IGA’s decision to abandon Air Miles in favor of the Scène+ program worries Quebec consumers.
A large number of customers have contacted me to express their concerns regarding this announcement, which dates back to mid-June, and which is not conspicuous by its transparency.
Empire, IGA’s parent company, acquired one-third ownership of the Scene loyalty program (other co-owners are Scotiabank and Cineplex). In Quebec, the grocer wants to eject Air Miles early next year.
The announcement has caused dissatisfaction, because Air Miles allows in particular to make purchases directly in grocery stores or to obtain savings on gasoline, advantages which interest millions of consumers.
Ontario restaurants
However, except for Harvey’s, the Scène+ card only allows you to eat in restaurant chains concentrated in… Ontario.
On the other hand, the Scène+ card is honored at Cineplex, but since the Quebec theatrical cinema industry is dominated by independents and by Guzzo, Cineplex is absent in many cities.
“This change mainly confirms that the Air Miles program is less generous, with 1 mile per $20 purchase. You have to accumulate a lot of miles to be able to take full advantage of them. With Scene+, 1 point equals 1 cent; 10,000 points equal $100,” explains Jean Maximilien Voisine, president of Milesopedia, a reference site for loyalty programs and credit cards.
Altitude loss
Air Miles recently lost major customers: RONA, Bureau en Gros and the LCBO, the Ontario equivalent of the SAQ. Air Miles is still offered by Shell, but in Quebec this network belongs to… Empire.
Note that Esso chose PC Optimum, a more popular program than Air Miles, according to R3 Marketing and Léger.
Dropping Air Miles makes sense for retailers, who now want to control information regarding their customers’ buying habits more tightly. Conversely, Scotiabank and Cineplex wanted to improve Scene+ by attracting a grocer, which is very close to consumers.
In late June, Sobeys President Michael Medline said in a statement that it will “soon” be possible to use Scene+ for grocery shopping. Why not officially announce it in stores?
Tips
- We’ve said it often: bonus points aren’t RRSPs, don’t accumulate tens of thousands of them. Even if it is prohibited, the managers of these programs have some tricks to reduce the value of the points over time.
- The best advice? Redeem all your Air Miles between now and the Holidays, especially at Jean Coutu.
- In my eyes, the most appropriate reward programs, especially with inflation, are those that allow for in-store purchases or cash back.
- Jean Maximilien Voisine suggests getting one of the seven available Scotia credit cards associated with the Scene+ program, which will enhance this reward program.
- At the time of going to press, you might still buy, with miles, gift cards at Sobeys or IGA. Your miles will retain their value.
