I recently went into a local food market and, while checking out, was nearly chewed out by my wild-eyed cashier. After a rushed hello with no eye contact, she put out her shaking paw and waited. I, in return, stared in confusion.
"Your card," she yelped.
"I don't have one," flatly I replied.
Well, you would have thought I shot her grandmother, ate her dog and spit in her morning java...no card!
She remained calm throughout the rest of the "scanning process" and at the tail end of this tense experience leaned in, very closely. "You realize the deals you can get. $500 or more over the course of a..." and she went on.
"Your card," she yelped.
"I don't have one," flatly I replied.
Well, you would have thought I shot her grandmother, ate her dog and spit in her morning java...no card!
She remained calm throughout the rest of the "scanning process" and at the tail end of this tense experience leaned in, very closely. "You realize the deals you can get. $500 or more over the course of a..." and she went on.
I smiled, thanked her for her deep and passionate understanding of the "savings" process and pulled myself to the safety of the parking lot. Now, most readers will think, "How silly! Why doesn't he simply sign up for a card?"
There are many reasons why – the main one for me being, that day, was time, the likelihood I will ever go back to that store (especially for fear of meeting Brunhilde again) but, most importantly, because of data tracking. I realize the chance to avoid it in this day and age is more like a vigorous, exhausting game of dodge ball and, here and there, eventually, I will lose. But not this day. Not in this store. And not by the hand of the hairless yeti of Sure Save.
First and foremost, I have NEVER checked out at a store where the cashier, in the end, didn't use THEIR card – giving ME the discounts and THEMSELVES the rewards. I like this situation. This works for me. So the real question is, "Ryan, why are you so paranoid? What have you to hide? What could POSSIBLY be in your shopping cart you fear some New World Order overlord for discovering about YOUR buying habits?" The answer? Nothing. I just think its another creepy situation where data sharing is veiled as corporate "because we care" maneuvering.
Alright, enough of my babbling. Here is a great article that shares my sentiments (and probably my data):
http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/You-are-being-tracked-2665625.php
There are many reasons why – the main one for me being, that day, was time, the likelihood I will ever go back to that store (especially for fear of meeting Brunhilde again) but, most importantly, because of data tracking. I realize the chance to avoid it in this day and age is more like a vigorous, exhausting game of dodge ball and, here and there, eventually, I will lose. But not this day. Not in this store. And not by the hand of the hairless yeti of Sure Save.
First and foremost, I have NEVER checked out at a store where the cashier, in the end, didn't use THEIR card – giving ME the discounts and THEMSELVES the rewards. I like this situation. This works for me. So the real question is, "Ryan, why are you so paranoid? What have you to hide? What could POSSIBLY be in your shopping cart you fear some New World Order overlord for discovering about YOUR buying habits?" The answer? Nothing. I just think its another creepy situation where data sharing is veiled as corporate "because we care" maneuvering.
Alright, enough of my babbling. Here is a great article that shares my sentiments (and probably my data):
http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/You-are-being-tracked-2665625.php
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