If you live in the UK (or have even visited once) the chances are that you have shopped in either Tesco or Boots. They are both marker leaders in their respective fields. The prior being the largest supermarket chain and the latter being the largest pharmaceutical company in the UK. Unsurprisingly therefore, it wouldn’t be a shock to anyone’s system to learn that they have some of the best reward schemes in the UK. But, which is better?
In this article we’re going to look at which of the two reward schemes are better – is it the Tesco Clubcard or is it the Boots Advantage Card? We will look at lots of critera, from the points you get for shopping, the incentives and more. We will even look at the ease of the process for a Boots Clubcard change of address. And also a Tesco Clubcard change of address.
You might be wondering, ‘does it matter?’ Knowing the answer to this question won’t dramatically change the quality of your life. But it will help you understand as a consumer what the biggest players in the market are doing and the types of things you should expect from other companies. You’ll also learn how they have managed to become so popular in the UK.
How Do the Clubcards Work?
Most clubcards (or loyalty cards) work in the same fashion. Essentially, as consumers we are rewarded for our loyalty. Every time we make purchases at that store we receive ‘points’ which we can then spend with that outlet for goods or services. What tends to make certain loyalty programmes better or worse are across three critera:
- How many points you get per £1 spent (assuming the value of points is equal)
- The amount of discount you receive on those products for using those points
- The amount of ‘special offers’ the retailer ones. This might include ‘buy these products and get 10X the points’ etc…
The Boots Advantage Card works by awarding you 4 points for every £1 that you spend. Wheras with the Tesco Clubcard you receive 1 point for every £4 you spend. Does this mean that the Boots Clubcard is 16 times better than Tesco? Naturally, it does not mean that. The value of the points differs between both. In other words, one Tesco Clubcard Point will get you a lot more than one Boots point.
How easy is it to change address?
I might seem a strange question to ask how easy it is to update your address with these two. However, the ease with which you can complete admin tasks with a company is indicative of how smooth their operations are. Easy to update the address, easy to rectify potential discrepancies with points, ask questions and everything else. In both instances, the companies pass the online change of address test. The fact you can change your address online easily is perhaps unsurprising given the scale and reach of these companies.
What kind of offers do you get?
Boots have phenomenal offers with their Advantage card. For instance, students get 10% off, they reward over 60’s with special discounts. They also have a Parenting Club in which mothers (expecting or otherwise) receive 10 points for every £1 they spend on baby products. They also run several promotions in which you can get certain items half price if you buy other items. Overall, it’s an excellent service. And with over 14 million advantage card holders, it’s no surprise either.
Tesco complete their offers slightly differently. They are the same in the sense that the points can be spent in store on more products. In addition to this though, you can also get access to lots of other discounts and services. You also get better rates on the services you interact with. For instance, for every £1’s worth of Tesco Clubcard vouchers spent on Rail you get £3’s worth. 50p of Tesco Mobile will get you £1 and 50p of vouchers in Prezzo will get you £1.50. In almost all cases you are getting either 2 or 3 times the value on your vouchers – which is amazing.
Boots Vantage Card or Tesco Clubcard?
With all of this in mind, which one should you go for? The answer is undoubtedly both. They both provide exceptional value in their respective ways. If you were looking for ‘which is the best’, your answer would depend on a lot of factors such as the types of things you do in your leisure, you stage in life (eg mother, over 60) and others.
About the Author
This post was written by the editor at SlothMove. SlothMove is on a mission to simplify the way in which we move home in the UK. SlotMove want to make moving home simple, lower-cost and transparent.
