Sam s Instant Savings Program FAQs Updated 8/20/12

Transcription

1 Sam s Instant Savings Program FAQs Updated 8/20/12 General Information Q: What is the Sam's Instant Savings Program? A: Instant Savings (formerly known as evalues) is a membership benefit that delivers on our promise of Savings Made Simple by offering Plus Members a way to enjoy additional savings on top of our already terrific prices at Sam s Club on products and services in the Club. Instant Savings are limited-time promotional discounts that are electronically loaded on the Member s card so that at the time of purchase on a designated item with an Instant Savings offer - the discount is immediately applied at the register. Promotional packages are valid for 45 days from sign-up and the items and Instant Savings dollar amounts will vary by package. Examples of these packages: New/Upgrade Package - At sign up or upgrade to Plus, a Member receives a starter package of Instant Savings designed to introduce the Member to the Instant Savings program. Within six weeks of sign up or upgrade, Plus Members will start to receive new Instant Savings monthly. This package is available at the Member Services desk. Renewal Package - At renewal in Club, a Plus Member receives a special package of Instant Savings designed to reward the Member for their renewal. This package is available at the Member Services desk. An active Plus Member can access their Instant Savings account on SamsClub.com/Instant Savings, on the Sam s Club mobile app and on the in-club Kiosk. Each of these options offers the Member a variety of ways to interact and manage their Instant Savings from viewing, sorting, printing or ing. A Member must be registered on SamsClub.com to use the online or mobile app functions. The Instant Savings program is available in all U.S. Sam s Club locations excluding Puerto Rico, and offers are subject to Club availability and change. For complete details on terms and conditions of the Instant Savings program, visit SamsClub.com/Instant Savings. Q: Why did the name change from evalues to Sam s Instant Savings? A: We are changing the name to make the program easier for our Members to understand. The new name clearly describes the program benefit of providing savings instantly, without the need to clip, save and redeem printed coupons. Q: Where is the Instant Savings program available? A: Currently, the Instant Savings program is available in all U.S. Sam s Club locations, excluding Puerto Rico. Q: Do I need to be a Sam s Club Member to receive Instant Savings? A: Yes, currently you must be an active Sam s Club Plus Member to receive Instant Savings. Q: Do all Sam's Club Members receive Instant Savings? A: Currently, the Instant Savings program is an exclusive benefit for Plus Members only.

2 Q: Are Instant Savings the same as coupons? A: No, the only similarity is they both offer discounts. The differences include: Instant Savings are unique to each Membership account and there is no need to clip paper vouchers or scan bar codes to redeem Instant Savings. Q: Do we guarantee savings with Instant Savings? A: Because a Member s savings depends on the number of offers they redeem, we cannot guarantee any level of savings. We are committed to delivering exceptional quality at an unparalleled value. Members can check the value of how many Instant Savings they have been offered in their My Instant Savings account on SamsClub.com or on the mobile app. Q: How does the Instant Savings program work? A: Members are assigned their unique set of Instant Savings offers. Instant Savings are then electronically loaded to the Member s card. Member purchases an item and the Instant Savings offer is automatically deducted at the register. Q: Do Member s have to pay extra to participate? A: The annual Plus Membership fee entitles Member s to the Instant Savings program. Q: Are Instant Savings based on how much a Member spends? A: No, Instant Savings are based on the shopping patterns of the Membership account. The amount a Member spends does not have any impact on the Instant Savings assigned to their account. Offers are unique to each Member and will continue to include promotions based upon seasonal relevance, special Club events and the Member s shopping behavior (to include items they purchase and items that complement their purchases). Checking/ Notification of Instant Savings Q: How do Members check their Instant Savings account? A: SamsClub.com/Instant Savings: The website is constantly updated with your Instant Savings information under the My Sam s Club > My Instant Savings section of the site. From the website, you can print out or an Instant Savings List for quick shopping reference. Make sure to check back regularly. Mobile App: Members can have their Instant Savings with them at all times when they download the free Sam s Club Mobile App (available for iphone, Blackberry and Android phones). The app will also send alert texts when Instant Savings are loaded or if they are about to expire. Kiosk: The Instant Savings Kiosk in Club is a quick and convenient way to access your account. You can print an Instant Savings List from your account summary to take with you as you shop or send it to your mobile phone via . Q: Do Members need to download their Instant Savings in order to use them? A: No, active Instant Savings are automatically loaded on the Member s card and redeemed at the register when the Instant Savings item is scanned and purchased. Q: How often will Members receive new Instant Savings? A: New Instant Savings are loaded on Membership cards at varying intervals based upon the type of promotion; however on average, Members can expect to start receiving monthly Instant Savings within six weeks of signing up or upgrading to the Plus Membership. Q: Will Members receive notification when new Instant Savings are available? A: Yes, there are two s per month that are sent to every Plus Member who is registered on SamsClub.com. An is sent the first day of the month notifying Plus Members that their new Instant Savings have been loaded to their account. An is sent mid-month reminding Members to check their Instant Savings that will soon be expiring. The Sam s Club mobile app will also send

