Excuse me while I get on my soap box...
Price Chopper has really ticked me off with their little make-you-think-their-rewards-card-thing-is-the-best-thing-since-sliced-bread marketing crap. Two months ago they rolled out a new chopper shopper card. I have limited choices in Gardner so naturally John and I have had one forever and have been getting their little deals on food with our card for quite some time. No complaints - just about every grocery store has one now a days right? Except for Wal-mart because their prices are usually lower anyway without one.
Well a few months ago they rolled out this NEW cool improved card that gave you MORE than just discounts on food items. It gave you actual savings you could see in the form of accumulated points. For example, over 2 months I purchased $500 worth of groceries. I specifically chose Price Chopper over Wal-mart (the cheaper and only other option in Gardner) so that I could build these points up. The next time I bought groceries I got $10 off on top of the normal chopper shopper card savings! I was pretty impressed. It was worth choosing to shop and PC because every once in a while I actually got something back on top of their supposed discounts on food items.
A few weeks ago they tossed this rewards program out in exchange for a new one. Apparently, according to the cashier, no one was interested in the previous program and no one used the rewards points. What?? There was no thinking involved... just spend, build up your points, then it automatically comes off your next bill. No - I think PC regretted the program they put in place because they gave away too much money. So marketing decided to make a new plan - a "better" plan for the consumers... RIGHT...
Now, instead of getting dollars off my grocery bill occasionally, I get pocket change off my gas bill. A gas bill that has to be purchased at Quick Trip - which I might add does not exist in Gardner. I have to drive to Olathe to get the deal. The deal is that if you spend $50 AT ONE TIME (it doesn't accumulate) than you get 5 cents/gallon off your gas. If you spend $100 at once you are supposed to get 10 cents off. PLUS you have to have a large rewards card to make it work at the pump. So that means if you threw the big card out and just kept the key chain card then you have to get a whole new card.
Reluctantly, to play along, I got a new card and the next time I went grocery shopping my bill came to $99.36. Naturally I wanted it to be over $100 since I was so close so I added a bag of M&Ms just to make it. I get my rewards receipt. It states that I now have 100 points - whatever that means - and I am entitled to 5 cents off a gallon for 20 gallons. What happened to 10 cents? I didn't have time to complain. Tonight I went to Quick Trip in Olathe on the way home from my mom and dads and recieved my whopping 5 cents off per gallon. Guess how much I saved? $0.74!!!! All of that for 74 cents. So times that by 5 to equal the $500 I spent in the old program and I now have a total of $3.70 savings at the pump I have to spend as much or more to get to, versus $10 off my grocery bill...
Well PC, you've done well at not paying out as much and making it seem like you were doing a good job by saving people gas money. Too bad it's just a game. I am returning to Walmart where the prices are better all the time without a stupid rewards program. You lose.
I probably shouldn't complain about something so trivial but it ticks me off how hard they are trying to market this thing as the best deal ever. What a crock. Ok - I'm done now.
Price Chopper has really ticked me off with their little make-you-think-their-rewards-card-thing-is-the-best-thing-since-sliced-bread marketing crap. Two months ago they rolled out a new chopper shopper card. I have limited choices in Gardner so naturally John and I have had one forever and have been getting their little deals on food with our card for quite some time. No complaints - just about every grocery store has one now a days right? Except for Wal-mart because their prices are usually lower anyway without one.
Well a few months ago they rolled out this NEW cool improved card that gave you MORE than just discounts on food items. It gave you actual savings you could see in the form of accumulated points. For example, over 2 months I purchased $500 worth of groceries. I specifically chose Price Chopper over Wal-mart (the cheaper and only other option in Gardner) so that I could build these points up. The next time I bought groceries I got $10 off on top of the normal chopper shopper card savings! I was pretty impressed. It was worth choosing to shop and PC because every once in a while I actually got something back on top of their supposed discounts on food items.
A few weeks ago they tossed this rewards program out in exchange for a new one. Apparently, according to the cashier, no one was interested in the previous program and no one used the rewards points. What?? There was no thinking involved... just spend, build up your points, then it automatically comes off your next bill. No - I think PC regretted the program they put in place because they gave away too much money. So marketing decided to make a new plan - a "better" plan for the consumers... RIGHT...
Now, instead of getting dollars off my grocery bill occasionally, I get pocket change off my gas bill. A gas bill that has to be purchased at Quick Trip - which I might add does not exist in Gardner. I have to drive to Olathe to get the deal. The deal is that if you spend $50 AT ONE TIME (it doesn't accumulate) than you get 5 cents/gallon off your gas. If you spend $100 at once you are supposed to get 10 cents off. PLUS you have to have a large rewards card to make it work at the pump. So that means if you threw the big card out and just kept the key chain card then you have to get a whole new card.
Reluctantly, to play along, I got a new card and the next time I went grocery shopping my bill came to $99.36. Naturally I wanted it to be over $100 since I was so close so I added a bag of M&Ms just to make it. I get my rewards receipt. It states that I now have 100 points - whatever that means - and I am entitled to 5 cents off a gallon for 20 gallons. What happened to 10 cents? I didn't have time to complain. Tonight I went to Quick Trip in Olathe on the way home from my mom and dads and recieved my whopping 5 cents off per gallon. Guess how much I saved? $0.74!!!! All of that for 74 cents. So times that by 5 to equal the $500 I spent in the old program and I now have a total of $3.70 savings at the pump I have to spend as much or more to get to, versus $10 off my grocery bill...
Well PC, you've done well at not paying out as much and making it seem like you were doing a good job by saving people gas money. Too bad it's just a game. I am returning to Walmart where the prices are better all the time without a stupid rewards program. You lose.
I probably shouldn't complain about something so trivial but it ticks me off how hard they are trying to market this thing as the best deal ever. What a crock. Ok - I'm done now.
Hey....you should check and see if PC is on Facebook and send them a link to this!! How tall can you make that soapbox?? Just sayin...
ReplyDeleteLove, your wicked mom