Apr 27, 2010

Identity

New home, new shopping needs.

In my downtime in Texas I cook for Kelly and I. This usually involves daily journeys to the grocery store. They have a chain called Kroger down here which I've never encountered in the northwest.

As most chain stores they have a rewards card which I'm sure most of you are familiar with. Today I remember to fill out my information and hand it to the cashier, which activates my card. The gentleman behind me laughs out loud.

"You know," he said. "They don't cross reference that information. You could write anything. For all they know I'm an 80 year old Asian woman."

"You mean you're not," I replied? His lack of response made it obvious he didn't find me humorous.

The cashier had to chime in.

"We hated them in 2000," she said with disdain. "And we still hate them. All they have to do is make the prices cheaper without asking everyone for their information."

"That's right," said the customer behind me. "It's just a way for them to track...."

I stopped listening as she handed me my receipt. With technology the way it is today the idea of going off the grid is next to impossible unless you live like Thoreau. Consumers who value their privacy find it difficult buying products or services without revealing who they are exactly.

As I was handed my grocery bags I noticed the man behind me pulled out his credit card. I had to smile at the idea of him sticking to the man regarding his rewards card, but he gladly gave up his privacy, because he's too lazy to use cash.

"As a social good, I think privacy is greatly overrated because privacy basically means concealment. People conceal things in order to fool other people about them. They want to appear healthier than they are, smarter, more honest and so forth." - Richard Posner

4 comments:

Jessica said...

....You have been to a Kroger but you did not realize it. Kroger is the parent company for QFC and Fred Meyer. You have discovered their namesake chain. Similar to Haggen and Top Foods. Both owned by Haggen.

Are you a isle-by-isle reguardless of the items on your list kind of shopper? Or a go only down the isles I need to kind of shopper?

Bon appetit!

wigsf said...

Or maybe he was using somebody else's credit card.

JLee said...

I hate those grocery store cards. Do you know if you forget yours, they just use theirs and scan it! You could say you have one, and they'll do it anyway. lol

Rebecca said...

Those cards just give us something else to carry in our wallets so we can all feel important. Have you shopped at H.E.B. yet? I find myself missing Texas when I read these posts... :)