Will the recent 'clawing back' of Optimum Points motivate you to spend LESS?

[safielstar]

I used to shop at Shoppers all the time for stuff before I discovered that the prices are so much cheaper elsewhere. I only shop during 20x the points, and only for things that are on sale like diapers and stuff I can get for cheap with coupons, I've probably only gone to Shoppers for non-prescription shopping twice so far this year. My goal was to shop there as often needed to get enough points for at least one mega redemption for Christmas (already accomplished that), so if I can get enough for two, that's great, but I'm not going to sweat it.

[katmunster]

I said my shopping will stay the same, simply because i feel they are a bit overpriced so the only times i go there is for 1) milk 2) 20x the points events (wus50$) only and 3) the redeem the points

the shoppers within walking distance are so small and rarely have any of the sale items anyway so its not worth my time to drive out of the way unless its for 20x the points event or redemption

I do on a rare occasion stop by a random shoppers on my way home or when im already traveling but only to check the clearance really

and since last year when they changed the point values i found myself shopping there less and less, might be just me but i think prices went up even more and for someone who doesnt have a baby its pretty hard to get a decent amount of points without help (most SC help )

[newbiesaver]

Last year I was really big on collecting points so I could make two $250 redemptions right before Xmas. I was very careful to only buy things on sale or with really big bonus pts offers to collect my points.

But you know what I realized? Just because buying a $5 got me $5 back in some cases, didn't mean I wasn't still SPENDING $5 to get there. Sure, I was getting a great deal but spending is still spending....and there were plenty of things I didn't NEED but purchased because it was a great deal.

This year, I'm cutting back and not letting those points sway me, especially now that they're cracking down on how points are given.

[tobiwobi]

And before someone says I probably paid 59% more for products at SDM than I would have at another supermarket... WRONG!. I only buy the products that are equal or lower than my supermarket's prices.
For example, milk, eggs, pop, toilet paper, kleenex, bread, granola bars, cookies, etc. are often cheaper or same price as at the supermarket. It is easy to run up a 50$ bill and not pay more than the competition if you spend a little time to read the SDM flyer.
I don't understand how empty my SDM (few customers) my SDM has on 20x points days. With little effort, you can get 50% of your total after coupons in free product.
The question is why aren't more people doing it????

I live alone and usually end up spending $25-30 weekly on groceries regularly, so for me $50 at Shoppers is not easy. Eggs, milk, yogurt and juice with red stickers are good price, but don't add up to $50 and I can't buy more cos it's just me and the stuff will go bad in the fridge before I eat it. Packaged food, TP, tissue, etc. - all stocked up. shampoos and conditioners and soaps and body washes - all stocked up. Bread - I stop by a local bakery at the end of the day, usually pick up a bag full of buns and bagels and bread for $1, and it's way better than dempsters stuff.

If I went through the trouble of buying stuff that I already have plenty of in my stockpile just to get the points, and then to have the points taken away, I would be upset.

[<3 My $aving$ <3]

Unfortunately I get ALL of my Rx Meds there at a Special Rate b/c I am on Disability
I USED to receive several THOUSAND points per month b/c of this...
HOWEVER when I dropped by my SDM I was told that Rx Meds will NO LONGER BE ALLOTTED Optimum Points...
That was the 1st kick in the Teeth... The 2nd one still has my head spinning
Back in March they started OFFERING AN RBC/Shopper's Optimum Chequing Acct
WHERE if you enrolled in Direct Deposit AND Made 2 Bill Payments within 120 Days of said opening
You were supposed to receive a ONE TIME BONUS of 50 000 ($85 value)
I opened my acct back in March, I Met the Criteria by the end of April...
We are marching towards JULY... and I STILL have yet to receive the Points or an explanation !!!
Now this is how they have been promoting their Campaign
Earn 1 Shoppers Optimum Point² for every $1 you spend anywhere you shop
when you use your RBC Shoppers Optimum Banking Account; including gas, entertainment, clothing, groceries, and other purchases.



Earn 10 Shoppers Optimum Points³ for every $1 you spend at Shoppers Drug Mart
using your RBC Shoppers Optimum Banking Account – that's in addition to the 10 Shoppers Optimum Points you earn for the same purchase by presenting your Shoppers Optimum Card.

They JUST (as OF June 12/2012) have ** REVISED THEIR COUPON POLICY **


Shoppers Drug Mart is pleased to accept coupons with the following conditions:
Physical Appearance:
- Must have a clearly printed bar code
- Must be legible
- Printed black and white coupons from the internet and email are accepted.
Photocopies or facsimiles are not accepted.
- Must be printed. Digital and mobile coupons are not accepted
- Must have a Legal statement/Dealer statement which includes:

Expiry date within 12 months of issuance (I take issue w/this as I have coupons that do NOT exp til 2013 MORE than a yr from now)

Valid P.O. Box for remittance (for Manufacturer’s Coupons)
- Must have a consistent offer for specific item(s). The same value or offer
should appear in all areas of the coupon. Accepted offers are:

For dollar/cents off

For free items (excludes internet coupons)

Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons
- Must not show signs of tampering
Guidelines and Restrictions:
- Non-Canadian coupons are not accepted
- Competitors’ coupons are not accepted
- Coupons are not redeemable for cash or credit ~~( NO MORE OVERAGES/STACKING WILL BE ALLOWED ) ~~
- Unless otherwise stated, only one coupon may be presented per item (except
when one additional coupon is for Shoppers Optimum Bonus Points)
- There is no limit to the number of coupons that can be used in a transaction; I fully plan to test this later today (20x points )
provided that no more than one coupon is used per item
- The coupon presented must match the item purchased (including size, flavour,
and brand)
- If the value of the coupon exceeds the value of the product, the coupon is to
be processed as equal to the scanned retail of the product. The difference will
not be issued as change.
- Coupons may only be accepted for products sold in store
- Coupons may not be accepted as a form of tender (e.g. for Shoppers Optimum
Promotions where a customer would need to spend $50 to receive 20x the
Shoppers Optimum Points, if a coupon was used, the value of the coupon ~ IT WAS GOOD WHILE IT LASTED ~
would be deducted and does not count toward the promotion total.)
- For all instances, customers should be issued a receipt for the transaction
- Must meet the legal requirements as stated on the coupon

[tobiwobi]

Promotions where a customer would need to spend $50 to receive 20x the
Shoppers Optimum Points, if a coupon was used, the value of the coupon ~ IT WAS GOOD WHILE IT LASTED ~
would be deducted and does not count toward the promotion total.)

WOW!!! I was just gonna go today - scratch that!

[Silk]

^
There seems to be a mistake in the coupon policy that was cut and pasted and posted above. This is from the policy as of today, Wednesday, June 20, 2012:

o For promotional events (e.g. for Shoppers Optimum Promotions where a
customer would need to spend $50 to receive a reward), the following instances
apply:
If a vendor coupon is used, its value will count towards the promotion total
meaning the value of the coupons will be included in the event purchase
threshold
If a store coupon was used, its value will be deducted and does not count
toward the promotion total meaning the value of the coupons will not be
included in the event purchase threshold
o Must meet the legal requirements as stated on the coupon

http://files.shoppersdrugmart.ca/fac...on-policy1.pdf

I did 2 shops for this last 20x event and got all the points I was entitled to from all the FPCs I used -- I called this week and they added them.

Silk