Do you use store membership cards?

Yes - and they're a great idea.

10 (21.7%)

Yes - but I feel a little silly about it.

5 (10.9%)

Yes - I feel guilty about it, but can't afford not to.

10 (21.7%)

Maybe - don't do much shopping at stores like that.

2 (4.3%)

No - was never asked to sign up.

2 (4.3%)

No - didn't want to waste time signing up.

5 (10.9%)

No - mild privacy concerns.

4 (8.7%)

No - major privacy concerns.

6 (13%)

No - I only shop at underground (no sales tax) flea markets while wearing a ski mask.

2 (4.3%)

Total Members Voted: 25

[Alex Libman]

I've cut up my ShopRite card about two years ago (though it's still annoying as hell being asked if I have one at the cash register EVERY FUCKING TIME).  I think I spend maybe 5% more on my total purchases at the very most, probably less.  I just ignore the potential savings and look at the real prices - if there are two stores nearby and one offers lower card-free prices (or same prices with less bullshit), that's the one I'd choose.  This political activism is obviously 100.00% futile here in Soviet Jersey, but in libertarian places like Keene, New Hampshire it definitely could have an effect - if a lot of people raised privacy as a priority, then stores would find it in their best interest to phase out their customer tracking programs.

Some people may be scratching their heads and asking "why bother" -- after all, a quick glance at the receipt doesn't seem to reveal any personal information.  Until you think about it in greater depth.  The stores might not treating the accuracy of who's using the card very seriously (yet), but it's a stepping stone, and the same applies to how long the data is stored and whether it is shared with the government.  On the most basic level, a store's database can tell the government that you were at the store at a given time.  Fuzzy logic algorithms can be used to track your purchasing habits and help predict times when you won't be home, in case they're looking for a good time to bug your place or do whatever else the Stazi types do.  But that unlikely scenario is just the tip of the iceberg.

What most people don't understand is how easily various databases can be integrated, and how much information can be obtained about your habits, your general psychological profile, and your mood, from the choices you make.  The brief product identification on the receipt looks useless, but remember that the database actually stores the product ID's you bought, which can be linked to the stores inventory as a whole and even the nutrition information stored by the FDA.  Government psychologists are just itching to try out speculative algorithms about your mood on that particular day...  Why did you buy the less expensive cheese slices last week but went for the healthier choice this week?  Etc.  They will have a profile of typical grocery shopping habits of a terrorist one week before a suicide mission, and they'll be itching to put it to use!  But it gets worse.

"Why does she never buy baby food or milk when her tax returns are showing 3 young dependents?  Alert the CPS!"

"Why does he buy so much salted peanuts, for which there is a 73% statistical probability of being consumed with alcohol, when he indicated on a form that he doesn't drink?  Alert the Health Insurance department!"

"This family's food budget does not correlate with their claimed income, trigger an IRS audit!"

Etc.

[jimmed]

Why isn't there an option for "Yes - But I get a new one each time I go to the store and throw it out after the first use"?

[Lindsey]

No, because I didn't want to waste my time.  I did get a membership card for a shoe store once, but I've only shopped there once.  You do bring up a paranoid, but decent point Alex. 

[One two three]

I'm similar BJ.  I usually uses the store's, someone else's, or one with fake info.

[Bill Brasky]

Ha

[mikehz]

How 'bout, "Yes, but I hate them."

I use the damn things, but use a trick. When I fill out the membership card, I use a fake name. They never check, I get the discount, and they get their marketing research. Also, if I start to get junk mail with THAT fake name, I know who sells their membership lists!

I really love a local supermarket chain here called Rosauers. No bullshit membership card, never any line, paper bags, disinfection wipes for the cart handles--they just do everything right! If they every go out of business, I'll go into mourning.

[ReverendRyan]

Marketing research is vital to companies. That's why you get discounts and perks for letting them track your spending. It's voluntary, whats the problem?

I've never had to fill out any application or anything for any cards I have. Seems the most important thing to them is "Person X buys products Y and Z together", etc.

My one and only concern is not with the stores, but the government strong-arming their way into my local store's files. That's why I only pay cash any time my discount card number is recorded in the transaction. If I'm paying with plastic, I ask for the courtesy card. But like I said, I don't give a damn if the store has that info, I'm just realistic about the fact that the gubment can get it whether the store wants to give it up or not.

[Alex Libman]

I understand the need for marketing research, but acquiring it by this means is unacceptable as far as I'm concerned.  When you can't trust your government, you should leave as little digital information about yourself as possible.  Stores like WalMart don't push membership cards yet, but once they start it will be Step 2.  Then stores will start frowning on people paying cash.  Etc.  If we don't draw a line and fight for the ability to shop anonymously, we will lose it!

Like I said, membership card protests make a whole lot more sense in libertarian hot-spots, so this is a FSP-related issue.  If residents of Keene work together, they can put economic pressure on their local stores to respect their privacy, and that can be a stepping stone for other libertarian consumer efforts, like getting them to accept real currency, and so on.

So I've been very disappointed by the "Loyalty Card Helps Save Keys!" segment of the March 26th show.  Another moment of realization that Ian is mainly in it for the money and cheap legal dope...

[timmysoboy]

Ski masks can be pretty warm.

It's nice while on the slope...  I'd probably just use a bunch of paper towels, though.  Wrap them around your face and you're saving money!

[Harry Tuttle]

I don't worry about the government getting my info. I think that's a little too paranoid. I find it laughable to think that they would learn anything useful about me from this.

I'm providing marketing info to the store and saving a few bucks each time.

[AntonLee]

I agree I think the government has many ways of getting my information besides shaw's cards.

Fake names, if you're paranoid. . would be a good idea.

or you could just go to stores that have just as good values like Market Basket/Demoulas in the NH area. . . but that do not use cards.

[Andy]

I'm cheap, but not that cheap.

[Alex Libman]

The problem with fake names is if even once you pay via your credit card and use the loyalty card at the same time, they can link the two identities together, and it's very easy to tell which one is fake.  (And since the data is stored indefinitely you can never know how they can be linked in the future - face recognition cameras, etc.)  It's true that the government could get this data on you through other means if it really wanted to, but human investigators cost money, while automated tracking and profiling can take tyranny to highs never before possible.  You really need some hands-on corporate database programming experience to understand how sophisticated integrated data systems can become over time...

[AntonLee]

that's a good point. . . that I at least was unaware was possible. . . .

perhaps not unaware, but I didn't think that they would actually bother.

I never liked credit cards. . . too easy to spend money.  I have one that is kept away in my safe that way I can only use it in an emergency.  For some people, that means being down to 3 smokes and no money. . . for me that's more like a big car repair.

[freeAgent]

I think they're a good idea for grocery stores that you use all the time.  For places that you go perhaps once or twice a year I don't see the extra weight in my wallet as worth it.  They can send me as much junk mail as they want.  I've already permanently opted out of credit card offers, which is what I'm most worried about.  Coupons and other junk doesn't really bother me and takes about 10 seconds to sort out from my "real" mail.  I also don't really care if they track my purchases.  It won't affect what I'm buying either way, unless they put something on sale in which case I'm benefited, if anything.