A Special Discount Just for You

At a Safeway in Denver, a 24-pack of Refreshe bottled water costs $2.71 for Jennie Sanford, a project manager. For Emily Vanek, a blogger, the price is $3.69.

The difference? The vast shopping data Safeway maintains on both women through its loyalty card program. Ms. Sanford has a history of buying Refreshe brand products, but not its bottled water, while Ms. Vanek, a Smartwater partisan, said she was unlikely to try Refreshe.

How are you feeling about discounts that are tailor-made just for you based on your shopping habits and data gleaned from loyalty cards? It sort of scares me — just like it’s a tiny bit frightening that I’d walk into a Starbucks one day and have my name and photo pop up on a screen. I’d like a wee bit of anonymity, please, or someone is going to discover that I’m Batman soon.

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