I have the feeling that I was misunderstood first time round, so I’m trying again. Here’s my second email to Waitrose customer services:
Dear Lorraine,
Thanks for your email, but I think that you have missed the point of my original email.
I understand that it is company policy to insist on customers having a partnership or account card to use your quick scan service, and that is what I am querying the ethics of.
It seems unethical to insist that customers apply for credit with you to use the quick scan service, even though, as your very friendly and helpful quick scan lady told me, you don’t have to use the credit card. But is that not putting unnecessary temptation to use credit in the way of customers who simply want to use the quick scan service? You only have to read the newspapers these days to be told that record numbers of the British public are in debt up to their eyeballs, and that three times the number of people have declared themselves bankrupt this year compared to just 2 years ago.
The quick scan service is attractive to me, and so I’m sure to many other housewives and mothers too. Many people will, therefore, have no problem in applying for credit so that they can use this service. Once the credit card is there, it’s easier to spend on it without thinking about it.
I will not apply for a credit card on principle, and am therefore excluded from being able to use a service that would be most useful to me during Waitrose shopping trips. So, to improve my supermarket experience with small children, I will consider taking my custom to Sainbury’s where I can use their quick scan service without being required to sign up for one of their "financial services".
To re-iterate what I said in my previous email, I have chosen Waitrose as a place I like to shop because of your admirable ethics, sourcing local foods, making sure that products are from fairly traded sources, and stocking so many natural and eco-friendly cleaning products and toiletries. So this approach to getting people to sign up for credit took me by surprise, I didn’t expect it from Waitrose.
Yours sincerely,
Tracy Stokes
I hope they get back to you with something useful. There’s simply no reason to get people signing up for credit cards that they “don’t have to use”.
On the other hand, I guess it could be argued that if folks are going to get themselves into debt, they will, and no lack of one particular credit card is likely to stop them. That’s sad.
Comment by madcap — August 7, 2006 @ 2:32 pm
You rock!
Comment by Jasmin — August 18, 2006 @ 11:33 pm
Tracy have you had a reply to this fantastic mail? Given Waitrose’ reputation I would have thought that they would take it seriously once they got the point. In the meantime have you considered using their delivery service? Mother friendly, means you can continue using the store you are most comfortable with & also cuts down on petrol consumption assuming they make multiple deliveries per trip..?
Comment by Caalie — August 29, 2006 @ 12:28 pm
I’m still awaiting a response, although I was advised by the lady who received the email in customer services that she would be passing it on to the correct department. Yes, I have tried their delivery service, it is a good idea isn’t it.
Comment by Tracy — August 29, 2006 @ 1:33 pm