The Ultimate Guide To Boots Advantage Points
/Being efficient with Boots Advantage is more about boosting your earnings than maximising your redemptions (spoiler alert: they’re a fixed value). Here’s my ultimate guide to the Boots Advantage Card, looking at earning points, boosting points, redeeming points. This, plus more answered FAQs.
Before shopping at Boots, I’d do a fast and easy price comparison using Trolley as that can save you way more than any points earned - Andrew Young (Capital Matters Editor)
Related: Co-Op Rewards | Costa Club | LEGO VIP | M&S Sparks | Microsoft Rewards | Morrisons More | Nandos Rewards | Nectar Points | Subway Rewards | Tesco Clubcard
How Do You Join Boots Advantage
You can sign up to Boots Advantage through the Boots website. Once you’ve signed up, I’d recommend using the Boots app so you don’t have to carry a physical advantage card around with you. You can use a digital card (which you can find under ‘Advantage Card’ in the app home screen).
That digital Boots card can then be added to a smartphone wallet, like Apple Wallet if you want to make it even easier to access when you’re out and about. Find out which loyalty cards can be added to Apple Wallet here.
You must be a UK resident and age 13 or over to join Boots Advantage and there is no initial sign-up bonus.
Using A Temporary Boots Card
You can use a temporary Boots card to earn points but you can’t spend your points until you have a permanent card (alternatively you can use a digital card). You have to apply for a permanent Boots card within 3 months of getting a temporary one too or all the points you’ve earned on the temporary card will be forfeited.
It’s also worthwhile signing up to get a permanent card ASAP because some offers are only available for permanent cardholders.
Earning Boots Advantage Points
You normally earn 3 Boots points per £1 spent. With Boots Opticians and Boots Hearingcare (and some other third parties) you earn 1 point per £1.
10% Discount on Boots Own Brand Products
You receive 10% off Boots Own Brand products online and in-store with Boots Advantage. Students get an additional 10% discount.
Boost Your Boots Points - Personalised Offers
You can boost your Boots points (try saying that 3 times quickly) by signing up to offers online or through the app. In the app, go to ‘My Offers’. Offers might be something like ‘collect 400 points when you spend £20’ or ‘collect 100 points when you buy mouthwash’.
To get the boosted point offers, you need to tap on the ‘Load’ button to load the offers to your card.
These offers should be personalised to you based on what you’ve previously bought at Boots.
Boost Points - Boots Parenting Club
You can join Boots Parenting Club if you are expecting a baby or if you have a child under 5. This will give you access to offers (eg. double or triple points) and free gifts. In relation to Boots points, you earn:
8 points per £1 spent on baby products.
Make sure you’ve activated the offer through your Advantage account.
The boosted points offer is void if you use a student discount (10% off) but you’re actually getting better value since you’ll get 10% off, plus the normal 3 Boots points per £1 (effectively a 14% discount - see more on value below).
Boost Points - Over 60s Rewards
You can join Boots Over 60s Rewards if you’re a UK Boots Advantage Card holder and over 60. You’ll earn:
10 points per £1 spent on Boots brands and selected other brands.
You’ll also get some additional benefits such as 25% off prescription glasses/sunglasses at Boots opticians and a 200 point bonus when you take a free Hearing Health Check at Boots Hearingcare.
Boots 10% Student Discount
You might be wondering how to add a student discount to your Boots Advantage Card. Once you’ve signed up to Boots Advantage, you can access a 10% student discount (in store or online) by linking your card with your NUS, TOTUM card or student ID. Just ask the staff member at the till to activate your discount.
This is in addition to 10% off Boots Own Brand products for Boots Advantage holders.
You’ll still earn the normal 3 Boots points per £1 after your student discount has been applied.
Can You Claim Boots Points From A Receipt?
Yes, but it has to be a validated receipt (ask at the till to get one if you’ve forgotten your card) and you have to claim the points within 30 days of the transaction.
You’ll have to talk to a cashier at Boots to add the points from your receipt. You can’t add the points to your Boots Advantage Card online by yourself.
Redeeming Boots Points - How To Use Them
Boots points can be redeemed online or in store (100 Boots Points = £1 Value). When you spend Boots points, the points have to cover the entire cost of the product, you can’t part-pay. When purchasing online, just click on Boots Advantage once you get to the checkout.
There are some exceptions. Whilst you can spend Boots points on most products, you can’t spend Boots points on:
Prescription and selected dispensary items
Pharmacy services
Infant milks (up to 6 months)
Gift cards or gift boxes
Stamps
Mobile phone top-up cards
Delivery charges
Charitable merchandise
Third party service
Bear in mind, you won’t get discounts related to Boots Parenting Club, More Treats for Over 60s or any other scheme when you pay with points.
Why Can’t You Part Pay With Boots Points?
Boots have made it parts of the Boots points redemption T&Cs that you can’t part pay with points. You have to cover the entire cost of the item with points. Although they don’t state exactly why this is the case, it’s likely so people have to earn more points (ie. spend more at Boots) before you can use points to redeem them for items.
What's The Value Of A Boots Point?
One Boots point has a fixed value of 1p.
Since you normally earn 3 points per £1, Boots points effectively offer a 3% future discount (but remember that you can boost the points you earn through personalised offers etc.)
How To Check Your Boots Point Balance
You can check your current Boots Point balance online or via the app:
How To Check Your Boots Point Balance Online - Boots Advantage Home Page > Log In > My Account Summary
How To Check Your Boots Point Balance In-App - Boots App > Sign In > Top of Home Page
Boots Points Value Calculator
Enter your total Boots Points in the calculator below and it will show you what your Boots points are worth. The value of a Boots point is fixed so you can’t increase or decrease the value of your points by altering how you redeem them.
Do Boots Advantage Points Expire?
Yes, Boots Advantage Card points expire after 1 year of account inactivity. Thankfully, it’s really easy to keep your account active and reset that expiry window.
Activity counts as your Advantage Card being used in an in-store or online transaction, when collecting or redeeming points.
You’ll find similar expiry rules (where you just have to keep your account active) with Costa points and Subway points.
Andrew's Top Ways To Save On Boots
First and foremost, shopping around can beat the Boots points. I use the free Trolley app to compare prices before I buy and that can lead to big savings overall.
If you are shopping in Boots, on top of using Boots points, you can increase your savings by using a debit or credit card that earns cashback or points. If you’re an American Express user, you can earn Amex points a card like the American Express Rewards card (referral: boosted 6,000 MR sign-up bonus).
If you’re a VISA or Mastercard user, you can use Airtime rewards when you shop at Boots to claim cash back towards your phone bill. Check out this in-depth guide to Airtime Rewards by Jordon Cox over on his blog.
How do you maximise the value of your Boots points? Comment below or tag me on Twitter @AndrewYBlogs or Instagram @capitalmattersblog.
Related: Co-Op Rewards | Costa Club | LEGO VIP | M&S Sparks | Microsoft Rewards | Morrisons More | Nandos Rewards | Nectar Points | Subway Rewards | Tesco Clubcard
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