Far from an attempt at rewarding their regular customers, loyalty programs are all about reinforcing their purchasing behavior. Shoppers who buy more — exactly what the retailers want, of course — are rewarded with a discount or some kind of deal, and that reinforces their behavior that buying more gives them a reward.
So the cycle repeats itself, lining the retailer’s pockets even more as shoppers pursue their next reward. The 10th cup of coffee you are rewarded with after buying nine cups costs the brand a fraction of the amount of money you have spent and going to spend in the future.
Deals with Multiples?
Supermarkets love to show off their deals like "10 for $10" or "3 for $6." The reason is quite apparent: Shoppers tend to buy more, sometimes a lot more, than they need to maximize on this "deal." This often holds true even when the store doesn't require shoppers to buy ten cartons of yogurt, for example, to get them for $1 each — simply because of the power of suggestion.
Just think of it. A shop makes $0.30 profit on every $1 you spend. Selling something for cheaper by bulk might decrease their profit of one item, however, increases their over-turnover which eventually results in making loads of money. Buy only what you need.
Vanity Sizes
Is a size eight really an eight? Or is it closer to a 10, or even a 12? Many clothing brands have been putting smaller-size labels on larger-cut clothes for a while now, and while it can make figuring out what size you really are a headache in any given store, the practice shows little sign of slowing. To put it simply, fitting into a smaller size makes shoppers feel good, and shoppers who feel good are more likely to buy.
And where are they going to buy? At that same shop that made them feel good. No two 10-sized from two different brands are the same size, so if you are a brand owner, remember to do whatever you can to make customers feel good. Even if it men lying about the actual size of your clothes.
When Optional is Not an Option
This form will not allow you to request a quote unless you give them your phone number, which they falsely claim is optional. So, now, you know they’ll be calling you incessantly. Scams like this can take the form of a bogus Facebook page or online retailer website. Don’t do it, people: IT’S A TRAP.
If you are not familiar with the company that is asking for your information if you don't plan on buying anything from the service provider in the future, skip it. There are other ways of getting what you need, besides sharing your identity online.
The Trojan Horse Email
This type of email is the black death of scams. It begins with a chain letter, joke, e-card, or personal email being sent from an anonymous address. When the email is opened, a secret “backdoor” can give a hacker access to your computer. Let’s just say, the scammer isn’t going to use this information for fun. Beware of the Mariah Carey CD that will be bought with your credit card.
We appreciate the fact that credit card companies nowadays, insure every purchase you make and every purchase you claim you didn't make, so if your card has been used, you will get your money back, but who wants to deal with canceling cards and using new ones now?