One of your purchases generates a high-value coupon for a competing brand. This encourages you to spend more. When customers buy specific products and present an electronic preferred card at checkout, cash discounts are automatically deducted from their bills. These products are often identified in mailers or fliers, and almost always by shelf markers. As supermarket computers become more sophisticated, these discounts are expanding to include local services and restaurant discounts.
Some stores also offer contests, free long-distance service and other rewards to shoppers.
But, because these special prizes often are sponsored by manufacturers or hinge on buying particular brands or quantities, they vary from visit to visit. These programs will continue to expand and become commonplace. Modified from Phil Lempert's Supermarket Shopping and Value Guide. Copyright 1996 by Phil Lempert. All rights reserved.