How stores use your phone’s WiFi to track your shopping habits

[MineralMan]

11. I suppose, but they don't know who it is who owns the phone

simply by tracking the unique ID around the store. They're monitoring traffic patterns in the store. That's very useful information for self-service retail stores. By analyzing traffic patterns they can optimize the store's design to increase sales.

Simply knowing that a phone is logged by the wife signature tells them nothing about the person carrying it. They use store loyalty cards for that. Swipe one of those, and the store knows exactly what you purchase. Now, that's useful information, which they'll use to print out coupons and other stuff to try to sell you more, or other, stuff.

I use mine, because it saves me 5 cents per gallon of gas every time I buy $50 worth of stuff at the supermarket. I don't care if they know what I buy, and I don't use those store coupons, because I buy the products I buy because I like them. I never seem to get coupons for the stuff I buy, so I don't use coupons at all.

I do use that 5 cents a gallon discount when I buy gas, though. The other day, I got 30 cents off my fuel purchase, which will last me for couple of weeks of driving. I like that. I paid under $3.00 per gallon. Yay!