Optimum points on SDM gift cards?

[salady]

I went to SDM today and the plan was to buy a $50 SDM gift card first to get 500 optimum points, and then use that gift card to pay for my purchases. The associate working on cash told me that I won't be receiving any optimum points on the SDM gift card. Was she right? I've read here that people have been able to do it so why was she telling me I couldn't? I was so gutted and shopped without getting the gc.

[lucy16076]

You will receive the points...no worries. Some of the cashiers are just bitter about the whole gift card/buying stuff process. When you buy the gift card, look at the bottom of your receipt & you'll see the 500 points there. Next time just smile & say thank you for the comments, but that you'll go ahead with the purchase anyway....then show her the receipt if you feel so inclined

[salady]

You will receive the points...no worries. Some of the cashiers are just bitter about the whole gift card/buying stuff process. When you buy the gift card, look at the bottom of your receipt & you'll see the 500 points there. Next time just smile & say thank you for the comments, but that you'll go ahead with the purchase anyway....then show her the receipt if you feel so inclined

Sigh. I can't believe I could have got it. The associate was a tad snarky and said, "Uhhh, the gift card works like cash so you're expecting optimum points for it???" Grrrrr. I should've stood my ground but didn't think it was worth arguing with her and went ahead with my shopping.

[torontogal12]

I bought a $25 gift card yesterday and got points on it. If she whines about it next time say something like "please scan my card anyway. If the computer doesn't want me to have points, it won't give them to me." Try buying it at the beauty or photo counter first, they seem friendlier sometimes

[Amy4coupons]

today if i buy with my other stuff $20 or $10 gift card an duse that 20%off WUB $50 or more an i use that coupon

[Ludwig_Lover]

Seems some of the cashiers excel at misinforming the customer, or they just want to be cheap with the points. They will also tell you that if you reduce your total to under $50 on a 20X points event using coupons that you won't get the bonus points. But that is wrong too.

Don't believe the SDM staff, believe your SC comrades who know these things from first hand experience. If I have any doubts I always ask here and not the 800 number.

[salady]

Thanks guys. Lesson learnt! I'm slowly learning these things so next time I'll ask here first before I head to SDM. Seems like Smartcanuckers have more knowledge about their jobs than SDM staff do!

[floydrocker]

The last time I was at shoppers the cashier acknowleged that I would get points on the GC and even made a point to ask me for my optimum card, then said that whoever I was giving the GC to would NOT get any points on their purchase since I was getting the points up front. I said that sounded a little unfair to the person receiving, was she sure about that? She said she was positive. A few minutes later she was the only cash open when I was bringing through my stuff and she was surprised to see that I was using the GC she had just sold me and she asked if I had had a change of heart, and would not be giving the GC after all. I just kind of laughed. I no longer have the energy to educate cashiers, so I just do my thing and leave.

[salady]

The last time I was at shoppers the cashier acknowleged that I would get points on the GC and even made a point to ask me for my optimum card, then said that whoever I was giving the GC to would NOT get any points on their purchase since I was getting the points up front. I said that sounded a little unfair to the person receiving, was she sure about that? She said she was positive. A few minutes later she was the only cash open when I was bringing through my stuff and she was surprised to see that I was using the GC she had just sold me and she asked if I had had a change of heart, and would not be giving the GC after all. I just kind of laughed. I no longer have the energy to educate cashiers, so I just do my thing and leave.

Wow, what is up with these cashiers? She was soooo positive huh? lol. All this hassle makes me just not want to shop at SDM anymore. I think I will just redeem my optimum points at the next major redemption event and be done with them.

[sebbmom]

Not sure if its all of the tills, but the ones at my shoppers actually say what the eligible points are (before you scan your optimum card). It's in the top right corner, where your card # will show after scanning. If I get any resistance, I just point that out to them, and they are surprised but have no problem scanning my card then.

[torontogal12]

I agree with you. I don't understand why some people on here get so annoyed that the SDM cashiers are uneducated about the policies. Have you ever found retail employees that are properly trained? I worked in retail for many years at a customer service desk and they kept changing policies on me, so cashiers never know what is going on because their supervisors don't bother informing them. Especially part-timers. Their supervisors might never even work the same shifts as them so how can they explain things? My mom now works in retail and complains of the same things I used to complain about when I worked in retail 10 YEARS ago. Things haven't changed.

If you know the policies work in your favour, why waste your time and frustration explaining things when head office won't bother and the computer will give you the points anyway? Just do what you need to do, take your points and be on your way. Why start an unnecessary confrontation that will only upset yourself and the cashier?

Just my thoughts...I can see people jumping down my throat about this

The last time I was at shoppers the cashier acknowleged that I would get points on the GC and even made a point to ask me for my optimum card, then said that whoever I was giving the GC to would NOT get any points on their purchase since I was getting the points up front. I said that sounded a little unfair to the person receiving, was she sure about that? She said she was positive. A few minutes later she was the only cash open when I was bringing through my stuff and she was surprised to see that I was using the GC she had just sold me and she asked if I had had a change of heart, and would not be giving the GC after all. I just kind of laughed. I no longer have the energy to educate cashiers, so I just do my thing and leave.

[torontogal12]

Or hand over your card before they start scanning everything, then give them your gift card at the end. They've already scanned it so they can't complain about points. The computer gives points when it wants to,whether cashiers like it or not

Not sure if its all of the tills, but the ones at my shoppers actually say what the eligible points are (before you scan your optimum card). It's in the top right corner, where your card # will show after scanning. If I get any resistance, I just point that out to them, and they are surprised but have no problem scanning my card then.

[PurpleBunny89]

I agree with you. I don't understand why some people on here get so annoyed that the SDM cashiers are uneducated about the policies. Have you ever found retail employees that are properly trained? I worked in retail for many years at a customer service desk and they kept changing policies on me, so cashiers never know what is going on because their supervisors don't bother informing them. Especially part-timers. Their supervisors might never even work the same shifts as them so how can they explain things? My mom now works in retail and complains of the same things I used to complain about when I worked in retail 10 YEARS ago. Things haven't changed.

If you know the policies work in your favour, why waste your time and frustration explaining things when head office won't bother and the computer will give you the points anyway? Just do what you need to do, take your points and be on your way. Why start an unnecessary confrontation that will only upset yourself and the cashier?

Just my thoughts...I can see people jumping down my throat about this

I agree completely with this.

If I spend 10 minutes standing there explaining something to someone who should already know this because they work there then thats 10 minutes taken away from my shopping or if you wanted to be extreme, its 10 minutes taken from my life. Now, one cashier once in a while is an exception but if like me you're told every single time you won't get points for the GC or for going below $50 its just not worth explaining anymore. I just play dumb and go "Sorry, I don't understand" then usually they just say nevermind or they will explain to me again and I'll just act dumb again and say something like "Oh I didn't even know people tried to do that!". I never show them my receipt to prove the point because you never know who they might be and what they might report to whoever high up and it could possibly change things in the future. I'm a bit supersticious when it comes to things like that.

I just keep to myself and do what I know works.

[thien_nga]

Well just go ahead, if you get points you get points (as you already knew, except if the policy changed), when I started couponing and get SDM I had to fight sometimes but after a while I leave it, you might see a not good cashier this day but next day you gonna find a wonderful one! :D