Yahoo Finance New Coles checkout prompt confuses shoppers after major discount change: '$10 off'
Coles has changed how shoppers can redeem their Flybuys points but an expert has warned the $10 discount isn't worth it.
Coles shoppers have been confused by a new checkout prompt offering them $10 off their bill. The supermarket giant changed the way Australians can redeem their Flybuys points in June.
Now, you can take a $10 discount as soon as you clock up 2,000 points, a spokesperson told Yahoo Finance. Previously, all points were saved and needed to be converted to Flybuys dollars through the Flybuys App and accessed using a PIN.
This has caused some confusion with shoppers trying to work out if taking the discount is the best value.
One woman was left wondering how many points she would accumulate if she were to take the $10 off, while others weren't sure if they would lose the points altogether if they declined to take the instant discount.
“I was talking yesterday to the checkout lady at Coles. She said you have $10 off. Do you want to use it? I said 'no, thank you'. She said most people don’t realise that if you use the $10 off, you won’t get any Flybuys points,” a shopper wrote.
Will I still get Flybuys points if I redeem a Coles $10 discount?
A Coles spokesperson told Yahoo Finance that shoppers will collect points on their shop if they take the instant discount.
But it won't be applied to the entire shop.
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“When customers opt-in to take $10 off their shop, they will still collect points on the value of their shop, but after the $10 off, and any other discounts and savings are applied,” the Coles spokesperson said.
For example, if a shopper’s total is $100 and they use 2,000 points to take $10 off their shop, they will receive points on the remaining $90 they've spent, assuming no bonus points offers are applied.
The instant $10 off can be used at Coles supermarkets and selected Liquorland and First Choice Liquor Market stores, but nowhere else Flybuys is available.
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Finder Flybuys expert Angus Kidman told Yahoo Finance it was common to have some teething issues when making changes to big programs like the Coles loyalty scheme.
But that it was likely to better meet shoppers' needs in the end.
“They are now very much throwing that question in your face ... I get that for some people, that’s annoying. Conversely, there are people who say, 'Yep, thanks, I’ll take the $10',” he said.
“From a Flybuys perspective, they’ve done their consumer research and discovered that most people probably want to spend it this way.
Can I turn off the Flybuys $10 discount prompt?
If the voucher program doesn't interest you and you'd prefer to stash your points, you can turn the prompt off in the settings and partner preferences section of your online Flybuys account or app.
How can I get the best value from my Flybuys points?
How to get the best bang for your buck with Flybuys points can depend on your needs, but Kidman recommended not accepting the Coles prompt.
“The best way to use your Flybuys points is not to use the $10 off at all," he told Yahoo Finance.
"Your best bet is converting them into Velocity Frequent Flyer Points. If you do that, typically, you can get more value than you’ll get from the standard $10 off,” he said.
Coles Flybuys points can be instantly converted to points for Velocity members, Virgin Airlines' loyalty program if they turn on the auto-transfer option and link their accounts.
A total of 1,000 Flybuys points will then automatically transfer to 500 Velocity Points. Those who have Flybuys points banked up can also make a one-off transfer.
Both Coles and Woolworths have loyalty programs, while underdog favourite Aldi does not.
“The vast majority of people who use Flybuys or Everyday Rewards join it because it’s free and we’ve all got to buy food, so if you are going to one of those two supermarkets, well then you may as well get something out of it,” he said.
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