Mia.
By MIA FREEDMAN
No thanks, I do not want to join your loyalty program. No, I’m not a member of your discount club. No, I don’t currently collect points for your frequent buyer scheme. No, I’m not on your VIP list and I don’t want to be alerted when new stock comes in. No, I haven’t got a fly buys card. No. No thanks. No. I just want to pay you and take my new stuff home.
SHOPS, WHY IS THIS SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND?
Remember when the extent of the conversation you had with a sales assistant was “Cash or charge?” The End.
Come back, those days. I miss you.
This week, I braved Westfield to do some Christmas shopping and returned home a shriveled husk. Utterly exhausted.
Not from looking for a parking spot for 30 minutes. Not from crowd surfing on escalators or stressing that my credit card was about to spontaneously combust.
Not even from staggering desperately around all four levels of the car park, pressing the unlock button on my key in the desperate hope that my lost car might flash its lights in response.
All of that is just how shopping rolls. Having done all that for decades, I’m extremely match fit. My retail endurance is high.
Just a few of the loyalty cards in my possession…
However there’s a new type of retail exhaustion and it’s caused by the relentless harassment of sales assistants to join their stupid loyalty programs. Wait, maybe they’re not deliberately harassing me. Maybe they’re just trying to be helpful but when you can’t even buy a bottle of shampoo anymore without someone asking, “Have you joined our Customer Discount Program?” and then immediately launching into a spiel about how it will change your life and save you so much money and all you need to do is fill out this form with your details blah blah blah, something has gone seriously wrong with the retail experience.
NO, I DO NOT HAVE ONE OF YOUR DISCOUNT CARDS AND I DO NOT WISH TO GIVE YOU MY NAME AND PHONE NUMBER BECAUSE I JUST WANT TO BUY THIS BOTTLE OF GODDAMN SHAMPOO AND NEVER EVER COME BACK.
My wallet overflows with loyalty cards because for years, I thought they were a good idea. Loyal? Yeah I’m loyal. Rewards? Sure! Discount program? Who doesn’t want a discount!
But recently, when I couldn’t close my wallet anymore, the madness became clear.
Around the same time, Channel 9 Finance Editor, Ross Greenwood called me about a news story he was putting together. He had also noticed the sharp rise in loyalty programs and that women in particular are suckers for them. “They weigh down wallets, take up mental space and deliver very little,” he says. “But I discovered some women are staunchly attached to these things. There’s genuine emotion when they describe their favourites.”
“Why, I would love to join your rewards program.” Said no man. Ever.
You’re right, Ross. Of the 19 cards I counted in my wallet, I could only part with 11. One of the remaining eight is for a chicken shop. Meanwhile, my husband has none. Ask a nearby bloke to turn out his wallet and count his loyalty cards. Go on, do it now. It won’t take long because he probably won’t have any.
“As for the stores: don’t get me started,” Ross continues. “They can spot a sucker sooner than most. And if a small piece of plastic and the promise of free stuff or a discount makes you feel special, that only means you’ll spend more money. And that’s what it’s all about.”
Goddammit he’s right. In one store this week, the salesperson actually said this to me:
Her: “Are you part of our loyalty program?”
(I actually was but I’ve lost the card and I’m sick of giving out my details to strangers in front of other strangers).
Me: “No. And I don’t -”
Her: “For every $100 you spend, you save $5. And you’ve already spent $90 so if you spend another $10, you get $5 off!”
Me: “……….”
It’s really not smart to bamboozle frazzled shoppers with such bogus financial logic, particularly when we’ve lost circulation in our left arm from dragging around shopping bags. We don’t want to do maths. We just want to pay you. Why is our money no longer enough? Why do you also need our address?
Ross Greenwood
I’m so sick of giving my private details to sales assistants. Sometimes I try giving fake ones, just to get it over quickly and avoid a lengthy discussion about the benefits of getting another bit of useless plastic for my wallet. And because they say things like “it only takes 2 seconds and you’ll automatically get a $10 free voucher.” Except it never does and you never do.
