we also us the card as our check cahsing privilege card and if you are doing that then we need a bit more info.

We used to hear complaints all the time about how people hated the card and we should just lower prices, so a few years ago we went to a consistant low price policy. We now lower prices on over half the items in the stores for weeks and months at a time and you don't need the card for as many sale items...now we hear complaints about how they don't save as much with their cards as they used to. You just can't win sometimes.

 

[DebbieB]

Tell her that she can say "I forgot my card at home" and they'll ring their card through and she'll get the sale prices. I lost my card for the longest time and I did this all the time. Never a problem, and they don't get any personal information.

My local grocery store chain (Giant Eagle) no longer allows this. You must use your own card, you can't borrow from the shopper behind you. You can choose to have check cashing priviledges or not. Somehow someone who let someone borrow their card had their checking information stolen through the card # that printed on the receipt. They also don't have a "dummy card" that the cashiers can use if you forgot yours.

 

[va32h]

My Albertson's card is a tiny card clipped to my key ring - don't any other stores offer those?

At Tom Thumb, I just give my phone #, because I lost the card ages ago.

It is not discrimination - many stores offer "mailing lists" or "discount clubs" or "preferred customer " discounts, usually just in exchange for your contact info.

I get coupons from JoAnns for being on their mailing list, too. Not a big deal.

 

[graygables]

No it's not discrimination. I love my Giant Eagle card and they can have all my info! I get 10 cents off per gallon of gas for every $50 I spend, so...that's like $30-$40 per month in free gas, in addition to the savings with the card. I rarely shop anywhere else b/c of it. BTW, I was at GE the other day and an Army officer asked to borrow my card since he didn't have one and wanted the savings. I lent it to him, he saved, I got gas credit, and the cashiers didn't mind at all.

 

[pattyT]

Great reponses guys...
I alwasy lose the keychain ones too - what a pain in the butt -
nevermind the keychain is so big...

 

[jbdreamer]

It's not discrimination, it's a benifit to the regular customers.

When I worked at JCPenny's in highschool people would get mad when we had discounts for the credit card holders.

"I think it's rediculous that you have to have a credit card to get a discount!" they would say.

Well it's not like it was our only discount. It was a benift or "thank you" to the card holders. If there was no benifit, what would be the point?

You are making a deal with the store, if you give them your name, the'll give you a discount. Anyone can sign up. How is that discrimination?

 

[Nancy]

My local grocery store chain (Giant Eagle) no longer allows this. You must use your own card, you can't borrow from the shopper behind you. You can choose to have check cashing priviledges or not. Somehow someone who let someone borrow their card had their checking information stolen through the card # that printed on the receipt. They also don't have a "dummy card" that the cashiers can use if you forgot yours.

My stores official policy is we are not supposed to allow customers to borrow cards..but in the name of customer service are we really going to stop it? No, the cashiers just can't initiate the procedure. All managers have a key tag that we can use at our descretion if a customer doesn't have their cards. WE do have to do a manager over ride for it so it odes get monitered, but I have never been told to stop using it.

 

[jbdreamer]

On a simular note, what is with stores asking for your zip code or phone number? I always tell them no, and they seem suprized. I am paying cash, why do you need my phone number!!??

 

[Crankyshank]

They store your phone number so they can mail you coupons.

 

[OhMari]

Not to change the subject, but a different perspective. We we in a large grocery store in Munising Michigan, which is on Lake Superior in the UP. Their slogan is "Shop Local", we have it all. The nearest SuperWalmart is about an hour away.

Anyways, I got a bunch of things on sale and I was panicking because I wouldn't get the price because I didn't have a member card. The check out clerk told me, "Are you kidding, I have to punch the amount into the cash register" everyone gets the sale price in this store no matter who you are.

That is when I noticed the little sticker on my food item with the amount on it. I haven't seen that in years. And this was a rather large grocery store too.

 

[YetanotherMouseFan]

I love my Food City shopper card! The store uses it to track purchases and consumer preferences, which is fine with me. What is great about this store is that through consumer tracking, I have been given coupons for free pet food (not store brand, either!), sodas, diapers for DGD,
etc - things I use and buy often. I consider it a "thank you" from the store for being loyal. (Of course, their corporate offices don't realize we don't have a whole lot of other choice where we live, but I'm not telling)

 

[binny]

I love the cards, can make a suggestion?
Go buy one of those business card holders if you have too many. The store cards fit perfectly and are easier to find~



Just my little tip O the day