The following post is a guest post by Cassie from MrsJanuary.com! Enjoy!
Shoppers Drug Mart has one of the best rewards programs in Canada. Their program is called Shoppers Optimum and it is AWESOME.
For every $1 you spend, you will earn 10 Shoppers Optimum points.
Here are the rewards you will receive with your points:
- 8,000 = $10 off your purchase
- 22,000 = $30 off your purchase
- 38,000 = $60 off your purchase
- 50,000 = $85 off your purchase
- 95,000 = $170 off your purchase
At just 10 points for every $1 spent, earning enough points to redeem them for a decent amount of money, seems very difficult. Don’t sweat it, I’ve got you covered!
Here are some ways to earn Shoppers Optimum points much faster:
* Buy a gift card before you shop. If you plan to spend $100 at Shoppers Drug Mart, buy a $100 gift card before you do your shopping. You will earn 1,000 for that purchase (at 10 points per $1). Then, use that gift card to buy your items. As long as you don’t buy any items that don’t earn you points (such as other store gift cards, stamps, lottery tickets, etc.), you will earn an additional 1,000 points for your purchase. That’s double the points!
* Shop on bonus points days. Try to hold off purchasing items at Shoppers Drug Mart until they have some type of a bonus point event. Usually is is 20x the points, but sometimes it’s 15x the points. Obviously, the 20x points event is the best, but if you absolutely need to purchase something at Shoppers Drug Mart, and they are having a 15x points event, by all means, go shop!
* The good thing about the bonus points days, is that you can use coupons to get your total below the recommended price point. Most times, you have to spend a minimum of $50 before taxes in order to get 15x or 20x the points. However, as long as your total is $50 BEFORE taxes and before coupons, you will get the points on your total purchase (before coupons).
For example. Let’s say you buy $65 in merchandise, and you have $35 in coupons. That means you will pay $30 (plus tax) and you will earn bonus points on the original $65! Isn’t that awesome?! It’s definitely the best way to rack up points fast.
* Watch for bonus points sales and coupons. Shoppers Drug Mart frequently updates their website with new bonus points offers. Sometimes they are just offers, and other times they are actual coupons for bonus points, that the cashier will need to scan when you shop. These bonus points could be anything from “earn 500 bonus points when you buy 2 Colgate toothpaste” to “earn 3000 bonus points when you spend $10 or more on Dove products”.
These bonus point coupons and sales aren’t always posted on the Shoppers Drug Mart website, so be sure to take a little stroll through the store to see if there are any that are unadvertised. They are the little stickers that are attached to the price tags on the shelves.
Once you have accumulated lots and lots of points, then comes the fun part – redeeming them for free groceries and/or other items!
You can redeem at the regular level (listed above), but to get the best bang for your buck, only redeem your points on bonus redemption days.
Bonus redemption days happen every few months (sometimes more) at Shoppers Drug Mart. The usual bonus redemption is:
- 50,000 points = $100 off your purchase (an extra $15!)
- 95,000 points = $200 off your purchase (an extra $30!)
You can redeem for groceries, cosmetics, perfumes, cleaning supplies, medicines (not prescription), books, magazines, candy and sooooo much more!
Shoppers Drug Mart Optimum program really is the best in Canada. If you aren’t already a member, I would strongly suggest getting a card (it’s free!) and signing up. You won’t regret it!
i <3 optimum points.
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Correct me if I am wrong, but I just read a post by a representative of SDM on facebook that your minimum purchase includes coupons for deals like these. Be cautions of this.
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What a great idea to buy a gift card! I’m always at Shoppers buying all sorts of stuff.
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Does the SDM gift card become active right away? Purchase gift cards at RCSS and it takes 24 hours to activate.
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Jen – They are wrong. Trust me.
LPC – It’s an easy way to get double the points!
Linda – Yes, SDM gift cards are active right away.
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what a great & helpful post!
On there big sale days where u need 2 spend a certain amount, I never thought of buying a gift card 1st! I know I will use this tip 4 sure:) Thanks so much:)
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What about optimum mastercard? Can you buy giftcard with your credit card?
And should you not give coupons until have the total came up? Cashiers like to use coupon right after they scan the item I think..
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Such a great post! I am always trying to maximise points.
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Such a good idea to buy a gift card first then use it towards your purchase. I bought the gift card intending to use it towards my purchases and the cashier who was a manager said I couldn’t use it. I was so upset I called when I returned home and a lady said I could have used the gift card towards my purchases. Now I am stuck with a $50 Shoppers gift card!
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This weekend is amazing at shoppers. It is a bonus weekend($200, rather then the plain old 170 in free products)BUT… the best part is you only need to have 80,000 points instead of the usual 95,000.
For oldtimers, who remember the days of 75,000 this is a blast to the past. I will be getting $400 for free this weekend and I don’t have to clip coupons for 40 hours a week…okay I will bring a few coupons…Enjoy and happy shopping!!! Love shoppers drug mart!
if you don’t have their mastercard get one! I got 25,000 extra points this month which is worth around $75 in free stuff if you cash in this weekend! Yahoo!!!
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I went to Shoppers tonight to buy the netbook on for 199.99. I asked if they had one instock before I bought a couple of giftcards. The girl got her supervisor, she told me they don’t give points on Gift Cards I asked her to check with the store Manager, she left and called her. She confirmed that the Manager and her were right that they definitely do not give points for gift cards. Even worse, she said if I bought gift cards and tried to use them to pay for this netbook there was a good chance I wouldn’t get the 20X points. Guess I’m going to call Head Office tomorrow to confirm.
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Janic Reply:
September 3rd, 2011 at 12:32 pm
Sue, did you find out anything about getting points when purchasing a gift card?
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This weekend is a bonus redemption weekend!
95,000 points = $250 this time “yay”
Thanks fornyour above tips!! Gift card info is awesome!! Thanks!
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At 20x point days, ff you buy gift card is that also apply to get 20x points?
If you have Optimum MasterCard card if the 20x points also apply to the point earn on MasterCard?
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kalynda Reply:
December 29th, 2011 at 3:13 pm
Amanda, I copied this off their website underneath the 20x Promo details. Looks like it doesn’t apply to gift cards or Mastercard.
*Points are issued according to the net pre-tax purchase total of eligible products after redemptions and discounts and before taxes using a valid Shoppers Optimum Card®. Excludes prescription purchases, Shoppers Optimum Bonus Points®, Shoppers Optimum® MasterCard® points, products that contain codeine, tobacco products (where applicable), lottery tickets, passport photos, stamps, transit tickets and passes, event tickets, gift cards, prepaid phone cards, prepaid card products and Shoppers Home Health Care® locations. Offer applies to photofinishing services that are picked up and paid for on the day of the offer only. Not to be used in conjunction with any other Shoppers Optimum Points® promotions or offers.
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I have to return something which I bought on 20x points day. Do you know if they will recaculate the points and take off my 20x points for my purchase?
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Simply Frugal Reply:
January 6th, 2012 at 1:20 pm
Although I’m not 100% sure, I’m fairly certain your points will be left as is. Especially if they have been put into your account already. Hope that helps!
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I’m willing to bet that you don’t earn 20x points on gift cards. Otherwise, you could earn 20000 points from a $100 gift card, and then use it to buy another gift card, essentially earning you as many points as you want in 20000 point increments. Unfortunately they have probably caught this loophole long ago. Back to normal ways of earning.
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Is it possible to pay for a transit pass with a gift card (and so earn points for purchasing the GC)? thank you!
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You get points when you buy the gift card, but you DON’T get points on the purchases you redeem the gift card for
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