Thread: Target is creepy

Saw this on Colbert earlier tonight. Some creepy **** goes on at retailers. I think I'm going to try to pay cash more often now. Anyone else think this is a little weird?

I don't really consider it creepy. Most (if not all) stores have some type of particular card that "saves you money"

It's just like online ads. Facebook ads always somehow relate to you....

I don't think it's weird. If you're going to a store and buying certain things repeatedly, why wouldn't you want coupons for those or similar items? Other than the rare hidden teen pregnancy being foiled...the situations where it could come back to you in a bad way are pretty slim.

Its not weird and makes perfect sense, but in general, you should really try to pay for things with cash if you can. Unless you specifically gain some benefit from paying another way, its always good to keep as many of your assets off the books as you can.

I knew a guy who bought a lot of his stuff cash. As things went downhill in his marriage, he "gave" a lot of it to friends. Once he got divorced, there was very little actually in his name. His wife tried to sue and say he was hiding assets, but without receipts or records or any proof he ever bought that stuff at all, she was SOL.

Here's an article on this from Forbes: How Target Figured Out A Teen Girl Was Pregnant Before Her Father Did

It's funny that you mention that DG:

Those people chilled by stores’ tracking and profiling them may want to consider going the way of the common criminal — and paying for far more of their purchases in cash.

- Forbes

Originally Posted by Roscoe

Other than the rare hidden teen pregnancy being foiled...

Uncovered, yes, but foiled? Where did it say her dad made her get an abortion?

While there is a bit of a creepy factor involved, this really is a win/win situation most times. Obviously it's a store you're already going to, and now they're sending you discounts on items that you'll likely want to buy.

As long as they aren't selling the data to 3rd parties, I don't see the issue, since you're giving them all the data they have.

If you decide to only pay cash for the rest of your life, be prepared to pay exact change in small bills.

It is likely that in the future, retailers won't accept cash payment over a certain dollar amount.

Most convenience stores and fast food places already do this. Subway won't take anything bigger than a $20, regardless of how much money you spend. If you buy $49 worth of sandwiches, they won't take a $50 bill.
On Sundays I work part time at Old Navy. People try to buy $5 worth of stuff with $100 bills and we have to tell them no. We don't keep that kind of change in the drawers.

The grocery store I shop at does something similar. Based on what you buy, they will print out coupons for similar items.

I'm curious how they get their addresses though. I've never been asked for my email address, and I don't think a mailing address is part of the data on your credit card. You would have to give them that information for them to link it to your purchases. I wonder if they are only data mining those who signed up for a Target card. There is a clause in the terms for that card regarding special promotions that could allow them access to that kind of information.

I've done IT consultant work for Target at their downtown location here in Minneapolis. Probably won't ever do that again in my life. The consulting side was very poorly managed.

at that dad finding out the hard way.

target is the ****.

Originally Posted by nikko

The ironic part is that they do these "discount club" things not to give you discounts but to figure out how they can extract the maximum amount of money from you.

While that's true overall, it's no different than any other sale items that draw people in, to get them to buy more crap. That marketing plan has been working for a long time.

is this thread getting domingo'd?