MSE News: M&S launches new loyalty scheme. But will it 'spark' any interest?

jenniewb

So I'd either need to shop at M&S several times a day every day for a year to get any of the "experience" type prizes or just be loaded enough to obtain this amount in points in the year.


I can't even see how I'd earn enough points to get on the first rung of the ladder let alone anything that may possibly be of any use to me.


Still. Am sure someone somewhere will find it a good trade off; all your shopping data for a money can't buy offer to enter a competition where you might be lucky enough to win something.


Am sticking with Tesco.

Carltonbp

I got a Sparks card today from them but since the new website I don't have an account with them any more. That account had lot's of addresses on it, store preferences, previous orders etc on it and it was annoying to lose it. I don't think I can be bothered to set one up, in the last year I haven't missed it.

Goldiegirl

My husband was sent one of these cards today. He's registered it, and we do use M&S, so we'll use the card when we go in.

It won't make us shop in there any more than we do. I'm not expecting much from this scheme, but if we get anything useful from it we'll take advantage of it.

chaos2

Hi Martin,

This evening I been to the M &S store in Charlton, London. My wife has a SPARKS card and I have been a long time customer of the M&S credit card.

Tonight is really a shambles about being able to use both the discount together. The SPARKS card is registered for 10% of for food and I also recently received a vouchers of money off for food, buy £50 get £5 off. When I tried to use both I was told I can only use one, the check out assistance put the 10% through but even the manager can't put it through. Therefore it is not possible to use both discount, all beware can use either only. I was told they are not able to put it through and that is that.

The other problem for all to beware and to check the bills is that M&S offer of 3 for £10 does often not discounted. Please check your bills.

ilovemygarden

you also get points in the cafes, & when you take in clothes to 'shwap' for Oxfam

Green_mile

I have a sparks card, don't see much point in it, any "offers" are usually on other sites as well, so nothing new for me there
Hard for mands' core customer base (middle aged and older) to see what they might have gained from their spending if they don't have/don't want internet access.
Also the Cafe revive loyalty card is being "replaced" by sparks card but we don't earn a free coffee after buying 9 others the incentive to eat or drink there has disappeared for me - I'll go to costa or cafe Nero and get a stamp for my coffee to save for a Free one.
Mands have boobed here, it's not much to ask for so many purchases in the cafe - the biggest incentive to eat and drink there which draws customers into the rest of the store as a whole
Why not reinstate the coffee loyalty card and give a little back to your customers instead of just taking!

hjd

Green_mile wrote: »

Why not reinstate the coffee loyalty card and give a little back to your customers instead of just taking!

I totally agree!

catswiththumbs

On Friday 29th Jan I received an email from Sparks to say if I logged on I could activate an offer of "Any hot drink & cake for £3". I activated it and later in the day called in at my local M & S caf!. Got a deal for myself and my husband and the man on the till said £9.30 please. I said that cannot be right - should only be £6! Even though I'd activated the offer it didn't work, the man on the till didn't know anything about it. Manager came and knew the offer wasn't working and they would have to manually override it on the till. It had happened to other people too. Come on M & S get your tills programmed correctly!!


I would also advise checking your receipt in the food hall as some of the deals don't always work. I have often been overcharged and had to go back and complain.

Novemberjuliett

I love myWaitrose and Boots Card almost as much as I am disappointed by my M&S Sparks. Waitrose and Boots make me feel rewarded and appreciate my custom by giving rewards and offers exactly on what I usually shop for. On top of this the coffee is delicious and I like getting the free newspaper and choosing my 10 products on which to have 20% off (Waitrose).
M&S Sparks is an utter disappointment.
After raking in 25 000 sparks (equivalent to 2500GBP spent !!) in about 6-7 months since it started, I have NEVER EVER received an invite to any cooking event, or in store food tasting, let alone the famed vineyard trips and other lies they told for custormers reaching 17 000 Sparks. What I receive is useless offers of sale preview (as if m&S would run out of stock of teatowels!) , 10% off daft clothers ranges and/or daft mens' ties , 20% off shoes or candles, flowers and so on. I get around 4-5 offers to use and they usually last for 2-3 weeks so you are stuck with them. I am annoyed as I never buy anything else than food from M&S and it would be nice to at least allow me a discount on food if nothing else after all this spending. I'd like to hear if anybody actually got invited or offered something for reaching 14 000 Sparks or 17 000 Sparks. Very disappointing, what's the point of collecting them?

Novemberjuliett

You get points but there's nothing you can exchange the points for! It's like a certificate of owning a star in another galaxy :-)