"Pennyaline" > wrote in
:

> "<RJ>" wrote:
>> We've just moved to Arizona from the East coast.
>>
>> I'd heard people complaining about "store cards",
>> but I hadn't realized how pervasive it was.
>>
>> Is this a West coast phenomenon ?
>
> Hell, no! Where were you on the East Coast? Where I'm from (NYS),
> cards were offered by almost every store - the biggies in the Finger
> Lakes Region were Wegman's and Top's.
>
> Now that *I* am in the West (Utah), the cards to have are Albertson's
> and Smith's.*

Every supermarket chain in AZ now uses cards. The major holdout was
Albertson's, but they succumbed a few months ago.

> * Smith's Stores recently took over the Fred Meyer stores. Smith's
> parent company is actually Kroger. Fred Meyer had been Kroger stores
> too, so there really is no difference.

Here in AZ it was Fry's who took over the Fred Meyer stores a couple of
years ago, although there weren't many of them. Fry's parent company is
also Kroger, and there are various Kroger-branded products on the
shelves.

>> Every grocery store, every drug store, even Ace hardware
>> wants you to sign up for their "shoppers card".

Even PetSmart now has a shoppers card.

> Wegman's had been (and may still be) married up with a building supply
> store called Chase Pitkin. Chase Pitkin had its own card, but signing
> up for a Wegman's card automatically qualified you for a Chase Pitkin
> card if you wanted to get one.
>
>> Then, they have a two-tier price system.
>> The "club price" ( which I see as the regular price )
>> and the "store price" ( hugely inflated )
>
> Absolutely. They are a classic rip off, but the only way to save on
> the inflated prices these stores charge.
>
>> All merchandise is scanned to the inventory control computer.
>> If the retailer wants to know "whats selling", all he's got to do
>> is call up todays ( or this weeks) sales, by item, or by volume.

Inventory control and automated ordering is the major point. With most
stores selling thousands of products today, it would be both a physical
and financial nightmare to maintain it all by hand.

>> Why in heavens name does he need to know specifically
>> what John, or Mary bought today ?

Clearly, they don't, but inventory, ordering, and to some extent,
demographics are all important to maintaining an efficient store that
carries products you want.

>> Can anyone offer any insight ??

When the cards first appeared in stores where I used to shop in Ohio,
about 6 years ago, I was tentative about getting one. Realizing that I
was losing money if I didn't use a card, I quickly jumped on the
bandwagon. I would much rather that the store ran legitimate specials
available to everyone, still offered newspaper coupons as they used to,
etc., but since they don't, the cards enable some measure of savings.
You'll never beat this process and it won't go away, so unless you don't
care how much something costs, you might as well cave in and use the
cards.

"Regular" prices for merchandise were inflated when an item was "on
sale" long before cards appeared on the scene. Retail has always
operated this way as long as I can remember.

Most stores where I shop with cards also issue immediate coupons for the
similar or same products which can be an additional help.

Wayne in Phoenix

If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it.