A year ago, I wrote about the great Supermarket Scam, where the big supermarkets like Tesco, Sainsbury etc. ran an ‘enforced customer loyalty’ scam. At the check-out, they stated that, if you had bought your grocery selection at another supermarket where the prices were cheaper, they would refund the difference WHEN YOU BOUGHT SOME MORE GROCERIES AT A FUTURE DATE! Not too future, because, if you failed to shop before the deadline, the supermarket would simply keep that money. What a wonderful scheme – for the supermarket!
See Supermarket Scam
Now! A new twist from Tesco. You buy your groceries, and, if those groceries were cheaper in another supermarket, they would refund the difference, there and then. IMMEDIATELY! No fake incentive to come back and buy more. Well done Tesco …
… except …
… now it looks like they have jacked up their prices, so it looks like you are getting money back. YOU ARE NOT! Tesco taketh, then giveth back. No refund money actually exists. You only pay what you would have paid if Tesco had matched the prices in the first place – or PUT THE PRICES DOWN ON THE SHELVES.
Is there a difference? Yes there is. Tesco polishes their halo, and makes themselves look good. By faking a refund.
Dear Tesco. Just put the bloody prices down! It simplifies the book-keeping. Aldi and Lidl manage it. They are growing bigger while Tesco shrinks.
Last thought. What contrived scheme will the other big players come up with, to compete with Tesco? Might I suggest that it does NOT involve money off petrol at a supermarket which does not possess a petrol station, or twice as many loyalty points which have been devalued by 50%.
Some of your customers actually have more qualifications in arithmetic than the average check-out assistant!