Boots Points: Clever Loyalty or Outdated Gimmick? A Digital Marketer’s Take
Ah, Boots. The British high street staple we’ve all grown up with. Whether it’s a quick stop for plasters and paracetamol, or a basket full of beauty buys we absolutely needed, most of us have probably scanned our Advantage Card without a second thought.
But lately, I’ve found myself asking… is Boots’ points system still doing the job? Or has it quietly become the loyalty scheme equivalent of a dusty gift set on the top shelf — familiar, but forgotten? 🤔
Let’s talk about it.
The perks — and the pain points
The Boots Advantage Card has been around since 1997 (feel old yet?), and for a long time, it was seen as one of the most generous high street loyalty schemes. 4 points per £1? That adds up quickly…🤑
But here’s the catch: you can’t part-redeem your points. If you’ve got £4.80 saved and your shop comes to £10, tough luck. It’s all or nothing. No part-pay, no flex. 😭
Compare that to Tesco or Superdrug, where you can use even 50p worth of points towards your shop, it feels… well, a bit stingy.
It’s like they’re hoping you’ll just forget about the points until your balance hits £20 — by which time you’ll probably spend them on impulse skincare you don’t need (hi, guilty).
So who is Boots trying to impress?
And that leads to the bigger question: who is Boots actually marketing to?
Because from where I’m standing, it feels like they’re trying to be everything to everyone:
Battling Superdrug on their lower prices, with endless 3-for-2s and “Members Only” deals like Tesco.
Chasing Sephora’s cool girl crowd, now that Sephora’s setting up shop in major UK cities.
Catering to the M&S generation, with polished counters and prestige beauty brands for the over-50s.
It’s giving brand identity crisis. 😰 One scroll through their emails or social feed and you’re ping-ponged between cheap razors, University makeup guides, and £80 anti-ageing creams.
You can tell they’re trying to modernise — but it often feels like they’re throwing everything at the wall and hoping something sticks.
Meanwhile, other brands are doing it better
Let’s look around:
Sephora is nailing emotional loyalty. Their rewards feel personal, their tone of voice is current, and their campaigns are packed with UGC and memes that actually reflects and relates to their audience. 👏🏼
Tesco Clubcard gives you real, flexible value — with instant savings at the till and easy redemptions. Nothing complicated, just cheaper prices.
Sainsbury’s/Nectar have layered-in partnerships (hi, eBay 👋🏼) and personalised app offers that make it feel tailored.
Even smaller brands are finding clever ways to reward loyalty without points — think birthday treats, community perks, early access. Things that feel like a reward, not a hoop to jump through.
What should Boots do next?
Honestly? It’s time to choose a lane.
Boots doesn’t need to become the next Glossier or dupe Superdrug’s every offer. But it does need to sharpen up its strategy — and fast — if it wants to stay relevant. ⏳
Here’s where I’d start:
Rethink the points system. Give customers flexibility. Let them part-redeem. Make it easier to see and spend what they’ve earned. 💸
Stop trying to appeal to everyone. Pick a core audience and build your content, tone, and offers around them.
Invest in branding with personality. Boots has heritage, sure. But nostalgia alone doesn’t drive loyalty.
Make digital feel seamless. The Boots app is… fine. But is it fun? Easy to use? Addictive? Not really. 📲
Final thoughts from a marketer (and a frequent Advantage Card user)
Loyalty schemes work best when they feel like a thank-you — not a trap. 🪤
Right now, the Boots experience is starting to feel like the latter.
It’s not too late, though. There’s still love for Boots on the high street, and people want to feel loyal to brands that show up for them. But the playing field is changing, and “because we always have” isn’t a good enough strategy anymore.
💬 Over to you — do you still use your Boots points? Would a more flexible loyalty scheme make you shop there more often? Or has the glow-up already happened somewhere else?
Let’s chat. I’ll be over here, accidentally spending £40 on vitamins I didn’t plan to buy…
