Integration of Albertsons and Safeway

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pseudo3d
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Re: Integration of Albertsons and Safeway

Post by pseudo3d »

bm10k wrote: November 2nd, 2017, 2:33 pm and below the Albertsons/Safeway Logos say "Card Not Needed At Albertsons"
I don't think I need to point out here how stupid the card sounds at this point, but I don't think Albertsons Cos. gets it, though.
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Re: Integration of Albertsons and Safeway

Post by storewanderer »

The infection known as Safeway has spread the card virus into Albertsons.

Even if it is not needed for specials, it is being asked for by cashiers in Albertsons-bannered stores (at least in OR/WA) to facilitate fuel points and being pushed for the load to card coupons/discounts.

Albertsons needs to remember they were successful by doing things like dropping the card program at Jewel and Acme. Along with improving operations, specials, execution on perimeter, etc. Since they started implementing more and more Safeway ideas, their sales and other financials have really deteriorated.

Maybe it is just a coincidence but I wonder.
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Re: Integration of Albertsons and Safeway

Post by architect »

storewanderer wrote: November 2nd, 2017, 10:01 pm The infection known as Safeway has spread the card virus into Albertsons.

Even if it is not needed for specials, it is being asked for by cashiers in Albertsons-bannered stores (at least in OR/WA) to facilitate fuel points and being pushed for the load to card coupons/discounts.

Albertsons needs to remember they were successful by doing things like dropping the card program at Jewel and Acme. Along with improving operations, specials, execution on perimeter, etc. Since they started implementing more and more Safeway ideas, their sales and other financials have really deteriorated.

Maybe it is just a coincidence but I wonder.
I recently had the same experience at a DFW Albertsons, so it's not just the Northwest stores either. The card has to go, particularly in markets where Albertsons made a big marketing push about eliminating it previously.
Last edited by architect on November 3rd, 2017, 12:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Integration of Albertsons and Safeway

Post by arizonaguy »

storewanderer wrote: November 2nd, 2017, 10:01 pm The infection known as Safeway has spread the card virus into Albertsons.

Even if it is not needed for specials, it is being asked for by cashiers in Albertsons-bannered stores (at least in OR/WA) to facilitate fuel points and being pushed for the load to card coupons/discounts.

Albertsons needs to remember they were successful by doing things like dropping the card program at Jewel and Acme. Along with improving operations, specials, execution on perimeter, etc. Since they started implementing more and more Safeway ideas, their sales and other financials have really deteriorated.

Maybe it is just a coincidence but I wonder.
There are now "card only" discounts at Albertsons in Arizona billed as part of the "just4you" program. Here are some of the ones available at my local Albertsons:

http://albertsons.mywebgrocer.com/Circu ... Weekly/2/5
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Re: Integration of Albertsons and Safeway

Post by CalItalian »

arizonaguy wrote: November 3rd, 2017, 8:09 am
storewanderer wrote: November 2nd, 2017, 10:01 pm The infection known as Safeway has spread the card virus into Albertsons.

Even if it is not needed for specials, it is being asked for by cashiers in Albertsons-bannered stores (at least in OR/WA) to facilitate fuel points and being pushed for the load to card coupons/discounts.

Albertsons needs to remember they were successful by doing things like dropping the card program at Jewel and Acme. Along with improving operations, specials, execution on perimeter, etc. Since they started implementing more and more Safeway ideas, their sales and other financials have really deteriorated.

Maybe it is just a coincidence but I wonder.
There are now "card only" discounts at Albertsons in Arizona billed as part of the "just4you" program. Here are some of the ones available at my local Albertsons:

http://albertsons.mywebgrocer.com/Circu ... Weekly/2/5
These are digital coupons only by registered phone #. At Safeway, you need a card or phone # for both the sale price and digital coupon.
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Re: Integration of Albertsons and Safeway

Post by storewanderer »

The physical Safeway Cards scan at Albertsons locations.
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Re: Integration of Albertsons and Safeway

Post by CalItalian »

I was in the Rivermark Plaza Santa Clara (California) Safeway on Christmas Eve day. The store was decently busy but not crazy busy about 3 pm. I was third in line for the 6 self-checkouts. I hate the way you have to wait in line down an aisle next to the gift cards, no less, on the day before Christmas (and this isn't a small store). I must say their self-checkout system, which I haven't encountered since they pulled most of them out of the Southern California division, is really screwed up (and a quite different program from what it use to be like). I had changed my store location on my VonsClub card to this location on Safeway.com to add in some Just for U coupons before I reached the store. When I got to the store, I checked my app and all the digital coupons had been knocked out so I added them in again and kept the app open just in case I needed to show it to a cashier (which I did). While scanning, the coupon discount (personalized digital or digital manufacturer or digital store coupon) comes up immediately after each item is scanned which is different from check-out in Southern California when all coupon discounts come up at once at the end of the order. After scanning a Just 4 U weekly ad coupon item, 8 oz. chunk Lucerne cheese, which had an unlimited offer for $1.99, the system would not allow me to scan a second different style 8 oz. Lucerne cheese. I had to wait for an overworked self-checkout cashier to use the override scan key. The system then didn't add the item to my order (which neither the self checkout cashier or I noticed & the system wasn't calling me out on the extra weight, either). The after that, the system failed to take off a personalized digital coupon which the self-checkout cashier had to enter as a manual discount. After that, at the end of the order, after selecting I did not want to purchase any bags, the system would not allow me to proceed to payment. The self-checkout cashier had to override that, too. At the end, although I had already paid and a receipt had popped out, the system showed that payment was not authorized (which it was and the self-checkout cashier just told me to go). 4 times needing self checkout cashier intervention (and I wasn't the only one needing it). What's the use? I thought CVS self checkout was bad enough but Safeway takes the prize now.
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Re: Integration of Albertsons and Safeway

Post by storewanderer »

Was this store on the older NCR Self Checkout or the newer IBM ones (similar to Kroger/CVS self checkouts)?

NorCal has a mix of systems (so does Seattle). I've had good luck on the newer ones with smaller transactions. Since the register "upgrades" the old NCRs seem to be really clumsy.
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Re: Integration of Albertsons and Safeway

Post by architect »

The new Signature Select branding is starting to make more of an appearance around DFW. Last night, I was able to grab photos of some old/new stock canned vegetables with both logos represented. Overall, it doesn't look as bad as I anticipated. In a lot of ways, the labels actually look like Kroger's new label designs for canned vegetables which have been redesigned over the past year or so.

And yes, the private label canned vegetables were on sale for 89 cents each, while similar products at both Central Market (HEB pricing) and Kroger sell for 60-70 cents. Ridiculous...

Image
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Re: Integration of Albertsons and Safeway

Post by lola42 »

CalItalian wrote: December 24th, 2017, 11:41 pm The after that, the system failed to take off a personalized digital coupon which the self-checkout cashier had to enter as a manual discount. After that, at the end of the order, after selecting I did not want to purchase any bags, the system would not allow me to proceed to payment. The self-checkout cashier had to override that, too. At the end, although I had already paid and a receipt had popped out, the system showed that payment was not authorized (which it was and the self-checkout cashier just told me to go). 4 times needing self checkout cashier intervention (and I wasn't the only one needing it). What's the use? I thought CVS self checkout was bad enough but Safeway takes the prize now.
With so many IT resources being redirected to Drive Up & Go, I wonder if the rest of their programs are on auto-pilot?
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