Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Boots advantage points

36 replies

STripleM · 10/01/2022 10:14

Just went online to treat myself to a new perfume with my Boots points. I do this every year for Christmas (bit late this year) but it's such a treat. Present for me for nothing right!
Have £66 in points and the Chanel Mademoiselle perfume I want is £84. Happy to pay the difference. Yet I've just discovered that Boots don't accept partial payment with points. So I'll need to 'earn' another £18 to cover the perfume. Does that mean spending £180 in Boots? That will take ages to accrue!
Does anyone know of a way around this? Could I buy something expensive like a hairdryer , earn the points, buy the perfume with the full points and then return the unopened hairdryer ? It feels immoral.. but I feel hard done by not to get the o perfume I wanted. It's been a tough year haha

OP posts:
44PumpLane · 10/01/2022 10:21

You get 4 points to £1 at boots so you'd need to spend £45 to get your 180 points.

Also, I don't believe you've ever been able to do partial points payment, it's always been all or nothing as far as I'm aware!

BarbaraofSeville · 10/01/2022 10:22

That's always been the rule, but they sell a smaller bottle for £62 so you could get that with your points?

www.boots.com/chanel-coco-mademoiselle-eau-de-parfum-spray-35ml-10022499

CorrBlimeyGG · 10/01/2022 10:25

Could I buy something expensive like a hairdryer , earn the points, buy the perfume with the full points and then return the unopened hairdryer ? It feels immoral..

It's more than immoral, it's gaining an advantage by deception, which is unlawful. It's unlikely Boots would do anything about it, but it's a dick move.

Boots have always had this rule. Find something that your points do cover the full cost of.

BrioNotBiro · 10/01/2022 10:29

Don't they deduct the points on any returns? I'm sure other shops do (though if you'd already bought the perfume I can't see what they could do about it).

Spidey66 · 10/01/2022 10:31

Boots has had it's Advantage Card for what, 20 years and you've only just found this out? It's always been like that.

Keep an eye on your post, they send vouchers offering extra points, often for things you would buy regularly

Original poster
STripleM · 10/01/2022 10:36

@Spidey66 yep! Guess I've always bought something that costs less than my total amount of points so this is the first time I've come across this quandary.. will keep an eye out for points offers though , thanks all!

OP posts:
Whitefire · 10/01/2022 10:47

Have you got the app? Lots of points offers on there.

LibrariesGiveUsPower · 10/01/2022 10:50

It’s always been that way. Their card their rules. It’s the most generous rewards card by far imo so I’m not complaining.

Georgeskitchen · 10/01/2022 10:53

Yes very frustrating. The only loyalty card I know of that you can't use for part payment.

luckylavender · 10/01/2022 11:02

The Boots Advantage card is great and the rules have always been the same.

britnay · 10/01/2022 11:24

Its because it would make returns more complicated if it was part points/part money.

hotchocdrinker · 10/01/2022 11:27

I'm pretty sure that to get £18 worth of points (at 4 points per £1), then you'd need to spend £450 to get 1800 points... Buy the smaller bottle!

Babyvenusplant · 10/01/2022 11:29

There's usually lots of ways to double your points if you buy certain products too, if you have the app you can load the offers onto your card

Spud1130 · 10/01/2022 11:30

8 points per £1 on kids stuff if you join the parenting club

czycoup · 10/01/2022 11:33

@44PumpLane

You get 4 points to £1 at boots so you'd need to spend £45 to get your 180 points.

Also, I don't believe you've ever been able to do partial points payment, it's always been all or nothing as far as I'm aware!

Unfortunately 180 points is only £1.80! Would be lovely if you were correct though!
Sciurus83 · 10/01/2022 11:33

As said that's always been the deal. The app does personalised loaded offers so you accumulate points much quicker than the usual 4 per £1.

Bagelsandbrie · 10/01/2022 11:34

I used to work in Boots. If you return something they’ll deduct the points. Or they should…!

HalfShrunkMoreToGo · 10/01/2022 11:35

Missing the point of the thread but wanted to share with other advantage point fans, Boots sell kitchen appliances, fulfilment through AO, so if you're on the lookout for a new washing machine etc then it's worth looking at them because you get the advantage points and when you're spending several hundred pounds they rack up quick!

www.bootskitchenappliances.com/

czycoup · 10/01/2022 11:38

If you have the app they quite often have decent offers of extra points when spending or buying certain things. They are usually tailored to what you usually buy and pretty decent.

BarbaraofSeville · 10/01/2022 11:46

@Bagelsandbrie

I used to work in Boots. If you return something they’ll deduct the points. Or they should…!
But then what would happen if you:

bought item A
used all your points to 'buy' item B
returned item A and lost the points that have already been spent?

Would they reduce the amount refunded to account for the missing points, reduce your points balance to zero, or reduce your points balance to minus 2000 or whatever, which is pointless because you could surely then just get a new card and start again at zero.

phishy · 10/01/2022 11:49

They accept partial payment in store I believe. Could you go in store?

And did you collect £66 worth of points in 1 year? Impressive!

phishy · 10/01/2022 11:50

@BarbaraofSeville ex Boots employee here too. They would just add all the points back to your Advantage card (I believe).

strawberrymilk7 · 10/01/2022 11:51

I find it very annoying!

MattDamon · 10/01/2022 11:52

Can you buy a gift card and then use that to part-pay?

LetItGoHome · 10/01/2022 11:58

I'm sure they would be well within their rights to decline the refund if the points
are spent.