Detractors point out "They keep track of what you purchase!"
kAcknor Sez:
Yes, they do keep track, and that is not something I wish to have done to me. Inventory does not require my name, and worse, the card has turned into more than just a 'tracking tool', it has become a profit item.
When they cards first came out, there were some very good deals associated with them, but after about a month, the deals evaporated and left behind the stink of price gouging. Today you need a card to get the regular everyday price, but fail to have it and (please excuse my french..) you get 'ripped a new one'.
As for competition, we have 5 or 6 major markets in the Columbus area, three of them use cards and three do not. Not surprisingly, the three that require them are the three weakest financially. I shop mostly at Wally World and a local independent chain, Mejier, sans cards. Mejier manages to compete on just about every level with Wal-Mart, and beats them in a lot of places (their ammo prices are GREAT :).I haven't completely stopped shopping elsewhere, I just returned from Kroger (pineapple for the ham.. Yum!!), and again, to get a decent price I had to used that bit 'o plastic, but it's a card that has no name associated with it. ;)
"tIqIpqu' 'ej nom tIqIp" (Hit them hard and hit them fast.)