Is anybody else sick of "rewards cards" from stores?

[enyawd72]

I can't stand this crap anymore. Depending on where I am between home and work, I regularly visit one of three gas stations...Sheetz, Speedway, or BP.
I have a "rewards" card for each.
Then there's cards for K-Mart, Giant Eagle, Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, TRU, FYE, Carmike Cinemas, Regal Cinemas, Atlas Cinemas, Hobbytown USA, Spencer Gifts, Lowes, Home Depot...and I think that's all of them.

That's SIXTEEN FREAKING CARDS in my wallet, all designed to save me money somehow, and if you don't have one, the cashier will keep pestering you until you get one.
Let's think about this...these cards have to be designed and manufactured, somebody is paid to design the rewards program, another person is paid to design a system to monitor the program and keep track of all your "points" which requires additional equipment...
Just imagine all the money spent on these programs! Here's an idea...do away with them, and pass all the savings onto consumers by LOWERING YOUR PRICES.

[toys2cool]

yea its annoying as hell

i have:
winn dixie
amoco
sports authority
pepboys
big lots
cvs
regal cinema (love this one)
toys r us
best buy
home depot
amc theaters

and i'm sure a couple more

[Nostalgiabuff]

i have only a few because they annoy me as well. i use them at krmart and TRU but that is about it

[enyawd72]

Wow, you're right, I totally forgot about Drug Mart, Rite Aid, Walgreens, and CVS. That makes 20 cards in my wallet besides my ATM card and one credit card. That's just crazy. There's no room for actual money!

yea its annoying as hell

i have:
winn dixie
amoco
sports authority
pepboys
big lots
cvs
regal cinema (love this one)
toys r us
best buy
home depot
amc theaters

and i'm sure a couple more

[MegoSteve]

Yeah, I hate them, too, and for a long time refused to carry them. Now I have a Sheetz card because I eat there for lunch enough that I get a free sub every once in a while, and I carry a grocery store one that I hardly ever use.

The reason stores push their rewards programs is to be able to track and analyze your shopping data. That is EXTREMELY valuable marketing information to a company. There was an article in the New York Times a few months ago that talked about how statisticians from Target are able to determine which women were pregnant based on their shopping data, and how, by providing relevant coupons to these women, they were able to boost their sales in the baby-related departments. Here it is:

How Companies Learn Your Secrets - NYTimes.com

[enyawd72]

i have only a few because they annoy me as well. i use them at krmart and TRU but that is about it

I used to turn them down all the time, but then I found out some places actually base their employee performance on how many people they sign up.
Sometimes these poor cashiers lose raises or even get fired.

My friend lost her job at Waldenbooks for not signing enough people up for the "preferred reader card". She was given two warnings, but tried to tell management she couldn't force people to sign up...they didn't care.

[Hulk]

I have an Android app called Key Ring that has allowed me to go "cardless". I bring up the "card" on the phone and they can scan it directly. They have an iPhone version as well.

[toys2cool]

I have an Android app called Key Ring that has allowed me to go "cardless". I bring up the "card" on the phone and they can scan it directly. They have an iPhone version as well.

whoa! that sounds really good

[Mikey]

worst pesterers is Staples

[megoapesnut]

I have an Android app called Key Ring that has allowed me to go "cardless". I bring up the "card" on the phone and they can scan it directly. They have an iPhone version as well.

That's a heckuva of an idea. The one rewards cards I REALLY like is for Giant grocery stores. They have their own line of gas stations at some of the stores and, if you accumulate points, you can get so much off a gallon of gas. And I have a Hummer which costs about $100 to fill up. On the last promotion, I got $1.90 off each gallon of gas. It was very nice only having to pay half price to fill up the Hummer.

[Bill]

It's as if all the business owners thought, "I know Radio Shack is really annoying, how can we beat them at their own game?"

[kingdom warrior]

It's as if all the business owners thought, "I know Radio Shack is really annoying, how can we beat them at their own game?"

[Rallygirl]

Besides Meijer and WalMart, we also have a smaller chain grocery store, D&W, here. I loved that store; it carries lots of small independent brands and specialty items that Meijer does not. Then came the Yes card. Now, the ONLY way to get the sale prices in their newspaper flyer is to have a Yes card. I said NO to the Yes card, and NO o shopping at their stores all together.

[Funkyterrance]

I've got one of these for my local hardware store and while its nice to get the $5 voucher every once and a while its a little depressing to see how much I had to spend to get it.

[jwyblejr]

The only ones I ever use are the one for Kroger and Game Stop.