Comments on: Reward Cards – Still Rewarding? http://www.andrewferrier.com/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/ Economics; Travel; Film; and Technology. Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:21:00 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: andrewferrier http://www.andrewferrier.com/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/comment-page-1/#comment-12826 andrewferrier Mon, 15 Jan 2007 19:08:05 +0000 http://www.new-destiny.co.uk/andrew/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/#comment-12826 Really? I shop in M&S all the time, dontcha know :) Actually they do nice sandwiches at Waterloo station. Really? I shop in M&S all the time, dontcha know :) Actually they do nice sandwiches at Waterloo station.

]]> By: Miles Barr http://www.andrewferrier.com/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/comment-page-1/#comment-12825 Miles Barr Mon, 15 Jan 2007 19:05:48 +0000 http://www.new-destiny.co.uk/andrew/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/#comment-12825 As long as they're the only big supermarket near me, they'll continue to get my business. :) Well there is the M&S, but I don't think I've moved to that price bracket yet! As long as they’re the only big supermarket near me, they’ll continue to get my business. :) Well there is the M&S, but I don’t think I’ve moved to that price bracket yet!

]]> By: andrewferrier http://www.andrewferrier.com/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/comment-page-1/#comment-12824 andrewferrier Mon, 15 Jan 2007 19:04:02 +0000 http://www.new-destiny.co.uk/andrew/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/#comment-12824 Well, yes and no. If you spent the money you're not spending your cash. That is liquid and gains interest. I'm sure Sainsbury's consider you a good customer though :) Well, yes and no. If you spent the money you’re not spending your cash. That is liquid and gains interest. I’m sure Sainsbury’s consider you a good customer though :)

]]> By: Miles Barr http://www.andrewferrier.com/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/comment-page-1/#comment-12820 Miles Barr Mon, 15 Jan 2007 18:50:34 +0000 http://www.new-destiny.co.uk/andrew/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/#comment-12820 I wouldn't describe it as 'money', goods to the 'retail value' of, would be more appropriate. So it's probably only costing them a tenner. :) The Safeway card is free, I think it's some sort of co-opt setup, which allows them to have such a high discount. I wouldn’t describe it as ‘money’, goods to the ‘retail value’ of, would be more appropriate. So it’s probably only costing them a tenner. :)

The Safeway card is free, I think it’s some sort of co-opt setup, which allows them to have such a high discount.

]]> By: andrewferrier http://www.andrewferrier.com/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/comment-page-1/#comment-12770 andrewferrier Mon, 15 Jan 2007 11:11:35 +0000 http://www.new-destiny.co.uk/andrew/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/#comment-12770 Miles, thanks for your comment. You're not bothered about loaning Sainsbury's all that money interest-free, then? ;) Anyway, the Safeway card sounds good. Do you have to pay for it? Miles, thanks for your comment. You’re not bothered about loaning Sainsbury’s all that money interest-free, then? ;)

Anyway, the Safeway card sounds good. Do you have to pay for it?

]]> By: Miles Barr http://www.andrewferrier.com/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/comment-page-1/#comment-12733 Miles Barr Sun, 14 Jan 2007 17:29:55 +0000 http://www.new-destiny.co.uk/andrew/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/#comment-12733 I've had a Sainsburys/Nectar card since university. I've slowly collected rewards, and now have 100 odd quid coming to me. Since it took so long to collect, I loathe spending it, so it just sits there. I convince myself it's an emergency food fund if I'm ever out on the streets. Probably not what Sainsbury's originally planned. Although I imagine it'll just go on a case of booze one day. I'm over in the states at the moment and picked up a Safeway card. Now there's a decent rewards card, it knocks off about 10% of your bill each time. I’ve had a Sainsburys/Nectar card since university. I’ve slowly collected rewards, and now have 100 odd quid coming to me. Since it took so long to collect, I loathe spending it, so it just sits there. I convince myself it’s an emergency food fund if I’m ever out on the streets. Probably not what Sainsbury’s originally planned. Although I imagine it’ll just go on a case of booze one day.

