To think personalised pricing is unethical?

[Issummeroveralready]

I already thought that using a club card to get reduced prices on food items was a little close to the mark, but tonight on TV I saw advertised that a certain supermarket is now offering personalised prices on food items when a loyalty card is used (nectar card). AIBU to think this is neoliberalism gone mad. Surely food costs what it costs. Fancy Mary getting lurpack for 5 quid and John getting it for 2 because of some known algorithm. Bonkers.

But it's been like that for a while. Tesco and Iceland do it. I'm sure asdas brought a loyalty card in as well.

also when I go to matalan they used to make you sign up for a card, I'd get a new one every time
do that with tesco

You gave them rights to do whatever they wish with every single thing you post.

Of course its bloody different

TonTonMacoute thanks, this is the very woman I was thinking of reading this thread but I couldn’t remember her name. I heard her on Adam Buxton’s podcast ages ago and she was so interesting to listen to.

It's not black mirror at all, don't be so dramatic.

I have a clubcard. I give Tesco my details and it tracks my shopping and gains insights that they can use. In return for this I get a discount on items and vouchers. It's an entirely open transaction that I am a willing participant in. It benefits them and it benefits me.

So why in the fuck would I want to pay more to Tesco because you have a problem with it? If you have an issue with it, you should not have a clubcard and should pay the edge price. I don't care.

But drop the paranoid bullshit.

Personalised pricing when you’ve opted into providing data to them isn’t problematic to me. For instance if I sign up to Tesco Clubcard scheme, and I agree to allow them to use my shopping habits data to then send me targeted vouchers for products I have previously purchased or they think I would enjoy, is something I think enhances my customer experience.

What is massively problematic to me is personalised pricing based on second hand data which has been purchased or mined. So it’s not your precious shopping habits (at that store that you’ve signed up to and opted in to allow them to use your data), that is impacting the price you see but in fact it’s stuff like the area where you live, whether you’re in a couple or not. The UK competitions body is looking into this but I think it’s appalling that companies can do this under the guise of personalised pricing. Unless you’re saving money, or it’s enhancing the overall customer experience for the benefit of the customer, I think it’s proper murky waters.

So not sure how Tesco can explain that they don’t discriminate against the school kid buying a meal deal or the child who’s buying a toy with their pocket money under the Clubcard prices offer

They don't put the meal deals or pocket money toys in the clubcard deal, so pretty easily.

Lidl has a loyalty card too, shoppers get exclusive prices on the items they buy regularly and once you've spent a certain amount on shopping you get a voucher for money off your total spend.

It's the LidlPlus app.

Cheaper pints at the pub if you look pretty and they want you there more often to "sell" the establishment for them? Outlandish but not too many steps away!

You know that's already a thing and has been for a long time right?
You're not really this data/marketing naïve?

Equally though you will tons of offers if you are the feckless poor.

Credit cards, vouchers and offers left right and centre get sent through to me even though I earn less than DH. I do all the buying ( but we live at different addresses).He gets nothing sent through as he’s loaded enough to not need them.

"We're basically getting money off in exchange for them selling all our shopping habit data. I don't like the idea."

Do you use Meebook - Twatter Insta if you do you are giving away loads of data.

Mate of mine id a private detective says if you have any of those he can find out where you live name d.o.b in moments
If you do not like loyalty cards do not use them

Personalised pricing is on the mobile phone scan shop.
It is to encourage shoppers to sign up to scanning their shopping as they go round the store.
Once they have signed up enough people to reduce/eradicate the manned tills then the offers will most probably dwindle away.

I’m not talking about the crappy tat toys, the last toy event was Clubcard prices only.

Ans those toys are for young children, and bought by adults. With clubcards.

Bollocks, some kids save their money for big toys and have birthday money to spend. I don’t buy all they toys my kids have, they’re expected to buy their own if they want a box of Lego outside of Christmas and birthdays. My son is old enough to get himself to Tesco and buy his own Lego if he wants, why should he miss out on the discounted price because he isn’t old enough to use the scheme?

French supermarkets have had the ‘members’ schemes for at least fifteen years. They used to offer money back for a certain number of points ( so many, not very attractive) ’ or redeeming points against a catalogue of stuff ( also not very exciting).
A lot of shoppers didn’t seem to have/ use the cards; then Carrefour and LeClerc introduced thé special offer with the card type scheme. Suddenly, everyone in the queue seemed to have one! We were always surprised that no British store did it.
Now Tesco do. The card is free. You don’t actually have to tell the truth about your age or sex, though your address will be useful if you want a delivery. I have checked the non club card prices against Waitrose and Aldi ( though difficult because a lot of Aldi products are not really straight comparison). Nope, not more expensive as far as we could see. The Club card prices are usually because Tesco have negotiated a deal with a manufacturer, or because they are on seasonal fresh produce which they can buy more cheaply because it is in Season.
The Sainsbury card seems a bit different to me , ‘personalisation’ is much more data specific than a straight open to everyone who can manage to sign up or remember to bring their card with them. I don’t expect to find out more because I don’t like Sainsbury’s social policies and I haven’t got a smart phone.

If you don't want to sell your data then you are free not to have a club card. Why you think you should be paid for your data without providing it is beyond me.

Are club card vouchers tailored? I assumed they were just general as my last ones were for nappies and baby food my dc are 9 and 12 😆

When I was at uni in the late 90s I had several lecturers who wouldn't use loyalty cards that had recently come in. They were all database and encryption specialists and would lecture us on the direction gathering of personal data was going.
They were all totally on the nose.

I don't get the paranoia about personal data. Most people's name, address, date of birth can be found easily on the internet. It's hardly secret info. I don't care if Tesco know what I buy in their shops if they want to give me discount on those products in future. My bank and credit card provider know where I shop regularly and can block my card instantly if they see an unusual transaction which might be fraudulent. That works for me.

A friend recently told me she wasn't providing her bank account details to the council in case they stole her money. She was being asked for sort code and account number so they could pay her the council tax rebate. I pointed out they're on her cheque book. She wasn't convinced....

For the same reason he can't get the "blue light" discount. Or shop in Costco. Or the many other ways discounts are offered to only some people.

What about "staff discounts" they are discriminatory to those who can't get a job there.

Why were they? I volunteer care less if Tesco want to track what I buy, it's not a secret. Very happy to exchange that info for cashback.

Personalised pricing/offers would be great. I'm fed up getting vouchers/deals on products I won't buy. Being gluten-free it's not very useful being offered a deal on croissants or crusty bread.

I would love that. I don't need 30% off hobnobs, but I would love 30 or even 15% off tomatoes!