3 alert texts when Instant Savings are loaded or if they are about to expire. These contact settings can be edited within the mobile app. Q: Will a Member be able to see what Instant Savings they ve redeemed or a summary of their savings? A: A Member s purchase receipt is the best resource for quickly seeing Instant Savings redeemed and how much saved on a trip. The receipt also shows how many Instant Savings are available on the Member s account. The Instant Savings Account page is also a resource for a Member to see the number of Instant Savings they have been offered. Instant Savings Offers Q: What types of items and offers will Members receive with the Instant Savings program? A: The types of Instant Savings range from dollar off to percentage off on a wide variety of products and services available at your local Sam s Club. Q: Will Members receive Instant Savings on items they currently buy? A: Members will receive some offers on items they have purchased at Sam s Club, however, many of their Instant Savings offers will be for items that compliment products a Member already buys. For example, if a Member often buys steaks, we may offer an Instant Savings for steak seasoning. Sam s Instant Savings are recommendations to help our Members find new ways to save on items throughout the Club. Q: How long is an Instant Savings offer valid? A: Instant Savings durations vary. The Instant Savings available date and expiration date are always listed beside the item listing on the account page or promotional materials. Q: How often are Instant Savings updated? A: Instant Savings are applied to Members accounts at varying times. After signing up, Members receive an introductory package of Instant Savings to use right away, and within six weeks, begin receiving new Instant Savings monthly. Q: Why are Instant Savings different for each Member? A: Instant Savings are uniquely assigned to each Member s account and are non-transferable; therefore all Members will not receive the exact same set of Instant Savings offers. Q: Can Members share Instant Savings with friends and family? A: Instant Savings are unique to each Member s account and are non-transferable. Q: Does a household complimentary card also receive Instant Savings? A: The Instant Savings assigned to the Membership account are for the household and therefore are shared by both the primary and complimentary cardholders. If an Instant Savings is redeemed by either Member, it is removed from the account upon redemption. Business add-ons and Company cards are not eligible for Instant Savings and therefore will not receive nor be able to redeem Instant Savings. Q: Do Business Add-On Accounts also receive Instant Savings? A: Business add-ons and Company cards are not eligible for Instant Savings and therefore will not receive nor will they be able to redeem Instant Savings. To receive Instant Savings, a Business Add- On Member must convert to their own primary Plus Membership. Q: Will there be Instant Savings designed for Business Members? A: The focus of the program is largely for the personal everyday needs of our Advantage and Business Members; however, we continue to refine and incorporate more business applicable items like office supplies, computers and software, cleaning and paper products.

