I can live with the long receipts. What I hate is the huge penalty for not having an affinity card. Safeway did that first, then Walgreens and CVS followed. Lucky doesn't do that, and I usually go there.
Years ago it was possible to get a Safeway affinity card by enrolling as "Safeway Shopper", without providing any additional information. I don't know if this is still possible.
That's helpful if you wish to opt out of the tracking. Of course, if you pay by credit card, even once, the company has now associated a name with that affinity card.
As I'm sure you know, Scott McNealy proclaimed this a few decades ago: "You have zero privacy anyway. Get over it". How remarkably prescient that was!
A couple years ago, Safeway rolled out an app that contains the best deals. It's slowly becoming a situation where you can either use the app (and get tracked) or get reamed on pricing.
For anyone curious, same with Kroger in the midwest. I generally choose Meijer...they do digital coupons, but nothing dramatic. And they don't inflate their prices for 'nonmembers.'
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I can live with the long receipts. What I hate is the huge penalty for not having an affinity card. Safeway did that first, then Walgreens and CVS followed. Lucky doesn't do that, and I usually go there.
Years ago it was possible to get a Safeway affinity card by enrolling as "Safeway Shopper", without providing any additional information. I don't know if this is still possible.
That's helpful if you wish to opt out of the tracking. Of course, if you pay by credit card, even once, the company has now associated a name with that affinity card.
As I'm sure you know, Scott McNealy proclaimed this a few decades ago: "You have zero privacy anyway. Get over it". How remarkably prescient that was!
If the store lets you use your phone number instead of the card try (local area code) 867-5309. Somebody has usually registered it already.
A couple years ago, Safeway rolled out an app that contains the best deals. It's slowly becoming a situation where you can either use the app (and get tracked) or get reamed on pricing.
For anyone curious, same with Kroger in the midwest. I generally choose Meijer...they do digital coupons, but nothing dramatic. And they don't inflate their prices for 'nonmembers.'
What's special about 867 5309? Is it a reference to a tv show like 90210?
it is from a song. "Jenny" by Tommy Tutone. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/867-5309/Jenny
from 1981.