Blow the points and blow off SDM

[matty's mom]

I really appreciated SDM optimum two years ago when my babe was on formula (couldn't breast feed) and it had to be a special formula: Nutrimagen. It is the same price @ SDM as it is a Walmart, Rexall, RCSS etc. I stocked up on 20x points events and redeemed when I could. It was the best way to afford such expensive formula.

Now, well, I buy what I need, when it is on a good sale- and only that. I keep my OOP expenses down because that is the bottom line for my family. The fact that the end of the year, I am able to get things free, to help with XMAS expenses is just really a blessing, whether it is a super redemption or not.

[RebeccaRYoung]

I hardly ever shop at SDM. It's usually so much more expensive than Wal-Mart. I don't think they have better selection, and the points program isn't enough for me to shop there. I prefer to spend less at another store and save everyday rather than load up on points and hope to purchase something for free at a later date.

[iamperfectforme]

SDM is like FB, and FB is like a long term relationship, to me.
There's a whole lot of love and hate going on with those three things, for me. LOL!

After hearing about all the issues around mega redemption time last year I changed my redemption practices. This year I redeemed at any super redemption if I had 95,000 points to redeem.
I've never collected to collect, I don't take advantage of BP offers/coupons for things I wouldn't buy without them in the first place-even when some of those items end up free or whatever it is that attracts everyone to those purchases.
I just buy what I need(baby stuff and food), when it's at a fair price.

So ya...I'm comfortable with keeping my points card in use, now that I redeem more often!

[CouponingQueen]

to be honest with you, the only time I shop at SDM is for mail in rebates (Free of course) for the points, basics so when milk is on sale and clearance shelf VERY rarely. Too expensive for day to day shopping

[natynat]

Although I am disappointed with this year's redemption amounts, I will continue to shop at Shopper's. It took me two years to get 45,000 so you can tell that I don't shop there too much. This year I decided to trade my prized possessions (FPCs/HVs from my Tropicana win) with a couple of great people on this site in hopes of getting more points, and I did. I had everything planned out...I was going to get a Xbox for my bf and I, a slow cooker, and a bunch of gifts for people. Now...I'm really not even sure if I should redeem at this "spend your points event"...maybe I'm still hoping that there will be a big redemption . Nonetheless, SDM is right across from my house, and they DO have great stuff on sale (i.e. $3.99 PB, $3.99 Cottonelle - $1 coup + FPC wipes!!!). For now...I will mend my broken heart and not cross the street lol...

[orange]

I'm gonna shop more at Sobeys get points for pretty much anything and u can load ur card with bonus points and use paper bonus points together in same transaction which adds up quickly. Shoppers is to shady, I don't like how they go on power trips and freeze people's accounts or say u can't get bonus points when u use a coupon making it free. No more shoppers for this lady. Free feels good.

[lessthannat]

I will continue shopping at SDM, I still think it is by far one of the best reward cards out there
I only buy things that are on sale and things that are at a comparable price as the grocery store *shrug* & of course use coupons. They do run out of stock, but it has never been an issue for me, I always hit the store early during the beginning of the promo and I live in a small town

I appreciate being able to redeem for free things, mega redemption or not, I buy a lot of high end makeup & perfume which I otherwise would be buying out of pocket @ full price if it wasn't for their points program. I have enough for 5 redemptions for next weekend and I plan on using them up

They never promised a mega redemption this year, and they are offering an extra $40 which is just fine in my books

[cheekysaver]

If you want any kind of trade I have a coupon to switch yourprescriptions to Safeway and get 300 air miles expires dec 31/12! I moved to where there is no Safeway! Plus you get 7 x the airmiles on prescriptions all the time!

LOL thanks for the offer! I get my perscritions through safeway... they offer 7 times the airmiles and that means I get $15 to $18 a month in airmiles just for my perscriptions.

[Poirot]

LOL thanks for the offer! I get my perscritions through safeway... they offer 7 times the airmiles and that means I get $15 to $18 a month in airmiles just for my perscriptions.

The Alberta College of Pharmacists wants to get rid of prescription inducements.

[coupon girl]

well i myself have bought less at shoppers this year -due to a large stockpile -i tend to buy bread and milk there -and great sale items with a coupon of course-i did one 20 times last month and it was a lot of cheap food with coupons-i try to get my royale toilet paper there for 3.99-1.00=2.99 dont see that anywhere else cheaper-so i will not redemm this year- as i will build my points for another day

[jezz]

Ok so I went and read the sdm policy on point transfer....


