Reply from Giant Food - Dropping Hallmark Cards

Thank you for taking the time to contact Giant. I am sorry you are disappointed that Hallmark cards are being replaced with American Greetings cards.

We made a decision to switch to American Greetings because they offer a greater variety of quality cards and party supplies. They also offer a wider range of prices than Hallmark, thus giving our customers more choices. I am sorry you are disappointed and will be sure to share your comments with our merchandisers for their information.

Thanks, again, for contacting us. We appreciate hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Lee Ann Rissler
Consumer Affairs Specialist

Reply from Giant Food - Giant Snoops

Thank you for sharing your thoughts about frequent shopper cards. We certainly understand and appreciate your point of view with regard to privacy.

After long consideration, we have made the decision to offer frequent shopper cards to our customers. Before making this decision, we did a great deal of consumer research, which has
shown us that customers perceive cards as bringing them value. They also told us that they believe Giant is behind the curve since so
many of our competitors already offer a card.

We strongly recognize our special obligation to our customers to properly manage their purchase information and safeguard their privacy. Customers can opt out of receiving mailings. Odonna Mathews, our Vice President for Consumer Affairs, heads our Giant privacy committee and I want to assure you of our commitment. Here is our privacy policy:

"We do not sell, rent, or relinquish customer names, home or e-mail addresses, phone numbers or any other customer identifiable information to anyone. Personal transaction data will be used only for promotional programs provided to you which are sponsored or co-sponsored by Giant or its parent company, Ahold USA. We will not use this information for any other purpose.

Purchases made with your BonusCard will be automatically recorded. Through use of this information Giant can better understand our customers' needs. This will help us be better at providing the kinds of products and services you want. For your protection, Giant has developed a set of privacy policies for the use and handling of this data. (For detailed information, see our privacy brochure, available in your local Giant store or visit our website at www.giantfood.com).

One of the most exciting aspects of this program is the opportunity to create offers targeted to specific customer needs. This means we can target baby offers to families with babies and pet offers to families with pets. Customers who do not want to receive targeted offers in the mail, can choose not to by checking the box below."

For Giant, offering the card means that we will be able to remain competitive in our market, have a better understanding of our customers, and will be able to reward loyal customers by offering special promotions and features that add value to shopping with us.

I was also sorry to hear of your dissatisfaction with the service and stock conditions at your Giant. Please be assured that I have involved the appropriate operations people to follow up on those concerns.

Regarding bulk food and SuperDeals, these sections were discontinued because of a decline in sales over the years. We did incorporate the more popular SuperDeals into our regular aisles and carry them on a regular basis. We also still offer some of the most popular bulk snack foods in the regular aisles. As you know, the space where we used to carry SuperDeals is now used for seasonal merchandise.

I hope you will find that you want to give the card a try. In the meantime, I will make sure that our appropriate decision-makers here at Giant are aware of your concerns. And please feel free to call me if you would like to discuss this further at (301) 341-4365.

Sincerely,

Eileen Katz
Assistant Director
Ref: 17098

Giant snoops

To Giant, 1 Sep 2000:

I am EXTREMELY disappointed that Giant Food, once the quality and value leader, has taken a major step downward and stooped to gimmicks and privacy invasion rather than providing good value and low prices to ALL customers.

Maybe some of your customers don't mind giving up their privacy and allowing you to snoop on their buying habits, but I find it a REPULSIVE idea.

And I'll bet you're not willing to reciprocate and give me equivalent information about your stocking and pricing behavior.

Given the sad state of the Giant store I've shopped at for 35 years, I would think your money would have been better spent in keeping the shelves stocked and the aisles clear, ensuring that you actually have advertised merchandise on sale at all times, and employing enough cashiers.

Instead of providing good merchandise and low prices, you've copied the BAD ideas of your competitors while killing your bulk food and super deal sections and getting rid of products I bought regularly.

If you can't bring back MY Giant, I hope someone else comes into the market and whips you.