Originally Posted by
Garden Gnome
Rather than thinking the $1.50 is going to put more $$ in the store's coffers, I think it is to help the customer take ownership of the punch card, and be more pro-active about keeping track of and presenting the (one) card they have to be punched when they purchase something. If I paid for it, I will be more likely to keep track of it.
It could be pretty time consuming and frustrating to have to wait till the customer goes through her purse to find the 3 or 4 partially filled cards when she wants to cash them in. And easier for a clerk to cheat the system for a pal, if partially punched cards are accepted.
Agree with this - how many of us forget a card and ask for a new one and end up having several partially filled one - they cost the store money and by having us pay the 1 or 1.5 dollars for one, we're more apt to remember where that one is. Our store gives us the next one free when we redeem a full one so we only have to pay when or if we get a grand new one without having a previous one to turn in/redeem. as far not allowing combining of cards, again - that can be costly for the store. These local stores are struggling to get by in this economy as it is, a dollar or 1.5 our of my pocket is not too much to pay if I can get back 25$. If paying for a card is not your thing, that's OK, but please remember to support your local shop instead of doing all purchases through the internet.