Maybe everyone else knows this...

[TrainChaser]

I mostly do my grocery shopping at Kroger/Fred Meyer, and every time I go to the checkout, they ask if I have a Rewards Card.  When I say I don't, this happens:

"Why not?" 

"Because no one seems to be able to tell me why stores use them."  

"But they're to save you money!"

"To save me money, all they would have to do is lower the prices, instead of spending millions on cards, machines, etc.  What's the real reason?"

And they can't answer.  At any store.

While waiting for my biscuits to bake, I asked Mr. Google.  Multiple sites said they do it to track you, where you are, how you pay, what you buy; if you buy a lot of booze or drugs or stuff for kids.  Even if you don't have a Rewards card, they track your debit and credit cards.  Then they sell your information to whoever can ante up.  Of course. 

I thought it was probably something like this.

The kicker was that some outfit sent multiple people with duplicate shopping lists to multiple stores of the same type (like grocery stores) in certain areas, and they came up with the result:  Buyers who don't use reward cards SAVE an average of $22 per trip.

So, if you find a lot of cash, use it for your purchases and frustrate the stores. Just to annoy, if nothing else.

[rvpopeye]

OK , this is what a bunch of did in Nashville for Kroger and Food Lion . Made up a fictitious customer profile and then give cards to everyone in the group/ Then let their computers freak out as we used the cards all over the country and at the same time if possible ...............................

[Rocki5pr]

^^^ Something similar that already works is the stores like Walgreens with reward type cards where you can just enter your phone # if you forgot or lost your card is enter a local area code (or probably any area code) and then 567-5309 from the song; the # is automatically entered into almost every system as a "test" number so is accepted for discounts ...

[Putts]

I think it's 867-5309.

[Rocki5pr]

yep; darn computer keyboard (or my fat fingers) lol

[Snikwahjm]

I got a card and called myself Mrs. Hitler... bunch of nazis anyway. Mostly I try to shop where there ain’t no cards.

[rvpopeye]

I'm convinced that they raise the prices so the rewards card holders just get the regular price and those without pay MORE !

Think about it people , doesn't that make more sense than the card gets you an actual discount ?
(this IS the country now called The United States of Greed , right?)

I also think that at the stores without the cards , the bill is less to begin with.....

It's TRUE I tell ya !

[TrainChaser]

RVPopeye, I'm sure you're absolutely right.

Back in the early 80s, I was living in Springfield, OR, and the closest grocery store was Von's. They didn't have cards in those days, and bar codes weren't in wide use, but they did have 'sales'. Accidentally, I discovered what they were doing. This was when food was still individually priced. They would advertise something like bread for 79 cents (previously $1.19), and mark the ones in front with 79 cents stickers, but the ones in back would have $1.29 stickers. I guess they would keep a few of the 'sale' ones in front, but most people wouldn't look, so they would grab one 79-cent loaf and one $1.29 loaf, or wouldn't look at all, and grab two of the higher priced ones.

If people really knew how much they were being ripped off in every facet of their lives, there might be a revolution. Or not.

[TedOnWalkabout]

I do the 867-5309 thing just about anywhere a store wants to trade my info for money off. Generally there are multiple people registered under that number. Often, there's a Jenny. Just two weeks ago I went to Walgreens and the card had $50 of frequent flyer credits on it. Unfortunately, unless one has the rest of the info on the account, ya can't use the bonus bucks.

What's amazing is how many young people recognize the number. (Is that song ringing in your head now?l
Ted

[GotSmart]

I really do not care who is tracking me. 

I have saved a lot by using cards. How?  Because I know how to shop.  I go off my list, and hit several stores. 

Most things have price differences, so I listen to what my momma always said, “You better shop around. “.