alc

I am not sure which thread this post should be in, hence starting a new one. If others have some suggestion to merge it to another thread, please let me know or alert the mod. Thanks.

So, during my recent ESSO Gas stations run for the AMEX+ESSO promo, I found that ESSO now carry Shoppers Drug Mart gift card. With all the stations that I visits, they only carry the $25 card. So, you now can get Aeroplan by purchasing the SDM GC at ESSO first for the Aeroplan. You will get SDM Points for your purchase using the SDM GC. What you loose will be the SDM Points for purchasing the SDM GC.

So, for a $25 GC, you will get 8.333 Aeroplan Miles. Or you could get 250 SDM GC. So, you decide which is more valuable to you.

laidback71

Have you actually received the Aeroplan miles for these gift card purchases? Gift cards are generally exempt from receiving points from retailers.

alc

At ESSO, only purchase of ESSO Gift Card do not get any Points or Mile

AtStamples, you also get Air Miles for Gift card purchase.

ciana

I use an Amex Gold card at Shoppers which gives double points so $100 spent would give 200 Amex membership points = 200 AE points on conversion or 200 Avios points. I don't any advantage to buying gift cards at Esso. Am I missing something??

superangrypenguin

MR miles when transferred to Aeroplan do not qualify for dDistinction for those that care

alc

you can also 2X AMEX MR at ESSO. So going to an ESSO gas station to pick up SDM GC first just to gain that little more Aeroplan miles via ESSO purchase (1 AP per every $3 spend)

Again, you have to value if you think 250 SDM Points is better then 8.3333 AP for you. To some people, SDM points might be better:

lowest redemption of 8000 SDM Points = $10, hence that is $0.00125 per point. 250 SDM = $0.3125. So, that is much higher value then 8.33333 AP. Highest redemption is 95K SDM for $170, that $0.00179 per point. And during redemption promo, 95K SDM = $210 or $220, $0.00221 / point or 0.00232 / point. But overall, SDM items are more expensive, so, you have to make your own judgement.

I know some FT members do not care about SDM points at all. So, I just want to let those people know that there is another way to get some AP miles even getting your prescription (for example) at SDM.

superangrypenguin

On top of that, SDM runs promotions which further increase the value of 1SDM point. I know Mrs. SAP waits for those promotions to help increase the value of a SDM point.

margarita girl

What? You can get SDM points when you buy the gift cards, and get more SDM points when you use the gift cards to buy merchandise? How have I missed out on this???

alc

At SDM, you get SDM Points for purchasing or top off the SDM Gift Card(s). At ESSO, you get AP (or ESSO points) for purchasing any Gift Card, except ESSO gift card.

So, in summary, for someone purchasing anything at SDM and care about SDM points, should always pay with a SDM Gift card. You will either get double the points or earn points for item that you normally do not get points.

mattc2

Wait... this is new to me as well. So are we comparing:

1. purchasing SDM GC at ESSO -> 8.3 AP
vs
2. purchasing SDM GC at SDM -> 250 SDM points

So why have I been swiping my Amex at these places for purchases... one should just always buy GC with Amex, then use GC to pay for purchases?

alc

not 100% sure exactly when ESSO start carrying SDM GC recently. So, prior to this discovery, your only other options to pickup SDM GC (other than at SDM itself) is Loblaws family of stores, and you get no benefits and they don't take AMEX. So, I had been getting or topping up my existing SDM GC at SDM with my AMEX Gold card for 2X MR. So, again, sticking with Aeroplan as this is the Aeroplan Forum, getting it from the ESSO will give you that little bit more AP at the end.

Ever since I learn purchasing a SDM GC at SDM will get points (about 3-4 years) I always pay all my SDM purchase with SDM GC, as you end up getting double the points and faster to qualify for Optimum Plus (whatever that give you)

Mavatar

I believe they discontinued the Optimum Plus program some years ago.

alc

While I still don't know what you get with it, when I call them last year to inquiry about my requalify progress, the agent didn't say anything. Also, it is still listed on the t&c:

https://www1.shoppersdrugmart.ca/en/...and-conditions

24left

LOLLLLLL

I've been doing this ever since SDM stopped letting certain purchases accumulate points. I'm sure they'll find a way to block this too.

yscleo

The plus program ended years ago. I got curious and read that link, and yes it does still list it, but in talked about 2012. So that probably means they stopped it after 2012. Sounds about right.

They should really update and remove it or say it is discontinued after xxx.