No Sale for You!

by Keeng Tusk

I don't know about you, but I have been sick like an idiot since the start of the grocery/ drug store chain "shopper's card" craze.  Kroger, Ralphs, Tom Thumb, CVS... the list goes on.  I would say these cards really started gaining popularity right around or a little before the year 2000, by my observation.  They had been around before, mind you, but on a smaller scale.  I'm not talking about Sam's or Costco, as those are private "clubs" which you have to pay to be a member and shop there.  We're talking about grocery stores, here!

For those of you unfamiliar with the shopper's card I mentioned above, here's a brief explanation.  The stores listed, as well as countless others, have a system tracking your personal purchases while making you feel like you're getting great deals as some sort of gift from them.  In order to get these great deals (a.k.a. sale prices) on certain goods, these stores make you be a member of their "exclusive clubs."  This membership process usually entails taking your precious minutes to sign up for the free service and getting a card, similar to a credit card, that you swipe and/or scan when you purchase goods at checkout.  Items that are listed "on sale" in the store will be charged the sale price listed, but items not on sale will be charged the non-sale price.  The price you pay for not being a member of this "exclusive club."

All purchases you make will be added to your "file" as well, sale price or not.  Who do they think they are, the FBI?

Since when do you have to be a member of an "exclusive" group to get certain sale prices on items or feel important, when you're just trying to live a normal everyday life and buy some chicken?  Every shopper should be treated equally, regardless of whether they elect to sign any information over or not.  Sounds like discrimination to me.  Whatever happened to "The price you see is the price you get?"  Very, very annoying.

Sure, you could go to another store, but you like THIS store; the one where you need the card to get a sale price.  You don't need a reason to want to shop at this store, either.  On the same token you don't need a reason to give them your information.

Another thing - I'm getting sick of these places making a big stink about how it costs nothing to get this card, like they're doing you a favor.  Don't do them this favor.  You're in control here, don't forget that.

Of course you can always provide false contact info and still get the card/sale prices, but what a hassle!  Your time is too precious.  You just want a damn two-liter bottle of Coca-Cola for $0.99 instead of $1.99, right?

If you don't have a card in these shops, though, don't fret.  These days, employees will normally just scan one for you at the checkout if you don't have one.  When these shopper's cards first started, the stores would con you into thinking you NEEDED one if you didn't have one right as you were about to pay.

Then they would proceed to rape you of your personal info whilst making you hold up the line behind you in the process.  Most places don't do this anymore, as I would assume grocery store employees would rather keep everything moving quickly than deal with some big mouth anger-case (like me) who might start screaming at them for making them wait.

However, the Kroger Shoppers Card FAQ states:

Why can't the cashier scan a card for me if I forget my Kroger Plus Card?

Card integrity is very important to us and scanning a card that has not been issued to an individual would compromise that integrity.  If you forget your card, you can enter the phone number you provided when you applied for your current shopper card (area code + 7 digits).  This number is your personal PIN linked to your Kroger Plus Card number.  If this does not work, save your receipt which shows what you could have saved.  Next time you come in with your Kroger Plus Card, visit the service desk for a refund of the savings amount.  Also, give the service desk associate your current card ID and home phone number.  He or she can contact the regional loyalty department to activate your personal pin for your next visit.

Hassle, hassle, hassle.

And now, the most disturbing thing I've ever read (from the Kroger Shoppers Card FAQ):

If I lose my Kroger Plus Card, can anyone get my personal information?

Kroger has established a strong commitment to protecting our customers' privacy.  Your information is not kept on-hand at the store.  In fact, only a few individuals within the Kroger organization have access to your information."

A few individuals?  Illuminati style, yo.

Back when Lucky was bought by Albertsons around 2000 or 2001, you could sign up for this "new" shopper's card (Lucky already had the same system) and there was a little check box on the application that said, "I do not wish to provide my personal info, but I want a card anyway."  Of course, it was very hard to see this little check box.  Of course!  Always be on the lookout for the fine print.  I have a feeling that it was some sort of California law, though, rather than a courtesy "opt-out."

However, Albertsons ditched the whole shopper's card idea altogether a few years ago, and I do commend them for this.  Smart thinking!  I think they wised up and probably got a lot of new customers as a result.  Life is enough of a hassle - maybe I don't want to carry a card with me everywhere!

The scary thing about these card accounts (besides the stores tracking all of your purchases unnecessarily) is that vital personal info is sometimes printed directly on your receipt!

Ralphs, for instance, prints the "Ralphs Rewards" card numbers (when the card is used) in full on each receipt.  If you pop on over to Ralphs.com and sign up for a "Ralphs Rewards" account with that card number listed, BAM!  Now you can now track this card owner's purchases and possibly cause all sorts of other hijinks as well.  If you dropped your receipt and didn't think twice, somebody could be tracking your shopping patterns and casing your home as well.  Thanks, Ralphs!

Kroger's receipts do not show the purchaser's name, but I think they used to.  The shopper's card number is ****'d out, like a credit card, showing only the last four digits.  They're still watching you.

Tom Thumb, on the other hand, prints the card holder's name on the receipt like it's personalized!  What is this stationary?  Imagine the blackmail that could ensue from something some would consider minor by having your name on a receipt with alcohol purchases, after you told your significant other that you stopped drinking as promised?  "Your receipts can and will be used against you in a court of law."  Tsk, tsk...

I wonder if the "privacy policy" for each of these perpetrators mentions anything of this post-purchase printed information.

This type of thing is not limited to grocery chains and "card holder" stores.  Shops such as Micro Center keep name and address records on file, and also print this information on the receipt.  Just bought that brand new $5,000 gaming PC, but dropped your receipt?  A little investigation and social engineering can ensure that somebody who found it now knows where you have it set up.

And since I brought up Sam's earlier, if you don't have a membership and know the name of a cardholder/member, feel free to social engineer yourself a "temporary" card and purchase all you want!  Save yourself the annual fee.

P.S. Please read the business intelligence article from 25:4.  I am aware that not all data miners are out to get you.  But don't give them the pleasure!

Peace to all 2600 readers and Off The Hook listeners!  Keep life fun.