Sainsbury's new 'Nectar Prices' scheme

Brie

Noticed on the pumps at Tesco that the clubcard points are changing from 1 point for £2 spent on petrol to 1 point on 2 litres.  So now I have to spend £3 to get 1 point.

Cornucopia

I've seen some ridiculous "non-member" prices in both Sainsburys and Tesco.   Are people really paying nearly £5 for a box of Crunchy Nut Cornflakes?   That seems unlikely.

Mnoee

Cornucopia said:

I've seen some ridiculous "non-member" prices in both Sainsburys and Tesco.   Are people really paying nearly £5 for a box of Crunchy Nut Cornflakes?   That seems unlikely.

Yep, there's loads of people who are brand loyal and don't even think to pick up a spare box or two when they're on offer, despite the long shelf life. That's why there's pages like 'the downshift challenge' right here on MSE: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/downshift-challenge/

To people who have been on this forum for yonks it's common sense, but there's members of my own family who do exactly this - just buy what they've always bought. The member prices aren't always there, and some people will just pay up. 

kfsimpson

Having heard that Sainsbury’s has introduced loyalty card only prices, before going to the store yesterday I looked on the mobile telephone app and was pleased to see that there was a reduction on an item I have previously bought there. I duly picked up three and went to the self service till, scanned my loyalty card and was surprised when the offered reduction didn’t come off as it does in Tesco’s. I called over the assistant, who also couldn’t understand why. She called the supervisor who informed me that the lower price only applies if I use ‘Smart shop’ and use of their stupid hand held guns. Buying only six items in total, I don’t want to carry a scanner gun around the store in one hand and not be able to carry my shopping. She was wholly unapologetic and said that Sainsbury’s wants its customers not only to scan our own items at a self service till, but now to use its stupid pointy guns as well.

If enough of us complain when in store they might pass it on to store and regional management and relent and let us have the reduction just by scanning our loyalty card, as in Tesco’s. Even the first assistant was unaware of this new hurdle. This has really **ssed me off and will mean that I will use Sainsbury’s even less.

Mnoee

kfsimpson said:

Having heard that Sainsbury’s has introduced loyalty card only prices, before going to the store yesterday I looked on the mobile telephone app and was pleased to see that there was a reduction on an item I have previously bought there. I duly picked up three and went to the self service till, scanned my loyalty card and was surprised when the offered reduction didn’t come off as it does in Tesco’s. I called over the assistant, who also couldn’t understand why. She called the supervisor who informed me that the lower price only applies if I use ‘Smart shop’ and use of their stupid hand held guns. Buying only six items in total, I don’t want to carry a scanner gun around the store in one hand and not be able to carry my shopping. She was wholly unapologetic and said that Sainsbury’s wants its customers not only to scan our own items at a self service till, but now to use its stupid pointy guns as well.

If enough of us complain when in store they might pass it on to store and regional management and relent and let us have the reduction just by scanning our loyalty card, as in Tesco’s. Even the first assistant was unaware of this new hurdle. This has really **ssed me off and will mean that I will use Sainsbury’s even less.

There's now 3 different types of offer from Sainsbury's - nectar prices - a reduction on shelf price with a nectar card online and in store, your nectar prices - a reduction on prices in store with smartshop only, and Sainsburys offers - personalised offers often for extra Nectar points but also money off certain spends, must be activated in the app, can be online or in store only, most extra nectar points are either.

They do have similar names, which has already lead people on this thread to become confused. Your nectar prices was around before the new nectar prices, and has been in store with smartshop only for ages. 

dealyboy

Mnoee said:

kfsimpson said:

Having heard that Sainsbury’s has introduced loyalty card only prices, before going to the store yesterday I looked on the mobile telephone app and was pleased to see that there was a reduction on an item I have previously bought there. I duly picked up three and went to the self service till, scanned my loyalty card and was surprised when the offered reduction didn’t come off as it does in Tesco’s. I called over the assistant, who also couldn’t understand why. She called the supervisor who informed me that the lower price only applies if I use ‘Smart shop’ and use of their stupid hand held guns. Buying only six items in total, I don’t want to carry a scanner gun around the store in one hand and not be able to carry my shopping. She was wholly unapologetic and said that Sainsbury’s wants its customers not only to scan our own items at a self service till, but now to use its stupid pointy guns as well.

