Woolworths Rewards - Can You Stop $10 Auto-Redeem Temporarily?

bluesky on 22/09/2016 - 17:49
Last edited 22/09/2016 - 17:51

Hi OZB'ers,

With the new woolworths rewards scheme, there are 3 redemption preferences:

Automatic savings
Unless you change your reward to one of the below, you'll automatically get $10 off your next eligible shop^ in-store or online at Woolworths or BWS (excluding Tasmania), each time your balance hits 2000 points.

Bank for Christmas
You can now choose to bank all your $10 savings for your Christmas shop. Your savings will be automatically triggered (i.e. become available on your card) on 15 December 2016.

Qantas Points
If you choose this reward, you can convert your savings to Qantas Points and they'll automatically be transferred to your Qantas Frequent Flyer account on 15 December 2016. 2000 points = $10 Woolworths Dollars = 870 Qantas Points. So, if you earn 10,000 points, this becomes $50 Woolworths Dollars, which will be converted to 4,350 Qantas Points.

Sometimes, you want the $10 redeem, sometimes you don't (e.g. trying to make $30 spend).

With Coles, at every $10 redemption opportunity at checkout, you can choose not to do so.

With Woolworths, the closest is 'Bank for Christmas'.

Question: If I want to stop the $10 auto-redeem from happening temporarily, do you think selecting 'Bank for Christmas', will freeze whatever points I currently have, until 15 Dec 2016? In other words, even if I change back to auto-redeem before Christmas, will they be made available for auto-redeem?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts/info.

Cheers,
bluesky

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Comments

  • SimbaGirl on 22/09/2016 - 18:30
    +4

    It appears you should be able to do this - from the Woolworths Rewards FAQ page:

    How often can I change my redemption preference?
    You can change your reward preference as many times as you like.
    If you're banking your savings for Christmas or converting them to Qantas Points, you can't change your preference within 48 hours of your next scheduled redemption.

    By the way, if you're trying to make the $30 spend threshold (or any other amount threshold for bonus points, extra $$ off promotions/offers etc), in my experience it makes no difference whether you use the auto-redemption option or not - the $10 off is just treated as a payment method, so as long as the total of your shopping reaches the required spend threshold, you should qualify for whatever benefit/bonus offer you're aiming for (e.g. fuel voucher for $30 spend, etc).

    • bluesky on 22/09/2016 - 18:36

      Oh really? :-) This is great news. Thanks for the info.

      How about Coles, do you know if the same applies? Like those flybuy bonus 500points for $30 spend. If a redeem reduces it below $30, I still get the bonus points?

      • SimbaGirl on 22/09/2016 - 18:39

        Not sure - I'd be lucky if I get a bonus points offer from Coles once a year (despite shopping there every week, and being a Flybuys member for years - WA always seems to miss out on bonus offers!), but maybe someone else can advise.

        • bluesky on 22/09/2016 - 18:44

          Hey, don't you get the mailout paper vouchers?
          They have vouchers every week, usually alternate between triple points and 500 points off for $30/$40 spend. Something like that.

          Having said that, they haven't send out any, after the last lot's date range passed.

        • SimbaGirl on 22/09/2016 - 18:46

          @bluesky: Nope, haven't had any of those paper vouchers for about 4 years, despite having all the relevant communication preferences etc selected on my profile - I actually haven't seen anyone here in Perth using the paper vouchers at Coles for several years either.

        • bluesky on 22/09/2016 - 18:49

          @SimbaGirl: Oh, I was still getting them a couple months ago. They usually come with your flybuy statement. So first page is the statement details, then the rest are vouchers. How do you receive your statement?

        • SimbaGirl on 22/09/2016 - 18:53

          @bluesky: No, get the statement but never any vouchers :(.

        • bluesky on 22/09/2016 - 18:54

          @SimbaGirl: Then, obviously different policy in different states.

        • SimbaGirl on 22/09/2016 - 18:55
          +1

          @bluesky: Seems so!

        • user27 on 22/09/2016 - 19:40

          @SimbaGirl: No you should get a stack of vouchers. We are in wa and we get the coupons. Maybe u need to shop at woolies occasionally so that they can entice u back

        • bluesky on 22/09/2016 - 19:51

          @user27: I shop at coles every few days, granted very low spend, because I tend to shop more at woolworths with 5% discount giftcards. So looks like it is not the frequency, but the amount of spend (low). So perhaps why I get the vouchers.

