There is a store in Oregon that will not let you shop without a membership card.
The card costs about five dollars.
Not five dollars a month. Not five dollars a year. Roughly five dollars, and then you are done.
Which raises an obvious question. Why bother?
Costco charges real money and gives you a warehouse. Sam's Club charges real money and gives you a warehouse. Bi-Mart charges pocket change and gives you a normal looking discount store with aisles and a pharmacy.
Five dollars is not a revenue strategy. It barely covers printing the card.
So what is it for?
This is one of the most quietly clever things in American retail. And the answer has almost nothing to do with money.
Let me show you.