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AIBU

SPARKS card a waste of time

(86 Posts)
lily64 Tue 04-Jun-24 09:53:12

I spent a lot in M&S but haven’t had any rewards for months. Obviously they don’t care that much about loyalty

rafichagran Tue 04-Jun-24 14:58:27

A free drink occasionally, and I save 20% on underwear. I git a lovely room spray at Christmas. I don5 do any big shops there but I find the app OK for me. Although must agree Nectar is good.

Georgesgran Tue 04-Jun-24 15:05:18

Despite using an M&S credit card, I don’t bother with the Sparks malarkey!
Before Sparks, I was getting about £80 in vouchers from M&S (using the CC) but now I’m lucky to get £20 worth.

Aldom Tue 04-Jun-24 15:09:14

At the moment my Sparks card offers are 10% off Fresh veg, meat, fish and poultry, Cheeses.
Sometimes the offer is 20% off shoes, trousers, underwear etc.
You need to check online before shopping in Marks and Spencer, save the offers that interest you and save money on your purchases.

lily64 Tue 04-Jun-24 15:45:39

All I am asking is if you like me are not getting any rewards on your App? Not that you are

Desdemona Tue 04-Jun-24 16:04:01

Yes I do get rewards on the app, I only use them occasionally as I don't shop in M&S so much these days since they got rid of my local one.

eazybee Tue 04-Jun-24 16:30:29

You will be pleased to know that Stuart Machin, M&S chief Executive, has netted a £2million pay rise as his 'turnaround push' helped the retailer to its best financial position in 30 years. This on top of his 2.7m salary, so he now receives £4.7m per annum.
Surely you won't begrudge going without the little perks you used to receive, and will be thrilled to be helping out their 'charity'(?).
Our local M&S closed 18months ago, and a new food store opened in December and closed in May. Some clever accounting?

AreWeThereYet Tue 04-Jun-24 18:09:53

midgey

Lily do you check your Sparks account? At present I have money off various foods, last month it was money off clothing but you need to check and accept the offers.

We get a few discount offers on clothes and food but as midgey says you have to go into your account and accept them before purchasing. We usually check what the offers are before we go out. Most of the offers are useless - if I buy undies one week we get 10% off on undies the following week hmm

Romola Tue 04-Jun-24 18:40:01

I go to M and S when I actually need something. I usually ask the cashier to check the Sparks offers, but it's usually food, which I rarely buy there, too expensive.

NotSpaghetti Tue 04-Jun-24 21:12:38

lily64

All I am asking is if you like me are not getting any rewards on your App? Not that you are

I've had no "rewards" but do get "offers" 10% off sandwiches, pasta and pulses at the moment and 75p off flowers over £5. Oh, and something off fizzy drinks... 50p?

I don't buy sandwiches pasta or pulses there. I have occasionally bought flowers.

Amalegra Thu 06-Jun-24 11:20:03

Sparks is one of the poorest ‘reward’ cards, I think. Boots is probably the best! I spend a lot online with M&S- no decent store near me since our town centre one closed, apart from a very cramped food hall a few miles away which I rarely visit as I find it overcrowded and stifling. So the food offers are lost on me ! I buy clothes for myself and GC and occasional homeware. The offers I get are rubbish really in comparison to what I spend. It’s just a gimmick, as they all are, which gives the company an insight into your spending habits. In return they throw you tidbits to try and make you feel a ‘valued customer’. Call me cynical!

Etoile2701 Thu 06-Jun-24 11:21:08

Agreed. I had some free liqueur once but that was a long time ago.

JdotJ Thu 06-Jun-24 11:27:00

A few years ago I got a free bottle of gin near to Xmas which came in very handy.
I've only had a free loaf of bread (once) since then, a free chocolate bar and that's it with the freebies.

Nannashirlz Thu 06-Jun-24 11:31:57

I’ve had mine for years used it with discount on pjs for my grandkids but most of the stuff off them is things I’d never buy like olives if I bought them my lot wouldn’t touch them

Toddleo Thu 06-Jun-24 11:40:16

I'm sitting in my local Marks and Spencer's cafe drinking my free coffee courtesy of my app. generally I am in agreement with the majority of you though, my offers tend to mostly be money off food and a free packet of biscuits recently. Nice to get a free latte today tho.

TerriBull Thu 06-Jun-24 11:46:47

I think I get a reasonable amount of 15 to 20 per cent discount across a range of merchandise and food plus the occasional freebie which has included an item from the bakery, free coffee, chocolate, fruit

babzi Thu 06-Jun-24 11:52:15

My sparks card has limited offers

knspol Thu 06-Jun-24 12:00:36

I used to get a weekly email telling me what my latest Sparks offers were but haven't had that for a few months now. My sister told me she had stopped receiving details of the offers too so I emailed them and asked what was happening. I was told that it would be sorted out and within 2 weeks I would start getting the emails again but I didn't. Occasionally got so much off certain clothing items but only once had a free bar of chocolate in the food hall.

Grandmama Thu 06-Jun-24 12:04:40

Yes, it's useless. A free gift of grapes was useful because I make a big tub of fresh fruit salad every week but several times the gift has been a large white farmhouse loaf. Something that I never, ever buy so it gets passed on to DD2. My last gift was some sort of packet of sweets that I'd never heard of and I never buy sweets but I asked at the store several times and it was not not there, not available. I've had a room freshener and a box of candles, neither much use.

Jenken Thu 06-Jun-24 12:29:55

Same here. Haven’t had any worthwhile offers for some time. Maybe M and S should read these comments.

GranJan60 Thu 06-Jun-24 12:46:24

M&S has really gone downhill - card hardly has anything worth claiming. Now they are closing our local store and the nearest larger one as well much to everyone’s disgust. Not everyone likes/can shop online and impossible to buy bras/shoes like that. Nearest reasonable size store now about half an hour’s (difficult) drive away so they have lost a good customer here.

alisonsmith4 Thu 06-Jun-24 12:55:58

Agree - hardly get any offers now. Complete waste of time.

cc Thu 06-Jun-24 13:02:50

Witzend

I stopped bothering with it ages ago. The offers didn’t interest me and although I do food shop in M&S sometimes, I’d never go specially to pick up a packet of biscuits or a bunch of grapes.

I agree with you, the products they offer me are never something I really want.
I'm often tempted not to use the card and not give them data on my shopping habits for nothing, but it is handy to have receipts online.

Babamaman Thu 06-Jun-24 13:13:59

No company respects loyalty - awful - worst Virgin Media for broadband!
Banks always offering money for customers to switch? I’m with Lloyds and they’re offering switchers £175? Why don’t they give that to me for being loyal?

Goingtobeagranny Thu 06-Jun-24 13:14:04

I love my Sparks card, I get little freebie’s every now and again, loads of 15/20% off deals, 7th hot drink free in the cafe and donates a penny every time you scan it. My favourite bit of the app is having every receipt on hand because usually I chuck them away and then realise I need one 🤣

Irismarle Thu 06-Jun-24 13:25:32

I have never found it very good and last year spent hours on Customer Service asking why I had had no Sparks offers for months. They did reappear but nothing wonderful.
Recently I read on a Business page in a newspaper that the new CEO is doing away with Sparks altogether. So watch this space!