Barclaycard Freedom Points: Easy to Collect, Impossible to Spend

theoompah

Getting slightly fed up with Pizza Express - ie love the food but just there too damn often as its the only way to get rid of my rewards balance.

The barclaycard freedom website is still as terrible as ever - listing very random locations as partners...One place near to me is listed but each time I buy something I have to complain to Barclaycard to get the money added...and the sales staff don't generally have a clue what systems they link into...unfortunately seems a lucky dip with the suppliers side of things. Am personally holding out until I find a suppliers that sells electrical goods so that I can get a handheld dysons (mini treat) then its credit card cancelled for me.

And did actually have a trip to Pizza Express when it didnt link to Barclaycard and ended up paying for my meal...heavens above

KingElvis

I've been using the "scheme" for a year, travel all over the UK, use loads of different shops and stations and have so far earned nil points LOL

Complete shizzle for such a large company......even Crap 1 give away voucehrs etc

veggieblob

Has anyone found a list of participating retailers who will redeem points yet. I've contact Barclaycard twice but not received any sort of satisfactory response. Their hype about the card seems to contravene the trade descriptions act to me! (not a legal type, but using common sense it doesn't live up to its promise from the redemption side)
Fingers crossed someone has got some sense out of them
Thanks

vacheron

Good grief! I took a closer look at the freedom scheme as the previous cashback system on my Barclaycard has now been reduced to the point where it is now next to worthless. After deciding that "freedom" was, in fact, the exact opposite, being the most restrictive and overcomplicated rewards scheme I have ever encountered, I finally found (after what seemed like an age on their website), that I could perhaps get 5% off a tank of fuel, provided of course that I jumped through some convoluted hoops of non qualifying, prior purchases first. :wall:

I duly did this, and earned £4.86 of reward "money", which i assumed would be paid in a simillar manner to the cashback I fondly remembered. However, what this thread has just made clear to me is that this "money" can apparently only be redeemed at a limited number of elusive retailers! :mad:

Fortunately, I'm currently waiting on the arrival of my Capital One mastercard with real cashback and 5% off the first £2k of everything. As soon as it arrives this Barclaycard is in the bin, and after 14 continuous years as a once loyal and satisfied Barclaycard customer I doubt I'll ever be returning for as long as this ridiculous scheme continues!

Biffer

The whole scheme is a farce in my opinion. Reading through this thread, it looks like the main problem is finding a place to redeem money, but redeeming money is also a problem.

I had to stop using my Barclaycard at my local Chinese takeaway, as the machine kept nagging me about some reward scheme I knew nothing about. The Chinese guy had no clue what this was either.

Then one day I realised, it was asking me to redeem my Freedom rewards credit against the order. So I selected 'Yes' and my bill was reduced by about a fiver. I did think it strange that the retailer's receipt was for £20 instead of £25.

When I went back to the same place next week, the takeaway owner whips out this receipt the minute he sees me come through the door. He says that I've underpaid last week by about £5. I tried to explain about Freedom, but his English is not great. I didn't get anywhere and ended up paying him £5 in cash.

So as a result of using Freedom, the retailer was out of pocket and now I'm out of pocket. I'm on my 2nd reply now from Barclaycard support, both just fobbing me off as they don't understand the problem.

burns76

I ended up on this thread, having done a Google search on how to redeem reward money. Glad it's not just me who's unable to spend.

I initially took out a Sky credit card (provided by Barclaycard, approx 2007) which had a really good reward scheme, which earned you money you could use against your Sky TV bill (amongst other things). It was brilliant. I used to use it to get £20 off my Sky TV bill every three or four months.

Since the Sky card was withdrawn and replaced with a standard Barclaycard, I've earned (in approximately two, maybe three, years!) the princely sum of £41 (my only qualifying purchases now are Shell fuel, which is disappointing as the Sky card gave 1 point per £1 spent anywhere, not just at certain retailers).

I'm stuck as to where to spend this reward money, and I'm annoyed because it's MY money, and I can't get to it! The only time I've ever been asked if I wanted to use reward money is at Pizza Express, but I was hoping to get something more to show for it than a pizza.

Would it really kill Barclaycard to make a list available online of everywhere it's possible to redeem these £%$@#&* points???? :mad:

James

How about raising this issue on Money Box?

Does anyone have a number you can call Freedom on? There's no contact information or address. This in itself maybe in breach of current advertising rules. I could stand corrected on this point.

callum9999

James wrote: »

How about raising this issue on Money Box?

Does anyone have a number you can call Freedom on? There's no contact information or address. This in itself maybe in breach of current advertising rules. I could stand corrected on this point.

It's ran by Barclaycard and they have plenty of contact numbers and addresses, so clearly is not in breach of "advertising rules".

That would be like complaining you couldn't contact "ASDA Smart Price" - just contact ASDA directly.

basmiles

I've asked Barclaycard customer services for a list of partners where I can SPEND Freedom cash. See the following response which:
1. Seems to be a selective list of earning partners
2. Possibly a full, and very short list, of redemption partners.

Critically for me even Pizza Express is only listed as an earning partner. Basically the scheme seems useless.

They also detail how to redeem freedom money if you happen to visit one of the handful of retailers which might be of use to some people.

Basmiles

Barclaycard e-mail:


Thank you for your e-mail.

I am sorry to learn that you are still not able to view the participating retailers.

Please find below the Participating retailers list:
* Barclays - Speial offer earning retailer only
* Shell - Earn only retailer Cardholders earn 0.5% on transactions with Shell - not 1%
* Pizza Express - Earn only retailer
* npower - Speial offer earning retailer only
* YO! Sushi - Earn and redeem both
* Watches of Switzerland - Earn and redeem both
* Goldsmiths - Earn and redeem both
* Mappin & Webb - Earn and redeem both
*Flight Centre - Earn and redeem both
* LA Fitness - Earn and redeem both
* Firebox.com - Earn only retailer
* Just Tyres - Earn and redeem both
* Nation Auto Centre - Earn and redeem both
* Gour met Burger Kitchen - Earn and redeem both
* F.Hinds - Earn and redeem both
* BSM - Earn and redeem both
* GIVe - Earn and redeem both
* JustGiving - Earn and redeem both

Please find below, how you can redeem.
Making a purchase with your Barclaycard:
At the till, the chip and PIN terminal will tell you what your Reward Money balance is and ask you if you?d like to redeem it against that purchase. All you need to do is press ENTER if you would like to redeem or CANCEL or CLEAR if you don?t.

Using some or all of your Reward Money to pay for your purchase:
You will be prompted to enter the amountof Reward Money you?d like to use. Then continue to enter your PIN as usual. You can use part or all of your reward balance to make your purchase. Just use the keys on the chip and PIN terminal to enter in the exact amount - not forgetting the pence. Please remember that if you?re using Reward Money for part payment, your Barclaycard must be used for the remainder of the purchase.

What if you don?t want to use Reward Money on your transaction?
Simply press CANCEL or CLEAR and enter your PIN as usual.

What if you press ENTER accidentally and don?t want to redeem your Reward Money?
Simply press CANCEL or CLEAR and you will be returned to the frst screen.

I trust this information is of assistance.

Should you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.

drharrisjones

Is there any new places to redeem since last post?