        • SimbaGirl on 22/09/2016 - 20:24

          @user27: I shop at both Woolworths and Coles (have both in our local shopping centre), have done so for years, and also now shop at Aldi as well. I've tried all the supposed "tricks" - scanning my card for every shop (large or small), not scanning the card for months, small spends (which is usual for me), larger spends etc … but nothing seems to trigger offers or vouchers.

      • tumsum on 22/09/2016 - 18:51
        +1

        yes you will get the points at coles. you will also get the fuel voucher.

        • bluesky on 22/09/2016 - 18:54

          That is good to know. I always bump up my spend to over $40 (for woolworths), stop redemption at coles if I am not above $40 . I don't have to do that anymore. Great, thanks! :-)

    • bluesky on 22/09/2016 - 18:41

      Oh yes, I also didnt make myself clear in my question.
      Even if I can change your preference as many times between the two.

      Let's say I have 1900 points. I use "Bank for Christmas".

      Few days later, I change back to Auto-redeem.
      Wonder if the 1900 points now remain frozen in the "Bank for Christmas" pool until 15 Dec. And only new points accumulated can be used for the auto-redeem.

      • SimbaGirl on 22/09/2016 - 18:44
        +1

        It doesn't seem to state anywhere what happens to existing points, just that you can change your redemption as often as you like and whenever you like (excepting that 48-hour clause for QFF points and Bank for Christmas). I would assume points already accumulated would then just go towards whatever preference you've changed it to. You might have to contact Woolworths Rewards and ask them, seeing as it's only a very recent revamp of the scheme.

        • bluesky on 22/09/2016 - 18:47

          I would assume points already accumulated would then just go towards whatever preference you've changed it to.

          It is the most sensible and simplest solution. But never know if they are actively trying to have people save up for when things are extra pricey, haha :-)

  • retiredfeline on 22/09/2016 - 19:25
    +1

    Wouldn't it be simpler to just take $10 (or whatever) out of your wallet/account and put it in a (virtual) "piggy bank" whenever auto-redeem fires? You could even collect interest on that piggy money. Or would that be asking for too much self-control?

    • bluesky on 22/09/2016 - 19:30

      Haha, definitely, the "banking for Christmas" I assume you mean :-)

      In my case, I was trying to get the fuel voucher, or deals that provide bonus points for say $30 spend. I was under the misconception, all this while, that if the redemption reduces amount to below $30, I will not get the fuel voucher.

      Seems like I was mistaken! :-) The redemption is just a "payment method". The original spend amount is used to determine qualification for those fuel vouchers or $spend. Good for me, moving forward!

      • retiredfeline on 22/09/2016 - 19:38
        +1

        Yes it's just like free cash at the checkout.

  • [Deactivated] on 25/09/2016 - 13:18
    +1

    Yes, the Woolworths Rewards multiples of $10 are counted as a payment method. You get new Woolworths points for the whole transaction amount.

    You asked at some point about flybuys $10 off rewards.

    If you use flybuys dollars for these rewards then this is counted as a payment method and you can pay any amount and use the eftpos machine and a pin. You get base flybuys points for the whole transaction amount.

    If you have the Coles Mastercard that gets you $10 off when you reach 2000 points, this counts as a discount and will lower the final total of the transaction and make it harder for you to qualify for the right targets. You'll only get flybuys points for the remaining total of the transaction.

    If you have a coupon or docket for money off your shop, this counts as a discount and will make it harder to reach the target you need for future offers. You'll only get flybuys points for the remaining total of the transacton.

    • bluesky on 25/09/2016 - 14:59
      +1

      Wow, no doubt about you, pointcrazy! :-) An appropriate username. Thank you for the explanation covering all the different scenarios. Yeah, I was sure I encountered some scenarios in the past that reduced the balance, making them not eligible for the fuel voucher. Got caught before. So here we have it, the last two. Appreciate you clearing it up.

  • Neoika on 05/11/2016 - 11:49
    +1

    Hi,just to update for you.If you really do not want to use the $10 off,you can do like this.I discovered it accidentally.

    After scanning all the products,press Pay Now.The screen will prompt you scan your Rewards card,but you press cancel and then scan your Rewards card.If you do so,you will earn points from this purchase without using $10 off on your card.

    It happened to me once.You may try once to verify what I said.

    • bluesky on 05/11/2016 - 16:15

      Thanks Neoika, appreciate you sharing this. If this works consistently, it will be a great work-around, to not redeem the $10, while still earning points.
      I will try it sometime.

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