AA cashback card rewards cut

Porcupine

Took out an AA cashback card in March this year.

Just had an email to say 'we're simplifying our redemption policy'.
Among lots of verbiage to say how things aren't changing really, they've halved the value of using points on things from their catalogue, to be the same as cashback (0.5%), instead of 1%. So the usual meaning of 'simplifying' then - one simple, high, price.

Now the catalogue didn't have the most exciting or good value range in the world, but sometimes things were cheaper to buy from there than take half the value in cashback and buying them elsewhere. So if you did want things from the catalogue then this is a substantial cut.

Takes effect from 20th July. After that date the catalogue is a complete waste of time.

alanq

I haven't yet received an email. If the rewards are reduced I will stop using my card.

I have www.hive4business.com in my browser favourites for checking my AA points. The site has been displaying "The page you're looking for is temporarily unavailable." each time I have tried to access it directly it all through the weekend.

From the AA online account management site I get nothing when selecting the points option.

Is anyone else having more success?

Gromitt

It works for me if I login to my account first and select "Redeem points", which I think a lot of people are going to be doing during the next month!

I confirm the highstreet vouchers and catalog (apart from AA products) have been halved in value. Ie, you now need 2000 points for a £10 voucher. (Who is going to ask for a voucher now when its the same as cashback? Or maybe thats the reason, to stop you asking for them...)

TBH, I just had my AA renewal come through the door - £95 which apparently includes a 35% discount. They wouldn't accept my offer of £50, so I cancelled. Now I should be able to signup via Topcashback and get £20, then pay the £71 using my AA CC, then claim £50 with my 2500 points for buying new breakdown cover. So in the end they'll owe me money :j:rotfl::j

Porcupine

Ouch. That's even more of a substantial hit than I first thought because, for example, Sainsbury's vouchers can be converted into food or petrol so are a much more useful currency than trinkets from the catalogue. Anyone know if vouchers ordered under this scheme have an expiry date?

dazza.mk

Porcupine wrote: »

Ouch. That's even more of a substantial hit than I first thought because, for example, Sainsbury's vouchers can be converted into food or petrol so are a much more useful currency than trinkets from the catalogue. Anyone know if vouchers ordered under this scheme have an expiry date?

It would depend on the specific retailer is they put an expiry date on vouchers.

alanq

My instinct was to agree with dazza.mk but...

"Do shopping vouchers have an expiry date or any other restrictions? No. There are no expiry dates on the vouchers."
https://www.hive4business.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/FreQues?langId=-1&storeId=44551&catalogId=58079&pageType=P

alanq

After a number of problems I have just managed to view my points online.

I am only able to view points for the current quarter which makes it difficult to check how the total has been arrived at.

I seem to have been awarded 1 point per £1 spent since the beginning of June where previously I usually (a long story!) got just 1 point for £2 spent as I am not an AA member. If this is correct, and not an error, then doubling the number of points on non-motoring spending will for me negate the halving of the value of the points.

While sorting out my login problem I asked the agent if he could tell me if I should have received an email yet re forthcoming changes but he had not heard anything.

alanq

Although the Ts&Cs haven't changed the AA Spend & Earn web page now says generally 1 point will be awarded per £ spent and 2 points per £ for motoring purchases. AA members get double those amounts.

So, as I discovered earlier, one now earns double the number of points although they are now worth half as much. So not a problem going forward but points earned before the changes have been devalued.

As Gromitt said there is not much point in applying for vouchers when one can have cashback to the same value to spend in a wider range of places.

Gromitt

alanq wrote: »

I am only able to view points for the current quarter which makes it difficult to check how the total has been arrived at.

You can download each months statement, these include the number of points awarded for that month.

alanq wrote: »

Although the Ts&Cs haven't changed the AA Spend & Earn web page now says generally 1 point will be awarded per £ spent and 2 points per £ for motoring purchases. AA members get double those amounts.

Where does it say this? I can't find it.

Furthermore, the AA Credit Card now says that a spend of £1200 per year (non motoring) is now worth £3 in cashback for non-members and £6 for members. Thats a pretty crap 0.25% for non members and 0.5% for members.

Saying that, I'm still waiting for the £50 cashback I applied for in June!

alanq

Gromitt wrote: »

You can download each months statement, these include the number of points awarded for that month.

There may be differences between Spend & Earn and Rewards Credit Cards. I am a non-member with an S&E card. I have always been able to view previous quarters' points. Currently my online statement shows no breakdown of the points I was awarded prior to 30th May 2012.

Gromitt wrote: »

Where does it say this? I can't find it.

Neither can I!

Again there could be differences between S&E and Credit cards. Under the old arrangements for S&E AA members got double points but the Ts&Cs have not been updated to show the new situation. The only evidence that I can find is "Cash back – if you prefer cash, you can exchange your points for this too. For every £1 spent, you can get a return of up to 4p. You'll get the best return if you spend on fuel and redeem against AA products."
For non-members the most one can earn is 2 points (which are now worth 1p cash back) per £ spent . So even if, as I thought, AA members earned double that would still be only 4 points (now worth 2p cash back) per £ spent and not 4p.

I wonder why redemption against AA products mentioned under Cash Back. If you are redeeming against AA products you are not getting Cash Back. Perhaps that is how the 4p of value per £ spent is arrived at.
http://www.theaa.com/prepaid-card/reward-points.html

Gromitt wrote: »

Furthermore, the AA Credit Card now says that a spend of £1200 per year (non motoring) is now worth £3 in cashback for non-members and £6 for members. Thats a pretty crap 0.25% for non members and 0.5% for members.

Yet here, for the Rewards Credit Card, it says "1% cash back on all fuel purchases for members, 0.5% for non members"
http://www.theaa.com/credit-card/rewards-credit-card.jsp?mc=def&name=&entry=null

I think that the web site needs a thorough update!

The_AA_Company_Representative

Gromitt wrote: »

Saying that, I'm still waiting for the £50 cashback I applied for in June!

Hello Gromitt, we would like the opportunity to help with your outstanding cashback, please email your details to [EMAIL="chat@theaa.com"]chat@theaa.com[/EMAIL] and please title the email FOR15688. Thank you, The AA.