If enough of us complain when in store they might pass it on to store and regional management and relent and let us have the reduction just by scanning our loyalty card, as in Tesco’s. Even the first assistant was unaware of this new hurdle. This has really **ssed me off and will mean that I will use Sainsbury’s even less.

There's now 3 different types of offer from Sainsbury's - nectar prices - a reduction on shelf price with a nectar card online and in store, your nectar prices - a reduction on prices in store with smartshop only, and Sainsburys offers - personalised offers often for extra Nectar points but also money off certain spends, must be activated in the app, can be online or in store only, most extra nectar points are either.

They do have similar names, which has already lead people on this thread to become confused. Your nectar prices was around before the new nectar prices, and has been in store with smartshop only for ages. 

Well explained @Mnoee and I do empathize with you @kfsimpson .

I shop in two Sainsbury's stores and do smartshops in both. In my local Sainsbury's shop, a hybrid store i.e. they don't have handhelds but you can use the Smartshop app, but you need 4 hands. In the next town, a full store with handhelds, I only need 3 hands. Many's the time I've left my list on the shelf or dropped it, or left the item I've just scanned on the shelf.

I don't know if either of you play 'the game' ... the game appears automatically on the Nectar app if you've done a shop over £1 scanning your Nectar card but not qualifying for either Sainsbury's Offers or Your Nectar Prices, you can win between 5 and 50 Nectar points. I sometimes separate my shopping to play the game first and then put through my Offers/YNPs.

I do like these offers as I'm sure you appreciate they are geared to what you would normally buy, either precisely or with another brand, and with skill you can double up or combine offers/YNPs. I regularly double up Sainsbury's Offers on Hubbards baked beans to get a can for effectively 16p every two weeks, and regularly combine offers/YNPs on sardines with points on the specific product, points on tinned fish and a YNP effectively paying 15p, and on Sainsbury's yeast extract normal price £2.00, YNP £1.60 and two offers, one specific 110pts and one generic (includes jam, peanut butter etc) 90pts, effectively paying 60p. You have to time your purchases to maximise the opportunities.

maman

That's an amazing story @kfsimpson. I do use the guns when I'm in Sainsburys but also usually a small trolley, even when I don't want much, as it's easier than carrying my bag and a basket.

It seems Sainsburys are pushing customers further and further down the road of DIY and reducing customer service. 

Ironically, I shopped for a few things in a different branch of Sainsburys today, having done the bulk of my shop in Aldi. This one still has lots of open staffed checkouts, probably about 12. My local store has long gone from 12 to 3. It could be just a matter of time but I suspect it's to do with the clientele. My local store is next to a student hall of residence but today's is in an upmarket area with customers doing a large shop. 

elsien

I used the shop and scan today for the first time because it gave me £5 off.
I’m not a regular Sainsbury’s shopper unless the wine offers are on, so when I go in I normally only spend a few pounds at a time.

How would I know what offers were available to me if I use shop and scan again? I don’t have the app and I’m not planning on downloading it.

KxMx

If you log into the nectar website, it should display all your offers including those for Shop and Scan. 

Neil49

kfsimpson said:

Having heard that Sainsbury’s has introduced loyalty card only prices, before going to the store yesterday I looked on the mobile telephone app and was pleased to see that there was a reduction on an item I have previously bought there. I duly picked up three and went to the self service till, scanned my loyalty card and was surprised when the offered reduction didn’t come off as it does in Tesco’s. I called over the assistant, who also couldn’t understand why. She called the supervisor who informed me that the lower price only applies if I use ‘Smart shop’ and use of their stupid hand held guns. Buying only six items in total, I don’t want to carry a scanner gun around the store in one hand and not be able to carry my shopping. She was wholly unapologetic and said that Sainsbury’s wants its customers not only to scan our own items at a self service till, but now to use its stupid pointy guns as well.

If enough of us complain when in store they might pass it on to store and regional management and relent and let us have the reduction just by scanning our loyalty card, as in Tesco’s. Even the first assistant was unaware of this new hurdle. This has really **ssed me off and will mean that I will use Sainsbury’s even less.

I always use Smart Shop (using my mobile phone to scan the items as my store doesn't have the guns) ) and put them straight into my shopping bag. You see the discounted price straight away so you know it has been recorded correctly.

If you want to you can use a trolley but still put everything straight into your shopping bags. Either way, checkout is quick and easy.

I hated it at first but soon saw the advantages but it's a matter of preference.