These Store "rewards" cards are out of hand. Rant.

[MNgopher]

Sure target can track things through their redcard, but they can do it for any other credit card too - so long as the number is the same credit card number, a profile can be built, and there are a multitude of ways to tie that CC number to a name and address...

They like the Redcard with the 5% off, as they find that folks using the redcard spend more per transaction than other customers - and its likely that 5% is part of it. We shop for a lot of our groceries there - they tend to be cheaper before the 5%, and the 5% is extra icing on the cake. Our bill is paid in full every month, and we only buy what we need. Win for us, and I don't care about them tracking my purchases. They've been doing it at least since the 1990's.

 

[Vern_in_IL]

Panera Bread has a reward card, it's great get FREE FOOD.

 

[L_Sludger]

I'm with the thread starter. I detest the phony store card programs. It's pure profit motive for them to use and/or sell customer data, and they could be involved in sharing that sensitive purchasing data with unsavory entities.

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
I'm with the thread starter. I detest the phony store card programs. It's pure profit motive for them to use and/or sell customer data, and they could be involved in sharing that sensitive purchasing data with unsavory entities.



Yea=they sell what book titles you buy and how many gallons of milk you buy at the market.


You better get your tin foil hat from the hat rack.......

If you are worried about privacy stay off the Internet.

 

[L_Sludger]

Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
I'm with the thread starter. I detest the phony store card programs. It's pure profit motive for them to use and/or sell customer data, and they could be involved in sharing that sensitive purchasing data with unsavory entities.



Yea=they sell what book titles you buy and how many gallons of milk you buy at the market.


You better get your tin foil hat from the hat rack.......

If you are worried about privacy stay off the Internet.

Sir,
My concerns are well-founded, and based in fact. And they are rational, reasonable concerns.

Here's an excerpt from a Fox Business article:
Quote:
They're over-mining your data. A common trade-off in the world of loyalty programs is for consumers to surrender personal information, such as product preferences, hobbies or future vacation plans, during the sign-up to get the program's goodies. If the store is sharing your personal info with a marketing partner or it's not using your data to your benefit, it might be time to quit the loyalty scheme.

Loyalty programs frequently sell data to marketing companies, which use the information to target members with mail, email and phone solicitations.

Source: Becoming Disloyal: 6 Reasons to Quit a Loyalty Program

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
I'm with the thread starter. I detest the phony store card programs. It's pure profit motive for them to use and/or sell customer data, and they could be involved in sharing that sensitive purchasing data with unsavory entities.



Yea=they sell what book titles you buy and how many gallons of milk you buy at the market.


You better get your tin foil hat from the hat rack.......

If you are worried about privacy stay off the Internet.

Sir,
My concerns are well-founded, and based in fact. And they are rational, reasonable concerns.

Here's an excerpt from a Fox Business article:
Quote:
They're over-mining your data. A common trade-off in the world of loyalty programs is for consumers to surrender personal information, such as product preferences, hobbies or future vacation plans, during the sign-up to get the program's goodies. If the store is sharing your personal info with a marketing partner or it's not using your data to your benefit, it might be time to quit the loyalty scheme.

Loyalty programs frequently sell data to marketing companies, which use the information to target members with mail, email and phone solicitations.

Source: Becoming Disloyal: 6 Reasons to Quit a Loyalty Program



Nothing of which will affect your life-if you screen your calls and your mail. Don't answer an unfamiliar phone number (or use a FREE phone screening service such as nomorobo.com) or open a piece of junk mail. You can lead a normal life.


Your giving up plenty of personal information to your Internet provider and credit card company.

 

[Garak]

Some loyalty programs are okay. Some are clearly a problem. I don't think we can generalize with them too much. I participate in a few that I like, and that reward me reasonably well without much fuss. Others, I couldn't be bothered with.

 

[daves87rs]

I think the key is to just get the ones you need.

Kroger is good one, Panera and CVS too....

As far as selling your info, I stopped worrying years ago about that. Nearly everyone sells it anyways, and surfing the net, facebook.....you can't hide from it.

 

[The_Nuke]

Originally Posted By: 2009Edge
I have a Kroger card and save $1/per gallon on gas in the amount of $622 so far this year.

I take advantage of the gas savings that kroger rewards card provides as well, but will tell you the gas i gt at my local kroger stores in dfw is consiatently ome of the poorest quality fuel around. it will suffice for daily work commutes, sure. But any driving that requires operating the vehicle under heavy acceleration will suffer at the hands of the kroger gas.

