Comments on: How Loyalty Card Schemes Suck You In and Rip You Off

By: Sabine

Sabine — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 21:32:51 +0000

Hello Erica

my answer to this is to have a loyalty card for every shop in my area and every shop near my work and on the commute to and from work. My Credit Card wallet looks a mess (no CC cards in there though), but I end up shopping where it is either most convenient or cheapest. I don’t tend to collect too many points on any of the cards, but I just use them as an added bonus, as the stuff would have cost me the same if I wouldn’t have used them. The only problem is when we are moving house – what a nightmare to change addresses on all these card. And the companies they sell the information to ? Well, they must be sick of my name by now, lol. I must be appearing in every single list of theirs. If it stops Viagra adverts hitting my e-mail-box and instead tells me where I can get the cheapest Diet Coke this week (fellow addict here), I happily give this inormation away – although I am not getting my hopes up

Have a nice day

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 17:29:18 +0000

the card programs arent there to save you money, they are there to make the retail chains more money. you know there can be no other reason.

other factors you should consider, read up on

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2005/loyalty_cards.html

http://www.nocards.org/

By: zenk

zenk — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 02:16:36 +0000

“I save money by shopping at Ralphs” would be a statement that, on its surface, appears to be correct.”

Actually, I read that statement, and say “self, that’s complete crapola”.

It is impossible to save any money by purchasing things. You might spend “less” than somewhere else if all variables are taken into account, which you actually started to do here. But you haven’t saved anything at all. You spent.

Its the most devious of marketing, and its everywhere. Train yourself to laugh at it. The idea that you “save” by purchasing and so it is therefore a good an wholesome thing to do in general is simply a pervasive perversion of purtian ethic.

By: GE

GE — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 17:39:54 +0000

A nice analysis, but let’s simplify things. Nothing is free. You’re paying yourself, because prices are raised to cover the cost of your “rewards”. Loyalty also undermines competition – the more disloyal customers are, the more shops are kept on their toes. Retail loyalty is a con.

By: Omar

Omar — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:32:44 +0000

I’m not into rewards cards. I rather shop at a place that has great customer service. But I do need to stop shopping at a neighborhood discount store that has only one cashier throughout the day. But I don’t mind paying extra at a place that makes me feel appreciated. Thanks for the article Erica.

By: Prime

Prime — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:01:01 +0000

this post reminds me on how i was suckered three years ago into buying a starbucks planner in manila. i thought i was saving money because i will get a free planner after buying about a dozen starbucks coffee. hah! well it’s not free. i did the math and i learned that regular trips to starbucks cost me roughly 100 USD in just two weeks!!!!!!!

the year after, i chucked starbucks (and even advised other people to do the same), and bought myself a a nice(and better) planner for less than ten bucks.

By: Mackenzie

Mackenzie — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:27:08 +0000

This seems to all come down to “I live in an area which is stupidly unwalkable and thus waste money on gas.” I can walk 4 blocks to Safeway, 6 blocks to Yes!, or 12 blocks to Whole Foods. I think only Safeway of those has loyalty cards, but none of that stupid “spend money and we’ll send you a coupon,” just plain old “if you’ve got the card, you save $1 right now.”

Which store I go to depends on what I want, not a card. If I want dried beans, I go to Whole Foods because it’s got a great selection of them in bulk. If I just want some carrots and apple juice, I go to Safeway.

By: TeresaA

TeresaA — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:39:54 +0000

Thanks Natalie, and I agree with you on the tracking issue. It’s not a big deal….I am not doing anything particularly interesting or illegal. If you are worried about it being an invasion of your privacy, then you’d better give up your cell phone, the internet, your Facebook account and your credit/debit cards…..just for starters. If I do decide to “fall off the grid” someday it will be because the world is starting to get a little scary…LOL.

And Christina does make a great point too. Save your self some money and save your health….skip the processed stuff. It’s true…they really do have chemical engineers and colorists playing with your “food”. There are huge laboratories and kitchens where scientists work to formulate chemicals, flavors, colorings, etc. to entice your tastebuds and make that processed stuff seem soooo yummy!

By: Clark

Clark — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:54:01 +0000

Christina touched on something that we’re all missing here. Erica’s analysis and comparison shows the true cost comparison between the local and loyalty store. An even wider, high-level perspective would point out the positive health benefits of avoiding a large number of the food items advertised for sale. Okay, cat food, yogurt, toothpaste are fine from most grocery stores but the doritos, soda, pizza, frozen foods are going to cost us all down the road. It’s taken me over ten years of skepticism and denial, and ss much as I dislike paying a premium for organic foods I do it.

By: Natalie

Natalie — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:55:06 +0000

I completely agree with and follow TeresaA’s logic.

And I don’t give a hoot about store/government tracking. It’s not like they start charging you more for the products that you’re buying; and I’m not a criminal that’s trying to hide something. So why sweat it?!