Grocery chain loyalty cards

Discussion in Food & Drink started by silentrascal • Jul 2, 2014.

  1. silentrascal

    silentrascalNew Member

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    Several different grocery chains today (i.e. Food Lion, Harris Teeter, Bi-Lo) offer savings to their customers in the form of a "loyalty" card. In other words, they'll have certain items at special prices or deals (i.e. Buy 1 Get 1 Free) to those who use their loyalty card at the register. Other grocers tend to have lower prices most of the time anyway without the requirements of such a card. Do you feel that in order to save money you should have to use a card at that particular grocery store? Or should all grocers offer the same deals and bargains to individuals shopping in their stores without that card? Incidentally, in several of the places that DO have a card program in place, if you don't have a card or forgot one, the cashiers will typically have one at the register they'll swipe for you anyway. So in that case, why use the card system anyway?
     
  2. Livvy

    LivvyActive Member

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    In the case of the cashier using one, are they using their own, or giving one to you? Because it seems like that would be a quite handy, albeit sneaky way to rack in some free points off of every big purchase where someone has forgotten their own card.
     
  3. dustysmommy2013

    dustysmommy2013Active Member

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    I have a loyalty card to Dillons (Kroger) and it comes in handy for gas purchases. When I lived farther away from Dillons, it used to irritate me a bit. Why should I have to have a card to get something at that price when I can go to Walmart and buy the same thing for maybe even less than the "sale price" at Dillons. Now that I live closer to Dillons, I can see the advantages a bit more clearly. Its the easiest place for my husband to stop on the way home so he uses the loyalty card and racks up the points pretty quickly. He then uses those points to save money on gas and with the way gas prices are nowadays, even 10 cents per gallon is beneficial!

    I do think that loyalty cards can trick you into thinking you've saved a lot of money. I believe the retailers that offer these cards will jack up the prices of certain products just so they can later offer them at "discount" but only if you have a card. You think you're getting a good deal but in reality, the sale price you're getting is what it is normally at other retailers.
     
  4. pfaemaster

    pfaemasterMember

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    That's interesting. I personally get a loyalty card for every different shop that I purchase at. The main reason is that, if I do shop again, there might be a chance that I get a discount, or rack up some more points. The main reason for a loyalty card is in the name itself, ie, so that you shop there again. Most loyalty programs give you instore discounts as well as points. So there is a 2 pronged benefit.

    Having a loyalty program is an effective way for shops to develop a steady long lasting relationship with the customer. It does work. It is a fair method and it allows for competition, so in the end, the customer is the one who is benefiting.

    One thing that I have noticed is that many loyalty programs have merged. For example, teh Payback Rewards. They are the ones who award points for shopping any one of its associated retailers. The retailers themselves have no link with each other, apart from being affiliated to the program. This makes it easy to use one card for all shopping needs.
     
  5. lionzfire122

    lionzfire122Member

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    THE TRUTH BEHIND LOYALTY CARDS.

    Notice many stores have loyalty cards for their customers. Typically in some countries such as The United States we call these cards a rewards card. For now we will call them a loyalty card. You use these cards as specific retailers that issue them free to you. Use them with every purchase so you can rack up points to use on your next purchase.

    The catch is that not all loyalty programs are equal. Each one is unique to the store that offers the loyalty card. For many of us, we shop irregularly. Meaning we shop where we can save. If your not a big time roller with a family, this card isn't meant for you.

    These cards are meant to help out serious shoppers. That's my opinion!

    Hope this post was helpful.
     
  6. Parker

    ParkerWell-Known Member

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    My favorite stores don't have loyalty (rewards) cards. I still have a bunch from the conventional grocery stores like Albertson's, Ralph's and Vons. I rarely shop at these stores. The only reward that these cards have is that you must scan them to get the discounted price. No additional rewards beyond that.
     
  7. dustysmommy2013

    dustysmommy2013Active Member

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    My post only referred to grocery store loyalty cards. I have other cards for other places that I shop at such as Babies R Us and Best Buy. Those are TRUE loyalty cards in my opinion because you don't HAVE to have them to shop there or get a public deal but if you do, it works out in your favor because you will get special incentives. I don't agree entirely with the way grocery store loyalty cards work BUT like I said, it is working for us right now so I can't complain too much.
     
  8. 003

    003Well-Known Member

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    I think the card system is more efficient and more time-saving. The cashier may have ways to remedy if the customer holder of the loyalty card forgot it, but it surely going to take more time to browse on the records to confirm necessary information about the customer and to confirm himself as the real owner of the card which has been forgotten.
     
  9. forextraspecialstuff

    forextraspecialstuffActive Member

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    I have a loyalty card to the stores I shop at that have them available because I notice a lot of the sales are tied into having the card. I don't want to have to rely on the cashier to be kind and offer to swipe a card for me, also sometimes when I use mine I get some good coupons that I can then use the next time I shop with my loyalty card. I don't mind these cards because they are easy to carry, can be looked up by phone number if I don't have it on me and I never receive any unwanted communication because I have one.