🚀 go-pugleaf

[]

	"But like Costco and other membership outfits they use that as
	a pre screening tool.  They don't want to give memberships to
	people who may be under a certain income level or of shady
	background ..."

That's not the case here.  Incredible Universe doesn't deny any
membership applications.

	"Finally, they [Cosco] can compile data of shoppers buying
	trends.  This enables them to screen products that they believe
	won't sell.  It enables them to do market analysis with a high
	degree of certainty.  When products quit selling at the level
	that justifies their shelf space they drop the product."

But none of this requires knowledge of the shopper, only of the rate at
which products are selling.  Other big stores do this without invading
their customers' privacy.

  -=- Andrew Klossner  (andrew@frip.wv.tek.com)
                       (uunet!tektronix!frip.WV.TEK!andrew)