Sick of promotions that require social network membership!

[Brian Elfert]

I'm really sick of all the promotions I can't take advantage of because they require membership in a social network! American Express has a number of promotions you can only access through one of four social networks. I am NOT going to sign up for a social network, period!

Companies are going to start losing customers like me if they keep offering special deals only for those with social network accounts.

[Duane Meadows]

I'm really sick of all the promotions I can't take advantage of because they require membership in a social network! American Express has a number of promotions you can only access through one of four social networks. I am NOT going to sign up for a social network, period!

Companies are going to start losing customers like me if they keep offering special deals only for those with social network accounts.

Brian, I could not agree more! Don't think they much care what either of us think, though.

[Jim Becker]

That's important feedback you should provide to businesses. It may not change behavior, but at least you'll be on record.

BTW, AMEX has special offers available to all card members right on their website on your card(s) page(s). Just scroll down to where your "latest charges" are shown and click on the tab that says "Amex offers for you". These are generally the same offers available through the social media marketing in my experience and I have taken advantage of some of them!

[Brian Elfert]

That's important feedback you should provide to businesses. It may not change behavior, but at least you'll be on record.

BTW, AMEX has special offers available to all card members right on their website on your card(s) page(s). Just scroll down to where your "latest charges" are shown and click on the tab that says "Amex offers for you". These are generally the same offers available through the social media marketing in my experience and I have taken advantage of some of them!

I have a Wells Fargo American Express. They have a link from their web site to an American Express web page listing the promotions. There is no option on that page except the four social network options. None of them work if you are not a member of the social network that I could figure out. I'll have to check out the regular American Express website.

[Bruce Volden]

I've considered THIS SITE my social network..................mayhaps I need to get out more??

Bruce

[David Weaver]

If anyone sends me a promotional offer that requires facebook or anything else similar, I always figure that "well, they saved me money by convincing me to not purchase today".

I've been trying to do that more in general lately. If I didn't want something at $40, do I really want it at $30? Probably not. I just think that I'm somehow saving $10 when I react to the ad, vs spending $30 (which is what's really happening) for something I didn't want that badly at $40.

The social networking offers just help me realize that I don't even need to think that in a case like above, I'm better off having $30 in my pocket.

[Brian Elfert]

BTW, AMEX has special offers available to all card members right on their website on your card(s) page(s). Just scroll down to where your "latest charges" are shown and click on the tab that says "Amex offers for you". These are generally the same offers available through the social media marketing in my experience and I have taken advantage of some of them!

Since my Amex card is through Wells Fargo apparently you have to go through a social network to access Amex Offers. Only people with real Amex cards can access the offers through the Amex website.

"Any valid American Express Card issued by a licensed third-party financial institution is eligible for Amex Offers through participating social channels."

[glenn bradley]

Companies are going to start losing customers like me if they keep offering special deals only for those with social network accounts.


Brian, I could not agree more! Don't think they much care what either of us think, though.

I'm with you but, I will go the extra mile and send an email telling them why I am not taking advantage of their offers. As Jim points out, you gotta let 'em know, they can decide to listen or not.

[Rick Potter]

I'm with Bruce, I have said before that the Creek is my social network, but for slightly different reasons.

Anyone can already find out more about us than I care to know about myself. I googled my address the other day, that led me to sites that told me what I paid, what it's worth, taxes, etc, and they didn't even need my name.

No, my reason for not facebooking , twitting, or whatever, is that it is a big time suck. I have better things to do in the time remaining to me.

Getting old..........nap time.

Rick P

[Rich Engelhardt]

Companies are going to start losing customers like me if they keep offering special deals only for those with social network accounts.LOL!
Dude, you and I are very similar w/respects to how we use credit cards (and how we make a lot of money off of them).

Did it ever occur to you that we're the type of customer they don't want anyhow?
Think about it... ;)
They don't make much if anything on us anyhow. IIRC don't they refer to us as "deadbeats"?

[Jim Koepke]

I have come close to closing my Facebook account.

The only reason I don't is because some of our kids use it and post pictures of our grandchildren.

