With inflation and general price increases, many French people are turning to loyalty cards. Private sales, promo codes, reductions, points, vouchers… loyalty cards actually provide access to many advantages.
Did you know ? More than 80% of French people have at least one food retailer loyalty card (Source: NielsenIQ)
But in reality, behind loyalty cards often hide commercial practices aimed at encouraging consumers to buy more often and in greater quantities in stores or online. What is it really ? Answers!
What are the advantages ?
First advantage, and not the least: benefit from reductions, points, euros, vouchers or even gifts during your purchases, for your birthday or when you sponsor a loved one.
In addition, with some cards, you can pay in installments, but may incur fees (see below).
Did you know ? In 2022, point-based purchases jumped nearly 18% (Source: NielsenIQ)
And the disadvantages…?
Please note: behind some loyalty cards there are actually many disadvantages. Before subscribing to any loyalty program, find out, in particular about the contribution (if it is paying) and about the management of contact details.
Indeed, when you subscribe to a program, your details will be requested, and may later be shared with business partners, sometimes unscrupulous.
> Read also : Telephone scams: how to avoid and report them?
In addition, to benefit from discounts or promotional codes, you must purchase certain specific products, and this during a predefined period. It is also possible that the accumulated points expire after a certain period of time, thus pushing you to purchase.
Good to know : people with a loyalty card would spend on average 50% more than people without one.
Finally, some loyalty cards can act as a payment card. But behind what is generally called the revolving credit (a permanent loan credit) actually hides rates that are very often higher than 15% per year, remarks Olivier Dauvers, marketing specialist.
LR