Waitrose customers have taken to social media to express their anger with the grocer’s newly revamped loyalty scheme, just one week after it launched.
The grocer, which relaunched its digitally focused scheme, initially aimed to make it more personalised for customers by offering weekly rewards based on customers’ shopping habits.
A Waitrose spokesperson told Grocery Gazette: “We recently implemented the biggest change to myWaitrose in a decade. Our new proposition gives every one of 8.5 million card holders new personalised discounts every week.
“Our new rewards have been launched as digital first offers, in response to customer demand to digitise the 50 million vouchers that we issue to every year. This also allows us to invest more value directly into the pockets of customers.
“However, digital first does not mean digital only and, now that we have a better idea of which customers are engaging using smartphones, we can see members’ preferred ways to receive their offers, including print at home, vouchers in the post and coupons printed at till.
“We know this is a big change for our customers, so will continue to invest heavily in our in-store partners, who are doing a great job helping customers familiarise themselves with the new scheme.”
However, Waitrose users took to social media to complain about the scheme, which has been branded as “confusing” and “discriminating” towards those without access to a smartphone.
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One social media user said: “Waitrose your new card scheme is unbelievably badly designed! You need ability to pick benefits online, must carry your phone at checkout to scan! People taking ages to find phone and then use it = long Qs of cross customers behind. People without phones are unfairly excluded.”
@waitrose your new card scheme is unbelievably badly designed!
You need ability to pick benefits online, must carry your phone at checkout to scan!
People taking ages to find phone and then use it = long Qs of cross customers behind.
People without phones are unfairly excluded.😖— Gabi Greenham (@GabiGreenham) March 4, 2022
Another said it was a “bad idea” as the new system is just “too complicated”.
@waitrose myWaitrose Just for You Voucher system. Just too complicated #badidea
— Kevin M (@kevvy2104) March 6, 2022
“Ridiculously complicated rewards system. You must’ve tried really hard to make it this un user friendly.” another said, whereas another user blasted the grocer questioning “what fool comes up with this rubbish” in regards to the new weekly offers.
The new @waitrose weekly offers on the mywaitrose account – total irrelevance for the last 3 weeks. What fool comes up with this rubbish
— MrSmartMoney££ (@MrSmartMoneyUK) March 4, 2022
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5 Comments. Leave new
Maybe making it difficult is the point. Less people people cashing in on the benefits …. more profit for the company & their 20k bonus management crew.
Why not use a system like the Co-Op. Choose the 2 vouchers you’d like online each week & then just scan your card at the checkout and they’re used. So much easier.
Exactly what I keep suggesting, so much better
Martin George has fallen for the usual smoke and mirrors and sanctioned a significant step-back.
I’ve just spent half an hour on the phone to Waitrose. They just can’t understand that I don’t have a smartphone. The woman said: “That’s fine if you don’t have a smartphone: just take a screenshot of your offers and show it at the till.” I asked her if she really expected me to carry my computer into Waitrose just to show them the screenshot!