February 27, 2007
A Shadow of the Past
It may just be my imagination, but after a period of relative quiet, the cashiers at our local Giant (pronounced "Gee-AUNT") are suddenly getting downright testy again about my not using one of their "bonus" cards.
The typical exchange of late has gone something like this:
Cashier: Do you have a "bonus" card?
Self: No.
Cashier: Well, would you like to enter your phone number instead?
Self: No, thank you.
Cashier: But, look - you could save $1.32 today!
Self: Really, don't worry about it.
Cashier [with look of baffled fury]: This isn't the end of this, Boy!
Well, okay, maybe not the last line. (Which is actually a quote from Aladdin's Jaffar, but I couldn't think of anything apropos out of Tolkien to match the title of this post.) However, I am getting the sense of something not far short of hostility.
Now I'm hardly the type who goes about with tinfoil wrapped round his head to ward off the Trilateral Commission's GPS tracking system. On the other hand, I don't feel any inclination whatever to aid Giant in keeping tabs on how many bottles of olive oil or other sundries I buy per month. And I find it especially irksome that they believe they can sucker me into forking over this info with the lure of saving a couple bucks here and there, not really paying any attention to where it might be going or who might be getting it.
Indeed, I actually had one cashier say recently, "What's wrong - don't you want to save money?"
I fixed her with the blue marbles and said, "I don't feel like it today, thanks."
Posted by Robert at February 27, 2007 02:01 PM | TrackBackI had the same issue with Kroger recently. Conversation went exactly the same (excepting the last line.) She was quite pushy about me getting a card, it seems that "no, I don't want one" is not something they can understand.
Posted by: rbj at February 27, 2007 02:43 PMAny particular reason to be sensitive about olive oil?
Posted by: Jeff at February 27, 2007 03:15 PMWell, no, so long as they don't know about the surgical gloves as well.
Wait! Oh, shoot.....
Posted by: Robbo the LB at February 27, 2007 03:58 PMI had a similar experience at Kroger, too. When I said I didn't have a card, the cashier looked at me like I'd farted or something.
I used to be a cashier in a grocery store. I didn't want people hanging around, so I never bugged them about "shoppers cards." Coupons were bad enough!
Posted by: GroovyVic at February 27, 2007 04:23 PMFrom my days in retail, I can say that the push from the customer service types starts when they get pushed from management to "encourage" the rabble to get in on the program.
Most maddening to me was when we had to invite folks into a program they were already in because some management nitwit posted a sign that said, "You get something free if our employee doesn't invite you into the perks program."
Posted by: jen at February 27, 2007 04:55 PMGo back to the days of old. The days of landowners and serfs. Look her in the eyes full of sincere kindness and say, "Saving money is for other people."
Posted by: Mrs. Peperium at February 28, 2007 10:20 AMI've had the same experience at local stores owned by a couple of different chains. Normally I don't dump on checkout people for the exploitive, dissembling policies of their corporate overlords, but this "discount card" scam is really beginning to to chafe me in my sensitive areas. The last time the woman at the counter gave me that "Don't you want to save money?" line, I fixed her with my most demented stare and said, "No, I don't, and you can't make me."
Posted by: utron at February 28, 2007 12:16 PMYou could always say "If I wanted to save money, I wouldn't shop here."
Posted by: rbj at February 28, 2007 01:51 PMPersonally, I've always liked looking them straight in the eye and responding, "Sure! I'll give you my address and phone number - and you give me yours!"
It might get you arrested, but eventually they'll stop asking.
Posted by: The Random Yak at February 28, 2007 02:07 PMMy husband LOVES his grocery bonus card! When ever he goes to the food store he always comes home and examines the reciept to see how much he "saved".
One time I told him that he was making me hot... mmmmm, bonus card, "Top Banana Shopper", ohhhh tell me about it, honey.
I know, sick. But, we get along.
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