MyPoints.com launches Net loyalty scheme in UK

MyPoints.com, a big US player in online customer loyalty schemes, enters the UK this week.

Describing itself as “more sophisticated” than rivals such as Beenz.com and Webrewards.co.uk, the new entrant also claims to be “the world’s largest Internet loyalty and permission marketing programme”, with more than 8 million members in the US.

MyPoints.com’s speciality is to help organisations take their loyalty schemes online. Among its first UK clients are Boots, Dixons and Marks & Spencer.

The scheme, which is a joint venture between MyPoints.com and Great Universal Stores, claims to offer clients the ability to reward “virtually any consumer activity” – from receiving offers by permission e-mail to reading personalised online advertising and making actual purchases.

Points will be redeemable as gift vouchers from leading brands such as Boots, Currys, Dixons, Halfords, The Link, Marks & Spencer, and PC World. MyPoints Europe expects UK members to earn more than &£1m worth of points in the first year of operation.

MyPoints Europe marketing director David Brosse describes his service as “a true permission based programme that rewards consumers for interacting with advertisers.”

He claims consumer privacy is high on the agenda. Once registered, members remain “in complete control” of their information and can change their preferences at any time. They can also regulate the volume of e-mail offers they receive each month.