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?

[SimonLeBonOnAndOn]

YANBU
Far too complicated.
Agree with others Boots is still the best.

[LittleMissUpset]

Trust me staff don't like asking for it either, and you will probably get a knowing look and smile if you don't have one!

The reason we ask though is points can't be put on after the transaction another fault with it and lots of people remember after they have paid which means refunding and putting everything through again.

I must admit I hate asking though

[NicknameUsed]

I agree that Tesco and Boots loyalty cards are the best. Their concept is simple and straightforward, and they are easy to use.

When I did my marketing certificate one of the principles was KISS - keep it short and simple (or keep it simple, stupid). Clearly the "brains" behind the Sparks card has forgotten this.

[SimonLeBonOnAndOn]

I used to buy all my greetings cards from Marks, as I had that little card thing that meant if you got 6 'stamps' you got a free card.
I don't go in as much as I used to since they stopped it.

[Rezolution123]

I agree the whole Sparks scheme is stupid. I have totted up thousands of points but what is the point?

[whirlygirly]

I remember dp and I once went in for some currency and they were offering a deal where if you bought £250 worth you could have £5 off a £50 womenswear spend. We laughed as it was one of the crappest offers we'd ever seen.

[Pandsbear]

This thread is hilarious! I say every time I go into Marks and one of the efficient assistants tells me that I have 'unclaimed offers' that I don't have enough seconds in my life to log in and check for offers i don't want...

John Lewis cake and coffee I use.
Waitrose is fine.
Boots is fine.
Tesco is fine (well until they cut the points off their credit card spend - not so great now).

[BitOutOfPractice]

Enrique maybe we could all club together our Sparks points worth 8p between the lot of us- and pay for them to come on here

[scarlets]

It's too convoluted. I don't bother choosing offers any more, I just delete the emails unread.

[Ladybirdbookworm]

So pleased I'm not alone
It's crap
I said to the shop assistant last week that its such a pita and difficult to use and she admitted that she doesn't bother offering them to elderly customers because they have caused so much confusion - bloody disgraceful probably M&S stalwarts too

[stonecircle]

Have just emailed m & s and asked them to deactivate my account - and told them why. They're 'always grateful for feedback' and I suggested if they wanted more they should monitor mumsnet as there are always threads popping up about it - none of them favourable!

[Rezolution123]

M&S had a queue of elderly people signing up in their store because they did not have the internet! How silly is that?
Marks should be ashamed for conning the elderly.

[Buscake]

IKEA one is definitely worth it! You get lower prices on some things, but most importantly they insure your purchases for free meaning that if you break it while trying to put it together (or while travelling home) they replace it free of charge! [i had to avail of this trying to assemble a £36 chair. So glad I swiped the card!]

[MuddhaOfSuburbia]

really, Buscake?

OH got the card ages ago with no info as to wht it actually did

that sounds like it could be useful

[WoodleyPixie]

I didn't know that about the IKEA card. I have one and like it fir the discount on breakfast and tea. And the things like umbrellas and reusable bags.

[CiderwithBuda]

Maybe we should all cut our Sparks cards up and send them to the Chief Executive. I also agree it's crap. Although I did get 20% off bedding which I used.

I like th Boots one but find the monthly or whatever vouchers you get in a post a pain as I never remember to use them.

We find the Nectar one really good as we have the credit card and our house and pet insurance through them too so we get loads of points which we save through the year and basically eat for free in January. Their double up thingie they do is a faff though.

I don't often shop in Tesco so although I have a card I never use it. Hadn't realised you can convert to Avios though - will start that.

[Nux]

I'm so glad it's not just me who thinks this is bafflingly shite. It's not just that you have to log in to get offers (you've already lost me, I can't be arsed, if you cared about giving me the offer you'd just give it to me) but that the offers are for a couple of days only so of very little value. There is genuinely no reward for loyalty at all. I don't understand how they managed to come up with something so comprehensively not from the point of view of the customer.

[Nux]

I love my Boots card - genuinely helpful, actually gets you money - I choose to buy things from Boots (rather than, say, a supermarket) if I can BECAUSE of the points I get. I will go out of my way to shop at Boots. Also, with the app, all the offers are sent to you and you just have to activate them from the app to get them onto the card. It's incredibly customer friendly and the best reward scheme around imho.

[cleaty]

Could someone who knows how to, tweet a link to this thread to M&S?

[maggiethemagpie]

The only thing that card is useful for is for scraping off my hair removing cream when I can't find the little applicator thing. It's great for that.

[ColdGlassofWine]

It's an absolute pile of crap. I can't believe they have managed to devise such a rubbish loyalty card and just get it so wrong. I emailed a while ago to complain and was told they would be soon sending more personalised offers - I have just received a treat of a few percent of gluten free food - I'm not gluten intolerant nor is anyone in my family and I have never bought from this range !!!!
I now have over 17,000 points so apparently qualify for special experiences - M and S keep emailing me to tell me this but apparently I need to keep checking my inbox - nothing has arrived yet - I can't wait .....
Fab idea to chop up card and send to CEO. Come on M and S - wake up !

[NicknameUsed]

M and S's main problem is that they just don't listen to their customers. It is the basic principle of marketing. It isn't rocket science.

Then they wonder where they are going wrong.

Bangs head against a brick wall.

[daisychain01]

I agree nickname.

Their board of directors is just so arrogant, they don't think their customers, who visit their stores year in, year out, matter enough. They think they're bomb proof.

Really saddens me because I always try to support British domiciled companies, but they are no longer the company I knew and loved.

[ChalkyC]

Totally agree it's awful. Nectar and boots seem to be the best loyalty systems - dh got a nectar card when he moved to London about 15 years ago and recently found out he had collected £300! Useful!!

[TrollTheRespawnJeremy]

I had a £10 off a £50 spend reward on the card which was the first useful one ever.

Didn't actually work in store and I don't have all the time in the world for them to sort it out. Irritated the hell out of me and I've stopped bothering to take the card with me.