Emporium/paragon M-card Double Standard

[camerata]

I just saw the notice in Emporium food hall (dated September 2009) about how the Expat M-Card doesn't qualify for the 5% discount unless the receipt is 800 baht. The notice is in English and Japanese, but not in Thai. I always wondered why they separated the Expat and regular M-Card. Now I know. Pretty outrageous when you consider about 30% of the shoppers there are foreign.

[bkkjames]

That's why I use my wife's.

Perhaps it has something to do with foreigners already getting the tourist discount? Not sure really.

[Jimjim]

You're not getting a measly 5% discount? Outrageous!

Just kidding....

[camerata]

You still get the discount in the rest of the store, but previously (for about 2 years) you got it in the food hall for any amount of purchases. My receipts used to be over 800 baht, but after a shoulder injury I can't carry a lot of stuff now. I asked if they had a delivery-to-home service and they said "only to taxi or hotel."

[hhgz]

"I just saw the notice in Emporium food hall (dated September 2009)..." Let's see, it's May, 2010 - so it's been about 8 months. Are you concerned that, all of a sudden, you're missing out on a discount. Or, are you upset that the threshold for a discount is higher for you?

[camerata]

Or, are you upset that the threshold for a discount is higher for you?

LOL. Did you read the title of the topic?

[bkkjames]

Or, are you upset that the threshold for a discount is higher for you?

LOL. Did you read the title of the topic?

What!!! Two tier discounts now?

[ukrules]

Interestingly enough a friend of mine used his Emporium card in Robinson, he cheekily asked if he could use it and they said no. He replied he'll just pop up the road to the Emporium and make his purchase there. They then gave him a discount.

Personally I wouldn't have done that but he said it worked. I think he likes testing the limits.

[phetaroi]

My Thai partner and I both applied for our M-cards on the same day several months ago. When we got home he looked at the coupon books we each got and noted that the expat version had far better "deals".

[tombkk]

You're not getting a measly 5% discount? Outrageous!

Just kidding....

LOL! I get 5% Expat discount at Central, but my Thai friend doesn't.

Nobody ever said the world is fair.

[camerata]

The gf says she is not getting the discount either, but there is no notice in Thai about it. Maybe they should at least temporarily bring back the discount for any receipt since they've been raking in the money since Bangkok's upscale shopping centres closed.

[onethailand]

As far as I know, Thai M-Cards don't get any discount. However, if you reach the higher strata (eg. a Platinum), there is a discount plus special offers which foreigners can't get - and even with the normal card, in combination with a local Citibank card, there are special offers available.

Basically, the only change is that they don't give foreigners the 5% discount in the supermarket unless the minimum purchased is 800 baht or more. On the other hand, expat cards actually accrue rewards points now (they didn't in the past).

Since that time, I have shopped a lot less at Emporium even though it is most convenient for me. Not a particularly wise move on their part if you ask me.