Store Discount Cards
Publishing Guidelines: Permission is granted to publish this article electronically or in print as long as it is unedited and the bylines at the end are included. If published on the web, the url in the resource box must be hyperlinked. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated. Thanks!The Litter Box by Subject #1.2: Store Discount Cards.©2004-05 - David B. Catt - all rights reservedEver wonder why stores really offer a discount card instead of just a sale? Loyalty?? Whatevername they put on them.

One store calls it "Preferred". Makes me feel just so special (not). Funnyhow I never get "Preferred" treatment over someone that doesn't have a card! Maybe anexclusive checkout lines for those of us to whom the store has granted the privilege of a card. Somany times, I have been stuck waiting at checkout behind someone that does not have a card. :(Where is what I believe happens: So what does the store get in return for giving you a discount?Answer: Money! Hard to believe that the store can make lots of money by giving you discount!How? Answer: They sell the information about what you purchased to marketing researchcompanies.

Yes, several different marketing research companies. By allowing them to scan yourcard each time you shop, you give them permission to collect information that they may share(read as sell) with others as they see fit. That is the easiest and low investment money the storemakes. The information the store already gathers to track their stock instantly turn into easymoney with the swipe

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of your card. Why do you think they always ask you for the discount cardeven if you don't necessarily have discounted item?Remember how much personal information that you gave them to get the discount card? All theinformation the market research companies have gathered from stores is then crunched, analyzed,compared, sorted and studied and finally put into custom reports.

The report could be who isbuying a certain type of item (example: chocolate chip or peanut butter cookies?) to which brandof hot dogs is selling best in a certain region to whatever type of data report a customer wished topurchased. The possibilities are endless. To get an idea, do a web search for "market research".Look at reports offered.Who purchased these reports? One (of many) was possibly the manufacturer of the product thatwas discounted by scanning your card. The manufacturer pays for the market report with moneythey make from you purchasing their product. So who really paid for that discount? You did!Humor: I wonder what those market research computers thinks when it records a single malepurchasing an "unmentionable" item for the lady currently in their life! How badly does thateffect their statistical analysis? :) Until the litter box needs emptying again!.