1606 replies to this topic

[Nparker]

...Empire and its select banners across the country, including Thrifty Foods, will be transitioning from Air Miles to Scene+ beginning in Atlantic Canada in August 2022, and then continue across the rest of Canada culminating in early 2023...

https://www.vicnews....ping-air-miles/

Good news for me I suppose, as I am not an Air Miles collector, but I do have Scene+. This is unlikely to encourage me to shop at Thrifty Foods more often, unless the switch comes with a general price reduction at this mis-named grocer.

[UDeMan]

I like the switch to scene points.  It will be much easier to earn and redeem points. It takes me forever to get enough airmiles to do anything with them.

 

The Thrifty foods Broadmead has a great seafood section. Fresh and reasonable prices.

[Sparky]

When the cashier looks up and says “Air Miles?” …. I always reply “No, I brought the car.”

[vortoozo]

From what I understand, there's no Scene+ points earned on base spend. They'll only be earned on certain promotional items (such as those where they have bonus Air Miles now).

[Matt R.]

Air miles was literally the only reason I ever went to thriftys. That, and sometimes they had the superior Maple Leaf brand corned beef. Mmm mmm mmm.

[Mike K.]

Yeah. Me too. Without Air Miles I have no reason to go, certainly not for stupid scene points.

[Matt R.]

Nope, lame. We collect and use a LOT of points, airmiles and otherwise, not even sure what Scene is. Movie tickets?

Primarily, Country Grocer is a bit cheaper for the most part, but the store itself is much larger and easier to get around in, parking is better, etc. I have noticed that since a) buying a small grocery store and b) the kids moving out, the household grocery bill has dropped by a wide margin!

[Matt R.]

Oh yes, dairy is going up again feb 1.

And what’s with egg prices in the us? We can’t be far behind, I imagine the marketing boards will apply to increase prices as well. Thanks, bird flu.

[Nparker]

Nope, lame. We collect and use a LOT of points, airmiles and otherwise, not even sure what Scene is. Movie tickets?...

A lot more than movie tickets now: https://www.sceneplu...about-sceneplus

[Barrrister]

That is lame about scene, at least with air miles I could get gas and actual shop places. 

[Mike K.]

Yes. I use them for gas.

Speaking of which, if you have BCAA, you save 3 cents per litre at Shell if you swipe your card. Not bad.

It’s definitely a better deal than 7 cents for a fill up after buying 300 litres.

[vortoozo]

I wonder if it will actually change purchasing behaviour too much. Do people really choose a store because of the specific reward program, or do they just care if it *has* a reward program?

For instance, More Rewards has a very low rate of return compared to most reward programs, but people still shop at Save-On-Foods and happily carry More Rewards cards.

 

Having said that, I've done well with Air Miles and will likely make fewer trips to Thrifty than before. They have good stuff, but high prices. They've been my second choice supermarket but when they had a good Air Miles offer on it was worthwhile making a trip. Having an Air Miles Mastercard helped - occasionally BMO would have offers that made shopping at Thrifty very worthwhile in conjunction with the Mastercard, as well as some of the Air Miles program promotions that involved multiple partners. I'm sure some of that will exist with Scene, but I have nothing currently in that ecosystem. I don't bank with Scotia, rarely go to Cineplex, I don't think they have a gas partner, etc. I tend to think that I don't represent the average consumer, though.

 

For what it's worth, Air Miles can now be collected at Save-On-Foods & QF in a limited way. If you have a linked Mastercard through the AIR MILES Card Linked Offers (airmilescardlink.ca) program, you earn 50 Air Miles on purchases of $100 or more. That's in addition to More Rewards points that you get at the register. But if your shops are under $100, no miles.

[vortoozo]

Yes. I use them for gas.

Speaking of which, if you have BCAA, you save 3 cents per litre at Shell if you swipe your card. Not bad.

It’s definitely a better deal than 7 cents for a fill up after buying 300 litres.

 

There are a few other programs like that. CIBC clients get 3 cents off at Chevron & with their Journie loyalty program that extends to 10 cents off/L after every few fill-ups.

RBC has a similar program with Petro-Canada.

 

However, I usually end up at Esso. Every so often, they sell gift cards online at 10% off through apps like UGo Wallet. That's a much better savings than 3 cents/L plus you still get whatever marginal benefit out of collecting PC Optimum points on top. UGo also occasionally does similar discounts on Sobeys gift cards, which can be used at Thrifty. But even at 10% off, Thrifty is still expensive.

[G-Man]

I disagree on Save On points they are awesome. I mean the store is overall cheaper than thriftys and the points can be used for ferry passes. I get a few free trips a year to Vancouver.

[Nparker]

If you shop strategically at Save-on-Foods, the points add up easily. I just spent $43 and earned over 1200 points.

[Victoria Watcher]

Not for a minute would points (at less than 1% of your purchase) ever guide my purchase decisions.

[Nparker]

I buy what I need at prices I think are reasonable. If that means I earn points, great, if not - as the kids say - no worries.

[Citified.ca]

Asian grocer H Mart to lease recently vacated Toys R Us space at Victoria's Mayfair Shopping Centre

https://victoria.cit...hopping-centre/

[G-Man]

Hmart!!! So awesome. What an improvement over Toys r Us!

[Victoria Watcher]

The prices at Toys R Us were fine, but the produce and meat sections were lame.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 January 2023 - 04:12 PM.