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Am I the only one who thinks store apps with "member prices" are just a way to track you, not save you?
I want to push back on the idea that downloading every store app to scan for "member deals" is saving anyone money. Two weeks ago I sat in the Kroger parking lot off Maple Street for 40 minutes on my lunch break because the app would not load my digital coupons while I was standing in the cereal aisle. I finally gave up, walked back in without the app, and paid $6.49 for a box of Cheerios that the shelf tag said was $3.99 with a digital code. The cashier told me, and I quote, "you gotta clip it before you get to the register," like I was the problem. Here is what actually bugs me: I added up 3 months of receipts and the app deals saved me about $22 total, but the store got my shopping history, my location, and my email, which they then sold. My brother in law works loss prevention and he says the apps also flag people who return too much, and their prices quietly go up. I am not saying coupons are fake, but the "convenience" has a cost nobody puts on the shelf tag. Has anyone actually tracked whether the member price beats the old paper coupon, or am I just being stubborn about my flip phone?
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noranguyen18d ago
Ugh, the cereal aisle thing would make me lose my mind. I mean, you're standing right there with the box in your hand and the price on the shelf is basically a lie unless your phone cooperates? That's not convenience, that's a trap. And the cashier acting like you did it wrong really gets me, because nobody tells you the rules until you're already at the register. Your $22 over 3 months point is a good one too, like that's barely gas money for all the hassle. Honestly your flip phone might be the smartest thing in this whole story.
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