WH Smith replaces Clubcard with new loyalty scheme
WH Smith is dropping its Clubcard loyalty scheme in favour of a Privilege Card, which it claims can provide customers with more offers via email.
The Clubcard will be phased out gradually, although customers will still be able to redeem their points up until the end of February 2009.
The retailer said that through the Privilege Card, customers will enjoy extra benefits and email offers, including an introductory email with £20 worth of vouchers, at least £10 worth of vouchers each month and exclusive discounts.
Existing Clubcard members will receive an email inviting them to open a Privilege Card and it will be promoted to potential new customers in store and with point-of-sale activities.
WH Smith introduced its Clubcard in 1997 offering 10 points for every £1 spent, but had to conduct an overhaul in 2003 after admitting that it was difficult to understand and not generous enough to high-spending customers.
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October 26th, 2008 at 11:52 am
There is no reason why better offers to the customer could not be provided through the ongoing use of a card rather than resorting to email offers and vouchers. The latter excludes a number of elderly people who do not have access to email. It also increases the need to circulate vouchers and print emails, which is ridiculously environmentally unfriendly. Accumulating ‘credits’ on a card carried in a purse is more friendly to the environment as well as to those unable to use email.
This is bluntly an attempt to gain access to free advertising to customers, and has little to do with real benefit to the consumer.