Carving market niches is not a new sales approach. Neither is personalizing a buying experience. Take Amazon.com: I love that Amazon knows what I've purchased and makes suggestions. Sometimes it's overwhelming and a little like Big Brother is watching me, but I feel as if Amazon knows me. (I know they really don't know me, but they know my buying patterns.)
Grocery stores are a more recent entry into the "knowing you" marketplace. Grocery stores have long provided demographically based coupons, deals and promotions. But now Safeway (one of the largest grocery chains where I live) has started a program with special, personalized pricing called "Just for U."
Beyond tracking my purchases (via my Safeway store card) and providing competitive-brand coupons, the grocery giant is now reaching out to me with Just for U—and it does feel like it is "just for me."
