Ahh - the Rewards

Everytime I go to Barnes and Noble, I'm reminded I'm not a member. Likewise at Target, I don't have the Target credit card. Of course I could sign-up, but I don't.

Business Pundit has a post about rewards programs today:

Here's my question. Can you care still "care" about me without the stupid card? I don't want a reward for having a card or being loyal. I want a reward simply for doing business with your company. If you are going to play favorites, don't tell us peons about it. Don't make us feel left out. Here's a radical new concept for retail...help people get want they want, not what you want them to have. Meet their needs and move on. Don't upsell, don't nag about credit cards, don't offer reward cards and everything else under the sun. Offer to help me find what I need at a good price, quickly.

Disclaimer: I am a "member" at the locally hardward store, and the locally run bookstore. Perhaps it's because I want to help them out, or perhaps I actually feel special to them - they both took the time to explain the program to me before I signed on, something B&N and Target really don't do. The big retailers just have the kids say it on script, it's their version of the supersize question.