As Stimulus Rebates Go Out, Stores Want All of It

News Type: Event — Seeded on Sat May 10, 2008 9:28 AM EDT

Article Source: The New York Times

business, economy, government, consumers, companies, grocery, shoppers, windfall, stimulus-checks

As the government sends out roughly $100 billion in economic stimulus checks to about 130 million American homes, retailers are trying to persuade consumers to spend their windfall at a time of high anxiety about the economy.

Their new marketing pitch? Go on a frugal-minded spending spree.

Sears has started a "stretch your stimulus check" campaign. Supervalu, the grocery chain, is promoting a "watch your refund grow" program, and Kroger is calling its stimulus gift cards "a powerful new financial tool." All three companies offer shoppers a 10 percent bonus if they buy a gift card with their checks.

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{"commentId":1785943,"authorDomain":"mscyprah"}

Ms CYPRAH

Sears has started a "stretch your stimulus check" campaign. Supervalu, the grocery chain, is promoting a "watch your refund grow" program, and Kroger is calling its stimulus gift cards "a powerful new financial tool." All three companies offer shoppers a 10 percent bonus if they buy a gift card with their checks.

The vultures are gathering then, and the money isn't even out yet? :o(

{"commentId":1785943,"threadId":"262428","contentId":"1480113","authorDomain":"mscyprah"}

6 votes

#1 - Sat May 10, 2008 9:30 AM EDT

{"commentId":1786018,"authorDomain":"TheObserver1"}

The Observer

Vultures?

{"commentId":1786018,"threadId":"262428","contentId":"1480113","authorDomain":"TheObserver1"}

#1.1 - Sat May 10, 2008 10:14 AM EDT

{"commentId":1786470,"authorDomain":"JoulesBeef"}

JoulesBeef

yes geez observer they want you to do something stupid with your money like give it to them, theyt are vultures in this respect, drooling over the prospect of customers with new found cash, which has been lacking lately.

I'll give you a hint what makes them vultures... none of them will sugest you pay off your current credit card with them first.

And of course they are vultures it is capitalism, be a vulture of get eaten.

{"commentId":1786470,"threadId":"262428","contentId":"1480113","authorDomain":"JoulesBeef"}

5 votes

#1.2 - Sat May 10, 2008 2:23 PM EDT

{"commentId":1786783,"authorDomain":"TheObserver1"}

The Observer

Joules,

Why must you be belligerent in every post?

{"commentId":1786783,"threadId":"262428","contentId":"1480113","authorDomain":"TheObserver1"}

#1.3 - Sat May 10, 2008 5:18 PM EDT

{"commentId":1787964,"authorDomain":"mscyprah"}

Ms CYPRAH

I used 'vultures' because I am sure that many families have far greater priorities than simply shopping to use that money for, like bills etc., yet the stores come out in force with the hard sell the minute they sniff money.

And I don't think that Joules was being belligerent at all, Observer. In fact, though I might not agree with it entirely, his explanation of what I meant was quite appropriate in his own terms.

Thank you both for that.

{"commentId":1787964,"threadId":"262428","contentId":"1480113","authorDomain":"mscyprah"}

3 votes

#1.4 - Sun May 11, 2008 6:24 AM EDT

{"commentId":1788724,"authorDomain":"TheObserver1"}

The Observer

You're saying people are stupid...

People buy things because they want things.

{"commentId":1788724,"threadId":"262428","contentId":"1480113","authorDomain":"TheObserver1"}

#1.5 - Sun May 11, 2008 1:42 PM EDT

{"commentId":1785994,"authorDomain":"bjthomas-1"}

BeeTee244

Dear America - The Republicans are playing you for a sucker again and all you say is 'Thank you, sir. May I have another?'. We ran out of money to spend and the subprime mortgage mess made borrowing difficult. Bush's corporate friends were upset, so he gave them the stimulus package. But, where can I get the money. I know, I'll borrow it from the Chinese and send the bill to the children and grandchildren of middle America. Then the money can be given to corporate America and all will be well. Here's the score card: Reagan=recession, HW Bush=recession, G Bush=2 recessions. Time to wake up America.

