Loyalties card

[AngloScot]

What is a loyalties card??? Every time i go to the htfr store in birmingham i am asked if i have one, but i dont know what they are and never wondered until about 5 minutes ago.

[IndieSinger]

Loyalty cards are a shop's way of rewarding you for spending money with them. It's usually a points-based system, whereby you get so many points for each pound you spend in that shop. Some are good (Nectar (i.e. Sainsbury's, B.P. etc,)) and some are pathetic (WHSmith ClubCard - I've been saving for 156 years and almost got enough for a standard pencil (no rubber on the end though)).

Some would argue, however, that they are a false economy. They can tempt you to spend money in that shop when in fact the product you're wanting to buy could well be cheaper somewhere else. And the points you're rewarded with doing compensate for the extra money you're paying them for the product.

So they're only any good if you're going to use them in a shop where you're going to buy things anyway. For instance if you always shop in Tesco's and rarely anywhere else, then it may be an idea to get a Tesco Clubcard.

Make sure, though, that you don't inadvertantly sign up for a store card. These are a different thing entirely - they're like a credit card for that particular shop. So if you are tempted to sign up for something, make sure you ask them if it's a loyalty card or a store card.

[IndieSinger]

Substitute "doing" in paragraph 2, line 4 for "do not".

[New Forester]

The other thing about "loyalty" cards is that there is nothing stopping you having more than one. It is therefore possible to be "loyal" to half a dozen shops at once. I think it is probably this which has caused them to become much less popular with supermarkets, who seem to be putting most of their efforts into wiping out the last few farmers instead.

[Headtime]

It all has to be said that whilst loyalty cards may seem initially attractive - discounts, cashback etc, their real purpose is to profile your spending habits and send you targeted advertising (Junk Mail). Sainsbury's (I think) were offering a holiday to Disneyland Paris by collecting Nectar Points. Trouble is you needed to spend �40,000 worth of shopping to earn enough to go! I chopped my Nectar Card up...And I'm glad I did.

[woofgang]

I have loyalty cards for everywhere, I figure might as well as not. Mr woofgang and I get very little junk mail, but we are registered with the MPS and the TPS. I don't really care if anyone knows that I buy bananas and soft loo paper and hate advocados. (sp?)