I’m over in the states at the moment and picked up a Safeway card. Now there’s a decent rewards card, it knocks off about 10% of your bill each time.

]]> By: Richard G Brown http://www.andrewferrier.com/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/comment-page-1/#comment-10758 Richard G Brown Thu, 04 Jan 2007 17:57:10 +0000 http://www.new-destiny.co.uk/andrew/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/#comment-10758 Not sure what the true story is..... my experience is mainly anecdotal. All the people I know that shop at Sainsbury's comment on how frustrating it is that one or more of the things they want (different each time) is out of stock. Their website hints at their problems: http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shoppingandservices/FAQs/sainsburys_faqs/foodandgroceries.htm (search for "stock") Appears somebody thinks their Borough store is always out of stock too: http://www.london-se1.co.uk/forum/read/1/42094 And somebody else: http://www.philodox.co.uk/mo/Sainsburys.htm Looks like it's a widespread problem. Not sure what the true story is….. my experience is mainly anecdotal. All the people I know that shop at Sainsbury’s comment on how frustrating it is that one or more of the things they want (different each time) is out of stock.

Their website hints at their problems:

http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shoppingandservices/FAQs/sainsburys_faqs/foodandgroceries.htm (search for “stock”)

Appears somebody thinks their Borough store is always out of stock too: http://www.london-se1.co.uk/forum/read/1/42094

And somebody else: http://www.philodox.co.uk/mo/Sainsburys.htm

Looks like it’s a widespread problem.

]]> By: andrewferrier http://www.andrewferrier.com/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/comment-page-1/#comment-10749 andrewferrier Thu, 04 Jan 2007 17:27:42 +0000 http://www.new-destiny.co.uk/andrew/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/#comment-10749 Yes, I've heard about their alleged poor stock control before: although I don't really know much about it (after all, I don't need to, right? :) ). Can you shed any more light? Yes, I’ve heard about their alleged poor stock control before: although I don’t really know much about it (after all, I don’t need to, right? :) ). Can you shed any more light?

]]> By: Richard G Brown http://www.andrewferrier.com/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/comment-page-1/#comment-10748 Richard G Brown Thu, 04 Jan 2007 17:18:13 +0000 http://www.new-destiny.co.uk/andrew/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/#comment-10748 "Their central Winchester store is a clear example of poor data analysis: they are consistently running over or understocked on certain lines." Haha! I think that's a result of one of their other problems: they must be have the worst stock control and/or distribution system of any large retailer. That a large retailer can so consistently manage to run out of things is laughable. “Their central Winchester store is a clear example of poor data analysis: they are consistently running over or understocked on certain lines.”

Haha! I think that’s a result of one of their other problems: they must be have the worst stock control and/or distribution system of any large retailer.

That a large retailer can so consistently manage to run out of things is laughable.

]]> By: andrewferrier http://www.andrewferrier.com/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/comment-page-1/#comment-10747 andrewferrier Thu, 04 Jan 2007 17:08:46 +0000 http://www.new-destiny.co.uk/andrew/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/#comment-10747 Yes, I have to admit I get that impression about Sainsbury's too - their central Winchester store is a clear example of poor data analysis: they are consistently running over or understocked on certain lines. I haven't seen much feedback from Tesco's either but I don't shop there often enough to give them much data. Yes, I have to admit I get that impression about Sainsbury’s too – their central Winchester store is a clear example of poor data analysis: they are consistently running over or understocked on certain lines.

I haven’t seen much feedback from Tesco’s either but I don’t shop there often enough to give them much data.