 

[john_pifer]

Originally Posted By: Leo99
Originally Posted By: AirgunSavant
Originally Posted By: Leo99
There are phone apps to store all your cards. No need to carry them all around. I use Stocard.


Funny thing I'm sick of smart phones and apps... lol
No offence to you of course.


No offense taken.

I have an issue with the hair cut chains that want your name, phone number, address to provide your haircut. I like to fly off the grid when I'm getting my hair cut. LOL.


A new Super Walmart opened up in my neighborhood. I thought I'd try the haircut place in there. They wanted my phone no, and when I objected, they refused to cut my hair.

 

[Mr Nice]

Give them a fake phone number.

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: 5AcresAndAFool


Am I Just Becoming an old Curmudgeon? Im not even 40 yet....
It is good you are not a mind numb zombie.

 

[dlundblad]

When I worked at Kroger, an old guy wanted to buy a bunch of pop that was on sale. He didn't have his card so he couldn't get the sale price. I offered to get one from someone and the person behind him chimed in offering, but he said no.

"This is discrimination. I am offended!," he said. I use this line as a joke probably a bit too much now.

OP I do feel your pain on the cards though and I am younger than you. I have an app on my phone, but hardly use it. You can't go to any box store without them asking and after declining, they said it'll only take a few minutes. I'm hardly in a hurry, but I will not do this stuff. No way. Kroger and Oreilly are the only ones i really use it at.. both of which have my number. No big deal because they never call and just use it to store info.

 

[NYSteve]

Amazon is one of the biggest consumer data miners on the planet and use some of the best algorithms/engineers to do it. Ever notice how items you look at are then advertised to you across websites you visit? They are literally tracking you from your purchase intent to then advertise to you directly.

Also Amazon is purchasing Whole Foods, which they will implement some sort of rewards card since whole foods never figured it out.

Not sure how Amazon doesn't outrage you more than Kroger.

 

[Kira]

The Whole Foods in Washington, D.C. didn't have a "card" a few years ago.

Just bought a cat themed book via Amazon yesterday. It'll be interesting to see how many cat related things pop up on my computer now.

 

[itguy08]

Originally Posted By: The_Nuke

I take advantage of the gas savings that kroger rewards card provides as well, but will tell you the gas i gt at my local kroger stores in dfw is consiatently ome of the poorest quality fuel around. it will suffice for daily work commutes, sure. But any driving that requires operating the vehicle under heavy acceleration will suffer at the hands of the kroger gas.


How is it poor? Does it not meet the minimum octane ratings?

 

[itguy08]

Originally Posted By: NYSteve
Not sure how Amazon doesn't outrage you more than Kroger.


They do. I use them as the retailer of last resort as they tend to be really scammy and scummy with the ads and price swaps and constant nagging for Prime.

 

[blupupher]

Originally Posted By: The_Nuke
Originally Posted By: 2009Edge
I have a Kroger card and save $1/per gallon on gas in the amount of $622 so far this year.

I take advantage of the gas savings that kroger rewards card provides as well, but will tell you the gas i gt at my local kroger stores in dfw is consiatently ome of the poorest quality fuel around. it will suffice for daily work commutes, sure. But any driving that requires operating the vehicle under heavy acceleration will suffer at the hands of the kroger gas.

Never had a problem with Kroger gas.
I have saved "only" $400 this year with the Kroger card. I like buying Amazon gift cards there when they have the 4x points.


As for rewards cards, Kroger is the only one I use on a regular basis, I have an Auto Zone, but don't buy much there, and also have the Speed Perks from Advance (not used often either).

I do agree it seems everyone has one now days.

 

[Bud]

The only card I use is Lowes. They scan it each time I buy and I get my 10% Military discount automatically.

 

[fdcg27]

If you shop Kroger and want to get the lower advertised prices, then you have to use their loyalty card, simple as that.
That you also get a discount on up to 35 gallons of fuel is also nice.
I'm all for saving money especially when its pretty painless to do so.
WRT anyone objecting to having their purchasing history tracked and recorded, that horse fled the barn a couple of decades back.
It's sometimes scary as well as amusing how this works.
Does anyone recall the Valvoline Maxlife SB rebate of the spring of '16?
Well, with this MIR and store discounts, I picked a jug of this up from a Meijer in Grove City while passing through on a trip.
They apparently did a recent remodel of this location and sent out coupons for ten bucks off thirty to any mPerks user who had ever shopped there and we had only set foot in the place once more than a year earlier.