SDM Optimum Point Program - Optimizing

[jmalias]

with those $200.00 SDM GC's get 2x$100.00 Amex plus $11.90 charge and you get 12100 more points ( 2x 1050 regular points plus 2x5000 bonus points)

The Plan for those just starting. and want plus
can someone please check my math

Purchase $500 in Shopper Gift Cards using your SDM MC
Purchase $500 in Amex using your SDM GC
Use the Amex to make your next $500 of stuff (xmas time, gas, etc)

Net result (cost $29.75) plus status achieved.

Purchase $500 in Shopper Gift Cards using your SDM MC
5000 regular points, 7500 points for using MC, 500 bonus for buying GC

Purchase $500 in Amex using your SDM GC
5000 regular points, 25000 bonus for buying Amex

(points 5000+7500+500+5000+25000=35500 or $100 on bonus redemption days now that you are plus.

$100-$30=$70

Sounds funny, but pay yourself $70 to be a plus member

[cdnwaterboy]

Mcminsen> Another tip is to be point hungry (like you and me).

Post#61> Re: Amex gift cards. Ppl have complained they find it hard to find stores to use it at. I remember the same complaint from my friend - he had the Amex Air Miles card, and couldn't use it in a lot of places (some gas stations & restaurants).

The tips about food staples was bang on. I also buy a lot of toiletries / eau du toilette for family and friends, they pay me back of course. On promo days (20X), it's definitely cheaper than buying at the Bay or some fragrance store (esp. the bonus packs).

Buying gift cards when they have promos is always good. Esso gas cards, Chapters, Montanas ones I frequent anyways.

cdnwaterboy

[dagney]

Bought my $50 dollar SDM gift card to start my shopping today. The nice cashier said that a gift card also counts for one of the top ten gifts in their X-mas flyer so would be getting an additional 500 points on Jan. 4th. Signed my receipt and said to check and make sure they showed up. So that was an easy 1000 points before I even used all my soon to expire (Nov. 30th bonus coupon points)

[jaxflower]

I don't know if it is just different out west or what- I can't understand why people keep saying that Shoppers is expensive. Yes, if you buy things when they are not on sale and you have no coupons or bonus points than of course Walmart is going to be cheaper. But SDM has amazing sales (usually the 2 day sales) and the bonus points are very easy to accumulate (especially if you have the SDM MC). I basically never buy anything at Shoppers (other than milk, which is the same price at the grocery stores) unless it is on sale or it is 20x the points. If there is stuff I need that doesn't usually go on sale, I wait for bonus redemption and it is free!
The way I think of points is different than the percentages. I am a Plus member in Ontario, so to me 65,000 points is worth $200 on bonus redemption days. If you divide the 65,000 points by the $200 dollars you see that each 325 points is worth $1 of free stuff on the bonus redemption days. So if an item is on sale for $3 on a 20x the points day and I have a $2 coupon for it, I am paying $1 OOP (plus tax, of course) but I am also getting 600 points for it, close to $2 back in points. You can see how hard it is NOT to shop on the 20x the points days if there are things you need that you have coupons for. I always save my high value coupons for 20x sales.
Between my husband I and we just did 5 redemptions over the weekend ($1000 worth of free stuff!) and I know we did not buy a lot of unnecessary "stuff" at SDM just to get our points. Throughout the year, we have stocked up on diapers, foodstuffs, cleaning supplies, bought a Wii and all the trimmings. We just did a bunch of Christmas shopping - a tonne of toys, stocking stuffers, got a Blu-Ray player, 2 portable DVD players and more for ourselves. We use a lot of the tips on here but the biggest is probably using the SDM MC everywhere. It is way better than Airmiles (which we previously used).
Also, don't get sucked into the special sales when you get a "cash card" for Tim's or elsewhere (unless there are some awesome sales and you have bonus points coupons), the 15x/20x bonus points days are a much better deal! Besides which those cash cards usually have an expiry that is not long after the sale.
Just my 2 cents (or way more!).
jax

[mcminsen]