"You can share your points with your family and friends. It’s simple to do, all you need is to enter the Shoppers Optimum Card® number that will be the recipient of your points."
p




18. Subject to Section 20 herein, Shoppers Optimum Points are transferable from one Shoppers Optimum Member to another, in conjunction with the “Transfer your Points” program, the “Donate your Points” program, or other special points transfer promotions offered by Shoppers Drug Mart from time to time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Shoppers Drug Mart reserves the right to limit the transfers from a Shoppers Optimum account.

20. Upon the death of a Shoppers Optimum Member, the Member’s account will be closed and any Shoppers Optimum Points in the account will be forfeited. Shoppers Optimum Points are not divisible in the case of divorce.


Sooo you can "share" your points, but iF you read the entire thing you can't "trade" for pretty much anything with monetary value as follows:

34. Shoppers Optimum Points have no cash value and are not exchangeable for cash. Except as permitted from time to time by Shoppers Drug Mart, Shoppers Optimum Points cannot be assigned, exchanged, purchased or given by gift. Shoppers Optimum Points cannot be sold, traded, bartered, rented or otherwise disposed of. Shoppers Optimum Points are void if sold for cash or any other consideration.

so the real issue is how often "time to time" may be....if you are "sharing" them, which is definitely what I do.....definitely! You just can't get anything back for them....no "exchanging". It's pretty vague IMO but I think if not used excessively its not an issue (like everything else to do with couponing).

I'm all for sharing....

thanks to everyone who pm'd me ....

j

[harbie]

^^^ for me personally it is NOT worth the possiblity of loosing my points since it is basically up to SDM's discression as to what this reasonable amount of transfers are. We have all seen what happens on SDM's FB page so since they can't get it together to get the correct info out there I don't trust that they see 5 transfers from different people and then say "Oops, sorry that's too many"

[Sarah W]

Thanks for all the input,,,,,I have listened and learned some things,,,,also,,I am not quite as ticked off as I was,,,still am, but now a 9/10 instead of 10/10.. I have received all my bonus points this evening \ I am going to spend all of them this weekend.
I am not going to say I will never use SDM again,,, but I doubt I will be darkening their door for a long long time,,,,,My XMas shopping will be finished this weekend,,,,I have 4 redemptions to do with the cards in our family,,,,I know the 'mega' redemption was not advertised or promoted but I am still very disappointed about the reduction in the redemption amounts for this promotion,,,,,if we reduced the XMas bonus of staff, I am sure they would be disappointed too. Yes, I purchased some choc bars44 X 2. and gave them away) and some wipes (2 x 21 and gave some away) but I have also purchased the overpriced shampoo and greeting cards(impulse buys). My daughter and I each participated in the last super redemption with each of us redeeming for $200 worth. She spent $200 on make-up that I am certain could be purchased at a fraction of the cost anywhere else.
SDM is a nice clean store,,their staff is extremely UNKNOWLEGeable about their promotions etc as we are all aware. Most of their products are OVERPRICED where it is only beneficial to make a purchase there if it is on clearance or you have a super duper coupon and there are bonus points available for the product and you buy many of this item on a 20X day when the stars are all lined up in a row and the moon is half full and you aren't menstruating. Some staff are very pleasant. On Saturday I will try not to pick the pleasant staff as I line up all my itsy bitsy carts filled with $860 worth of SDM product.. Can you imagine how pleasant you will be if you had to shuffle that much product over a 2 foot square piece of counter with no where to deposit it? And can you imagine the look on that person's face once I give her/'him the coupons at the end?
I convinced a non couponer friend to purchase gift cards at SDM for Future Shop as they were going to FS anyway to make a large purchase. Hope she doesn't think I am a fool now,,,she is coming with me on Saturday.

Anwyay,,thanks for the input,, good luck to everyone with their shop with their bonus points and hope everyone has a great XMas break once it gets here ")

[newb]

When I first joined I was tranfering all family points to my card (4), then giving them the balance to do a top redemtion ... never had a problem ... but that was then before all the troubles and this is now. I just get my pump supplies now .. very little shopping otherwise.

[carlyincanada]

After last mega losing my points I cut back alot from shopping at sdm and only did 20x days for stuff we really needed. I missed the chocolate bar deal as none left .
My sdm gave me a heads up about the lower mega....disappointing but not much we can do. The staff at my store are awesome and the cosmetic manager is ordering in a new fragrance for me Lancome La vie cest belle so I'm happy to get it free instead of paying $95 ekkk!!!
I'm doing one mega for $210 and mom has $105. Last year would have had $750 between us but I lost $500 worth of points left a sour taste for sure!!

Really sdm should listen to their customers for feedback but guess it falls on deaf ears!!