There really is no escape. Even at the supermarket at 9pm while trying to buy some emergency dog food recently, came the inevitable, “Do you have a Woolworths card?”. No I don’t. BECAUSE I AM GOING TO HAVE TO BUILD A SECOND STORY ON MY WALLET. And also? It’s dog food.
Interestingly, Ross Greenwood points out that “even if you don’t have a loyalty card, they’ll probably give you the freebies if you spend enough and ask firmly.”
Next time I go shopping, I’m taking Ross Greenwood. And a smaller wallet.
Do you have any loyalty cards? Are they useful, or just a waste of precious wallet space?
Comments
249 Comments so far
tagbond.com – membership and rewards re invented.
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Unfortunely it is the time of aggressive advertising as is the way the world is going – aggressively. It is not enough the companies make 1 billion profit no next year it has to be 2 billion. It is a disposable world in constant change, keeping up with Joneses and no one is stopping to smell the roses anymore. God forbid we should have a spare moment – no we want our minds to be constantly bombarded. We all have to be on the go, go, go and is with fashion, interior decor, new cars etc etc. in constant change. No wonder people are up to their eyeballs in debt and counting but no worries there as long as we keep up with the celebrity lifestyle, gadgets everyone is into so you must as well and what the media is shoving down our throat . Oh by the way have you seen how many ads there are on TV, 10 and counting in between programs. Have you seen how happy they make funeral insurance sound?. I think by the end of our lives we will be looking forward to RIP!!!
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Do you know the part I relate to the most?? Ross Greenwood’s comment about “mental clutter”!!
I went Christmas shopping recently and I was trying to keep track.. “Okay, I’ve got $10 to spend on my Flybuys card, and a $10 rewards voucher at Howards Storage World, plus if I spent another $50 at Myer I’ll be due for a $20 voucher there, so I’ll get dad’s shirt there…” Exhausting! It would be easier to just cut them all up…
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Hi, the pop up is still happening on this website. Is there a way to stop it?
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I “trial” cards for a few months and see how I go. This helps me weed out the ones I don’t use. My keepers are:
QVB Books
Priceline
Woolworths (if only because I don’t need to keep receipts for my petrol discounts!)
Flybuys
Velocity (tip – go through the Velocity site when going to certain online retailers, including eBay, when buying to get more points)
Plus the one from my cafe for my coffee.
Having said that, I did just sign up to the Seafolly one and have no idea what I’m supposed to get out of that as I only buy a new swimsuit every few years…
I don’t mind people asking me to sign up, but I don’t stay on their database unless I’m getting something out of it. Which reminds me, I have some group buying sites I need to unsubscribe from; their offers are no longer enticing to me…
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Hmmm, all the best websites do it too…
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It is annoying I understand but please remember that it’s the annoying sales assistants jobs and you’re not the first person to roll your eyes at them in the line that day, especially at Christmas time.
Not trying to be rude, but just help a brother out and keep the caps lock to the computer
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Im sorry you feel this way when you go shopping Mia, its not nice to feel stressed and hounded but please spare a thought for the poor shop assistants to who will lose their job if they dont ask each and every customer to join their shops stupid loyalty scheme! They do not want to ask you, they hate doing it and they go home upset and angry about all the customers that threw it back in their face that day. I have worked in retail for 13 years and I can tell you the majority of sales assistants are naturally freindly people who genuinly want to help, thats how they’ve ended up in this role. To be so aggressive towards them about what is probably already the most cringeworthy part of their day is very unfair.
Just smile, say no thankyou. Job done. They dont want to pester you any more than you want to be pestered.
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Great question. So how about you do the hard yards of complaining to management to try and better the situation instead of wasting time with those fake memberberships.
Sadly, you’re request, demand or pleading will go almost unheard. For management it all comes down to the bottom of the line. In their marketing minds, memberships = money.
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As a suggestion to others, I keep a seperate email address for loyalty cards, websites, competitions ect to avoid junk mail. Works quite well for me.
