Boots takes first steps to digitising Advantage card

Boots is taking the first steps towards digitising its Advantage loyalty scheme with the introduction of an app that will offer customers tailored offers via their mobile and the ability to scan product bar codes to find more information.

Boots

Currently, Advantage card customers receive paper coupons every quarter with offers tailored to their shopping habits. The new app has a “My Offers” section that is regularly refreshed and lets customers browse the personalised deals available to them.

If they want to use a discount they can add them to their Advantage Card and redeem them in store immediately, without the need for a paper coupon. Offers will include points deals such as 300 extra points for spending £12 on makeup and saver deals such as money off when customers spend a certain amount.

The move comes after research by Boots found that while 87 per cent of customer use coupons they receive in their quarterly mailings, a third said they regularly forget to put paper coupons in their purse and therefore miss out on the offers.

Ruth Spencer, director of Loyalty and multichannel at Boots UK says: “The Boots App makes that a thing of the past, ensuring our customers always have access to the offers they want the most, when they want them.

“The Boots App could not be simpler to use and with customers telling us they want more offers, more often now they not only have a greater choice of personalised offers but the flexibility to choose an offer while they are in the queue and it will be ready and waiting on their Boots Advantage Card by the time they get to the till.”

Customers will also be able to use the app to scan the barcode of products in-store to get more information, as well as customer ratings and reviews. Boots says 70 per cent of customers research online before purchasing and the feature is aimed at “making it easy” for customers to get information without having to visit multiple sites.

There is also a “News and Events” feature that will keep customers up to date with what is going on in their local stores or with brands they often buy, such as new products or deals.

Boots is not the only retailer looking at ways to digitise its loyalty scheme. Tesco has also said it will launch a digital version of its Clubcard programme this year that will let customers tailor their rewards for things such as eating healthily.

 

Recommended