Tesco custom vouchers - are they trying to be annoying

Azari

It's that time of the quarter when the Tesco clubcard vouchers arrive. As usual, as well as the money vouchers for the points I've earned, I get a little block of 6 custom vouchers. (In case anyone isn't aware these are generated according to your spending pattern over the last few months.)

The thing is, these seem to be deliberately designed to annoy the c**p out of their customers.

My 6 vouchers are:

1) 30 Extra points when buying 750 ml Tesco mayonnaise. I buy quite a lot of Tesco mayonnaise as I virtually live on salad but I always buy 500ml jars. They know this. Why would they give me a voucher for something the know I don't buy

2) 50p of an 'Rachel's' yoghurt. I but yoghurt, but Tesco's finest because they have a couple of flavours I really like. Why are they trying to make me buy something I don't want?

3) £1.25 off any Nottage Hill (Australian) wine. I aways buy South American Wne.

4) 50p off Some sausages - excludes Tesco's finest. On the rare occasion I buy sausages I always but Tesco's finest!

5) 50p off Shredded Wheat. I never but Shredded Wheat or any brand name cereal. The only thing I buy is Tesco finest muesli.

6) 25 Extra points when I buy any cheese. !!!!!!? They clearly slipped up here because I can actually use this one


So the question is: Why on earth are Tesco using all the knowledge of my spending patterns to give me five vouchers for things that they know I never buy? Is it some sort of stupid game? Did they do it for a bet?

KierNet

Most likely because they make more money on those items?

Azari

KierNet wrote: »

Most likely because they make more money on those items?

More money on 750ml mayo when it's cheaper per ml than 500? (And since I usually buy two or three at a time it wouldn't induce me to buy more).

More on some cheap sausages than on their premium range?

Do they really make more on Australian wine than any South American?


If they were offering vouchers that would tempt be to buy a more expensive product I could see this as a valid reason. Tempt the punter with better quality and they may get hooked. But in none of these cases is that really applicable. (Well, maybe the Shredded Wheat but that's the sort of product that you either like or don't and I can't imagine many people who eat only muesli as a cereal suddenly switching to (or even trying) SW just because it's 50p less than full price.)

fluffnutter

Tesco has decided your shopping patterns are stuck in a rut and is encouraging you to try new things

Give the Rachel's yogurt a whirl. The vanilla one's lush

Apples2

Maybe they have procured a pallet load of rubbish they can't shift from the store.

Try to tempt saddo's who always buy the same stuff into buying similar stuff or they are going to lose money on it.

wealdroam

Azari wrote: »

So the question is: Why on earth are Tesco using all the knowledge of my spending patterns to give me five vouchers for things that they know I never buy? Is it some sort of stupid game? Did they do it for a bet?

Maybe your questions can be best answered with another question...

Why on earth would Tesco give you vouchers for things you are going to buy anyway?

curlywurly85

Saw an article about that recently, and they use the spending patterns to match people to customer profiles, and then base the vouchers on the profiles that you fit into. Apparently, that system is flexible enough that no more than 3 people ever get the exact same mix of vouchers, but the article was about their plans to go on to make the system entirely personalised.

It's probably a bit beyond their AI right now to match someone to a '500 ml mayonnaise eater' category as opposed to a '750 ml mayonnaise eater' one.

Gothicfairy

Actually I had some vouchers come through the other week and one was for Decaf coffee........I have never nor will I buy decaf, what is the point ? I want the caffine..lol

They also gave me 50p off veggy sausages..I am not a veggy and have never bought veggy food at Tescos so no idea where they got that from.

Azari

wealdroam wrote: »

Maybe your questions can be best answered with another question...

Why on earth would Tesco give you vouchers for things you are going to buy anyway?

That is a good question.

And yet that's exactly what they do.

Every few months they give me a couple of vouchers for £6 - £8 for when I spend over £30 - £40 in one visit. Something I do all the time.

Pheobesmove

I think they over ordered Shredded Wheat as I got one for that as well as well and we never eat the stuff.
I go two for Iam Dogs and Cat food, which made me double check the address on the front as I thought maybe it was the neighbours? We never feed ours Iams!
Out of all 6, only one is applicable to what we normally buy and the one that is is for Fish Quorn Products which surely can't exist. Fake fish food for humans! Veggies gone mad!

iNath

They're not doing it to be nice, they want you buy the other things!

I have a separate account from my parents - but always get vouchers for things they buy! I just buy them and they give me the money