Went to the grocery the other day. I sometimes shop at the Food Lion and of course I have my MVP card. Most major grocery stores today have some variation of the same thing. I received my MVP card for free simply by filling out an application. A free card that will save me money on selected purchases. Sounds like a great idea. After checking out I can check my receipt and see,in writing,just how much I saved. This day I saved 9.27 ! But then, I had a thought,what if I didn’t have this card would it really have cost me an additional $9.27 ? I got the savings card for free but it was only good for the sale items so if I hadn’t bought those,no saving. Let me see, if I purchase the sale items I save money compared to the normal retail price for that item. I need to have their card in order to take advantage of the sale items so the card really is a membership in a club. I’m a MVP ! I feel pretty special. If you are a non member you will be overcharged $9.27. Thats’ right overcharged ! I’m no retail marketing specialist but have some basic knowledge of business practices. You sell items at a profit . The retailer gets items at a reduced price from the wholesaler so they can sell them at the sale price and still make a profit. Very clever marketing though,make me feel special and that I am saving money while the retailer still makes his projected profits. If I don’t belong to the club I get charged the normal retail price even though the store paid a reduced price. All this thinking is making my head spin !
Bottom line is, The snake oil salesmen are still at it. Oh but they are a clever bunch.
Wait a minute if I don’t belong to your club I don’t get the savings ? Sounds like a discriminatory practice to me. I’m contacting the civil liberties union about this one. How has this been allowed to flourish right under our noses ? Going to Food Lion without my MVP card and demanding the savings anyway ! I’m a rebel.
All those coupon people better watch it too !