Aldi Slams Competitors Over ‘Dodgy’ Loyalty Programs That Deliver No ‘Real’ Value.
Aldi who are a major seller of house brand consumer electronics and appliances has hit out at their oppositions loyalty programs claiming that “manipulate” shoppers and cost users up to $1,500 a year.
The European retailer claims that consumers who desperately to accrue enough points for a toaster are actually forgoing actual savings at the checkout.
In a head on attack of Coles and Woolworths as well as Big W, K Mart and Target, they claim that the programs leave loyal customers waiting for years in points purgatory in a quest for flights, money off vouchers and appliances.
Aldi head of customer service Adrian Christie told news.com.au an average family would have to spend $15,000 at the Coles checkout and patiently wait one year and seven months to get enough points for a Tefal frying pan.
The same pan costs just $60 to buy outright, the same amount the family could save on their shopping bill in just over two weeks, he claimed.
Want a 13-inch laptop through Flybuys? You’ll have to spend $382,000 on shopping and wait 42 years before you’ve accrued enough points, according to Aldi.
In a blistering attack the former head of Sony PR said “It’s not a mistake that the words ‘loyalty’ and ‘scheme’ are used together as they are a scheme; there is some sort of manipulation going on,”.
When Christie was questioned about the value of a program he said “A loyalty program is great for insights that can manipulate and can help shape the market. But in terms of value, is that value for the customer or for the shareholder?” he said.
On an average weekly spend of $175, Aldi calculates a $10 money off voucher at either Coles or Woolworths would take two months and 19 days and $2000 to earn. That’s a return of about 0.5 per cent.
