in suggesting that the Marks and Spencer Sparks card is the worst loyalty scheme ever

[JackandDiane]

1. YOu have to activate offers - requires WAY too much thought and planning
   
2. I just want money off things I buy fgs
   
3. that fucking ' have you swiped your sparks card' is surely mitigation for murder?

[idontlikealdi]

Absolutley not BU. Its shite. I started a thread on it a few months ago. I don't use it anymore.

[TheWernethWife]

I hate it as well - we go to the café every Friday and I used to love the little card you got when buying drinks, they have stopped this now

[TheWernethWife]

I hate it as well - we go to the café every Friday and I used to love the little card you got when buying drinks, they have stopped this now

[TheWernethWife]

Ooops - posted twice

[fatsatsuma]

YADNBU. The 'rewards' are so paltry I don't bother looking anymore.

[slalomsuki]

It's terrible. I have loads of points, almost as many as the number of emails I have received from them and haven't found anything I want. I even asked in store what I could get for the points and was told that the shop assistant stopped using her card due to the complexity of it.

[Lottapianos]

Total rubbish, isn't it? Confusing and weird. I haven't used any of the offers yet as they've all been so random

[StealthPolarBear]

You mean you don't impulse buy boys' cashmere socks in midnight blue, size 1-2 when you get a full 10% off?
Or buy one low fat dessert get a tub of creme fraiche half price?

[CalonGoch]

Utterly useless. Looks good, but when you pick it apart, it's all glitz and no actual benefit, really.

• Assumes all customers are on the internet, which my mum isn't - and she is their classic shopper.
  
• No tangible rewards, unlike Waitrose free coffee, just discounts you have to activate and rarely use: who impulse buys a duvet because there's 20% off??
  
• 'Star prize' rewards are laughably undesirable, given M&S's current set up - do you really want to save up your points for the pleasure of an exclusive M&S catwalk fashion show in your local store?
  
  The only decent thing about it is the early 50% off sale access for Sparks card holders, and that's only to kickstart their sale and get more of their shonky stock shifted to panic-buyers worrying that it'll sell out if they don't grab it now.
  
  WHY, M&S?!?! How have you got it so wrong, when you had literally every single other loyalty card scheme on the high street to copy study for ideas?

[JackandDiane]

thing is, you can't impulse buy a duvet anyway because you would have had to log in and activate that bloody offer

when there was an eccles cake offer they ran out - DUH

[AnnaGrant]

Shite. The only reason I swipe is because they donate a (paltry) proportion to your chosen charity.

[JackandDiane]

i don;t really use cafes so thats of no interst to me

[WoodleyPixie]

Yes I like the charity aspect of it. Would prefer to have money off with my points than percentage off random item.
First offers were ok 20% off kids/ladies/men's whichever you chose but not used an offer since.

[stonecircle]

It's SO awful. Always seemed to get asked two or 3 times during a transaction if I have a sparks card - infuriating! Now I always say, 'yes. but I refuse to use it as I absolutely can't see the point in it. I have 40 trillion 'points' which don't seem to be worth anything and the 'tailored' offers are always for things I don't buy. I'm sick of emails about it clogging up my inbox'. And then breathe. Some staff in my local store have stopped asking me.

Too much effort on my part for too little reward. I don't know how such a big established store could get it so wrong.

[Tuiles]

I junked mine, only wanted it for occasional trips to the cafe. Seemed utterly pointless.

[BolshierAryaStark]

Glad it's not just me, struggle to see the point of it-utter shite. They've got it so very wrong.

[JapanNextYear]

I did use if for the offers last week - 20% of jumpers and shoes. Neither offer worked and I had to ring up customer services to activate them.

I'm not bothering - and have hidden the card in my purse so when I say 'no, I don't have one' when asked by checkout staff, they can't 'helpfully' point it out in my purse. Otherwise I would be doing the same spiel as stonecircle and mostly I just want to buy a sandwich.

It's rubbish. (I like the Boots card - that's good!)

[JuxtapositionRecords]

The Waitrose one is pointless to me as well

[CalonGoch]

Compare and contrast - John Lewis sent me a voucher this week for a free hot drink and cake, valid for about eight weeks. That's ONE free hot drink/cake which chances are I'll forget about or not get round to redeeming, but it makes me think, 'Ah, John Lewis, they understand how nice it is to sit down and treat yourself to a coffee while you're shopping... And the cakes are so nice in their cafes... Actually I do need some reasonably priced flannels, maybe I'll go at the weekend.'

NO ONE has EVER thought, 'Brilliant! 20% off kitchenware! Where are the car keys, I'm off to M&S for a spatula!'

[JackandDiane]

yes - i have stopped using that one too

[HackerFucker22]

Other than the initial offer (10% off which didn't work and I had to go back another day to redeem the offer) I've not used it. I swipe it if I'm using my handbag with my purse in often I just nip out with cash or my debit card in my pocket

I never check the offers or actually go onto the sparks page.

[twofingerstoGideon]

It's dreadful. And after 'choosing' which paltry offer and loading it onto your card, you then have to REMEMBER what you chose and how long the offer is valid for. I can't be bothered anymore.

[JackandDiane]

too right.

If they have to do that they should have terminals where you swipe your card when you are there and it tells you.