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Email this6:38 am
March 15, 2019
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Does anyone remember when and why financial institutions started this weird practice of "targeted" promos. Isn't this a form of discriminaion?
(Hope grocery stores never adopt such a weird practice.)
7:45 am
March 14, 2023
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I've seen targeted offers for about 10 years from Tangerine. They are much less frequent now than they once were. Why do they target? It seems that they like to play around with different types of offers to see what happens. Maybe they act as Scotiabank's testing lab.
Who would they be discriminating against? To me it seems more of a random thing; when banks offer new customers better rates, that's discriminating.
Grocery stores (and others) already do targeted deals through their loyalty programs. I know it's not quite the same thing because the grocery stores are rewarding loyalty, but they are a much more transactional commodity business.
8:19 am
April 27, 2017
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Depends how you define the word “discrimination”. Obviously a loaded term.
To me, if promos use your race, gender, etc as a basis for picking candidates then it is discrimination. If they are using your banking history, loyalty tiers, geography or randomness vs any of the protected characteristics then I would call it “market segmentation”. There has never been a time when some version of this wasn’t used by market participants. And thats a good thing for competition.
8:48 am
January 12, 2019
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.
Even TD has recently played around with the idea of short-term Targeted Promotions.
Last year (for the first time in 30+ years) TD offered me ~4.5% on my TD SA for four months. I bit ... filled my TD SA with all the cash I had from several sources, and rode out the lucrative four months until the end.
After the end of the promotion period, I drained my TD SA (now earning 0.05%) back down to ~$1.50, and I haven't heard back from them since.
I'm guessing the whole idea was just a TD 'Flash-In-The-Pan'. 
- Dean
" Live Long, Healthy ... And Prosper! "
9:20 am
September 11, 2013
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No need to define, Canada already has a legal definition of "discrimination". As mordko indicates it's unfair treatment due to one's "personal characteristics", Canada Human Right Act lists 13.
I'm amused that these promos might be considered discrimination by some but I'm old and clued out about today's more finely-tuned sensibilities.
9:58 am
September 29, 2017
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Bill said
... today's more finely-tuned sensibilities.
Yes, there are A LOT of those "sensibilities", to put it mildly.
4:46 pm
April 6, 2013
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I would say those are clueless "sensibilities".
There's no illegal discrimination in these targeted promotions. Just like there's no illegal age discrimination when Canadian Western Bank refused to open a no-fee Gold Leaf chequing account to those under age 57 or when a public transit charges a higher fare to riders who are under age 65.
There's also no illegal gender discrimination if I were shooting ads for a line of men's suits and only hire male models to wear the suits for the photos and videos.
5:44 pm
January 12, 2019
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Dean said
.
Even TD has recently played around with the idea of short-term Targeted Promotions.Last year (for the first time in 30+ years) TD offered me ~4.5% on my TD SA for four months. I bit ... filled my TD SA with all the cash I had from several sources, and rode out the lucrative four months until the end.
After the end of the promotion period, I drained my TD SA (now earning 0.05%) back down to ~$1.50, and I haven't heard back from them since.
I'm guessing the whole idea was just a TD 'Flash-In-The-Pan'.
Dean
No 'Discrimination' intended here. 
- Dean
" Live Long, Healthy ... And Prosper! "
2:23 am
November 18, 2017
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Targeted promotions try to cherry-pick the most profitable clients. In actuality, targeted promotions and tiered rates are part of the corporate practise of "enshittification."
There's an excellent review, with short video and long report, at:
RetirEd
3:37 am
September 29, 2017
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Norman1 said
I would say those are clueless "sensibilities"....
Agreed... and A LOT of people of clueless.
3:44 am
September 29, 2017
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RetirEd said
Targeted promotions try to cherry-pick the most profitable clients. In actuality, targeted promotions and tiered rates are part of the corporate practise of "enshittification."There's an excellent review, with short video and long report, at:
Love it!
One thing they missed... how so many customer service contacts, turn into a PSA on security, etc, or a sales pitch or two or three, whether via the phone IVR, or the live agents, when you are just trying to get your business done, or worse, when you have a problem... of course, that is the best time for a sales pitch.
8:00 pm
March 15, 2019
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I hope grocery stores never have targeted promotions.
BTW: A while back I saw a customer at my local grocery store pay with some kind of card. Turns out she is on welfare and she doesn't get cash but get these cards that are redeemable only for groceries.
8:07 pm
March 15, 2019
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Bad joke. Someone in my group once jokingly said that airlines should charge passengers based on weight. LOL!
12:35 am
November 18, 2017
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COIN: Actually, there IS some weight discrimination, as some airlines charge people for two seats if they don't meet certain size standards.
Fimmaker Kevin Smith has complained about this before.
Grocery cards: In the US, a near-universal EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) card system handles SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) as a replacement for the old food stamps and booklets. They also handle many benefits such as welfare payments, which are not limited to food.
I haven't heard of such cards in Canada, and couldn't find them on line. Where'd you see the transaction?
RetirEd
5:52 am
March 15, 2019
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A few years ago at a No Frills. The woman in line ahead of me paid with some kind of card (or was it stamps?).
5:56 am
March 15, 2019
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"Toronto welfare cards benefits
The City of Toronto offers various welfare cards and benefits programs to support residents in need. Here are some of the key benefits available through the City of Toronto:"
10:07 am
April 6, 2013
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RetirEd said
I haven't heard of such cards in Canada, and couldn't find them on line. Where'd you see the transaction?
No such thing as food stamps or food-only cards in Canada.
Welfare provides money, some which is supposed to be for groceries. Sadly, recipient may decide to spend their "grocery" money on expensive takeout or illicit drugs instead.
6:39 pm
March 15, 2019
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In a similar vein,
https://www.chch.com/chch-news.....ery-costs/
