Loyalty reward programs give customers an incentive to keep buying from a business due to the accumulated benefit of the points they earn.
In Canada, top loyalty reward programs include Plum Rewards, Aeroplan, Airmiles, and PC Optimum.
In some instances, a loyalty program is tied to a specific store (like Plum Rewards), while others are affiliated with a list of eligible businesses (like PC Optimum).
If you have ever joined a loyalty program, you will know that one of the best ways to get the most out of the program is to learn how to maximize your points.
This article discusses Plum Rewards and how to maximize your points. We will also look at the pros and cons of Plum Rewards and whether it is worth it at the end of the day.
Plum Rewards Program Overview
The Plum Rewards program is a loyalty program offered by Indigo, one of Canada’s largest retailers. Although Indigo primarily sells books, it also sells products in the fashion, toys, beauty, wellness, home, and gift categories.
This wide range of products makes it easy to earn loyalty points when you buy at Indigo because there is so much to buy.
Another essential thing to note about Indigo is that it also has subsidiaries, like Chapters and Coles, which offer in-store and online purchases. These provide additional ways to earn points as a Plum Rewards member.
Plum Rewards comes with two options: Plum and Plum Plus.
Let’s break each down.
Plum
Plum is the original loyalty reward program by Indigo. It is free to join, and you can earn points on most products in the Indigo network of online and offline stores. You can sign up for the Plum program online or in-store and get a Plum Rewards Card, which you can use to earn points when you shop.
Plum Features
Plum offers several key features, including:
- It is free to join
- You get free shipping on orders over $35
- You earn five points on all eligible purchases
- You get early access to promotions and events.
Plum Plus
Plum Plus is a premium loyalty program by Indigo that offers upgrades from the free Plum account. With Plum Plus, you pay an annual subscription and get extra benefits.
Like Plum, you can earn points from all eligible purchases at Indigo, Chapters, and Coles. It is also notable that Plum Plus members don’t get any preferential treatment regarding earning points.
Plum Plus Features
As a Plum Plus Member, here are some features you can expect:
- Annual $39 subscription
- Save an extra 10% on all eligible purchases
- You get free shipping daily with no minimum purchase limits (this option excludes shipping heavy/bulky items to remote places.)
- You earn five points per dollar on all eligible purchases
- Plum Plus members get VIP access to promotions and exclusive events
- At the time of publishing, you get one $10 in-store and one $10 online voucher when you sign up for Plum Plus
Here is a summary of both programs:
| PLUM | PLUM PLUS | |
| Discounts | N/A | 10% off on most purchases |
| Shipping Savings | Free shipping over $35 | Free shipping every day |
| Earn Rate | 5 points per dollar | 5 points per dollar |
| Perks | Early access to promos and events | VIP access to promos and exclusive events |
| Welcome Bonus | 1,500 points on your next purchase | 8,500 points earned upon joining |
| Annual Fee | Free | $39 per year |
You can also enjoy the Plum program on your phone by downloading the app on Google Play or Apple App Store
How to Earn Plum Points
Plum Rewards allows you to earn points whenever you make an eligible purchase. Both Plum and Plum Plus programs award you five points for every dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
It is also super easy to earn points. All you do is apply your Plum Card or membership number whenever you make a purchase at Indigo, Coles, or Chapters, whether in-store or online.
However, purchase and transaction exclusions will not earn you any points.
They include:
- Taxes
- eBooks
- electronics and related accessories
- American Girl® services
- LEGO® Mindstorms
- Love of Reading products
- Indigo Experiences
- Thoughtfull™ purchases
- Gift cards
- plum PLUS memberships and renewals
- shipping costs
- The Plum points redemption portion of a transaction
- and other items specified as exclusions from time to time.
Related: Here is the average income for Canadians.
How to Redeem Plum Points
Redeeming Plum points is also super easy. All you need to do is request to redeem them in-store or use your Plum Rewards card to redeem the points online.
How much can you redeem your points for?
Plum Rewards provides a tiered redemption table. The minimum number of points you can redeem is 2500, and the maximum is 35000.