4 Note: Business Add-Ons and Company Cards are not eligible to receive Instant Savings. Q: How will Members know if Instant Savings have been added to their account? A: SamsClub.com/InstantSavings: The website is constantly updated with your Instant Savings information under the My Sam s Club > My Instant Savings section of the site. From the website, you can print out or an Instant Savings List for quick shopping reference. Make sure to check back regularly. Bi-weekly s with new Instant Savings offer information and links to their Instant Savings account login page are sent to Members who have registered online with their current address and signed up for communications preferences. Mobile App: Members can now have their Instant Savings with them at all times when they download the free Sam s Club Mobile App (available for iphone, Blackberry and Android phones). The app will also send alert texts when Instant Savings are loaded or if they are about to expire. Kiosk: The Instant Savings Kiosk in Club is a quick and convenient way to access your account. You can print an Instant Savings List from your account summary to take with you as you shop or send it to your smart phone via . Q: How many Instant Savings will a Member get during the course of a month? A year? A: New Instant Savings are loaded at varying intervals based upon the type of promotion; however on average, Members can expect to receive new Instant Savings monthly (after the six-week introductory period). Redeeming Instant Savings Q: How do Members redeem Instant Savings? A: Redemption could not be any easier! Simply bring the Instant Savings item to the register and once it s scanned the Instant Savings discount amount will be automatically deducted from the register total. No paper coupons to clip, save, or keep track of. Q: Can Members use Instant Savings more than once? A: It depends on the offer. Usage limits for Instant Savings are clearly stated in the Instant Savings offer listing. Q: What happens to the Instant Savings when it is redeemed? A: Once redeemed, and the Instant Savings is applied to the purchase, it is immediately removed from the Member s account. Q: What happens if a Member tries to purchase an Instant Savings item before the available date or past the expiration date? A: Because these are special limited time offers, Instant Savings cannot be redeemed before the available date or past the expiration date. Q: Where are Instant Savings accepted? A: Currently, Instant Savings are accepted at all U.S. Sam s Clubs excluding Puerto Rico and subject to item availability. Q: A purchased Instant Savings item did not apply the discount at the register. What happened? A: This could be due to a number of reasons: The Instant Savings has expired; the Instant Savings is not active; or the Instant Savings has already been redeemed by one of the Cardholders on the Membership account. Q: How does a Member know that the Instant Savings offer was applied to their purchase? A: The Instant Savings item and discount amount will be listed on the purchase transaction receipt.

5 Q: How is sales tax calculated on Instant Savings? A: Sales tax is calculated based upon the laws governing the jurisdiction of the purchase. In most cases, sales tax is paid upon the gross sale price of the item. Check with your state tax laws for further information. Q: What happens if the Club is out of stock on an Instant Savings item? A: Instant Savings are assigned based upon products stocked in the Member s local Club. However, product availability for Instant Savings redemption is on a first-come, first-serve basis and is subject to availability based on regional or distribution restrictions. There are no rain checks or time extensions on Instant Savings. Members may also check another Sam s Club for item availability. Q: Can Instant Savings be redeemed on SamsClub.com? A: Instant Savings are redeemable in Club and select Instant Savings are also redeemable online. Q: Can Instant Savings be redeemed through the Click-n-Pull service? A: Yes, if the transaction is paid for at the Club and not online. This is only available to Primary and Household/Secondary Plus cardholders. Note: Instant Savings on items that are not part of the normal Click n Pull SKU assortment will not be available for order through the Click n Pull service. Q: What is the refund policy on purchases where an Instant Savings was used? A: Products that are returned for a refund that had an Instant Savings applied to it will follow the same rules as indicated in the Sam s Club Refund Policy. The only difference is that the Member will be credited the net amount of the item purchased (i.e., the price minus the Instant Savings amount). Q: If a Membership card is reported lost or stolen are the Instant Savings lost? A: No, Instant Savings remain on the account. The Member will need to visit the Member Service Desk to get a replacement card for that account. Note: Once a card number is reported stolen or lost, it will no longer be loaded with Instant Savings and cannot be used at the kiosk to access the account or at POS to redeem. Signup & Enrollment Q: Do Members have to register for the program? A: Sam s Club Plus Members are automatically enrolled in the program as a benefit of the Plus Membership. No additional registration is required. To receive s, view Instant Savings online or use the Sam s Club Mobile App, Members must be registered on SamsClub.com. Q: When an existing Member upgrades to Plus, will they immediately receive Instant Savings based on their shopping patterns? A: The first set of Instant Savings assigned to a new or upgraded Plus Member is from a predetermined introductory Instant Savings package. This package of offers is designed to serve more as an introduction to the Sam s Club experience and the Instant Savings benefit. A Member s introductory Instant Savings are loaded to the newly signed or upgraded Member s Plus card and are visible on the Member s Instant Savings account page on SamsClub.com and the kiosk within 24 hours of the signup or upgrade transaction. These introductory Instant Savings are active and available for redemption for 45 days from the signup or upgrade transaction date. Approximately 4-6 weeks after their signup or upgrade transaction, a Plus Member will begin to receive uniquelyassigned Instant Savings each month. Q: Are there any applications or software required to use Instant Savings? A: Instant Savings are automatically loaded to the Membership account and do not require any special software or applications to check the account or redeem.

