NUS card

[fluffy]

This summer, everywhere I've been shopping have refused point blank to take my matric card for student discount. Because we're not an NUS uni, if I understand rightly, we can't get the NUS cards, right...? does this mean we're being discriminated against on the grounds of attending a non-NUS university? Topshop, New Look, Morgan, Faith and La Senza have all refused it this year, although they've had no problem before hand!!!

[hr]

dev ksereis, alla eimai trella erotebmevei mazi sou..

[Gealle]

This depends entirely on whether their advertising states specifically 'NUS Card'. If it states 'Student' or 'Matriculation' Card then they should accept it. Any issues, just ask for general manager, area manager, regional director... You get the idea. Be a complete bastard *thumbs up*.

Quoting fluffy from 11:57, 25th Aug 2007
This summer, everywhere I've been shopping have refused point blank to take my matric card for student discount. Because we're not an NUS uni, if I understand rightly, we can't get the NUS cards, right...? does this mean we're being discriminated against on the grounds of attending a non-NUS university? Topshop, New Look, Morgan, Faith and La Senza have all refused it this year, although they've had no problem before hand!!!

[hr]

dev ksereis, alla eimai trella erotebmevei mazi sou..

[hr]

Funky flunky munky...

[Amorphous]

On a related note, I noticed that the student account being offered by Lloyds TSB includes 'free NUS Extra card' as one of its incentives. Does anyone know what an NUS Extra card is and whether such a thing would actually be valid in the case of a St Andrews student? I don't have any intention of getting the account, I'm just curious.

[hr]

If Jack Bauer was put in a room with Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler and Nina Myers and handed a gun with two bullets, he'd shoot Nina twice.

[orudge]

Quoting Amorphous from 13:04, 25th Aug 2007
On a related note, I noticed that the student account being offered by Lloyds TSB includes 'free NUS Extra card' as one of its incentives. Does anyone know what an NUS Extra card is and whether such a thing would actually be valid in the case of a St Andrews student? I don't have any intention of getting the account, I'm just curious.

Apparently it just offers a few extra discounts or somesuch.

I noticed that if you get an ISIC card, it has an NUS logo on the back - you may be able to use that to get NUS-only discounts, perhaps - worth a try. Most places I've seen simply offer "student discounts" and accept my St Andrews card, though.

[hr]

http://www.owenrudge.net/
http://standrews.facebook.com/profile.php?id=37103734

[harmless loony]

Most shops were happy to accept my matric card as evidence of being a student.

I noticed at the Odeon the other day that they have a student ticket and an NUS ticket (the NUS one was cheaper than the student ticket).....anyhow as I'm not a St A student now it didn't bother me too much (and the fact someone else was paying for my ticket).

As another poster above says - just kick off and ask to see the manager - that's what I did on a couple of occasions and it worked! Know your rights and use them!

Perhaps the Students Association could produce some guidance for students on this matter?

[David Bean]

Some student discounts are for all students, whereas others are negotiated directly with the NUS in some kind of shady back-hand deal. That's why it's important to check the advertising; if it says it's a 'student' discount and there's no small-print, you should be covered with your matriculation card.

This all became a lot more confusing when the bastards introduced their latest get-rich-quick (or rather save-us-from-the-financial-ruin-that-the-morons-on-several-years'-national-executives-got-us-into) scheme known as the 'NUS Extra' card. This swindle involves forcing students to pay for a card that entitles them to the same discounts they used to expect for free with their NUS card (as though the massive sums of their money already paid to the NUS by their unions in affiliation fees weren't insulting enough). Of course, the real problem is that it's virtually impossible to train retail staff to recognise the cards that they are and aren't able to accept, which is why it may be necessary to demand to speak to someone in authority.

[hr]

Psalm 91:7

[fluffy]

I tried speaking to the manager. So basically, because I'm not attending an NUS university, I'm not deemed good enough to qualify for student discount? This really frustrates me.

[hr]

dev ksereis, alla eimai trella erotebmevei mazi sou..

[David Bean]

Well, again, if the discount was negotiated exclusively with the NUS under a deal involving one party paying the other a back-hander, it won't be available to non-NUS students. You want to ask the companies why they're entering into such grubby little deals, or the NUS why they're short-changing students who aren't members of their disgusting cabal by negotiating such agreements - but then, the NUS's only interest in students who aren't members, is whether they can brainwash them into campaigning and voting for affiliation.

I actually think there's a piece of work there for CHESS or Northern Services: to write to some of the UK's top retailers and ask for clarification of their policies regarding student discounts and, should they report that their discounts are for NUS members only, ask for justification and reconsideration of this policy. Hell, I work in retail, I'll do it myself if they'll authorise me to do it in their name; either way I do think something ought to be done here.

[hr]

Psalm 91:7

[A66]

Often as well for example jjb sports they want to scan the card and enter a NUS number. So no matter how much your argue it's never going to work.

[rob 'f*ck off' wine boy]

Quoting a66 from 21:30, 25th Aug 2007
Often as well for example jjb sports they want to scan the card and enter a NUS number. So no matter how much your argue it's never going to work.

Which is ludicrous, when you think about it. Oh well, students unions aren't about getting discounts in stores.

