Points, Policies & Certificates

[Bubba10k]

I'm sure this has been complained about by others, but just want to make my voice heard (if on the off chance program administrators actually read these forums for feedback).  The "Annual Point Expiration" addition a couple years ago is bunk.  I'm sure it saves Best Buy/Reward Zone tons of money in unrewarded certificates, but it is anti-customer all the way.  Why should I buy stuff that is supposed to go towards reward certificates only to have it arbitrarily voided out simply becuase the calendar year rolls over?  As much as I like Best Buy I absoluetly detest this revision to an otherwise decent customer buying incentive club.  Please change it back to the old system.

[JayMax]

+1  

I don't remember getting hit by this before, even though it's been stated that this has been around for awhile.  Why have certificates that have expiration dates that roll into the next year, but are voided out by an 'Annual Point Expiration' that occurs before then?  I've been saving mine to buy videogames that come out in the next month, only to find that points gone.

[OlympiaWA]

Me too just got hit with this one.  I received the e-mail certificates notification on 3/1/2011 and came in today and it is gone despite the expire on 6/25/2011.  The e-mail doesn't include information .  In the e-mail, it says that Certificates expires on: 6/25/2011 and "Use your certificates by 6/25/2011" and doesn't mention about the rollover at all in the e-mail.  I am very mad and will file a complaint to the Better Business Bureau about this.  They should at say something like "Use your certificates by 6/25/2011 and before your annual expiration date" in the e-mail to give us some hints to check.   I plan to buy something today at Bestbuy with the certificates but I will do my purchases somewhere else.  A very unhappy former customer.

[ericrain]

This is a completely deceitful practice. They Expire in February....that means EVERY Christmas purchases that people have made for thousands of dollars, the points have expired!!

Think about it, how many millions and millions of points did they expire and save giving certificates for that!!

[Walrus]

ericrain wrote "They Expire in February....that means EVERY Christmas purchases that people have made for thousands of dollars, the points have expired!!"

No, the points issue into certificates in multiples of 250 ($5 certs), only excess amounts under 249 actually expire.


For those contemplating going elsewhere - why not simply "not use" the rewardzone program? Wouldn't it save you the headache? Then just compare Best Buy without the reward program with the competition and make your purchases based on price, service, or whatever else you deem important?

True, there are probably millions of points that get expired because there are millions of accounts that get opened each year and go unused. Lots of wasted computer space gets cleaned up in one fell swoop.

OlympiaWA: The certificates that were issued and good through 6/25/2011 should be in your RZ account under "My Account" - "My Certificates"

[ericrain]

So, your solution is to just not use. Did you know that the only way things can get changed is for people to complain about them?  Delta Airlines used to expire their miles, there were enough sounded complaints and then voila, they changed their policy to roll over miles.

Your are from a pretty progressive state and city, didn't you vote for change, or did you just opt out of the voting program?

You sure you dont work for Best Buy over there at the Capital Mall?

[Ghostwheel00]

I'm adding to this because I agree with the sentiment.  This is pure laziness and greed on the part of the company. I don't actually have a problem with expiration of points, but it should be on the anniversary of when each person joined, or maybe in July (not right after you have spent a ton of money for the holidays and do not have a lot of extra to keep buying to get that last 30 points).  Making you wait for a month for your points, then giving you 10 days (yes, that was all I had--10 days) to figure out how many more you need and run out and buy something, is just inconsiderate.

So, yeah, listen up Best Buy. The certificates are why I purchased several large items from Best Buy. After this lovely fiasco, the prices are  better at Amazon, so I will be making my point the only way possible, with my pocketbook and buying elsewhere.

Just letting you know, because businesses need to know why customers stop buying from them.

[mtoth75]

I don't really understand the logic behind why your points should expire on the Reward Zone site.   I do business with Best Buy all the time and just because I don't use my certificates/points in a certain time frame I lose them?    That's ridiculous!  

Best Buy should at least send out an email alerting the customer that their points are about to expire so you can take advantage of them before they're gone.  I think it's very decietful and poor practice when I go into my membership to find out that my points have erased.    

Guess I'll be buying my next new movies from Amazon.com....   

[tchester]

I agree.  I live far away from BBY, but when I go I usually make $600 + purchases, so I stock points up, it annoys me that now the points dissapear so fast.  I will more likely shop online now.  The reward point system was a good incentive to bring me into the store.  Bad Job BBY. Way to suck.

[toastapley]

I have been watching for my recent points to show up from 2/1/11 and they finally showed up in the last few days and now they are expired because the purchase was before expiration date?!  That is insane!  One more Amazon customer