]]> By: Richard G Brown http://www.andrewferrier.com/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/comment-page-1/#comment-10626 Richard G Brown Wed, 03 Jan 2007 22:45:28 +0000 http://www.new-destiny.co.uk/andrew/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/#comment-10626 I don't bother with them but I do remember when they came in. As far as I can tell, Tesco were first to do it properly and really knew what they wanted to achieve. The others followed quickly but clearly didn't have their hearts in it, didn't really understand the business case and probably didn't have the backend systems in place fully to capitalise on the streams of data flying towards them. The classic example was that Tesco noticed my parents' spending habits and started sending them vouchers for money-off items that were just a bit more "premium" than they usually bought. They took up some of the offers and ignored others. One or two of them stuck and they continued to buy the new stuff as a result of Tesco correctly predicting that, if they tried it, they'd like it and would be willing to pay for it. Sainsbury's, by contrast, just used to knock some money off your bill when you hit a certain threshold.... completely indiscriminate. I don’t bother with them but I do remember when they came in.

As far as I can tell, Tesco were first to do it properly and really knew what they wanted to achieve. The others followed quickly but clearly didn’t have their hearts in it, didn’t really understand the business case and probably didn’t have the backend systems in place fully to capitalise on the streams of data flying towards them.

The classic example was that Tesco noticed my parents’ spending habits and started sending them vouchers for money-off items that were just a bit more “premium” than they usually bought. They took up some of the offers and ignored others. One or two of them stuck and they continued to buy the new stuff as a result of Tesco correctly predicting that, if they tried it, they’d like it and would be willing to pay for it.

Sainsbury’s, by contrast, just used to knock some money off your bill when you hit a certain threshold…. completely indiscriminate.

]]> By: andrewferrier http://www.andrewferrier.com/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/comment-page-1/#comment-10591 andrewferrier Wed, 03 Jan 2007 15:36:29 +0000 http://www.new-destiny.co.uk/andrew/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/#comment-10591 James, you're probably thinking of either Barclaycard or Vodafone, both of which dropped out in August 2005: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nectar_loyalty_card#Current_members I wouldn't get me started on ID cards either (although I'll resist the temptation for the time being). James, you’re probably thinking of either Barclaycard or Vodafone, both of which dropped out in August 2005:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nectar_loyalty_card#Current_members

I wouldn’t get me started on ID cards either (although I’ll resist the temptation for the time being).

]]> By: James Taylor http://www.andrewferrier.com/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/comment-page-1/#comment-10590 James Taylor Wed, 03 Jan 2007 15:26:05 +0000 http://www.new-destiny.co.uk/andrew/blog/2007/01/02/reward-cards-still-rewarding/#comment-10590 I thought Sainsburys had an interesting approach when they scrapped their own loyalty card and switched to the multi-retailer Nectar card. If loyalty cards don't die out, it seems like a more promising approach, if only to win the wallet space competition. (I notice that Tesco appreciate the competition for my wallet space as well and provided a handy key ring alternative... which I also leave at home.) Hard to say how the Nectar experiment is going since I believe one of the big initial backers dropped out some time ago, yet anecdotally more and more shops are asking if I have a Nectar card... ...to which I usually reply, 'not with me' -- I keep using it for a while (when I remember), then being 'disloyal' in an attempt to get extra offers to win me back! Not with much success it must be said. (Don't get me started on ID cards.) I thought Sainsburys had an interesting approach when they scrapped their own loyalty card and switched to the multi-retailer Nectar card. If loyalty cards don’t die out, it seems like a more promising approach, if only to win the wallet space competition. (I notice that Tesco appreciate the competition for my wallet space as well and provided a handy key ring alternative… which I also leave at home.)

Hard to say how the Nectar experiment is going since I believe one of the big initial backers dropped out some time ago, yet anecdotally more and more shops are asking if I have a Nectar card…

…to which I usually reply, ‘not with me’ — I keep using it for a while (when I remember), then being ‘disloyal’ in an attempt to get extra offers to win me back! Not with much success it must be said.

(Don’t get me started on ID cards.)

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