[Gealle]

Braver man than I, David.

I'm in retail too, but I'll be buggered if I'm fighting for a cause when students are giving up in a branch on their own.

Quoting David Bean from 19:08, 25th Aug 2007
Well, again, if the discount was negotiated exclusively with the NUS under a deal involving one party paying the other a back-hander, it won't be available to non-NUS students. You want to ask the companies why they're entering into such grubby little deals, or the NUS why they're short-changing students who aren't members of their disgusting cabal by negotiating such agreements - but then, the NUS's only interest in students who aren't members, is whether they can brainwash them into campaigning and voting for affiliation.

I actually think there's a piece of work there for CHESS or Northern Services: to write to some of the UK's top retailers and ask for clarification of their policies regarding student discounts and, should they report that their discounts are for NUS members only, ask for justification and reconsideration of this policy. Hell, I work in retail, I'll do it myself if they'll authorise me to do it in their name; either way I do think something ought to be done here.

[hr]

Psalm 91:7

[hr]

Funky flunky munky...

[fluffy]

Quoting rob 'f*ck off' wine boy from 22:29, 25th Aug 2007

Quoting a66 from 21:30, 25th Aug 2007
Often as well for example jjb sports they want to scan the card and enter a NUS number. So no matter how much your argue it's never going to work.

Which is ludicrous, when you think about it. Oh well, students unions aren't about getting discounts in stores.

Actually, you can scan the matric card for the number and it still works, I know because La Senza did it all last year, and only now are saying no. And they told me that they'd never done it (in the same store they'd been scanning my matric card all last year)

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dev ksereis, alla eimai trella erotebmevei mazi sou..

[David Bean]

Quoting gealle from 23:29, 25th Aug 2007
Braver man than I, David.

I'm in retail too, but I'll be buggered if I'm fighting for a cause when students are giving up in a branch on their own.

Thanks, but I wouldn't call offering to write a few letters 'brave'. You have to remember that CHESS is mostly composed of sabbaticals, who may consider themselves to have other priorities, but one of the areas where it could definitely improve is engaging students (and, er, other sympathetic parties) to assist them with campaigns at times like this.

[hr]

Psalm 91:7

[Gealle]

Perhaps I misunderstood - I thought you meant using your company's letterhead. THAT would be brave.

Quoting David Bean from 11:02, 26th Aug 2007

Quoting gealle from 23:29, 25th Aug 2007
Braver man than I, David.

I'm in retail too, but I'll be buggered if I'm fighting for a cause when students are giving up in a branch on their own.

Thanks, but I wouldn't call offering to write a few letters 'brave'. You have to remember that CHESS is mostly composed of sabbaticals, who may consider themselves to have other priorities, but one of the areas where it could definitely improve is engaging students (and, er, other sympathetic parties) to assist them with campaigns at times like this.

[hr]

Psalm 91:7

[hr]

Funky flunky munky...

[Thalia]

I took it to mean that he would be writing under CHESS's name.

Sadly, unless a student discount is advertised in big bold letters that I happen to see while i'm shopping, i tend to forget to ask about student discounts

[hr]

You've been nothing but an angel every day of your life and now you wonder what it's like to be damned...

[rocky mountain]

I've successfully used my matric card in La Senza, Virgin and New Look so far this summer. I guess they forgot to tell every employee that we're not good enough!

[David Bean]

See, this kind of madness is why we need clarity. I hardly ever used my card for a discount either, but it seems to be important to some people, so it seems to me we need to try to combat the misconceptions surrounding what might be construed as a reason for voluntarily submitting ourselves to the yoke of those evil oppressors calling themselves the NUS.

[hr]

Psalm 91:7

[thebrookster]

Quoting David Bean from 15:23, 25th Aug 2007
Some student discounts are for all students, whereas others are negotiated directly with the NUS in some kind of shady back-hand deal. That's why it's important to check the advertising; if it says it's a 'student' discount and there's no small-print, you should be covered with your matriculation card.

This all became a lot more confusing when the bastards introduced their latest get-rich-quick (or rather save-us-from-the-financial-ruin-that-the-morons-on-several-years'-national-executives-got-us-into) scheme known as the 'NUS Extra' card. This swindle involves forcing students to pay for a card that entitles them to the same discounts they used to expect for free with their NUS card (as though the massive sums of their money already paid to the NUS by their unions in affiliation fees weren't insulting enough). Of course, the real problem is that it's virtually impossible to train retail staff to recognise the cards that they are and aren't able to accept, which is why it may be necessary to demand to speak to someone in authority.

[hr]

Psalm 91:7

I shall speak to my mother on this subject as well, as she is the OU(Scotland) CHESS rep. (She happens to know the Sabbs here better than I, as a student here, do!)

[exnihilo]

David, do you actually have evidence of these "back-hand deals"? If not, perhaps you ought to dial the rhetoric back a smidge. I'm no more a fan f the NUS than anyone, but "evil oppressors"? Please.

[David Bean]

There are known commercial relationships between retailers and the NUS, pertaining to discounts that are exclusive to NUS and NUS Extra cardholders. That's a simple fact, and as for my opinion of the NUs, I make no apology for that.

[hr]

Psalm 91:7