Woolworths reviewing partnership with Qantas Frequent Flyer.

[Deleted member 26544]

As pi$$ed as I was when the announcement was made I've had some time to calm down and think vaguely rationally.

I prefer to shop online (I don't handle crowded/chaotic places like shopping centres well) so comparing Woolworths and Coles on a basket of items I regularly buy Woolworths is cheaper by 6.34%. When I factor in that I buy Wish eGift cards at 5% off, Woolworths becomes cheaper by 11.02%.

I deliberately excluded fresh fruit and vegetables from the analysis as the price at either retailer can vary depending on season, weather etc.

Points are nice but I can't justify paying the premium. I'm still earning 3 MR points per dollar on my Platinum Edge which is my preferred point currency since it is so versatile.

 

[Jurahn]

If they are women, wouldn't that mean that they are possibly "womening" the station...? Perhaps you mean "staffing"...?

Or maybe "personing"? I'd originally put "people" and then changed it to "women" as both stalls had female staff members, so yes, I probably should have changed the word "manning" LOL. The stall I saw this morning at another Woolworths had both a male and female staff member, so not sure whether there's safety in numbers or if they're just trying to speak to as many people as possible.

 

[Dr Ralph]

As pi$$ed as I was when the announcement was made I've had some time to calm down and think vaguely rationally.

I prefer to shop online (I don't handle crowded/chaotic places like shopping centres well) so comparing Woolworths and Coles on a basket of items I regularly buy Woolworths is cheaper by 6.34%. When I factor in that I buy Wish eGift cards at 5% off, Woolworths becomes cheaper by 11.02%.

I deliberately excluded fresh fruit and vegetables from the analysis as the price at either retailer can vary depending on season, weather etc.

Points are nice but I can't justify paying the premium. I'm still earning 3 MR points per dollar on my Platinum Edge which is my preferred point currency since it is so versatile.

Well said RG1. I think many will find that a rash decision to stop shopping at Wooloworths just because there wont be any QFF points wont be the best for them long term.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

I don't really care. Although it will mean I stop shopping exclusively at Woolworths and it will mean i buy fuel at BP for Velocity points instead.
However what I do object to is marketing this as "what our customers want".
Customers already choose whether to opt in to earn Qantas points.
That isn't what this change is about at all.

 

[civi_joe]

I went to Woolies tonight for the first time since the new scheme, I didn't buy anything with a tag so I'm "rewarded" with nothing instead of ~50 QFF points (after december anyway). There didn't seem to be heaps of stuff with tags either. They will lose out on my data too because I won't bother swiping my card if I know I didn't buy any ticketed items. Is this seriously the best idea they could come up with?

It seems that they are offering "rewards dollars" on things that they would have discounted anyway to try and confuse shoppers into thinking they are getting something extra when really they are just buying a delayed special. Some marketing bozo probably thought he was onto a winner here, but people are smarter than they give them credit for (hopefully).

 

[justin23]

Well said RG1. I think many will find that a rash decision to stop shopping at Wooloworths just because there wont be any QFF points wont be the best for them long term.

I won't avoid Woolies, but I will not swipe the new card. Once December 31st comes, I will stop swiping my card (well i'll be forced to) and I'm never swiping the new card, so they lose my customer data, which they seemed to like to use to remind me my favourite things were on special. I'm also looking at other credit cards. I'll shop where and when its convenient to me now, instead of going straight to Woolies. Same for petrol, I'll just go back to using the most convenient servo at the time, rather than go to the Woolies one. Basically what I did before the EDR QFF scheme.

The new Woolies loyalty program is very much slanted in favour of Woolworths. It very much is aimed at making consumers buy products they don't need to chase discounts or to buy Woolworths brands. Plenty of people have posted online that their $200 shop netted very few Woolworths dollars. Plus they've stopped stocking brands of things and replaced with their brand. Some things I don't care, but replacing my favourite soup with the Woolies one thats not the same flavour, similar but not the same is just another nail in the coffin.

 

[Colin 2905]

... but I will not swipe the new card. Once December 31st comes, I will stop swiping my card (well i'll be forced to) and I'm never swiping the new card ..... Same for petrol, I'll just go back to using the most convenient servo at the time, rather than go to the Woolies one.

As I pointed out in the EDR thread, the number and barcode on the old and new cards is the same, so it doesn't matter which one you use. The only thing different about them is the branding.

As for petrol, it's still in my financial interests to buy their discounted petrol. More often than not, the discount vouchers on my card reappear as available instead of redeemed, so I can keep using the same voucher until it actually expires. As such, I don't need to spend ≥ $30 at Woolies very often.

(FWIW, The closest servo to me is a BP, but it only sells overpriced E10 and premium grades, so I never go there.)

 

[ABC1]

I did a $150 shop yesterday.. Not one thing I bought had an orange ticket. Not one..

 

[justin23]

As I pointed out in the EDR thread, the number and barcode on the old and new cards is the same, so it doesn't matter which one you use. The only thing different about them is the branding.