When I used my woolies everyday rewards card a few years ago, Woolies gave me a car, so Im a pretty loyal shopper now…. hint to big chains – give all customers a new car – it works!
…although if Coles wanted to offer me a better car….
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I completely agree. I hate it and my wallet overflows.
But I work at a major department store and I will literally lose my job if I don’t ask every customer and in turn sign at least one person up every month. No hyperbole, I was put on a “training program” to help me sell the card. The next step is a meeting with the store manager and then after that it can mean termination.
So as much as I agree, just say no and understand that the poor person behind the counter is getting their butt kicked behind the scenes to tell everyone about the card.
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I have loyalty-card-fatigue. I can’t keep up. I don’t want to keep up. The only card I use regularly is the Woolworths Everyday Rewards. I have shopped there for years and never had a card, then one day I did join and started using it. In no time at all, I had all these extra thousands of Qantas FF points that have got me flights to Sydney, a fancy Breville Juicer.
And on the subject of things I don’t want in shopping centres… I don’t want to be stopped by people working in those kiosk style beauty product shops. They just loiter around in the aisles of the centre, waiting to pounce on shoppers and splosh hand cream on them. I absolutely cannot stand that behaviour. Even if I wanted some hand cream, I wouldn’t buy one from those places on principle that they should leave people alone!
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Hi Mia,
totally agree agree agree with you on this, particularly the logic they spin behind ‘spend a squillion bazillion dollars and we’ll send you a voucher for $2.50!’ but friday night i had my first solo shopping experience since having my one year old daughter (who, for shame, does not love browsing the latest racks at country road or witchery as much as i do), so – on with the story, i was at country road and walk up to the till with my stash (it had been a year) when the lady told me it was a special 20% off night for card holders! (what are the chances!
– the one and only time i’ve been thankful to be a “loyal shopper”. on a side note – spent so long at the shopping centre that my husband called me to ask me if everything was alright.
ps. Mia – just finished reading your book ‘mamamia’ and was just absorbed by it from start to finish – must admit my daughter watched half of a justine clarke DVD this morning whilst i finished it. we are off on holidays tomorrow and as much as i had saved it for a holiday book, im glad i read it now as despite some of the hard/awful times you describe in the book, i found it really uplifting. thank you.
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SOME loyalty cards are brilliant i.e. jeanswest, mimco, myer, priceline. I use these all the time. That being said, i do have some cards that never see the light of day…time to bin them.
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what are the benefits with mimco?
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As a previous employee of Woolworths and now a current employee of a local retail store I can say that they have to ask no matter what. The manangers would crack down hard on us at Woolies if we forgot because we would get a lot of customers complaining that they presented their card after the sale was finalised and it was too late to use it. So I am understanding when they ask if I have one. But if I say no and then they proceed to tell me why I should get one, well that starts to piss me off.
At the retail store I work at now if they don’t have a card we then must ask them if they would like to sign up. If they say no we leave it alone, no need to explain why they actully should because you’re just going to lose customers that way.
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I have no loyalty cards. The idea that you get something for free is a myth…especially in todays consumer world. The biggest thing you lose is your privacy to your personal information. Its not stolen from you – you actually give it to these various retailers. The information is used in determining, your age demographic, what you shopping habits are and what price range your happy to shop within. Why do you think prices of items in shops in affluent neighbourhoods tend to be higher? These retailers have the perfect vehicle to control their monopoly and maintain their monopoly over the smaller businesses. I refuse to be part of this scam.
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But they can still identify us by our credit card details anyway – same unique number concept.
I don’t like loyalty programs either but I’m still aware that my data is still being exploited, although it is not as useful without all the details loyalty programs required.
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They all need to get together and make an app. Like the eCoffee Card app. Then we can throw out our cards and be members of as many rewards programs as we like all in one place – our phone!
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There are a bunch of them. They’ve been mentioned below.
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The Christmas cheer isn’t very evident on here today!
