LOYALTY PROGRAMS

[givemeaspell]

I am a member of a few, Myer One, Fly Buys, Woolworths are the ones I use frequently. These were all free to join.  Last year I joined up the My Freedom program, it cost between $90 and $100 to join but entitled you to 15% off full price stock and 5% off sale items. Also you recieved a $50 voucher on your birthday each year (2 year membership).  Approx 6 months ago they advised they were ending this program and instead dropping prices on 5000 items, existing members will enjoy a 5% discount until their membership ends (how generous!!!!). I would have thought that they would honour all existing memberships and then just phase it out?  Seems a bit cheeky to me, but they have got away with it, I did send a complaint to consumer affairs, no response.

[zanadoo_56]

It seemed very expensive to start with, which would have been a flag for me not to join. 

Actually the only loyalty card I still have is Spotlight and I haven't bought anything from them for so long that it's probably expired. 🙂  I might have a look at their Jan sales and find out I guess.

Loyalty programs are something you have to stick with to get something out of them and frankly I don't shop enough at any one business to make it worthwhile.  I sure wouldn't pay to join these days.  I did once yonks ago (Lincraft) but then realised it wasn't shopping there often enough to get my membership back let alone get ahead on savings.

You must be a very keen shopper.

[cezm]

I only have free loyalty cards - Woolworths, Flybuys and Myer One (because I can also use it at my local Caltex).

The Freedom one would have been enticing getting $100 back and also the discount, if I was going to refurnish. I see they have a couple of clauses in their current agreement:

5. myfreedom members are entitled to the following discounts:
5% off all furniture and homewares products until 1 April 2018 or until your membership expires whichever is sooner

so apparently you don't even get the discount till the end of the 2 years  😞

16. freedom shall not be liable for any loss or damage suffered by members resulting from any termination of or changes to the myfreedom program, except for any liability which cannot be excluded by law

so they have probably covered themselves.

I should cash in my Flybuys $s in case they change their terms!

[chameleon54]

The only loyalty card I have is for my meds at the chemist.... Thats the only place I shop regularly at.   

Personally I find big businesses such as the supermarket chains tracking my purchases, building profiles of me and using this to target me with advertising a bit creepy. I find If I buy the specials from a couple of different stores I can save a lot more each week than the small amount a loyalty card provides.

[springyzone]

I've got a flybuys card and a chemist card & a couple of clothing store cards (all free cards) but i find only the first 2 ever seem to give an occasional reward.

In contrast, my sister & brother in law have some sort of frequent flyer card & regularly use points to get free flights to places such as Mexico & USA. The secret is my brother in law has his own business, he's a builder, so all supplies he buys go through the card & I suppose they come to thousands every month.

For the rest of us, it isn't worth letting the thought of points gained change your shopping, you're better just buying on special.

I think the way the Freedom program customers have been treated though is disgraceful. It's not as if this was a free card, they paid quite a bit for it.

It's all very well to say they will 'drop the price on 5000 items' instead, but what that is saying is every Tom, Dick & Harry who walks in now gets the benefit & the loyal customers who bought the card get nothing extra.

And they would be loyal customers as not many people would pay $100 for a card unless they planned on making some purchases with them.

I agree, they could have discontinued the card &  just honoured it for all existing members till their cards expired.

It's even worse if they are terminating the whole thing in April, even if people's card have not run out. Very shoddy. They should have to refund part of the card price.

[givemeaspell]

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@zanadoo_56 wrote:

It seemed very expensive to start with, which would have been a flag for me not to join. 

gs.

You must be a very keen shopper.

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We were moving into a new home and so was buying a fair bit of furniture, was worth it to get the 15% discount.  But yes...I am a very keen shopper Lol