The table below summarizes the redemption schedule:
| Points | Redemption Value in Dollars | Cents Per Point (CPP) |
| 2,500 | $5 | 0.200 |
| 4,500 | $10 | 0.222 |
| 8,500 | $20 | 0.235 |
| 20,000 | $50 | 0.250 |
| 35,000 | $100 | 0.286 |
The table shows that you earn more when you redeem a higher number of points. In fact, you make as much as 42% more when you redeem the maximum of 35,000 points compared to how much you earn when you redeem 2500 points.
These numbers show that it pays to accumulate your points and redeem them at once upon reaching the 35000 mark.
How to Maximize Plum Points
Now that you know how to earn Plum Points and how to redeem them, you might be wondering how to maximize Plum Points.
Here are some tips to follow:
- Maximize your earnings by accumulating your points before redeeming them. As mentioned earlier, you earn more when you redeem a higher number of points.
- Make as many purchases from Indigo and affiliate stores as possible. This should be easy, considering Indigo sells quite a variety of products.
- Stack your Plum Points with other eligible programs affiliated with Indigo. For example, some credit card programs award you points that you can redeem at Indigo, which you can then redeem alongside your Plum Points
- Subscribe to Plum Plus, which gives discounts, free shipping, and other perks.
You can also use one of the best cash back credit cards to make payments and get some money back.
Pros and Cons of the Plum Rewards Program
Plum Rewards is a great loyalty program. Like most others, you earn points when making eligible purchases, which is pretty standard across the board. However, each loyalty program has pros and cons, and Plum Rewards is no different.
Let us explore some of the pros and cons of the Plum Rewards Program, starting with the pros.
Pros
- You can join Plum Rewards for free and earn points on all eligible purchases
- Indigo has a wide range of products and services, giving you many opportunities to earn points.
- The higher your point balance, the more you earn, which is a great incentive to keep racking up those points.
- You can redeem as few as 2500 points, which you earn when you spend $500 at Indigo stores
- You earn points online and in-store.
- You can sign up for Plum Plus and get more rewards like discounts and extra perks.
- Exceptions are few, meaning you can earn points on almost every dollar you spend at Indigo
- Your points never expire.
Cons
- Plum Plus does not allow you to earn more points per purchase even though you pay an annual subscription fee.
- Unlike other loyalty programs like PC Optimum, earning and redemption options are limited to Indigo and affiliated stores.
- Some exceptions that do not earn you points might be what you frequently purchase at Indigo.
- If your Plum Rewards membership expires, you will forfeit all your points.
- Plum restricts you from sharing your Plum Card with family members, which would help you rack up points faster.
- Plum rewards might not earn you as many points because most items Indigo sells are not frequent purchases compared to fuel or groceries.
Is the Plum Rewards Program Worth It?
All loyalty programs reward you for being a loyal customer. They basically give you free money, when you think about it. Plum Rewards is no different. If you are signed up for the free option, it rewards you for making routine purchases at the store.
How about Plum Plus; is it worth it?
Plum Plus comes at an annual cost, so you need to be a consistent Indigo shopper to make the subscription fee worth it.
The most significant benefits you will get are discounts and free shipping. Plum Plus is definitely worth it if those two added benefits make a significant difference.
Also read: How many working days are there in Canada?
FAQs:
How many Plum points is $100?
When you spend $100, you will earn 500 Plum Points on eligible purchases (5 points for every dollar spent). If you want to redeem $100, you will need 35,000 Plum Points.
How do I cash out my Plum rewards?
You can cash out your Plum rewards at any Indigo, Coles, or Chapters store or online at Indigo.ca. You will need at least 2500 points, so keep that in mind.
Do Plum points expire?
Plum Points do not expire. However, your Plum Rewards account will expire if you do not make any eligible purchases over a year. If that happens, you will forfeit any Plum Points accumulated.
Can I add my plum rewards to my Apple wallet?
Yes, you can add your digital plum® card to Apple Wallet’s Passbook feature. This allows you to ditch the physical card and scan your digital plum® card whenever you make a purchase at an Indigo, Coles, or Chapters store.
