Sometimes you have to wonder whether the folk who come up with the so-called "new & improved" actually ever set foot into a store. Marketing guru's hear my plea -- simple is often times better -- don't just jump on the bandwagon!
My rant today is about the "latest" innovation for Carlton Cards. I like greeting cards -- I send them often for no other reason that the card reminded me of someone and off it goes...who cares if it is yet their birthday -- so I'm early or late -- depends on whether you are a glass half full or empty type of person.
Recently I went in to Carlton Cards to buy a few greeting cards. When I went in a month ago I actually got a free card -- you know they had this simple system where they gave you this little cardboard business card type loyalty card that got stamped each time you bought a card and then after buying ten cards you got one free. As I had redeemed my "free" card last time, I eagerly anticipated getting a new one -- to start collecting again. But, alas when I got to the counter life wasn't that simple anymore.
You see, the muckety-mucks at Carlton had decided that -- get this -- for your benefit-- you would now have to fill in a form to get a plastic points card! And not only that -- to be able to redeem anything -- or get coupons or whatever -- you'd have to go to their website to do so. Of course it would be necessary to give your email information, so that they could send you useless sales/marketing dribble that you don't want or need! So I left the store, having bought 3 cards -- but I did not fill out the form necessary to get this points card -- which for my loyalty to the store they now were going to make me work to get a reward.
How stupid is that -- when I simply would have had this little folding card in my wallet -- where I would have earned almost 30% towards my "free" card, I was asked to find room in my already overstuffed wallet for another points card for greeting cards and then on top of that I had to not go into the store but onto a website to make a redemption????
Quite honestly -- I am sick and tired of points cards -- every store, selling every which way type of product/service, is now giving you points -- but you need to carry about a zillion of these in your wallet at any given time because you never know when you actually might go into a particular store to make a buy. Enough already -- and by the way -- is making these little plastic cards really environmentally friendly??
So I guess I'll go to another store to buy my greeting cards -- Hallmark still has the simple stamp process -- please executives at Hallmark -- don't change your process -- you may actually be giving away a competitive advantage!
My rant today is about the "latest" innovation for Carlton Cards. I like greeting cards -- I send them often for no other reason that the card reminded me of someone and off it goes...who cares if it is yet their birthday -- so I'm early or late -- depends on whether you are a glass half full or empty type of person.
Recently I went in to Carlton Cards to buy a few greeting cards. When I went in a month ago I actually got a free card -- you know they had this simple system where they gave you this little cardboard business card type loyalty card that got stamped each time you bought a card and then after buying ten cards you got one free. As I had redeemed my "free" card last time, I eagerly anticipated getting a new one -- to start collecting again. But, alas when I got to the counter life wasn't that simple anymore.
You see, the muckety-mucks at Carlton had decided that -- get this -- for your benefit-- you would now have to fill in a form to get a plastic points card! And not only that -- to be able to redeem anything -- or get coupons or whatever -- you'd have to go to their website to do so. Of course it would be necessary to give your email information, so that they could send you useless sales/marketing dribble that you don't want or need! So I left the store, having bought 3 cards -- but I did not fill out the form necessary to get this points card -- which for my loyalty to the store they now were going to make me work to get a reward.
How stupid is that -- when I simply would have had this little folding card in my wallet -- where I would have earned almost 30% towards my "free" card, I was asked to find room in my already overstuffed wallet for another points card for greeting cards and then on top of that I had to not go into the store but onto a website to make a redemption????
Quite honestly -- I am sick and tired of points cards -- every store, selling every which way type of product/service, is now giving you points -- but you need to carry about a zillion of these in your wallet at any given time because you never know when you actually might go into a particular store to make a buy. Enough already -- and by the way -- is making these little plastic cards really environmentally friendly??So I guess I'll go to another store to buy my greeting cards -- Hallmark still has the simple stamp process -- please executives at Hallmark -- don't change your process -- you may actually be giving away a competitive advantage!
2 comments:
I find the valuable information is provided by you.
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Great information shared about the loyalty card and sharing information about the offer providing by Carlton card.
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