One of the many Clinique bonus sets over the years.
I love, love, love Clinique Bonus Time. I think it is one of the best customer appreciate/upselling tricks in the book. I’ve been participating in this marketing gimmick for years and I still can’t get enough! When I was fourteen and I first started wearing make-up (the other girls on the Cheerleading squad took pity on me and showed me how to properly apply….) I wanted to buy the nice make-up they had but could only afford so much. I would save up my money and go during “Bonus” time when I could get something I really needed-foundation or mascara-and get a wonderful bag full of trial sized freebies. The bag itself is also really, really cute. This weekend was one of the last for the gift time, and since I recently lost my favorite chubby stick I ran to get one so that I could claim the free “gift”. Of course you have to spend more than you intended (23.50!!), but that’s the trick of it, isn’t it? Still, coming home with my new make-up made me feel such joy, the kind I used to feel when I was a young girl. Then I got to thinking about some other really great stores who do a lot to show customer appreciation:
Gap
Not only do they do a fun Friends and Family coupon for their employees (40% on a certain weekend, Thanks James for giving me mine this year!!) They also have all sorts of flash sales/in-store coupons for customers on the mailing list. I’m not always one for flash sales, because I think they are TROUBLE for recovering shopaholics and savvy spenders alike, but I do love a great in-store coupon (think 40% or more). I also applaud the Gap for their great sales-when they discount stuff they discount. I got a T-shirt for 4.18 this weekend. Whaa? You’d never see that at the J.Crew-who is more tightfisted with their coupons than J. Edgar Hoover with his secret files.
Sephora
You can sign up to be a “beauty insider” and they don’t spam your email with stupid sh!t. You also get “points” every time you buy in the store and they keep track of it for you (which I appreciate). You can trade the points in for little “gifts” (much like they do at Clinique). I do think the gifts could be better-250 points (roughly 250 dollars) for a TRAVEL SIZE of fancy shampoo? The 500 point gift is a bag of whichever three sample sizes they are repping that day, but it’s still a really nice way of giving back to customers who shop frequently.
If you buy online you can qualify for all sorts of free goodies with your purchase and it changes from week to week.
DSW
Loyalty programmers get a $10 dollar certificate for every $150 you spend and these are usually good for at least three-four months after you get them (if you recieve things in the mail and forget to use them or bring them with you like meeeeee). This is WAY better than most point systems-and who doesn’t need more shoes?
Airtran Airlines
If you are an A+ rewards member (free to sign up!) you can receive 1 point for every flight- 2 points for every round-trip you make. It only takes 8 points to book a reward flight, which is AWESOME-especially if you are someone who only travels occassionally. I love this rewards program, and it came in handy when I lived in NYC and wanted to come home and visit for holidays or weddings. Airtran already offers the cheapest flights around so using them is often a no-brainer. If you end up having say…..seven credits and really want to book a reward flight it’s only 39.00 to purchase the additional points. What’s better than a free flight? A 39.00 flight!
It’s probably my favorite of all the rewards programs I participate in.
What are some of your favorite Customer loyalty/appreciation systems?
OH! Guess who else appreciates you? L Bee does. It’s the last day for you to enter to win one of these amazing Cole Haan bags below!
Hi, my name is Lauren but I'm known to those nearest and dearest as L. Bee. After twenty-five years on the planet I have worked in a lot of industries, moved to many different cities, and made almost every money mistake you can make.Join me on my journey as I navigate my twenties and try not to pick my "money tree" bare.
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Ok, I am going to sound really boring here….but I love getting free $ off of gas from purchasing my groceries at Kroger. I often end up getting 60 or 70 cents off per gallon…and I am an avid Kroger shopper for life…so I would shop there anyways!
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I too am a big Kroger fan. It makes a big difference on gas prices!
Ha! We love the 10 cents to 50 cents off on gas too!
I’ve got an AirTran membership as well. It’s good, but I hate that it expires after 12 months. Can’t they take a lesson from Delta and extend that out?
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I’m sure they probably will at some point–competition between airlines is TIGHT.
I have an Old Navy credit card. I know store cards are not usually a good idea, but I put all our monthly bills on this card, electric, gas, internet, and any travel we do. We pay it off monthly and I almost always get a $5 or $10 reward per month to use at Old Navy or Gap. Since I only shop a couple of times a year for clothes, they are usually free or next to free.
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Not bad, not bad. I should probably do this as I spend almost all of my money on clothes…..
Sephora is my fave! Everyone there is so knowledgeable, a lot are even cosmetologists and students, they return ANYTHING (even that makeup that I bought and used twice before realizing it was too orange for me!), and are really generous for your birthday and when it’s time to cash in bonus points! I had been saving my points up and just got the 500 point Pore Professional kit with Sephora’s signature mascara….EEEE!!!
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See I’m such a hoarder with the Sephora points-everything they flash in front of me I’m like “no…it’s not worth it”. I’d honestly rather just have a $5 off coupon or something, but I suppose that’s not as cute as a “gift”.
I’m going to go with the grocery store theme too. I love when I get the $13 off Ralph’s coupon in the mail. Other than that…best I don’t know about it.
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What is this Ralphs? That’s awesome they give away $13 dollars..especially on something like groceries which can be a big purchase!
One of my favourite rewards programs are the ones offered by Lush. They hinge on you returning their containers that the moisturisers and such come in so they can be recycled. Once you bring a certain number in, you get free stuff. It’s customer loyalty AND good for the environment!
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I am a fan of their eco friendly ways, but I couldn’t get behind lush. Their smells or I suppose lack thereof didn’t jibe with me. I don’t want to walk around all day smelling like a bamboo shoot-but their scrubs are amazing!
I love my grocery store’s loyalty program. You can get really great discounts and every once in a while, it will print out a $5 off coupon or save 10%. Score!
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I wish we didn’t live in a tiny town. We have our pick of any airline we want, as long as it’s American Airlines.
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I’m sorry
Move to Atlanta-we will be friends. And then you can live next to the biggest international airport in the U.S.
Love Clinique bonus time. Mostly because my mom has been using their cream for years, so she only buys at bonus time, and then I steal all her free stuff!! It’s win-win. … well maybe win for me lose for her but she’s a good sport about it.
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I love Starbucks, Shoppers, Airmiles, and Aeroplan!
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I used to love getting those bonus bags from Clinique!!! I would go get a make up do by a specialist on special event nights, and then buy enough to get the bonus bag
Double whammy!
I don’t wear a lot of make up so I usually go shopping for make up about once a year. I started buying MAC this year because it made me break out less.
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I will have to try Mac make-up. I break out a lot too :/
I love clinique stuff too! Its the only thing I put on my face.
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Although I haven’t bought Clinique makeup in awhile (I don’t work in an office, so I just roll out of bed, throw on some clothes, put my hair in a ponytail and go to work), I remember enjoying Clinique bonus time when I was a teenager too. My mom got me into it. I always got excited for the pretty makeup case and the free stuff. It’s the only makeup I use. My shade isn’t easy to find, but Clinique has it, so I stick with what works.
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