It seems Facebook is going to compete with Google on making advertising more intrusive into the lives of people:

(Note: this link is to an article at NY Times. If you limit your reading of the Times like me, only 10 freebees a month, you may want to try Google or Bing to find another news source.)

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/29/business/with-new-ad-platform-facebook-opens-the-gates-to-its-vault-of-consumer-data.html?_r=0

jtk

[Duane Meadows]

I'm with you but, I will go the extra mile and send an email telling them why I am not taking advantage of their offers. As Jim points out, you gotta let 'em know, they can decide to listen or not.

I agree, and have done that several times.

[Jim Becker]

Since my Amex card is through Wells Fargo apparently you have to go through a social network to access Amex Offers. Only people with real Amex cards can access the offers through the Amex website.

"Any valid American Express Card issued by a licensed third-party financial institution is eligible for Amex Offers through participating social channels."

Interesting...can I assume you are referring to the AMEX Bluebird checking/debit card setup with Wells Fargo? I never had heard of any relationship between the two institutions previous to your comments and had to Google it. (And I have relationships with both...)

[Rich Riddle]

My life is boring so there's no need to make other suffer through a diary outlining the daily grind.

[Brian Elfert]

Interesting...can I assume you are referring to the AMEX Bluebird checking/debit card setup with Wells Fargo? I never had heard of any relationship between the two institutions previous to your comments and had to Google it. (And I have relationships with both...)

No, standard American Express card. American Express has allowed other banks to offer American Express cards for a number of years now.

[Jim Matthews]

I operate under the wary presumption that FaceBook and other social networking sites
have porous security provisions, by design.

So far as I am concerned, FaceBook is a datamine with restrictions on access.

[John Sanford]

I operate under the wary presumption that FaceBook and other social networking sites
have porous security provisions, by design.

So far as I am concerned, FaceBook is a datamine with restrictions on access.

On the Internet, if someone is giving you something for free, then YOU are the product being sold.

Sawmill Creek is free, btw. I'm just sayin'.....

[Don Morris]

We refuse to join the "social network". Our kids are upset we aren't on Facebook, but we've read too many instances where not good came of it. I've come across links to only social networks and been frustrated because I don't belong. Didn't think to send a negative response. I will in the future. I've also heard that one or more of the social networks is losing ground. Sort of like a Fad going out of style and the word getting out that there are unexpected consequences. I also don't give my phone number when asked at a store during check out. I'll give my Zip Code, but not my phone number. It isn't much, but every little bit helps keep the unwanted email or phone sliciting down.

[Jim Matthews]

This site publishes my submissions, freely given.

It keeps very little relevant data, beyond what I have entered.
Facebook, and other social media sites, capture metadata from devices submitting pictures and text
which can be a simple way to tag the source of any submission.

I can't speak to how this site is administered, but getting a warrant for my IP records
is at the least more cumbersome than just reading it off the "Selfie" updating a Facebook account.

Young people, in particular, are blithely leaving a trail that most anyone can follow.
That seems demonstrably careless.

https://www.facebook.com/terms.php

[Jason Roehl]

On the Internet, if someone is giving you something for free, then YOU are the product being sold.

Sawmill Creek is free, btw. I'm just sayin'.....

Yep. We're being served up to advertisers as a targeted demographic. We had the opportunity to remain ad-free a number of years ago, but despite what people said they wanted (no ads), they voted with their (lack of) dollars. It costs money to maintain the servers which host SMC, and to provide the bandwidth to access it. That money has to come from somewhere, and the vast majority of the members using SMC's services declined to provide it. The only other realistic option is for advertising to fund the operating expenses.

[Joe Tilson]

We have tried FB twice now, and have closed it down twice. This last time was for good. One thing we need to remember is, they cater to the 18-49 age group and they don't care for us older folks. We need to realize, social network are set up to spy on us anyway. Most of it is stupid silliness that means nothing.

[Don Morris]

Joe said: "MOST" of it is stupid silliness...." It's the OTHER part that gets ya.