TRU rewards r us?!?!?!

[pterribilis]

All,

I need some help here. I could swear on my life that just a few days or so ago my 50$ worth of rewards r us certificates est date was 12/28 or 12/30....

Now it is 1/14!!!!!

I was planning on doing a bunch of shopping on the 30/31st and booked two nights in a hotel within minutes of a TRU.Has anyone seen this before!?!?!??!

I am furious now

[mah4546]

It has always been the 14th. Points usualy become available on the 14th of the month after the promotion period ends.

[pumbaugh]

My rewards dollars constantly move and get redistributed....It is one of the wost rewards programs I have ever dealt with...several problems over the years and none ever seem to get rectified...Wait until that period gets broken up again over 2 different weeks.....don't expect to use that 50$ in one week...they did it two seperate weeks last time. I had the same as you, had dollars slotted for the 28th, now all the 14th, but I just wait until they are actually given.

[meyerc13]

Yeah, you won't get to use them all at once. Last year they sent them at the same time, but one was good in mid-January, the other in late January as I recall.

[Zeya]

I almost think it would be worth it to have a TNB special article (sticky thread maybe) that explains how the various interesting bonus programs work (TRU's, S@H's, B&N's). You know, all the tricks and stuff they don't mention. Go over how it works, what to watch out for, etc.

If you spend enough at TRU, they will in fact split your reward into two separate weeks. They'll issue two "bucks" coupons that don't overlap in the same time period. I usually blow them on some impulse set that I don't really want. There seem to be fewer and fewer impulse sets these days, which is annoying.

Another TRU gotcha is that what you buy on sale yields a lesser percentage than non-sale items.

One thing I do recommend is to set an automated calendar alert (like on your phone or work computer) for the 14th of every month. I think they only issue them quarterly, but I was never sure exactly so I just check every month. It's also kind of funky how they issue it after the holidays; I forget what the difference is but I think there's some delay or something, iirc. They don't want to issue the coupon during the big purchasing season, I think.

[sadowsk1]

I almost think it would be worth it to have a TNB special article (sticky thread maybe) that explains how the various interesting bonus programs work (TRU's, S@H's, B&N's). You know, all the tricks and stuff they don't mention. Go over how it works, what to watch out for, etc.

If you spend enough at TRU, they will in fact split your reward into two separate weeks. They'll issue two "bucks" coupons that don't overlap in the same time period. I usually blow them on some impulse set that I don't really want. There seem to be fewer and fewer impulse sets these days, which is annoying.

Another TRU gotcha is that what you buy on sale yields a lesser percentage than non-sale items.

One thing I do recommend is to set an automated calendar alert (like on your phone or work computer) for the 14th of every month. I think they only issue them quarterly, but I was never sure exactly so I just check every month. It's also kind of funky how they issue it after the holidays; I forget what the difference is but I think there's some delay or something, iirc. They don't want to issue the coupon during the big purchasing season, I think.

I usually don't count on TRU for rewards. It's not like a customer service representative screwing you even. If they disappear the points you had one day it's not like there is any recourse, is there?

[Zeya]

Yeah. There's also a cap to the rewards I think. I'm not a big spender (relatively speaking), so I don't know what that cap is.

[pterribilis]

Yes, that is exactly what happened. I'm new to the Rewards R Us program and have continuously missed out. I'm a US Citizen working in Canada right now and the closest TRU is in Burlington, VT. Not always the best selection there but whatever.

They re-distributed my rewards. I was really hoping to use the whole $50. Ah well. TRU, you are going to need to do better or no more business starting now. Lego, B&N, and Target from now on.

Plus all of these BOGO 50% deals don't get me excited anymore....there are always either exclusions or the prices are hiked up prior to the sale...or the items in the BOGO weren't available at the time of the BOGO..or wait another one...The items WERE available prior to the BOGO, not available during but immediately available after.

[Zeya]

I find the disappearing availability thing to be the most heinous. I can't (won't?) find the post now, but someone had a good post about how to take advantage of that problem by basically buying two of the items before a sale starts, and then during the sale you return and re-buy them. If a sale doesn't happen, then you just return them (or not). It's a lot of footwork though. There are probably some caveats I'm forgetting.

[pumbaugh]

I really do not believe they tinker with the inventories. Just last week I scored a Pet Shop/Fire Brigade combo, Month or so before that I got an Emerald Night/MMV combo. You just have to be lucky to get the stock before all the lurkers. I normally get my orders on Tues or Wed mornings as they must be refreshing stock. Their inventory is not that great when you have the entire US...and apparantly half of Canada looking to score their deals....not only that but I bet TNB can vouch that traffic is higher this year than last...meaning more people knowing about the same deals you do ;)

[sadowsk1]

I got some rewards the other day but the time window to use them closes up pretty quickly. Should I just buy something and if I return it will I just get in store credit that has no expiration?

[mah4546]

I got some rewards the other day but the time window to use them closes up pretty quickly. Should I just buy something and if I return it will I just get in store credit that has no expiration?

Nope. If you return something bought with rewards, you don't get any value back and forfeit the rewards.

[sadowsk1]

I got some rewards the other day but the time window to use them closes up pretty quickly. Should I just buy something and if I return it will I just get in store credit that has no expiration?

Nope. If you return something bought with rewards, you don't get any value back and forfeit the rewards.

oh TRU how you hurt me so

[koromo]

Since they stopped sending me the occasional % off coupons and other promos I've stopped going. The promos I do find out about have been very weak this year compared to last.

[atmail35]

I went to TRU today to spend my rewards that expire 12/31 and there were so few Lego sets on the shelf. I found a Friends set and figured I'd pick that up and they wouldn't sell it to me because it can't be sold til 1/1, so annoying!

[ncbarrett]

just got an email with my bonus rewards

[atmail35]

I went to TRU today to spend my rewards that expire 12/31 and there were so few Lego sets on the shelf. I found a Friends set and figured I'd pick that up and they wouldn't sell it to me because it can't be sold til 1/1, so annoying!

ugh to top it off I wasted my $5 on something my daughter loved at Christmas so I got more, at full price but with the $5 off it seemed better. only to find them 70% off at target's stocking stuffer area

I still hate TRU, and the new Cars2 sets (ie Jeff Gorvette/Finn McMissle) were $10 with msrp at $6.99, what a rip off!

[Orangechef]

If you're still looking for Friends sets atmail for some reason TRU is selling 3065 Olivia's Tree House for $17.99 instead of $19.99 in store and online (all the other sets are at or above MSRP).

[atmail35]

If you're still looking for Friends sets atmail for some reason TRU is selling 3065 Olivia's Tree House for $17.99 instead of $19.99 in store and online (all the other sets are at or above MSRP).

Thanks for the heads up, maybe I'll get this set with my $10 TRU Lego reward and the recent issue of the Dec reward.

[meyerc13]

I noticed the tree house below MSRP as well. Second time in a year TRU has done that, the Fishing boat was also a few dollars below MSRP when it first came out. So get it now because it won't survive the TRU tax.

It seems like many of the Friends sets are at MSRP now, but a few are above. The Cafe, Vet Clinic, and Car were all above MSRP, while the $5.99 and $9.99 sets were at MSRP. Wonder if that will last... since we are after the Holidays they might not mark the rest up. Time will tell.