SDM Optimum Point Program - Optimizing

[mcminsen]

hi! just wanna know how long would it take before the sdm gift card expires?

It varies from province to province. I don't think they expire per se. In BC after one year of non use then they start to assess monthly fees. I think in Ontario they don't expire and there are no fees like in BC. It's not really an issue unless you're going to be letting your card sit around for over 1 year and not being used.

Re: points for prescriptions. Anytime you are picking up a prescription at SDM, ask the pharmacist if you can pay for it with a SDM gift card. If they say yes then just march to the front of the store and buy a SDM gift card and then march right back to the pharmacy and get either one set of regular points or two sets for that little exercise... depending on your province. Again, that's a really good way to get those regular points, which are more important now that SDM requires 15,000 regular points in one year to give you PLUS status.

I'm not sure how you can find out how close you are to PLUS status except to wait for the little notices that start appearing on your receipts when you are about half way (?) there. It's frustrating because you can't see a detailed summary of how your points are racked up and whether they are regular points or bonus points. The thing I like about the Airmiles program is that you can see detailed summaries like this on your online account.

If you're doing the SDM gift card trick, then whenever you think you've racked up about $750 of spending is when you are about to get PLUS status, which will be good immediately and then through to the end of the next calendar year.

^^^***edit*** You can now see how close you are to PLUS status on the website when you check your points balance.

[Saving Moola]

hi! just wanna know how long would it take before the sdm gift card expires?

It depends on which province you live in. In BC, a new legislation was passed where there are no expiry dates nor fees for certain types of gift cards. Gift Credit cards such as MC, Amex & Visa are exempt, as well as some specialty gc & some that are given out for free as promos (Timmy's card & Esso cards during sdm promos. Read the links below for more details. I hope this info helps all you BC residents who got gcs.

http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/mediaroom/...t-18/index.htm


http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_rele...055-001574.htm

[Mayble]

Here is the fine print on this weekend's bonus offer (taken from the SDM website)

*Offer valid on the purchase total of eligible products using a valid Shoppers Optimum Card<SUP>®</SUP> after discounts and redemptions and before taxes. Maximum 7,000 points per offer regardless of total dollar value of transaction. Excludes prescription purchases, Shoppers Optimum Bonus Points<SUP>®</SUP>, Shoppers Optimum<SUP>®</SUP> Mastercard<SUP>®</SUP> points, products that contain codeine, non-pointable items, tobacco products (where applicable), lottery tickets, stamps, transit tickets and passes, event tickets, electronic gift cards, prepaid phone cards, Life Experience<SUP>®</SUP> packages and Shoppers Home Healthcare locations. Offer applies to photofinishing services that are picked up and paid for on the day of the offer only. Not to be used in conjunction with any other points promotions or offers. Offer valid Saturday, January 23 to Monday, January 25, 2010 only. See cashier for details. ® 911979 Alberta Ltd.

I guess this means you only get regular points when you buy the gift card, but do you get the 7,000 points if you spend the gift card on the promotion day?

[mjaas]

thanks so much!

[GSD]

Good idea to redeem points on senior day. Let us know if it works, though I don't see why it wouldn't.

If it works, Redeeming on Senior's day seems like the best deal. The up front price would be $80, so you'd redeem 40,000 points for $75, plus pay $5, plus taxes on only $80 ($10.40) for a total of $15.40, but get back a $10 gift card.
If you redeem on bonus redemption day, you'd have to pay taxes on $100 ($13), but wouldn't get a gift card.

Thanks for the heads up!

[Woofy]

Can we move this thread to the Shoppers' sub-category? Thanks!

[Bumper]

I'll move it if someone can tell me how to do that.

Can we move this thread to the Shoppers' sub-category? Thanks!

[rebelinu]

Can you use bonus point coupons during the 20x the points promo's? I asked a cashier the last time and she couldn't tell me

[tjthemanto]

Updates (in blue font):

Since this thread has gotten so long, with lots of great optimizing tips throughout (thanks to mcminsen and all the many other posters) I thought I’d consolidate them all, though I will probably miss a few, so if I do, let me know and I will add them as long -if they are not too “iffy”. Good luck at the Jan 2 20x points event

Thought I’d start a thread on strategies for optimizing SDM optimum points, as I have a few tricks I use and I’m guessing there are many other good ones tricks out there.