C’mon – it’s really not that bad is it people?! I understand that the stores are creating these programs to monitor our spending but in return some do genuinely offer some great discounts. You rarely need your physical card on you anymore (Witchery now has an app you can use instead and most stores can look you up in a matter of seconds if you don’t have your card)… and if you still really don’t want them, the 5 seconds it takes to politely say “no, thanks, I don’t have time to sign up today” really isn’t that bad is it?! Even if you do have to do it ten times a day you’ve spent less than a minute saying 10 words that won’t actually delay the transaction at all anyway.
With Mamamia’s endless Tweets and irritating pop ups this article seems a bit rich to me!
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Hi Mia,
I work in retail, and believe me, I hate asking that question. Whilst I was reading your article, I realised I also feel the type of frustration you describe, but mine is prompted by something else, but fairly similar (same, same, but different I guess you could say).
I decided to take two of your sentences and I ask you to replace some the words with ones I’ve suggested….stick with it, It sounds confusing but hopefully it will make sense in a minute…
‘I’m so sick of giving my private details to sales assistants. replace ‘sales assistant’ ‘website’
“it only takes 2 seconds and you’ll automatically get a $10 free voucher.” Replace a free voucher with “you’ll go into the draw to win [insert prize]”.
I don’t feel that frustrated with the sales assistants because I know they are cringing every time they have to ask a customer that question and be at the receiving end of their response, but I do feel frustrated when I open a website and have to wait for the advertisement to end (or get to a point where I can skip it) or wait while a new page opens giving me details of a competition to enter.
Like yourself, I find myself thinking ‘I DO NOT WISH TO GIVE YOU MY NAME AND PHONE NUMBER BECAUSE I JUST WANT TO LOOK AT YOUR WEBSITE”
Like i said, it is same, same, but different.
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Cheree, I cannot agree more.
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I think the main issue here is that generally people sign up to every card which is offered to them and never look up what the rewards, discounts or member deals actually are. If you already shop in one store a lot it can save you a lot of money or you can get a whole lot of extras from it. The Witchery card is absolutely fantastic, you receive an additional discount off sale items all the time and receive a discount or voucher pretty much every time you shop.
Don’t generalise all member cards, some are a waste of time however some companies invest a lot of time into developing a members system which genuinely benefits the members.
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Some are better than others! I’ll never part with my Country Road Card (exclusive previews to the sales, an extra 25% off on certain days…) nor my Myer One card (they send you vouchers sporadically depending on your spend! Free magazines!). My airlines cards are here to stay too. Everyone else can go jump. I’m not offended by people asking me if I have them, just ambivalent. As a marketing professional, I can understand the need for businesses to have them. Now someone just needs to invent an app for that so I don’t have to lug them all around in my wallet and they might get more conversions.
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Mia
I totally agree with you but I find it highly amusing that you write an article about this issue without fixing your own website. I am a subscriber. Anytime I click on a link within the daily Posts from Mamamia email I get this ad popup before I am allowed to read your article. (screenshot attached) Seriously annoying and I don’t want to be annoyed. Can you please work on it?
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Hi Cath,
That definitely shouldn’t be happening. Thanks for alerting us to it. We’re working on it now.
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I just smile and politely say “No thank you!”. I think you’ll find that your attitude will affect how annoyed you get about stuff. I’ve worked in retail and know that it’s part of your job to upsell. Next time just remember that these people are just doing their jobs.
I use the Myer, Woolworths, Ikea and Spotlight loyalty cards. I dont mind that they are collecting information about how I shop. All the better to target me with dear!
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When the shop assistant asks “do you have a (insert shop name here) loyalty card” I answer ‘No thank you’. This tells the assistant that I do not have a card and am not interested in getting one in just two words, and saves us both so much time. I seriously suggest trying it.
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I work for a supermarket chain and we can actually get a ‘strike’ and have to be councilled if we do not ask for their card. This is only when we have mystery shoppers/upper management visiting but it’s still something we do to every single customer. Even if its only for something ridiculous like $1.50, where the customer and supermarket receives little or no benefit from.
However I’d still prefer to ask than to be out of a job.