6 Note: Members will have to download the Sam s Club Mobile App to view Instant Savings on their Blackberry, Android or iphone. Q: How do Members ensure they receive s for Instant Savings? A: Members can edit their communication preferences on their account on SamsClub.com. Q: How do Members check to see if their address on file is correct? A: Members can check their account profile details on SamsClub.com, at the Member Services Desk in Club, or at the Instant Savings Kiosk in Club. Q: What if a Member is having trouble accessing samsclub.com? Is there another way to access or manage their Instant Savings? A: Kiosk: The Instant Savings Kiosk in Club is a quick and convenient way to access your account. You can print an Instant Savings List from your account summary to take with you as you shop or send it to your smart phone via . Mobile App: Members can have their Instant Savings with them at all times when they download the free Sam s Club Mobile App (available for iphone, Blackberry, and Android phones). The app will also send alert texts when Instant Savings are loaded or if they are about to expire. Q: Why do Coming Soon Instant Savings not print on the Kiosk printout? A: The Kiosk has been programmed to only print a Member s current available Instant Savings. They are programmed this way to help reduce confusion. In the meantime, a Member can view, print or a full listing of all of their Instant Savings (active and coming soon) from the account page on SamsClub.com. Q: Is it possible to receive Instant Savings alerts on a mobile phone? A: Members can their Instant Savings list to any mobile phone from the Kiosk or from SamsClub.com. Additionally, Members can access and view their Instant Savings on the Sam s Club Mobile App (available for iphone, Blackberry and Android phones) and receive alerts when Instant Savings load or are about to expire. Q: How does a Member log in and access their Instant Savings account on SamsClub.com? A: From the home page of samsclub.com, click on the sign in link in the Member Sign In box on the right side of the page. Then click on the My Sam s Club > My Instant Savings tabs. Q: How does a Member log in and access their Instant Savings account on the Kiosk? A: Scan the Membership card or enter the Membership number and zip code to access the account page. Q: How does a Member log in and access their Instant Savings account on the Mobile App? A: Once the free app is downloaded from the app store, Members can log into their account with the same log-in information used for SamsClub.com. Q: What if a Member wants to opt out of the Instant Savings program? A: To opt-out and no longer receive Instant Savings, Members must notify the Member Services Desk in Club to update their membership account. Privacy and Terms Q: What is the Sam s Club Instant Savings Privacy Policy? A: For details on our Privacy Policy visit Samsclub.com/privacy Q: What are the Terms and Conditions for the Sam s Instant Savings program? A: For details visit SamsClub.com.