I no longer feel I am rewarded (Sainsbury's Reward Card)

Member Name: Trishajs

Product:	Sainsbury's Reward Card
Date:	06/07/09 (82 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: I am still earning something

Disadvantages: Takes me all year to get £20

I am old enough to remember when the Sainsbury's card was first introduced. For that reason, my review is not going to be as positive as those that have come to it in recent years.

When it first came out it really was a reward card, these days I see it more as a loyalty card. You would arrive at Sainsbury, with only a rough outline shopping list as your choices would be influenced by all the bonus points you could earn. You could buy loads of items and earn an extra 100 points or more. It was not unusual to get over 500 points in a trip- I remember once getting over a thousand. To put that in perspective- I was only buying for me. The points you now need is 500 to get £2.50 off your shopping, back then it was 250- that is actually the same as you need now, as today you get two points for every £1- but I think they thought by doubling up, that psychologically you would still feel you were getting as many points as before- but most of us aren't that daft.

I preferred that system, buy one get one free or 3 for the price of two offers don't help me- I live alone and I don't eat frozen food- so it takes me all year to get £20 worth of points.

Back in the day you could also go to customer services with your points and get them converted to airmiles- I paid for a number of flights this way.

So, it would be true to say that in the past it was worth going out of your way to shop in Sainsbury because you really did get rewarded.

You should, of course never do your shopping based on the reward system alone- it should be on quality, price and customer care. But suffice to say, in the past I would have waited to buy some things in Sainsbury because of the reward system- I no longer bother.

Oh I am getting old aren't I- here I am talking about the good old days- Hey Ho.....!!

Summary: My points have gone down- their profits have gone up