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Originally Posted by Happy
(Post 20763720)
Nope, you dont need VR if you are willing to pay $1 extra cost per piece.
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Originally Posted by Happy
(Post 20763720)
Nope, you dont need VR if you are willing to pay $1 extra cost per piece.
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Originally Posted by st.exupery
(Post 20763739)
Walmart costs me a lot more than $1 in gas. Is there another card method to load BB?
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Originally Posted by silver6054
(Post 20763430)
Remember that BlueBird/VR are intended for the un/under-banked rather than credit card junkies. So if you don't have a bank account, and need to pay a bill remotely, doing it via bluebird may be almost the only choice (since you don't have a debit card either to do it at Walmart).
And since you are probably poor and don't have much clout, it makes a lot of sense to charge you $3.95 for the opportunity to use our product. Still cheaper than a bank, if you could find one.... If someone is un/under-banked, that someone does not need bank! Who would they pay remotely that does not accept Money Orders? 70c when they need a MO. How is VR $3.95 cheaper than a bank? (with DD paycheck Bank account cost '0' and get a Bank debit card!) My "suspicion" is that its intended for the credit card churners. |
Originally Posted by Happy
(Post 20763705)
Within 15 miles radius from home, 60% of the CVS are cash only.
50% of the remaining 40% stores that take CC, run out of inventory for Months, not just weeks. Basically once it runs out the initial lots, those stores never seem to restock. And the stores that do not restock seems to slowly increase in number. So essentially only 20% of the CVS within 15 miles radius actually have VRs that can be bought with CC, despite there are like a doz stores within that driving range. Therefore, in my area, VR will soon join the endangered species list. 60% of CVS cash only stores, have cards, why? -- no one is buying! |
Originally Posted by prasha11
(Post 20764150)
In marketing, the demand can be maintained by controlling the supply.
60% of CVS cash only stores, have cards, why? -- no one is buying! |
Originally Posted by Happy
(Post 20764221)
The demand and supply theory aint going to help me to get it. The 60% cash only stores dont care for the demand. Neither those who do not replenish their inventories despite the demand exists. Got that?
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Leaving out Amex CC sign-up bonuses, it seems that VR sales are profitable for Amex, because the Amex CC fee (paid by CVS) is greater than their cost of SPG and MR points.
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So today I walked into the local CVS (LA Westside area) knowing that they had just stocked some new VR's. Head to the counter and get a clerk who immediately does not look like he is going to let me pay for them.
10 minutes later, two calls to his "manager" the clerk tells me I'm being suspicious (I came in 48 hours earlier) and that he won't process the VR's. Boy this churning thing is getting a bit tiresome when you get treated like a criminal!:( |
maybe it's like a huge sting op.
Yeah they roll out these cards like bluebird and VR to see who bites and buys them. There, they now have a clear database of everyone who is like us and into travel deals lol |
Originally Posted by kaiguy
(Post 20764670)
So today I walked into the local CVS (LA Westside area) knowing that they had just stocked some new VR's. Head to the counter and get a clerk who immediately does not look like he is going to let me pay for them.
10 minutes later, two calls to his "manager" the clerk tells me I'm being suspicious (I came in 48 hours earlier) and that he won't process the VR's. Boy this churning thing is getting a bit tiresome when you get treated like a criminal!:( :D:D:D no seriously I'm with you. I cant get around the fact that some clerks and managers really get bent when people actually try to buy the products that the store sell! I would lay into that manager like no tomorrow for that. I went to a cvs once and the clerk was a young girl with blue hair and about 20 piercings. No issues there but then when I went to buy my 2 VRs she ran it but then said, they look like a very unusual transaction. I said, well, then when it comes to witnessing something unusual today, we are even. And I walked out. |
Originally Posted by prasha11
(Post 20764100)
How do you know " BlueBird/VR are intended for the un/under-banked". Is it officially declared or written up?
If someone is un/under-banked, that someone does not need bank! Who would they pay remotely that does not accept Money Orders? 70c when they need a MO. How is VR $3.95 cheaper than a bank? (with DD paycheck Bank account cost '0' and get a Bank debit card!) My "suspicion" is that its intended for the credit card churners. “When we launched Bluebird last October, we were focused on serving the tens of millions of Americans who are not well served by the traditional financial services industry. The unbanked, underbanked, and the unhappily banked are beset by onerous fees and numerous inconveniences,” said Dan Schulman, group president, Enterprise Growth at American Express. “Bluebird is designed to help make their everyday financial lives easier, more convenient and less expensive. Today’s announcement, which reflects feedback from consumers, advocacy groups and government officials, represents the next set of enhancements that further distinguish Bluebird from other financial services options.” suggests the un/underbanked were a major part of the target audience. Re money orders. If I have to pay several small bills (say 6 for a total of less than $500) the BB/VR is cheaper. And yes, there may be better banking choices, but many won't do the research and will be sold into BB when they visit Walmart for their shopping. |
Originally Posted by silver6054
(Post 20765695)
Well....:
suggests the un/underbanked were a major part of the target audience. Re money orders. If I have to pay several small bills (say 6 for a total of less than $500) the BB/VR is cheaper. And yes, there may be better banking choices, but many won't do the research and will be sold into BB when they visit Walmart for their shopping. The unbanked are also the unbilled, Unbilled have no bills to pay because have no credit They must buy cash so no bills. goes round and round. Its like a salesman thinks "Eskimo needs to buy some Ice" If the program is not intended for the credit card churners but continue to reward with bonus, makes me wonder don't they do research and read these forums, blogs? we are not a secret. All they need to do is put in a code in the system for no bonus and you can find VR in every CVS store, cash credit or debit! |
Originally Posted by prasha11
(Post 20766460)
Who is unbanked?
The unbanked are also the unbilled, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unbanked |
Originally Posted by prasha11
(Post 20766460)
Who is unbanked?
The unbanked are also the unbilled, Unbilled have no bills to pay because have no credit |
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