A loyalty scheme that actually pays! (Boots Advantage Card)

Member Name: Emily_09

Product:	Boots Advantage Card
Date:	03/09/09 (53 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great for saving money on later purchases, soon adds up

Disadvantages: Can't pay part points, part cash

When I first heard about Boots advantage card system I must admit I was a bit suspicious. All too often you hear of loyalty schemes that appear great but have a major catch that rips you off in the long term. After reading all of the small print however, I concluded that this scheme was very worthwhile and since signing up for a card I have made some great savings.

The concept of the Advantage card is very simple; you buy things from boots and receive points from the money you spend, that can later be redeemed on other items. Every pound that you spend in store is worth 4p in points and although that doesn't seem a lot it soon adds up. I've lost count of the amount of times that I've checked my points balance and been pleasantly surprised at just how much I have to spend!

The card is just like any other loyalty card, small and easy to fit into your purse or wallet, ready to whip out when at the till. It's quite distinctive with the boots logo on the front and each customer has their own number and name printed on the front of the card so that if yours is lost or stolen you can just ring Boots to block it and prevent anyone using your points.

You get points from more or less anything you buy in store, there are probably some restrictions but I'm yet to come across them! Another good thing is that if you forget your card you can ask for your receipt to be validated so that if you visit the store again in the next 45 days with your card you can add the points to your total.

You're probably thinking this sounds a bit too good to be true but there are only a few minor disadvantages. The first is that you can't use your points as part payment. For example a few months ago I asked to pay for a £4.98 nail varnish with my £4.80 worth of points, assuming that i could pay the 18p difference in cash but this can't be done and you have to have the entire amount in points to pay for something with them. This was only a bit of a pain at the time because I probably wouldn't have bought the nail varnish if I'd have known, but as long as you know in advance, this shouldn't cause too much hassle.

Another disadvantage is that you can't spend your points online which could be a problem if you can't get to a Boots. Receiving points from items that you have bought online can also be a bit of a hassle as you have to visit an 'Extra offer' kiosk in one of the stores. You simply put in your card and the points from online shopping are automatically added, however the kiosks aren't in some of the smaller stores so you might have a bit of trouble finding one.

Overall though, the loyalty scheme is definitely worthwhile, especially for in store purchases and really becomes beneficial when buying more expensive goods such as electronic items. For example, after buying a pair of £80 straighteners I received over £3 worth of points which although isn't a huge amount, allowed me to treat myself to a new lip gloss that I wouldn't have bought otherwise.

So you're probably wondering how to get an advantage card and this is just as straightforward as the rest of the scheme. There are two ways to get a card, in store or online and both are just as easy.

In store, look for leaflets containing an application form that you simply fill in and your card is sent to you within 2-3 weeks. You don't even have to wait for it to arrive to start earning points as the leaflet has a temporary card attached that can be used. The points on your temporary card are then added to your permanent one when it arrives and you're all set!

Online applications are also really simple. All you have to do is fill in the form on the site below and your card will be sent to you.

http://www.boots.com/en/Advantage-Card/New-to-Adv antage-Card/Sign-Up/

If you register your card online you can also check your points balance whenever you like and if you choose they will send you details of offers and promotions by email. Boots often have great promotions concerning points, for example they have weekends where everything you buy gives you double points and this makes using your card even more worthwhile.

I've had my card for over a year now and have obtained about £10 in points which isn't bad considering that I've only bought things that I'd normally buy anyway. If you are a Boots customer, this scheme will definitely benefit you and I would really recommend it!

Summary: A great honest scheme