News on retail chains (was: New Mall Retail)

[Towered]

PC Optimum is pretty much the ideal/ "gold standard" loyalty program out there. It's actually very useful as there are tons of ways you can earn bonus points or redeem them for more value.

Scene at a time was pretty good too, until they started devaluing and making it difficult to accumulate at a rate which is actually beneficial. Their partnership with Empire might change this so it actually improves though so we'll see how that plays out. I never bothered entering the Scene+ program once Empire joined the agreement, mainly because I was irritated with the points devaluing.

Air Miles however is the dumpster fire of them all. Aeroplan is not far behind.

How do you get bonus points??

 

[Amare]

^They've always got things for extra points when you spend on certain categories (personalized to what you spend on), 20x points for SDM spends, just to name a few ways. When you capitalize on those, it's pretty easy to rack up points. Redeeming points on redemption days give you even more bang for your buck.

 

[PinkLucy]

Isn't pretty much every corporate points program useless? After years and years of shopping at various Loblaws owned stores, the reward for my efforts is a forgettable, meagre accumulation of 50 bucks worth of points. What's the...point?

We need to talk. I cash in about $500 every year

 

[Bayer]

Not fond of loyalty programs, but since they are built into the prices, I take advantage of them. Optimum has been by far the most rewarding.

 

[afransen]

Isn't pretty much every corporate points program useless? After years and years of shopping at various Loblaws owned stores, the reward for my efforts is a forgettable, meagre accumulation of 50 bucks worth of points. What's the...point?

I redeem easily 500$ worth of PCO points per year.i

 

[soundmuseum]

If you time your regular and bigger ticket purchases to the bonus point offers and bonus redemption days, you can get quite a lot of value from the program. I've been able to redeem my PC points earned for an Xbox and a Nintendo Switch.

 

[Towered]

What the hell am I doing wrong?

 

[BB ON]

Their discount banners like No Frills barely dole out any points. It also depends on what you get -- fruit and veg never earn. I remember months of regular groceries at NF and finally getting 100 points for a lemon.

They're most generous on labels they own and other high margin products.

 

[Bayer]

Their discount banners like No Frills barely dole out any points. It also depends on what you get -- fruit and veg never earn. I remember months of regular groceries at NF and finally getting 100 points for a lemon.

They're most generous on labels they own and other high margin products.

I got 2,400 points on a bag of apples last week. Most of the time it's a surprise because I don't plan my purchases around the points. Although a couple of months ago, I needed vitamins and I noticed a promotion at SDM. Spent $100 and got 37,000 points.

 

[Northern Light]

I got 2,400 points on a bag of apples last week. Most of the time it's a surprise because I don't plan my purchases around the points. Although a couple of months ago, I needed vitamins and I noticed a promotion at SDM. Spent $100 and got 37,000 points.

What pray tell does 37,000 points buy?

 

[afransen]

What pray tell does 37,000 points buy?

1000 pts = $1

 

[Northern Light]

So, I tried these:

I was disappointed.

They weren't bad, but unexceptional and not really the flavour profile I was looking for.

You could taste the garlic, the soy was rather muted, I didn't get even a hint of chicken (that's fine); really needed at least a bit of heat, which it also didn't have.

 

[mike0001]

Opening soon at the base of the new LCBO building at 100 Queens Quay East.

Kind of interesting to note that there aren't really any other good coffee shops on Queens Quay in either direction.

 

[Jonny5]

Oops.
Bed Bath and Beyond is gone.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1650117359619719169

Almost everything "home" I've bought for the past five or six years from bath towels to bed sheets to kitchen doohickeys I have bought off Amazon . That was after going comparison shopping at stores like this (also Home Sense) and finding literally every single thing significantly higher priced and often obviously lower quality.

EDIT: the "almost all" above is to note there is one Canadian retailer I still visit for this stuff which surprisingly is Canadian Tire. They are the one place I have regularly found good value for quality home stuff. Their online shopping is a pretty good experience too after many years of troubles getting it going.

 

[Bayer]

Oops.
Bed Bath and Beyond is gone.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1650117359619719169

Everything I've bought for the past few years from bath towels to bed sheets, to kitchen kitchen doo-hickeys, I have bought off Amazon for the past five or six years. That was after going comparison shopping at stores like this (Home Sense) and finding literally every single thing significantly higher priced and often obviously lower quality.

EDIT: Actually, I have to call out one Canadian retailer who I do still visit for this stuff is Canadian Tire. They are the one place I have regularly found good value and quality on stuff. Their online shopping is a pretty good experience too after many years of troubles getting it going.

Once I bought a tablecloth at BBB and after a single wash, it had pilled so much that it was unusable and I tossed it. After that I stopped shopping there. Other than Amazon, I use Simons a lot for some housewares.