I don't know if it is just different out west or what- I can't understand why people keep saying that Shoppers is expensive. Yes, if you buy things when they are not on sale and you have no coupons or bonus points than of course Walmart is going to be cheaper. But SDM has amazing sales (usually the 2 day sales) and the bonus points are very easy to accumulate (especially if you have the SDM MC). I basically never buy anything at Shoppers (other than milk, which is the same price at the grocery stores) unless it is on sale or it is 20x the points. If there is stuff I need that doesn't usually go on sale, I wait for bonus redemption and it is free!
The way I think of points is different than the percentages. I am a Plus member in Ontario, so to me 65,000 points is worth $200 on bonus redemption days. If you divide the 65,000 points by the $200 dollars you see that each 325 points is worth $1 of free stuff on the bonus redemption days. So if an item is on sale for $3 on a 20x the points day and I have a $2 coupon for it, I am paying $1 OOP (plus tax, of course) but I am also getting 600 points for it, close to $2 back in points. You can see how hard it is NOT to shop on the 20x the points days if there are things you need that you have coupons for. I always save my high value coupons for 20x sales.
Between my husband I and we just did 5 redemptions over the weekend ($1000 worth of free stuff!) and I know we did not buy a lot of unnecessary "stuff" at SDM just to get our points. Throughout the year, we have stocked up on diapers, foodstuffs, cleaning supplies, bought a Wii and all the trimmings. We just did a bunch of Christmas shopping - a tonne of toys, stocking stuffers, got a Blu-Ray player, 2 portable DVD players and more for ourselves. We use a lot of the tips on here but the biggest is probably using the SDM MC everywhere. It is way better than Airmiles (which we previously used).
Also, don't get sucked into the special sales when you get a "cash card" for Tim's or elsewhere (unless there are some awesome sales and you have bonus points coupons), the 15x/20x bonus points days are a much better deal! Besides which those cash cards usually have an expiry that is not long after the sale.
Just my 2 cents (or way more!).
jax

[alyshamarie]

Question... what actions would cause you to lose points? someone said, always buying a gift card before purchase could be a miss use of points and have them taken away??? Has anyone known of this to happen?

[mcminsen]

Question... what actions would cause you to lose points? someone said, always buying a gift card before purchase could be a miss use of points and have them taken away??? Has anyone known of this to happen?

I don't think that buying a SDM gift card and using it yourself is misuse or abuse.

There are some other things that get way into a grey zone, though. Like buying a gift card with a gift card. I admit, I did it a few days ago just because I was curious. It worked but the cashier kind of gave me the evil eye. I probably won't do it again unless it's specifically promoted or allowed.

I think gross abuse of the points program might prompt SDM to confiscate points. I think they have something like that in the terms and conditions that we sign onto when we get our Shoppers Optimum card. It's sort of an out for them in case somebody really misuses a loophole that they let happen.

It's ironic that they might imply "You CAN do it, but you SHOULDN'T." I find that frustrating because I like to know the rules and play by them AND work it to the max, but if there's a grey area then all we can do is sit back and watch the more daring shoppers try it and see if they can do it and for how long before they get points confiscated.

I would hope that SDM would only close an isolated loophole and not shut down whole sections of the points program because they would then hurt themselves, too. They've built such a big and complicated points program that sometimes they can't even control it!

[kt_9333]

thanks so much for this
not to sound stupid but can someone explain the "plus" status... how do yu get it ? what is it? how do i benifit from it?

also how often are bonus days where you get x times the points?
how often are redemption days?

im VERY new the shoppers points

[mcminsen]

thanks so much for this
not to sound stupid but can someone explain the "plus" status... how do yu get it ? what is it? how do i benifit from it?

also how often are bonus days where you get x times the points?
how often are redemption days?

im VERY new the shoppers points

You get PLUS status when you accumulate 10,000 REGULAR points within one calendar year. That's not bonus points like you get with a bonus points coupon, bonus points event or bonus points on a specific product. Both bonus points and regular points count the same when it comes to redeeming for free stuff.

So, normally you would have to spend $1000 in one year to get PLUS status. But, if you do the "SDM Gift Card Trick" then you can cut that amount that you have to spend to $500 in one year. Buy a SDM gift card and show your Optimum card and get regular points. Spend that SDM gift card and show your Optimum card and get regular points again.

