E-cash discount

[el_ciddy]

Just put £100 on my card, wish I hadn't, won't be spending any of it during the match any more. Should keep the moaners happy that I won't be leaving my seat 2 minutes before halftime any more I suppose.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

If they aren't careful, these perks that will have undoubtedly kept custom coming, may result in losing custom altogether.

Foolish move imo.

Be interesting to see how it all pans out. I am starting to wonder if all of these sudden and severe price hikes etc will drive custom away. It will be ironic if Barber loses us more money.

 

[dougdeep]

The rolling discounts in the concourses seems pretty sensible to me, the only part that appears strange is the no discount from the shop on non-matchdays. You'd think that they would want to attract business during their quiet times.

 

[upthealbion1970]

I shall now only buy a programme on match days, as opposed to pie & drink for me and kids box for my boy. That's roughly £300 a season less going to the club, add that to about £200-£300 merchandise a season and lunch every couple of months at dicks as its all now too expensive with combination of price increases and removal of cashback. I will bring a drink and bite to eat with me until that is no longer allowed
Will there be many like me? Maybe not, but I now dread getting promoted as I fear that I will be completely priced out of watching the team I've supported all my life.

 

[MattBackHome]

Makes sense to me.

 

[The Legend that IS Lawro]

In the light of the Man Utd fizzy pop near debacle, how long before e-cash, cash, and an Amex card only (no other types of card will do nicely) ?

 

[Moshe Gariani]

I shall now only buy a programme on match days, as opposed to pie & drink for me and kids box for my boy. That's roughly £300 a season less going to the club, add that to about £200-£300 merchandise a season and lunch every couple of months at dicks as its all now too expensive with combination of price increases and removal of cashback. I will bring a drink and bite to eat with me until that is no longer allowed
Will there be many like me? Maybe not, but I now dread getting promoted as I fear that I will be completely priced out of watching the team I've supported all my life.

FWIW I think there are thousands of Albion fans in your particular boat...

Barber is in danger of seriously misjudging the price elasticity of his products and the extent to which the novelty factor of spending large sums at The Amex will wear off.

 

[tinx]

I shall now only buy a programme on match days, as opposed to pie & drink for me and kids box for my boy. That's roughly £300 a season less going to the club, add that to about £200-£300 merchandise a season and lunch every couple of months at dicks as its all now too expensive with combination of price increases and removal of cashback. I will bring a drink and bite to eat with me until that is no longer allowed
Will there be many like me? Maybe not, but I now dread getting promoted as I fear that I will be completely priced out of watching the team I've supported all my life.

That's 100% where I am too. Not because I can't afford it but I choose not to be ripped off. I reckon my saving will cover next seasons, season ticket in the money I save.

 

[timco]

I also do not get the business sense in dropping the store discount on non match days if the stated aim of changing the discount on catering is to spread the load then driving business to the store when it is busy is just silly.

However, I have seen nothing confirming this officially, that there will be no cashback at all then where is the incentive to use it?

Also if it is only offered on match days I will adopt the practice of using my CC to top up the card before paying with the season ticket to pay for what I am buying. This will help the speed of service no end!

Good job I bought my shirt yesterday.

 

[Gazwag]

I shall now only buy a programme on match days,

I realised last season that buying a programme every match costs about £90, I now just buy TSLR

 

[amexee]

Given that in EU and I presume elsewhere that in the 30 mins before kick off and at half time, it is never the case that all who want to be served, get served, I would have thought that as a money gathering exercise, they could jack all the cash backs and even raise the prices.

 

[Hotchilidog]

I'm still going to buy stuff if I want it and not if I don't. I consider the cashback an added bonus, not an essential part of my day. You only really 'lose' out half an hour each side of kick off and the final whistle which i am not too bothered about. Ironically my saturday pie and pint combo just got cheaper. I hope for the club's sake that the technology and staff can cope with the new arrangements.

 

[disgruntled h blocker]

I am a season ticket holder who travels from Hampshire for all home league and cup games. I must be honest here but I haven’t used the card cash-back scheme much in the past due to a sheer misunderstanding as to how it works, and then the fact that I couldn’t be bothered to queue for 15 minutes for a cup of tea at half time.
This aside, I have seen the continual erosion of the ‘feel-good’ factor around Falmer – the food and drinks are more expensive (vastly above inflation), reduction in travel options and the increasingly aggressive ways of trying to capitalise on the fans. I’m unsure if Paul Barber is taking advice from Michael O'Leary (of RyanAir fame) but it certainly feels like it.
Barber and the rest of his cronies may think it’s ‘progressive’ to squeeze the fans, but people will simply vote with their feet. They will realise £4 for a pint served in a plastic cup isn’t great value. But there will always be the fans who think a 15% cashback if you arrive four hours before kick-off is a great incentive, irrespective of the fact you are stuck in a draughty concourse for hours, without an opportunity to sit down and drink or be forced to eat their pies with just forks and no knives.

I'll be leaving the Hikers at 2.40 in future.

 

[The Large One]

There will be certain times when I'm going to be 19p worse off compared to last season when I get my pint. Or 10p worse off when getting a Bovril.

Oh no.

 

[del strangefish]

Concourse

 

[dougdeep]

Barber and the rest of his cronies may think it’s ‘progressive’ to squeeze the fans, but people will simply vote with their feet. They will realise £4 for a pint served in a plastic cup isn’t great value. But there will always be the fans who think a 15% cashback if you arrive four hours before kick-off is a great incentive, irrespective of the fact you are stuck in a draughty concourse for hours, without an opportunity to sit down and drink or be forced to eat their pies with just forks and no knives.

Don't you just love people that stretch the facts to suit their Agenda? You don't have to get there 4 hours before kick-off to get the full discount and "Draughty" concourses?

 

[Biscuit]

I'd be interested to see how long this bubbling resentment lasts for.

TBH, other than my season ticket I really can't see myself putting anything extra in the club. It's a odd feeling. Barber wants customers over fans - and I'm not knocking that per se. From a financial perspective, and let's be realistic it's all about the £££, it makes sense. The problem is, Biscuit the Fan spends a LOT more money on things he loves than Biscuit the Customer. I'll now not buy the club shop tat because it's supporting my club, I'll look at the tat and make a very informed decision on whether it's something I want to spend my hard-earned on. More often than not that'll be a 'nope.'

As a say, not a dig as I understand if we want to compete, we need to pay for it. If Barber wants a customer, he's got one. Only a customer IMO spends significantly less than a loved, appreciated fan will.

 

[disgruntled h blocker]

Don't you just love people that stretch the facts to suit their Agenda? You don't have to get there 4 hours before kick-off to get the full discount and "Draughty" concourses?

Simply an analogy...

 

[Seagull58]

In general I have found that the more complicated a scheme the more likely it is to FU. This has got cluster written all over it.

That is so true. "Clever" and complicated sales incentive schemes often have unintended consequences that conflict with the objectives.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Don't you just love people that stretch the facts to suit their Agenda? You don't have to get there 4 hours before kick-off to get the full discount and "Draughty" concourses?

Best advised to start queuing 4 hours before KO if you wish to be served though.