Are nectar cards a waste of time?

[driver_problems]

been carrying one oround for a couple of years - fill up the car about 3 or 4 times a week plus a fair amount of shopping. Asked the operator what the score was with the card as nothing ever seems to happen about it. he said I was showing 70 points and it was as if it was the first time I had ever used the thing .
Previously some numpty in the store persuaded me to change power supplier (you know the drill I imagine) and all I got out of that was 14 months of agro trying to sort the mess out - for this pleasure I was to recieve 5000 points - rang up the help line - can't get through, though they are only open till 8pm and as it was 7.55pm I assumed they were using the time tested ntl technique of stopping incoming calls at 7.50pm (been there, done that and been laid off from it)

So what's it all about I ask. Shall I just sling it in the bin?

[danielf]

Originally Posted by driver_problems

<snip>

So what's it all about I ask. Shall I just sling it in the bin?

It's about the shops being able to build up a profile of their customers so they can target advertising. For that reason alone, I'd say stick it in the bin.

[Chris W]

i use my for all sorts of things.... currently i have about 12000 points, mainly from petrol, but also shopping, credit card, gas/elec at old house, phone line... etc etc.

It is the most comprehensive reward scheme i have found, plus i can use my points to buy flights

[driver_problems]

Originally Posted by Chris W

i use my for all sorts of things.... currently i have about 12000 points, mainly from petrol, but also shopping, credit card, gas/elec at old house, phone line... etc etc.

It is the most comprehensive reward scheme i have found, plus i can use my points to buy flights

hmm. it seems as though I have been wandering around with a dud or a placebo for the last couple of years

[Hom3r]

I have one it comes in handy at christmas, any extra of the shopping helps.

I also have the WHSmiths clubcard, I've had it since day one, I've know got £150 on it. When I get a job I might use it to pay for a PSP

[Paul M]

Got about 2,500 points on mine atm. Waste of time ? - No.

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by Chris W

It is the most comprehensive reward scheme i have found

Maybe, but at 0.5% return it's also one of the meanest. AFAIK, the Boots card gives the highest return at 4%.

driver_problems: Sounds like you should pursue this. Got any old receipts that prove you've credited points to it?

[Hom3r]

Have you registered the card?

[Halcyon]

I dont really use it often but I get a coupon sent to me each year on my birthday to pick up a free box of chocolates so thats always worth it.

[LSainsbury]

I have 14,284 on mine. You can use Nectar when you buy lots of things - just checkout Nectar e-Stores. Amazon, Play, eBay, Debenhams to name but just a few. You can redeem the points for lots of stuff as well. Vouchers, days out etc...I think it's worth it....just get collecting. I don't sign up for all the marketing crap though!

[hoggyspuds]

Originally Posted by Paul M

Got about 2,500 points on mine atm. Waste of time ? - No.

got over 10,000 on mine. Drive a van and fill up at Sainsburys twice a week. Use the card at Argos for blank dvd's.........bin it?....NO!

[King Of Fools]

You can log into http://www.nectar.com/ to find out your balance.

[driver_problems]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

driver_problems: Sounds like you should pursue this. Got any old receipts that prove you've credited points to it?

yes. I just talked to an Indian woman about it. It seems that the card is a susiduary card and not the main one (though I can't remember another card being in the equation). She is sending me another 'main one' in the post and it seems that the balance on the whole account it 4221 points

[Theodoric]

In my case I'd say it's OK. Me and my wife use it because we normally shop at Sainsbury's, so it's an added extra. We normally use it to go towards the Xmas shopping.

Re Sainsbury's use of my shopping data. Well, you don't get owt for nowt. Our shopping is boringly normal, so there's nothing to be embarrassed about and it doesn't seem to have generated any junk mail.

[joggerspark]

i dont think the card are a complete waste of time, sure the reward card takes ages to build up sufficient points to get anything worthwhile

I use a tesco clubcard & credit card and earn points on everything I spend. This builds up very fast & the fact that tesco gives you vouchers which are four times its values worth in deals. So a £1.00 tesco voucher is worth £4.00 in any deals voucher e.g. MFI