Nectar - anybody else getting tired of it?

Devon_Scrooge

To put it mildly, Nectar are really annoying.  I couldn't get into my Nectar account last Autumn (linked with my Wife's card) so reset my account, and for some reason my Wife can't now access her account.  We have tried to get them to sort it out, but no luck.

They keep bombarding me with emails for special points offers, and don't always state that you have to click on a link to get these offers, most of which are of no interest to me anyway. 

Really annoys me that you have to click a link anyway.  If I go to somewhere like Tesco, and there are Clubcard offers available, I just purchase the item, scan my card, and the benefits or discounts are applied.  None of this go here, click that nonsense. 

Our cards are linked to eBay, Argos, and a few other stores, and I've had to fight to get points awarded a number of times.  Just this morning, I saw that there was an offer on eBay for quadruple Nectar points which expired tonight.  I needed a part for my car so clicked 'buy it now' expecting to get the quadruple points.  No, didn't get them, so I've had to contact eBay, who have now managed to sort it. 

We have had Nectar cards for many years, don't use them a lot, but do I buy a lot on eBay, and so far we have only accrued about £43 worth of vouchers. 

My eBay purchase this morning was just over £27 so eventually 108 points awarded - each point is worth 0.5p, so whoopee-do, with the quadruple points offer, I've gained an extra 40.5p.      Beginning to wonder if the hassles with Nectar are worthwhile.

MikeyPGT

I've got fed up of their constant e-mails so have 'unsubscribed'.  I think I've earned about 20p in all the time I've had a nectar card as it just seems like to much hassle to actually get anything creditted to the account

sarah1972

Pmd the team to move to an appropriate board as it’s currently not on any board

MrsStepford

I used to go shopping in Sainsbury's with my mother, who thinks that the sun shines out of..as far as Sainsbury's is concerned. I would use her Nectar card with my shopping to build up her points and then pay for her shopping and use her Nectar card with that. Used to bug me, when she would get vouchers for things that I had just bought. 

I linked my Nectar card with my husband's sand all the points went on his card. I ended up getting  nulles pointes myself. I quit. Husband still has one in case he gets a money off voucher for fuel.

flossy_splodge

I don't mess around with apps and all that nonsense but I did take out an Amex card linked to Nectar so I always pay with that card in Sainsburys so in addition to the normal nectar points I get double the amount thanks to the (free) Amex card and in consequence I currently have well over £100 of value on my nectar card and unlike Tesco clubcard, my Nectar points don't have expiry dates!!

For me this is such a better system   as I am on my own so am not spending a great deal so use my accumulated Nectar points for 'special' or extra purchases at Christmas.

My clubcard points might have reached £10 by then if I'm lucky so never enough to trade in for an offer.

Give me Nectar every time!

Mnoee

I've recently swapped from Tesco to Sainsburys and I'm quite impressed with the nectar offers I get - it seems to be for things I actually buy regularly, and though its usually only 5-10p's worth, when it's for buying the aldi-matched cheap stuff I was getting anyway it's welcomed! Also got the Sainsburys nectar credit card for a few extra points every month plus 8000 bonus points - which means my annual midweek delivery pass is 'free'. I don't find them more expensive than Tesco for the things I buy - some a few pence more, some a few pence less. 

Yes, I do have to open an app and click a button, but considering last week that saved me 90p on a £50 shop I really don't mind - no matter how many times I checked, I never had a thing from Tesco. 

sammyjammy

I agree with @Mnoee, I like Nectar, I don't shop in Sainsburys a huge amount but I do use smartshop to which I add my nectar offerings so either build up extra points or pay a reduced price for items, sometimes between the two types of offers I can get points and save money on one thing.  They always have offers for things I buy regularly so its a bit of a no brainer.  Tesco is a bit of a con as far as I see it and mostly irrelevant to my shopping habits.

jon81uk

I don't get any emails from Nectar, unsubscribed to them and most other retailers.
But I do go into the Nectar app once a week to save the bonus point offers, As @Mnoeesays above it can be worthwhile to get a few extra pence back.
Also I generally find Sainsbury's own brand to be better than Tesco.

dealyboy

I agree with other contributors advocating Nectar Prices (weekly discount offers) and Sainsbury's Offers (weekly points offers). It is quite possible to make significant savings or even gains when applying these as a savvy shopper.

- Nectar Prices and Sainsbury's Offers can be combined so it is wise not to buy a product until you know whether you can effectively get a double discount
- Sainsbury's Offers apply to reduced items prices for further discounts
- Sainsbury's Offers last for 8 days and some offers will repeat every week for a double discount every fortnight e.g. Hubbards baked beans
- Some Sainsbury's Offers are on product groups which can be combined with specific product offers e.g. tinned fish - 200 points with specific sardines - 20 points, price 60p --> minus 50p;  jam/preservatives/spreads - 40 points with yeast extract 90 points plus Nectar Price discount of 60p, price £2.10 --> 85p
- Some Sainsbury's Offers repeat and combine with other grocery promotions e.g. J. James frozen pollock steaks recently were on offer in store at £1.60 (now back to £3.25) for some 4 weeks, during that time I received offers of 180 points and 120 points so price effectively down to 70p and £1.00
- Some Nectar Prices will expire only after several weeks

Sainsbury's food prices have been escalating in recent weeks and I and others are often shocked at items with yellow labels at a higher price than one would normally pay, so it is worth being savvy.

One extra tip is the 'e' symbol products, basically indicating an average weight is applied as the depicted weight, this affects many food products from produce to cheese to meat and the rest. By law retailers are not allowed to go outside the weight bounds for the product types and indicative weights and although Sainsbury's often have products weighing a little under, some items are way over, cheese 10%, meat 15%, produce 60% or even more. I don't overdo it but I do pick out about 3 items of each product that feel on the heavy side and head over to the scales, I also advise other shoppers of what I'm doing as it's well worth it. This doesn't only apply to Sainsbury's of course and I was in B&M on Tuesday buying mixed nuts £1.49 for a 200g bag, good value in itself, when weighing at home one was 340g and another 360g.

sarahj1986

I’ve only got about £15 worth of points but I only collect nectar points off eBay, occasionally Argos and the Sainsbury’s local. Times are hard so I would like to use that £15 at some point this month. In the past I would do a Sainsbury’s shop online and use the points that way. Can anyone advise - can I use them instore? Specifically and Sainsbury’s local in town, if so “how” do I do it? Do I tell them or, another way? 

Mnoee

sarahj1986 said:

I’ve only got about £15 worth of points but I only collect nectar points off eBay, occasionally Argos and the Sainsbury’s local. Times are hard so I would like to use that £15 at some point this month. In the past I would do a Sainsbury’s shop online and use the points that way. Can anyone advise - can I use them instore? Specifically and Sainsbury’s local in town, if so “how” do I do it? Do I tell them or, another way? 

I've only used self checkout in Sainsbury's, but there's an option on the payment screen to pay with nectar points once you've scanned your nectar card. If you're using a normal cashier, I'm sure they'll be able to guide you if you tell them you'd like to pay with points.