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Oh I am completely with you there. My recent experience is still making me angry!
I was in a bedding store wanting to buy some new bed linen for my daughters bed. When I was asked if I had a loyalty card. Now I was there with my two daughters(1+4) who were already tired and the 4yo was only fine because it was linen for her so she was excited.
I said I wasn’t a member, after she of course went on with the benefits blah blah blah. One of the points was that I receive some discount which I can use on that same purchase. The thing was though I had do to lay-by because the size wasn’t instore and they had to order it. So I paid a deposit amount and the rest would be paid when it arrives.
So when I came back a few days later to pick up my item and was going to use that ‘voucher’ I was told I can’t use it in the same purchase. I said that the previuos sales lady told me I could, of course that wasn’t the case and on the back of that ‘voucher’ it said I couldn’t use it on the same purchase.
Of course I didn’t read the back and fine print when singing up, because I was with kids and tired and just wanted to finish it quickly.
I was so cross, I still tried and maintained that this lady said to me I could use it(she was not in the store that day).
Never ever am I going to sign up for another loyalty card, particularly not when I am in a stressed,unconentrated,with-kids moment.
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I work in a cinema, we have a free loyalty card, you just have to give us a name and email and you will save $16 on your tickets every time you visit. I’m trying to save you ALOT of money. So many rude customers bite your head off when you are just trying to help them out. My line of thinking is if they’re going to be like that I don’t want to save them money anyway.
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I looooooooooooove loyalty cards. Love love love them. DJ’s, Myer, Witchery, Baskin Robbins (HA), Everyday Rewards Frequent Flyers… the lot! I bought a ginormo wallet so they all fit nicely and most of the time I race the damned voice on the Woolies Self-Serve counters;
“If you have your Everyday Rewards card, please scan it…”
BEEP!! GOTCHA, SUCKER! HA HA!
It would appear I have a problem
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i always tell them i live out of town and i am only visiitng….no need to elaborate.
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Not complaining about my Witchery loyalty program, just received a $100 voucher and a one hour massage or facial at Endota day spa! Just works out to be a nice thank you for me because I buy most of my clothes and some of my kids clothes there and would do so regardless of their rewards.
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The only loyalty card I’ve found worth my signing up was my Woolies card – because I got free Qantas frequent flyer membership with it and I just moved interstate yet AGAIN so I’m going to need it more than I did before!
No others have done anything for me. But I was forced to sell loyalty cards at some of my former jobs because it was part of our “daily target” – you’d be surprised how many retail assistants don’t believe in it, we just wanna keep our jobs!
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Holy flurging shnit! I’m in retail. In a small town between Sydney and Canberra called Berrima and the only question we ask at sale time is can I gift wrap this for you? We use pen and paper to record sales and I love chatting to our customers. I really do! The highlight of my working day is helping someone find the right gift for the person. I ask age and sex and the price your looking to spend and then hope I can find what they want and wrap it beautifully. The only time my boss (mum) would ever rebuke me is if I did a bad job gift wrapping. Yikes I’m so glad I work where I do!! Sending happy Christmas shopping thoughts to all! And to all those with birthdays in December… Shame on you
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Your not Made by Others are you…or is that in Moss Vale? I love a shop that does gift wrapping!
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Vanessa…we only have a credit card to get the points. We pay for everything we can on it, and then pay it on time so we don’t get hit with the interest. That way we can take advantage of the rewards. Not a system for everyone, but if you can stick to a budget and only spend what you can pay off, you can end up with quite a few points and redeem them for gift cards etc.
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I keep all of my rewards cards in a business card holder and have a junk email account for the newsletters. I only take it with me when I’m intending to shop, so it reduces temptation.
You also have to be careful – I shop at Foodland IGA which is cheaper than Coles or Woolies, so I don’t think the Fly Buys works out for us unless I link it to a credit card, except I rarely use credit so that’s not worth it for me either.
The irritating thing is I often get pulled in for a one time purchase. I bought a pair of shoes that were 30% off if I signed up. Now I’m stuck with a rewards card that I will never buy enough shoes to bother with. And the cycle continues…
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you’re not “stuck with it”, you can throw it out!