Attributing a discount value to points events (just my personal preferences)

For 20x events, I allocate the points value (savings) equally between purchases on 20x day purchases and future point redemption purchases. For redemption, I assume I’m redeeming 40,000 (35,000 with Optimum Plus) for $100 of product on a bonus redemption day. If I’m redeeming 75,000 (65,000 with Optimum Plus) for $200 I allocate the extra saving directly to the bonus redemption purchases. I carry around this cheat sheet that allows me to quickly reference the saving and determine if it is a good deal for me or not. Savings are adjusted for taxable product, because you can’t use points to pay for tax and there are no points earned on tax.

Regular Optimum Point Card holder Cheat Sheet

20x event or bonus redemption day (40,000 points): 33.33% off Non-taxable Product/29.50% off taxable product
Bonus Redemption Day (75,000 points): 37.49% off Non-taxable Product/33.18% off taxable product

Optimum Plus Member Cheat Sheet

20x event or bonus redemption day (35,000 points): 36.36% off Non-taxable Product/32.18% off taxable product
Bonus Redemption Day (65,000 points): 40.91% off Non- taxable Product/36.20% off taxable product


Suggestions for attributing value to bonus/coupon points (WARNING: for math geeks and those with blind faith only).

Regular optimum members
· 400 bonus points worth $1 off free product on BRD (bonus redemption day).
· 100 bonus points is worth $0.25 of free product on BRD (bonus redemption day). Since you will be assuming a discount on redemption day assign 8.3 cents of that value to that discount on points redemption and 16.7 cents of that value as a discount on the product you are purchasing and earning the points on.
Optimum plus members
· 350 bonus points is worth $1 off free product on BRD (bonus redemption day).
· 100 bonus points is worth $0.285 of free product on BRD (bonus redemption day). Since you will be assuming a discount on redemption day assign 9.5 cents of that value to that discount on points redemption and 19 cents of that value as a discount on the product you are purchasing and earning the points on.


Tips for Achieving Optimum Plus Status
Coupons & Regular points towards Optimum plus:

Use as many coupons as possible, because you still earn regular points on the value of the coupon as well as bonus points on 20x points day, which helps you reach optimum plus without having to actually spend $1,000 in a year.

Always purchase Milk (competitively priced at $3.97 for 4L) at Shoppers, if it is conveniently located for you. You will be $200 closer to optimum plus status, even if you only use one 4L bag a week. Eggs and butter are frequently priced competitively too.

While most other product is regularly priced 10 to 30% higher at SDM than anywhere else, don’t just assume it is. Do some price comparisions on product you regularly purchase. I.e. in my area Dole pineapple slices are $1.27 at RCSS, $0.87 at Walmart and $0.99 at SDM.
· Purchase an SDM gift card and use the card for your purchases. You will receive regular points on both the GC and the purchases made with the gift card, getting you to + status for spending only $500 (less value of coupons used) instead of $1000.
· Use coupons/MIRs – regular points earned on coupons count towards Plus status.
· If you are sure you are going to achieve plus status this year, save your points till then and calculate value as if you are a plus member.
· Use gift cards to purchase stamps, prescription and other items you don’t normally earn any points on, to get at least one set of regular points.

Collecting Points

· Participate in “Tell A Friend Events” on SC and/or get hubby a card and use that to participate.
· Shoppers Optimum Mastercard gets you 25 points per $1 spent (+ bonus points) at SDM instead of 10, plus 5 pts for every $1 spent at other locations.
· Look for product you need that have bonus points – you can earn them on top of 20x points event or when redeeming points
· Shop for other people
· Coupons: At 20 times points events, you will also earn 20x points on the value of the coupon if the cashier uses coupon code 2001, if they use code 2002 you will not earn points. Based on comments from posters it looks like they use code 2002 on FPCs, and code 2001 on other coupons, but this may not always be true. I’ve alway’s earned 20 points on regular coupons.

Things to be wary of

· Amex gift cards – most who purchased these regretted it, even with the additional points they got.<o:p></o:p>

[kasha100]

thanks so much for that
good to divide the saving up on a 20x points event or it is tempting to " forget" u already counted the saving when buying something just to get points!

[fishinmom]

New to collecting the Points - not sure I quite understand it yet but hopefully it won't take me long to catch on lol!

[Momof3girlies]

Why is this thread expired ? Its so handy for us newbies.