As for petrol, it's still in my financial interests to buy their discounted petrol. More often than not, the discount vouchers on my card reappear as available instead of redeemed, so I can keep using the same voucher until it actually expires. As such, I don't need to spend ≥ $30 at Woolies very often.

(FWIW, The closest servo to me is a BP, but it only sells overpriced E10 and premium grades, so I never go there.)

The petrol is an interesting one. I've found that a few independant servos in Canberra have sprung up, plus also Costco. They are generally much cheaper than the woolies servos. I guess my point is, while ever I was getting points (I chose points over the discount) I didn't look around as much. Same for the groceries. What is going to happen is there were many who nevere went anywhere other than woolies. Now they are upset/annoyed/disappointed, people will look around and maybe discover the grass is greener elsewhere.

 

[Colin 2905]

The petrol is an interesting one. I've found that a few independant servos in Canberra have sprung up, plus also Costco. They are generally much cheaper than the woolies servos.

I live in Gilmore (hence the 2905 in my user name), so I tend to fill up at the Woolies petrol at Hume, since I drive past it twice a day. Of the Woolies petrol outlets in Canberra, it's the second cheapest. The only others that I've seen that are cheaper are Woolies near the airport (even cheaper when Costco petrol is open), Costco, and Metro (I think it was) in Fyshwick. Work-related meetings take me near the airport every couple of weeks, so I'll sometimes get petrol at Woolies or Costco there, but otherwise it's too far out of my way just to save another few cents a litre.

Some time ago I did the maths on points vs. cents discount and worked out that I'm better off sticking with the cents discount. But everyone is different, since everyone has their own idea on what a point is worth to them. It'll soon be a moot point for those that preferred points though.

 

[Muriel]

Yep…I've been a loyal Woolies customer - buying most of my supplies from them. However like many people, I also have a flybuys card - with a $60 credit onit. I shopped Coles this week for all of my supplies. Total bill $93 - plus a savings of $41.18. NEVER had that amount of saving in one bill at woolies no matter how much I spent. Guess where my main shop will be now?

 

[kyle]

Looks like more changes are in the pipeline. A survey has gone out canvassing the earning of points over $30...

 

[exceladdict]

Looks like more changes are in the pipeline. A survey has gone out canvassing the earning of points over $30...

I look forward to receiving that survey.

Oh wait, only customers that don't want points get asked.

 

[coco50]

As for petrol, it's still in my financial interests to buy their discounted petrol. More often than not, the discount vouchers on my card reappear as available instead of redeemed, so I can keep using the same voucher until it actually expires. As such, I don't need to spend ≥ $30 at Woolies very often.

(FWIW, The closest servo to me is a BP, but it only sells overpriced E10 and premium grades, so I never go there.)

This is probably veering OT but never buy E10 unless you want to replace your engine regularly. I buy Shell Vortex. It costs more but I get better mileage and I doesn't make a mess of my engine.

 

[rainbowgirl]

If anyone hasn't received their new cards yet, I suggest you log into your account and check that Woolworths Rewards have your correct details. Some of our cards arrived yesterday but one was missing. I logged into that account today to find that the address listed on the account was a completely different Queensland address and not Victoria.

I've just changed the address and I'm about to send negative feedback. I'm guessing the only way to get a new card is to apply for a new one but I think the new program issue new card numbers instead of cards with the same barcode. This is annoying as I need two cards with the same barcode and number in order to operate this account.

 

[Ansett]

If anyone hasn't received their new cards yet, I suggest you log into your account and check that Woolworths Rewards have your correct details. Some of our cards arrived yesterday but one was missing. I logged into that account today to find that the address listed on the account was a completely different Queensland address and not Victoria.

I've just changed the address and I'm about to send negative feedback. I'm guessing the only way to get a new card is to apply for a new one but I think the new program issue new card numbers instead of cards with the same barcode. This is annoying as I need two cards with the same barcode and number in order to operate this account.

If you need two cards simply photocopy and laminate. We did that with the EDR card and it worked for years and indeed still does today.

 

[rainbowgirl]

If you need two cards simply photocopy and laminate. We did that with the EDR card and it worked for years and indeed still does today.

Yes, we'll probably do something like this.

 

[cmon0005]

So went to WW last night I probably saw 3-4 'orange' tags all of which were not products I buy. Also scanning my card did not give me supposed discounts, how is this better than QFF points.

 

[exceladdict]

If you need two cards simply photocopy and laminate. We did that with the EDR card and it worked for years and indeed still does today.

My EDR barcode is sticky taped on the front of my fly buys card to save wallet space.

Can't compress fly buys card due to magnetic strip for fly buys dollars.

 

[wandering_fred]

Logged onto the woolworths rewards website with my account.
Interestingly, the QFF linkage is there as is an option to "close the account". Fuel savings are omitted from the menu items, though if you look carefully you can find the number (but not when they expire).

And the specials? The in-store items didn't seem to include anything I might have bought. Historically at least some of my "normal" shop is shown. The WW$ items - well two. Baking soda (once a year - maybe even though I do bake) and thick cream - which I buy on the basis of whatever is the least $.

Has Woolworths managed to hire the website people behind the QFF web site? Sure looks like a work in progress.

Happy wandering

Fred