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And I will eventually!
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I work in a retail store that has a loyalty program and I am pushed by the company and my managers to make sure I keep up at 55% benchmark and will get called out if I don’t sign people up as having too many “missed opportunities”… I HATE pushing it onto people and would prefer not to, but this my job here and when you are being told that this is a priority, I just have to suck it up and do it.
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The same is required of me at the coffee store chain I work at. No need to get so agro, Mia.
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Hey Claare – not aggro, just exasperated. And of course I know it’s not the fault of the sales assistants….it’s store policy. But that’s the problem, surely…..you guys are just the messengers.
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Good to hear, Mia, but it doesn’t come across in your article – hence why so many of us sales assistants are commenting its only my job!
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I don’t mind being asked about loyalty programs, and I’m pretty happy to get little discounts here and there. But I don’t understand why they need so much info. Shouldn’t name, phone/email be enough? The other day while waiting in line at Optus, the sales assistant was helping a man in front of me to change ownership of his phone. I overheard all sorts of info about this guy, including his name, name of his company, job title, etc. He was even asked how much money he earnt. “220″ he said. “Oh, per week?” she asked. “Err, no 220 thousand annually” he answered, clearly uncomfortable. I have no idea why she asked this, there wasn’t even a space on the form she was filling in – she just wrote it in the margin. Perhaps rich customers get treated better? I felt really weird witnessing all of this – but in a tiny shop with 2 people lined up behind me, there was nowhere else for me to stand but quite close. Obviously phone companies might need a bit more info than a loyalty program, but to ask for such detail when a line of people could overhear, seemed unwise to say the least.
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Phone stuff sometimes involves a credit check so that could be why.
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Ooooh, as the target market for most loyalty programs (married female, 38 years, 2 kids, pets), I love these cards.
I used to keep an old wallet in my centre console with 95% of these cards.
It has since been upgraded to a plastic takeaway container.
The problem I have is that I love a bargain and by gosh, if I have to sign up to save a buck I will. I also buy the Entertainment Book and used to love group buying sites till I figured out that that a lot of the deals are a bit dodge.
I shop at Myer and Coles (flybuys) and get a few gift cards a year, but the best card is my ANZ Rewards Visa Card. This year I redeemed points for $550 in gift cards. We split them over Target, Kmart, Myer, David Jones, JB HiFi and Westfield to help with the Christmas shopping. Suffice to say, I have no credit card shock in the New Year.
Also, I put a lot of gifts on my David Jones store card, because they will wrap it for free!
But then again, I do understand Mia’s particular situation because she is a media personality and totally recognisable – if I were in the same position I wouldn’t want total strangers knowing where I live either!
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Muffin Break…drink 5 coffees, No. 6 is free! Easy! Flybuys….spend $100,000, get $1 discount! Not that enticing thank you. (BTW I have a Flybuys card but only use it to shut up the voice at the self-serve check-out lol)
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Why does flybuys cop such a bad rap? I do my grocery shopping (for a family of 4) at Coles about 75% of the time and manage to get at least $100 in gift cards per year – not too shabby IMO!
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Um, Mia, I hate to say this but I kind of feel like that about the MM Shopping pop up that comes up every time I open your website that wants my details and for me to subscribe to something so I can go into a draw to Win! A! Giftcard! I have to close it every time and it is really annoying!
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Yes x1000!!!!!
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Grest point would be interested in Mia’s reply on this.
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Yes! Totally agree.
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Angie!
Yes! Pot! Kettle! Black!
It hadn’t occurred to me that pop ups would be perceived the same way. But clearly by some they are.
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By 112 people and counting!
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Perhaps you could consider designing/re-doing your cookie (dropped on the browser) so that once someone has closed it, it doesn’t reappear each time a visitor returns to the website?