{"commentId":1785994,"threadId":"262428","contentId":"1480113","authorDomain":"bjthomas-1"}

9 votes

#2 - Sat May 10, 2008 10:00 AM EDT

{"commentId":1787966,"authorDomain":"mscyprah"}

Ms CYPRAH

Here's the score card: Reagan=recession, HW Bush=recession, G Bush=2 recessions. Time to wake up America.

Very true, indeed, because the money has to come from somewhere. Pity not enough people are asking 'where', they might not be so keen to take it..:o(

{"commentId":1787966,"threadId":"262428","contentId":"1480113","authorDomain":"mscyprah"}

1 vote

#2.1 - Sun May 11, 2008 6:25 AM EDT

{"commentId":1788819,"authorDomain":"TheObserver1"}

The Observer

Reagan inherited a recession from Jimmy Carter.

{"commentId":1788819,"threadId":"262428","contentId":"1480113","authorDomain":"TheObserver1"}

#2.2 - Sun May 11, 2008 2:26 PM EDT

{"commentId":1786357,"authorDomain":"Ohnestaeb"}

oHnEsTaEb86

Isn't spending money we don't have the reason we're in this mess?

{"commentId":1786357,"threadId":"262428","contentId":"1480113","authorDomain":"Ohnestaeb"}

4 votes

#3 - Sat May 10, 2008 1:16 PM EDT

{"commentId":1786480,"authorDomain":"JoulesBeef"}

JoulesBeef

partially.. it is also partially the deregulation of the industry, where most of this would have been illegal ten years ago.
It's nice and all to say people should be more responcible with their money and such but with the dismal state of education, that fantacy world never works out.. this is why people will get those instant loans that offer over 300% interest rates(which also were illegal not long ago), Plus the who APR thing can be quite complex.
And really there wouldn't be much of a problem if only the suckers and the scam artists were the ones effected, but see it is affecting us all, which is why we have a stimulous plan.
It isnt that we must protect the suckekrs from the scammers, WE MUST PROTECT THE REST OF US from both the suckers and the scammers. which often involves protecting the suckers as we also don't want them on welfare.

{"commentId":1786480,"threadId":"262428","contentId":"1480113","authorDomain":"JoulesBeef"}

4 votes

#3.1 - Sat May 10, 2008 2:29 PM EDT

{"commentId":1786839,"authorDomain":"Ohnestaeb"}

oHnEsTaEb86

It's nice and all to say people should be more responcible with their money and such but with the dismal state of education, that fantacy world never works out.. this is why people will get those instant loans that offer over 300% interest rates(which also were illegal not long ago),

As a public school educated degenerate, I can tell you the two worst thing you can do when filling out a loan is to not truly know what you're getting into, and not reading anything before you sign it. A lot of this was probably written in the promissory note and was looked over.

{"commentId":1786839,"threadId":"262428","contentId":"1480113","authorDomain":"Ohnestaeb"}

4 votes

#3.2 - Sat May 10, 2008 5:48 PM EDT

{"commentId":1787970,"authorDomain":"mscyprah"}

Ms CYPRAH

I can tell you the two worst thing you can do when filling out a loan is to not truly know what you're getting into, and not reading anything before you sign it

Absolutely. But you would be surprised how many gullible ones are so taken in by the money they completely miss those important points.

{"commentId":1787970,"threadId":"262428","contentId":"1480113","authorDomain":"mscyprah"}

1 vote

#3.3 - Sun May 11, 2008 6:28 AM EDT

{"commentId":1789268,"authorDomain":"RetailStoreSecurity"}

Retail Store Security SystemsDeleted

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MS CYPRAH

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As Stimulus Rebates Go Out, Stores Want All of It

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