Fishbulb Does Boots (Boots Advantage Card)

Member Name: Fishbulb

Product:	Boots Advantage Card
Date:	18/03/03 (1237 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Something for nothing, Everyone needs toiletries, Easy to find in (most) town centres

Disadvantages: Boots can be expensive, You feel guilty if you shop elsewhere once/forget your card, Can only redeem points on certain products

I was going to write this op on my Boots Advantage Card, but I ran out of
space so I resigned myself to writing it on the computer instead! *Ba-Dum-Dum-Tschhh*


I have to say that I'm a little obsessed with my Boots Advantage Card (now on in known as BAC) I'm fortunate enough to work next to the shopping centre and quite frequently pop into Boots to see what's on offer, what I can get free etc. Freebie is one of my favourite words, alongside, hmmmm, pointy, D'oh and natterjack ? let me tell you how the BAC compares to these words in my eyes.

Lets start with the basics. The BAC is a loyalty card. For every (whole) 25p you spend in Boots, you get one point. Each point is equivalent to the value of 1p so it's a 4% rebate to spend in Boots basically. But that?s not all there is to it. You can also collect your BAC points when you shop online at Boots (http://www.wellbeing.com) and there are frequently extra incentives to buy your toiletries at Boots. Also the website has some exclusive BAC offers with extra points and competitions. A couple of years ago, Boots gave away 1,000,000 advantage card points to one lucky soul who shopped online with them. (That's £10,000 to spend at Boots ? probably a good few years worth of free toiletries huh? The only downside to this is that your advantage card points expire within one year, however, having never had any on my card for that long ? I cannot vouch for this personally)

If you're interested in one of these cards, then it's worth your while knowing that in nearly 400 Boots stores there are small machines called Advantage Points. These machines look a lot like ATM machines, and work along the same principle; you pop your card in, and see what you can take out.

When you stick your card in, you'll have to wait a moment or two for the machine to read the chip on your card. When it's ready, it will tell you the current value of the points yo
u have accumulated on your card. As I've mentioned previously, the point value is the same as the cash value, but they kindly pop a little £ sign in front of your points total so you don't
have to work anything out yourself.

On the next screen you'll find a list of buttons which all let you know of offers within the store. These are divided up into store sections, what's new and there's also a button named "View All Offers" I tend to choose this option as the machines run so quickly I can scan through everything without keep going back into the main menu. There's always a 'spend so much offer and get X points' on or better still double points if you spend over X amount. If you have a BAC or indeed if you get one, always, I repeat ALWAYS check this machine as a matter of habit before you go rushing around for your shopping, there's free stuff to be had all over the place.

This machine does nothing to the value of your points collected; it merely offers you the option to print up points vouchers exclusive to cardholders. Examples of offers recently include. 1000 points (£10) on your card for having a free, yes, that's right free consultation for laser eye surgery ? with no obligation to pay anything or take it up. A free day in a local
Livingwell Health Club (our local club charge around £10 for a day guest pass and you have to be with a member) so that?s a great opportunity to have a day's swimming and aerobics for nothing and a spa to boot! (Excuse the pun)

Along with these one-off offers, there's a regular stream of offers on everyday products. Usually, there's extra point offers on new ranges in-store to help market them too. Things like 200 points (£2) off a No7 Lipstick. Or 500 points if you buy a particular fragrance.

Boots don't just sell shampoo these days either, with products ranging from gifts; cameras; adventure days; baby clothes; film pr
ocessing; sandwiches; complementary medicines; gift wrap; cards; frames; albums; toiletries; fragrances; make-up; hairdryers and suchlike and that?s without mentioning the opticians as well as the lovely spa (if you?re fortunate to have one in your local store) you can collect your points on any one of these services. There's hearing clinics too in some of the stores. There's always good seasonal gifts on offer - at the moment they're doing three Easter Eggs for the price of two.

And if that?s not enough, as a BAC holder you will receive "Health & Beauty" Magazine directly through your door, I believe this is twice-yearly(grateful for confirmation if someone can indeed tell me) This is a typical woman's magazine ? sorry guys, but it's generally aimed more at us with a dollap of fitness advice throw in too. With top tips, new products, how to get this seasons 'looks' and a bundle of vouchers too. In the latest issue I got myself free effervescent vitamin C tablets; a couple of quid off of a new hair conditioner I was going to try anyway and a points-back coupon for a treatment in the salon. Which basically meant that I bought a massage for £26.00 and got 2600 points on my card ? free massage, how cool is that!

Every single time you use your card when you purchase something in Boots, you'll notice at the bottom of your receipt there is a total points to visit, points added, voucher points, and new points total. This is immensely satisfying to see! There'll be an extra figure if you've redeemed any points too telling you how many have been deducted from your card.

I tend to use my points for treaty things. Massages, facials, expensive products I wouldn't normally buy. You can redeem your points on all beauty products in-store (including hairdryers etc), but if you check on the price tags on the shelf, there will be a very small * sign next to any products you can purchase with your
points. If in doubt, ask the staff, they?re usually quite happy to help you.

Boots supports the NHS Organ Donor register and should you wish to become a member (alongside the other 500,000 BAC holders who have joined since 2000) you can either go to the healthcare department of your local Boots store and they will stamp your card with the logo and forward on all your details to the national register. If you have further questions regarding the NHS Organ Donor Scheme they can be contacted directly on 0845 6060400 (local rate call) or www.nhsorgandonor.net.

They did for a brief time have a Boots Credit Card also, which you gained points on whenever and whereever you spent, along with using it as a standard BAC, but I'm led to believe that that's been abolished now.


Now the downside. It's worth bearing in mind that when you're claiming something free with your points, you must have the right amount of points available ? you cannot make up the difference in cash! However, if you're buying several things, you can claim one of them on your points and pay for the rest should you choose, but again you must have adequate pointage on your BAC. Does that make sense? It did in my head, but there's no telling
really sometimes! Also, as I mentioned briefly before, points do expire after one year.

Boots can be a little expensive for some products, (I have been assured by a cheapskate friend) however, if you?re into BOGOF and 3 for 2 offers ? and lets face it, you're dooyooers, of course you are ;o) then Boots is well worth sticking your head around, even if you only get the odd fiver off here and there ? a fiver, is matey, a fiver!!! Hmmm?I wonder if that was overkill? ....anyway, next time you?re in town, pop into Boots and pick up an application form or if you?re feeling too lazy, then why not ring them up on 0845 124 4545 (local rate) between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday or 9am and 4pm on Saturday.
You?ll thank me for it.

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