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Agree completely. In fact my first assumption when reading the headline was that it was about this exact issue and was going to say something along the lines that we’ve realised how irritating this pop up is to our valued readers and are removing it with immediate effect. I can appreciate that you want to get details from those willing to provide it but for those of us who don’t is it possible to provide a “not interested, don’t ask me ever again” button?
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Ugh yes, I so agree. That pop up is annoying as hell. I am interested to know how many people sign up after seeing a pop up, surely if you are interested you will seek out the information needed and sign up that way. Surely a pop just irritates people. I immediately close them as soon as they “pop up,” not just on MM but on any website.
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I don’t think it pops up every time for me, now that I think about it, for a while it did, but I haven’t had it happen in a while
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I popped into a chemist in the off chance they sold batteries and picked up a pack. When I went to purchase them at the counter, the conversation with the shop assistant after I gave her the money went something like this:
Her (handing me a form to fill out personal details) We’ll need your address.
Me: I’m sorry, why’s that?
Her: it’s for our database, we have all our customers on that.
Me: No thanks, just the batteries.
Her: I’m afraid you have to, it’s store policy.
Me: I’m afraid I DON’T, it’s MY policy not to provide details.
Her: I can’t give you the batteries then.
Me: Don’t worry, I don’t want them now. Give me a refund, I’ll never be shopping her again and I’ll be making sure everyone I know is told why.
Her: (sighs, rolls eyes, hands over batteries.)
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That is bizarre. Was it because you were buying batteries or would they refuse to sell you anything unless you filled in the form?
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What chemist was this? Is it a big chain? I want to see if this is their everyday procedure.
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I would say the sales assistant go the wrong end of the stick- tell her boss I am sure he.she will be mortified.
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Whah? That’s quite extreme – occasionally I’ve been asked for my postcode, but never for my whole address.
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It was a chemist in the mall at Chatswood (NSW), and I must say, I was shocked. It wasn’t because I was purchasing batteries, it was any purchase at all, and they wanted full details, email addresses, everything. She made it very clear I wasn’t getting them without giving the info up and was downright pushy and rude. I saw red and made it very clear that it would take more than battery blackmail to get me to give them personal details! The shop assistant may have got it wrong, but surely when you’re confronted with a customer that clearly isn’t comfortable with it, you let it go? Why should I have to give up my details to buy one insignificant purchase? Unbelievable…
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The interest rate on my no rewards credit card is about 14%, the interest at the same bank on a credit card with rewards is 21%. The Points, rewards, etc are not really free.
I gave up my flybuys when they had that Dawn French campaign and I was walking around the supermarket behind two women and they were saying “That’s gone up, that’s gone up……” as we progressed down the aisles. I realize I don’t really gain anything from that, I just do not want to encourage them. I have a Virtu card,mostly so I can get the emails about the specials.
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If you pay tour credit card in full each month, the rewards are free
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Oh yes. I have so many that I have a separate wallet for them. My most used are the Sussan ($50 for $500 spend in one year – easily done by me) and Donut King ones (one free coffee after buying 5). Most are a waste of time as I don’t shop there often enough and all they so is clog up my inbox. Have got some good savings from the Woollies card too.
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As a shopper, I like to be left alone, in the calmness of my own mind, trying to block out that John Mayer song I’ve heard for the third time today. The only things I like to say to a retail assistant is “Good thanks. No thanks. Credit with a PIN please. Thanks, you too.” That’s just how I like it to be.
So as a shop girl, that’s how I like to let customers shops. If that’s all you’re going to say, that is perfectly fine – it’s actually preferable! I have more to do than stand around chatting. (Although it seems many other shop assistants have the time.)
When it comes to finalising your transaction, please don’t glare at me when I ask you about a store membership. Please don’t complain that you ‘already have enough useless cards’. That’s your own fault. That’s your own problem to deal with. You don’t want it, say ‘No.’ And yes, you may have to say no twice.
If, when I ask you about our store membership, you say no, I’ll tell you about the voucher you get when signing up. If you say no again, perfectly fine. I’ll leave it, move on with your sale. If you seem interested I’ll tell you more about the benefits. (I work in one of those rare stores where there are actual benefits, that you benefit from, often.)
