PC Optimum is a rewards program offered by Loblaw Companies when customers use a PC Optimum card at Loblaw's supermarkets (excluding T & T Supermarket locations), gas stations, Shoppers Drug Mart or via the use a President's Choice Financial Mastercard. PC Optimum is a result of the merger of the PC Plus and Shoppers Optimum rewards program on February 1, 2018.
Video PC Optimum
History
PC Plus began in Ontario as a test launch in April 2013, expanding to all other provinces in November 2013. With a PC Plus card (in-store signup), or PC Financial credit card, customers can earn additional bonus points at stores where President's Choice products are sold, if a 'linked item' (usually distinguished through in-store signage) or activated online offer is purchased. The PC Plus program is tailored to offer bonus points offers based on customers' purchasing habits. Members load to their card weekly via a mobile app. The cards are accepted at all PC banner stores and gas stations (with the exception of T&T Supermarket locations, which use a separate rewards program).
On February 9, 2017, Loblaw announced that selected PC Plus accounts had been the target of fraudulent activities--particularly, the theft of points. The company stated that the breaches were the result of a targeted phishing operation and not a specific security flaw, but that it had temporarily suspended the service and reset all user passwords and as a precautionary measure. The announcement came two weeks after a man was arrested for theft at a Loblaw's store in Ottawa, for having redeemed points from a stolen PC Plus account to purchase a large number of gift cards. Following the resumption of service, Loblaw banned the purchase of gift cards using redeemed points, as they were a common purchase with stolen accounts.
On February 1, 2018, the PC Plus program merged with Shoppers Drug Mart's similar Optimum program (Loblaw Companies had previously acquired the chain) to form PC Optimum, effective February 1, 2018. Users were instructed to transition their existing PC Plus and Optimum accounts online, or do do so in person and exchange their cards at Loblaw grocery or Shopper's Drug Mart locations. There was also several techincal issues on Day 1, which resulted in thousands of users having techincal issues, ranging from the PC Optimum phone line having long wait times, errors when creating a account on the PC Optimum app, the PC Optimum website being down for several hours, and stores not giving out new PC Optimum cards. As was the case before, only Shoppers Drug Mart locations will offer base points on purchases, at 15 points per dollar spent.
Maps PC Optimum
Operations
In addition to being awarded PC Optimum bonus points for purchasing specific 'linked items' at participating Loblaw-affiliated stores, PC Financial credit card users also earn points based on the dollar value of all purchases placed on the card through any retailer. The rate of point acquisition varies depending on which credit card is used, and whether or not the purchase made was at a Loblaw-affiliated store. For example, if a purchase was made at a participating Loblaw affiliate, then the stated rate is 10 points for every dollar spent on a PC Mastercard, 20 points per dollar on a PC World Mastercard and 30 points per dollar on a PC World Elite Mastercard. As 1000 PC Points are valued at $1, the minimum rate of return is 1%. Promotions are sometimes used to give bonus points on specific products. Extra PC points can be offered by using coupons or multiple PC points can be offered if the store flyer advertises multiple points for that PC product.
Points can be redeemed for free groceries or other rewards. Points may be redeemed once a customer has 20,000 points or more banked (1,000 points = CA$1). Customers must also have a second form of payment once points are redeemed (as customers can only use points in multiples of 10,000, depending on the total or number of points the customer has banked). Points may not be redeemed for items such as alcohol, tobacco, lottery tickets, prescription medication and milk in Quebec.
PC Insiders
Announced in November 2017 as a pilot program, PC Insiders is a $99 per year (or $9.99 per month) pilot program for PC Plus members. The program includes bonus points on diapers, infant formula, PC Organics products, Joe Fresh products, and on the Beauty Boutique website. In addition, subscribers receive free click & collect, complementary online shipping, and a PC Travel credit.
External links
- Official website
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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