Bishop, a quaint town where familiarity reigns, has been home to one resident for over four decades. This seasoned citizen, a loyal customer of Vons, recently found herself in the midst of a digital dilemma that has left many seniors feeling left out.
For years, Vons has been a reliable shopping destination for this long-time resident. However, a recent shift in the store’s coupon strategy has left her, and others like her, feeling marginalized. The advent of digital coupons, accessible only through smartphones, has created a divide among shoppers.
As a proud non-digital user, the senior citizen in question has missed out on money-saving opportunities offered exclusively to those embracing the digital age. During a stroll through Vons, she took the initiative to speak with fellow seniors about their experiences with the new coupon system. Surprisingly, none of the seniors she approached were partaking in the digital coupon trend, and all echoed a similar sentiment – they felt excluded.
“I don’t do that on my phone,” was a common refrain among the seniors, highlighting a shared resistance to embracing digital transactions. The consensus emerged: this new system was discriminating against those who prefer traditional methods of handling money matters.
In a particular instance, the senior shopper estimated missing out on potential savings of $10 or more during a single visit to Vons. This financial setback, coupled with the frustration of being denied discounts enjoyed by others, intensified her feelings of injustice.
Seeking resolution, she took her concerns to the store manager at the time, hoping for understanding and perhaps a viable solution. Unfortunately, her plea fell on deaf ears. The manager’s response was clear-cut – either adapt to the digital approach or accept the higher price tag.
This case raises questions about the ethical implications of such digital-centric strategies, especially when they impact a demographic known for its resistance to technological trends. Should convenience for the digitally inclined come at the cost of isolating those who prefer more traditional means of conducting transactions?
As technology continues to shape the retail landscape, it’s crucial for businesses like Vons to strike a balance that caters to all customer demographics. This story serves as a poignant reminder that progress should not come at the expense of alienating loyal patrons who may not be fully immersed in the digital age.
The call for fairness resonates not only with this senior citizen but also with others who find themselves caught in the crossfire of a rapidly evolving retail landscape. It prompts us to question whether convenience should be an exclusive privilege or a universally accessible benefit for all customers, regardless of their technological preferences.
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This is not “just” a senior issue .
I have an I-phone and I know how to use it. There are two reasons I don’t use it at Vons. 1) I don’t want one more corporation tracking my buying habits and 2) I stand in solidarity with friends who either can’t afford I-phones or don’t want their privacy invaded or have macular degeneration and can’t see well enough to use digital coupons. So, what that means is, the day Vons started with digital coupons, I started shopping exclusively at Smart and Final , where if something is on sale , it’s on sale for everyone , not just those of us privileged to have I-phones and good vision.
Only took 26 minutes and on a Sunday to get a nice reply from vons. Looks like someone actually read it. I tried to copy and paste here but it did not work. It is a pretty long and well thought out reply. Maybe an AI reply??? Ha ha.
Email me at [email protected]
Thank you. I included it in tomorrow’s radio news. I also posted the response as a new article. At the bottom I thank the concerned citizen which is you 🙂 I truly appreciate you. Let’s follow-up in a few weeks and see if anything comes of this
Probably a template customized slightly. Quick response because they recognized it was on news media? AI/human cyborg. Following line is only one that may have been mostly human IMO.
“Firstly, I want to extend our sincere gratitude to the senior citizen in question for actively engaging with fellow seniors and sharing their experiences.”
I just emailed this story and comments to Vons. Lets see what happens.
Totally agree! Yesterday spent over an hour on the phone and spoke to three customer service reps at the corporate level to try to ‘sync’’ my account because the local customer counter Vons person would not honor my Just4U account. No TP discount, no avacados, sumos, etc. would not honor. Walnut Creek, CA store has same issues so it isn’t just in Bishop. Baggers put bread products and fresh produce at bottom of bag with canned good on top. AND the newest thing is to charge for more bags than they actually use! Not the same Vons – what has happened?
Well, there certainly is a language barrier happening at Bishop Vons. I was told by one checker to tell HER how many bags I needed, because the bagger couldn’t understand English enough to communicate that info with me. One day I asked a floor employee where I could find dry, canned, grated Parmesan cheese. He walked me over to the deli dept & showed be the standard blocks of cheese. It was then I realized he didn’t understand me. “No comprende”. I too have had difficulties with my Vons Club card working at the gas pumps there, even tho I’ve had the same card & phone no for 15 yrs ! I have TRIED using the “e-coupons” but there’s always some kind of problem at the register. Guess I’m making a mistake somewhere.
I don!t have a mobile.phone. idon!t think it id.fair to us seniors who van!t afford s phone! Vons needs to.drop the digital coupons and treat seniors right!
I tried digital coupons a couple of times, but it felt like too much work for too little result. It is just another hassle at the check stand that I do not need. Paying by phone, OTOH, is something I use a lot. Something that would automatically access and apply digital coupons with a wave of the phone would be fine, but that is not how what I tried worked.
I hate the dig coupons. It’s just another added layer of inconvenience to access the widely advertised sale prices. Not to mention a inattentive shopper can easily me mislead. I resent it every time I see digital deals on the Vons ads. C’mon Vons, just stop annoying your loyal customers.
I sent an email to Vons corporate with essentially the same message. I do not want, need and can’t afford a smartphone. I received a polite stock reply which basically said “To bad”.
You can do all that on your home computer before you go to the store, it’s really easy and I’m 67 and my husband is 85 and can do it fine. Try it!
How do you scan the barcode on the computer to get the digital deals?
But you’re assuming all seniors have computers at home. I don’t. I’m 68. I have an iphone, and I’ve had little success with e coupons. I don’t normally take my phone with me everywhere. That’s not my generation.
Not only that…. when they upgraded the app to the newest iOS, older phones like mine would not load the app with a nice message to upgrade to a new phone. Spend $1000 to save $10? Don’t think so. Even their print ads are deceptive with the ‘must buy 4 other’ to get the discount but I don’t use any other items.