You see, we are going to ask you about a store membership, because it’s as much a part of our job as getting you those jeans in the size you need, ordering in that dress you missed out on or helping you decide which top to wear to that dinner you forgot was on tonight.
You know I’m going to ask, and it irritates me to ask you as much as it irritates you to be asked. Please don’t get angry with me, remember I’m a person too, with those things we call feelings.
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Of course we know you’re going to ask the damn question. What I would like to know is if your management is aware that EVERY FREAKING STORE is asking the same question, that it’s not getting any marketing cut through any more, and that many people are starting up email addresses they never check to send the spam emails that these shops seem to think we care about?
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Hey Anon
I’m sure they are aware. But really in the big scheme of things, it is a question and you do have the opportunity to just say “no thank you” or even just “no”.
The people who want to join will, and people who feel guilted into it shouldn’t because quite frankly the shop assistants could not give two hoots as to whether you say yes or no.
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I HEAR YA GIRLFRIEND AND COMPLETELY AGREE!!!
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While I agree with you (nothing worse when you are in a hurry and they start the loyalty spill) I have worked in retail and i know most employees HAVE to
however I do feel for those having to push it.
push the loyalty cards for sales targets, if not bosses put a lot of pressure on you. Whenever I go shopping now I don’t join these loyalty program’s ( usually
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The irony of having to close the “share this” pop-up several times today on Mamamia is not lost on me…
I have some loyalty cards which are brilliant: FlyBuys, Everyday Rewards (linked to Qantas FF), Spotlight, Muffin Break, my local pharmacy, Flower Power & an online membership of Club BMV. All of these save me money regularly & are well worth it.
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I find it pretty insulting that you accuse sales assistants of harassing and bamboozling you just because they ask you if you have a loyalty card… Sales assistants are just doing a job. We are forced by our companies to ask you if you have a card/want to join and I know in my case a low member percentage is a near punishable offence. So sick of S.A bashing. Aim your frustration at the companies who enforce these policies.
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Totally agree. Also – I want them to ask for my loyalty card, in case I’ve forgotten to pull it out!
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So true! Another one is when you ask people “Hey how are you today?” and you get a glare and “just looking.”
S.As are people too and are most of the time just looking for someone to chat to – we really aren’t sales hungry like people think
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I always end up signing up to these loyalty programs. If I get sick of the emails I just unsubscribe.
One thing I do find wasteful is receipts from certain shops. Think of all the paper we could save if we were asked (like they do at woolies) and said no? It would make sense to have your purchase history loaded onto your loyalty card so you wouldn’t need to keep proof of purchase or it could store your petrol voucher and still expire just the same as the piece of paper. Same as phone books, who really uses them these days with smartphones and tablets? I guess the older generation would more commonly still use them but it should be a question when you vote whether you’d like them delivered or not?
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don’t be so hard on the sales assistants…. They’re only doing what they are told and might I add very harshly told they MUST do. Write a letter to the companies, don’t take it out on the poor staff who are young and studying to be doctors or lawyers etc, most of which are not their because they want to be, it’s too get by the sales staff are getting hassled by their employers more than they are hassling u.
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This is not a big deal to me. Loyalty cards for shops I shop at a lot (Coles, woolworths, vintage cellars, l’occitane, Myer) are worthwhile because the rewards add up and I get to use them. To all other offers, I just politely say “no, thank you”. No problem at all…
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Can I just say in response to posts below about staff asking personal questions – my father is a widow and he loves it when shop staff or cafe staff engage him in conversation. For older people who live alone, these conversations can be the highlight of their day.
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Yes, I’ve noticed this a lot with older people. I used to work i a pharmacy and the oldies who came in to get their medicine loved to have a chat and tell you about their day.
I work in jewellery now, which is quite a personal thing for some people, and i’ve had customers tell me their life story! One lady came in with her newborn son and when i commented on how cute he was she started talking about her battle with infertility, ivf, and how she went to greece to get a donor egg to have him. That was pretty intense
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