When you are getting close to Plus status (~2000 points to go?) you will start to get a little notice on your receipt about that, and then when you do achieve Plus status it will always say that on all your receipts. When you get to Plus status, it's good for the rest of that year and to the end of the next year. I like to remind people to make sure they're getting those regular points right from the start of the year so they're not scrambling at the end of the year to try to achieve Plus status.

When you have Plus status, you get some points back immediately anytime you redeem 40,000 or 75,000. A 5,000 point kickback for a 40,000 redemption and a nice 10,000 point kickback for a 75,000 point redemption.

As for when bonus points events and bonus points redemption days happen, we never know exactly but they happen several times a year. It's always good to be prepared for one!

[kashren]

The Plan for those just starting. and want plus
can someone please check my math

Purchase $500 in Shopper Gift Cards using your SDM MC
Purchase $500 in Amex using your SDM GC
Use the Amex to make your next $500 of stuff (xmas time, gas, etc)

Net result (cost $29.75) plus status achieved.

Purchase $500 in Shopper Gift Cards using your SDM MC
5000 regular points, 7500 points for using MC, 500 bonus for buying GC

Purchase $500 in Amex using your SDM GC
5000 regular points, 25000 bonus for buying Amex

(points 5000+7500+500+5000+25000=35500 or $100 on bonus redemption days now that you are plus.

$100-$30=$70

Sounds funny, but pay yourself $70 to be a plus member

Just a note that the $200 Amex card does not have the promo points attached. I thought I would minimize the cards I purchased...I did, but no points on the $200 one. On a good note though...I was only charged the $6 fee on it so it seems to be a flat rate on activation.

[kt_9333]

You get PLUS status when you accumulate 10,000 REGULAR points within one calendar year. That's not bonus points like you get with a bonus points coupon, bonus points event or bonus points on a specific product. Both bonus points and regular points count the same when it comes to redeeming for free stuff.

So, normally you would have to spend $1000 in one year to get PLUS status. But, if you do the "SDM Gift Card Trick" then you can cut that amount that you have to spend to $500 in one year. Buy a SDM gift card and show your Optimum card and get regular points. Spend that SDM gift card and show your Optimum card and get regular points again.

When you are getting close to Plus status (~2000 points to go?) you will start to get a little notice on your receipt about that, and then when you do achieve Plus status it will always say that on all your receipts. When you get to Plus status, it's good for the rest of that year and to the end of the next year. I like to remind people to make sure they're getting those regular points right from the start of the year so they're not scrambling at the end of the year to try to achieve Plus status.

When you have Plus status, you get some points back immediately anytime you redeem 40,000 or 75,000. A 5,000 point kickback for a 40,000 redemption and a nice 10,000 point kickback for a 75,000 point redemption.

As for when bonus points events and bonus points redemption days happen, we never know exactly but they happen several times a year. It's always good to be prepared for one!

that was a great- thank you ! one more question.... if i get a "plus status say in april 2010 is it good till december 2010 or april 2011??

[kt_9333]

and what happens if you lost your shoppers points card? you loose the points too

[julie.leeds]

I think if you get plus April 2010 you will be plus til Dec 2011.

plus for the remainder of 2010 + all of 2011.

(that would mean you would need to spend $1000 (or $500 in GC + Spend them) from Jan 01 2010 and April 2010)

Does that make sense???

[julie.leeds]

and what happens if you lost your shoppers points card? you loose the points too

I don't know if they can issue a replacement card if you have signed up online or at least put a "hold" on the account so no one else can use your points.????

[mcminsen]

I think if you get plus April 2010 you will be plus til Dec 2011.

plus for the remainder of 2010 + all of 2011.

(that would mean you would need to spend $1000 (or $500 in GC + Spend them) from Jan 01 2010 and April 2010)

Does that make sense???

Yup yup... Plus status achieved in April of 2010 would give you Plus status to December 31, 2011.

I don't know if SDM can or will replace your card if you lose it. I think they do because I know someone who claims to have lost it several times. (hi trucks!) Certainly let them know A.S.A.P. if you lose your card. I hope they could just delete the old account and put points into a new one.