The Ultimate Guide To Waterstones Plus Stamps
/Waterstones Plus is Waterstones loyalty programme which sees you earning stamps and redeeming them for Waterstones credit. In this ultimate guide, I’ll walk you through joining, earning points, spending credit, maximising your savings with discounts and I’ll help you figure out if the rewards scheme is worth it.
Waterstones Plus points effectively equate to a 10% future Waterstones discount. Long point-expiry windows make the loyalty program worth it for regular and infrequent shoppers - Andrew Young (Capital Matters Editor)
Do you have any questions or comments about Waterstones Plus? Comment below for a fast response or tag me on Twitter @AndrewYBlogs or Instagram @capitalmattersblog.
Related: Boots Advantage | Co-Op Rewards | Costa Club | LEGO Insiders | M&S Sparks | Microsoft Rewards | Morrisons More | Nandos Rewards | Nectar Points | Subway Rewards | Tesco Clubcard
How To Join Waterstones Plus And Student Plus
Head to the Waterstones Plus Sign Up Page and register as a Plus or Student Plus member. If you’re signing up to Student Plus, use an ac.uk email address when registering online or bring your student card with you to sign up in-store.
What’s The Benefit Of Waterstones Plus Student?
As a student member, you’ll get a 5% discount off your online and in-store purchases, in addition to Plus Stamps.
Am I Classed As A Student?
You’re classed as a student (and can therefore sign up to Waterstones Plus Student) as long as you’re in full/part-time higher/further education. Or, if you’re in a recognised apprenticeship scheme.
Student membership is valid for 3 years, after which your account is converted to a standard Waterstones Plus account.
Is Waterstones Plus Free?
Yes, Waterstones Plus is completely free. It’s free to join, free to redeem stamps, the whole loyalty programme is free! I think the mistake they made was naming it ‘Plus’ as that term is usually associated with premium, paid-for accounts/loyalty schemes.
Physical Vs Digital Waterstones Plus Cards
There’s no difference between the physical vs digital Waterstones Plus Cards. One’s just easier to carry, especially since you can add your Waterstones Plus card to your smartphone wallet. To add your card to Apple Wallet, you’ll need to download the Stocard app, there isn’t a dedicated version which you can add directly from the Waterstones app:
Download Stocard > Add > Waterstones > Share Card > Add To Apple Wallet
If you’ve joined online but you want a physical card, you can pick one up in-store and then add that on to your card balance through your online account. Once you’ve got the physical card, here’s how to register:
Go to Waterstones Plus > Manage Your Plus Card > Enter Plus Card Number and Security Code
Earning Waterstones Plus Stamps
You earn one stamp per £10 spent in the UK or €12 spent in the Republic of Ireland. You earn half a stamp for every £5-£9.99 (UK) or €6-€11.99 (ROI) spent.
You can’t break down stamps any more than that. So, whether you spend £10 or £14.99 at Waterstones, you’ll earn 1 Stamp. If you spend £15, one penny more, you’ll earn 1.5 Stamps and so on.
Stamps are calculated after any discounts are taken off the final balance (eg. the 5% student discount) and you’ll earn them on the vast majority of your spending online, in-store or in Waterstones Cafés. There are a few exceptions. You don’t earn any stamps on the following:
Buying Physical or eGift Vouchers (You do get stamps when you redeem Gift Vouchers)
Buying Book/Theatre Tokens (You do get stamps when you redeem Tokens)
Waterstones Concessions
Postage Stamps
Waterstones Event Tickets
Stamps usually appear instantly but they can take up to 48 hours to show. If you’ve made a purchase online, you’ll get the stamps when the item’s been dispatched.
Can You Claim Waterstones Stamps From A Receipt?
Yes, you should be able to claim Waterstones Stamps retroactively from a purchase within the last 30 days. To get the stamps added, just take the receipt and your card (physical or digital via app/smartphone wallet) and ask the bookseller to add them.
Alternatively, you can contact their customer support team and quote the 16 digit number at the bottom of your receipt to get the points added.
How To Redeem Waterstones Plus Stamps
You only have one option with your Plus Stamps and that’s Waterstones credit.
10 Stamps = £10 Waterstones Credit
Once you’ve reached 10 stamps, that will be converted into £10 credit overnight. You can use your credit as and when you like online and in-store. There’s no minimum redemption and you can use credit as and when you please. That said, Stamps do expire (see more on that below) and you might as well use them when you’re making your next purchase. There’s no benefit to holding on to Plus credit.
Waterstones Prize Draws
If you sign up to the Waterstones mailing list, you’ll occasionally get access to special offers and prize draws for having signed up to Waterstones Plus.
Prizes have included concert tickets, trips abroad and original signed artwork.
Value of Waterstones Plus Stamps
One Stamp is worth £1 in Waterstones Plus Credit
Since you earn 1 stamp per £10 spent, that equates to a 10% ongoing discount when you earn Stamps. Add student discount on top of that, if you’re eligible, and you’re effectively getting an ongoing 15% discount on sticker price.
How To Check Your Waterstones Plus Stamps Balance
You can check your Waterstones Plus Stamps balance online or via the Waterstones app:
How To Check Your Waterstones Plus Stamps Balance Online - Waterstones Plus Home Page > Sign In > Account Home
How To Check Your Waterstones Plus Stamps Balance In-App - Waterstones App > Home Tab
Waterstones Plus Stamps Value Calculator
Enter your Waterstones Stamp Total in the calculator below and it will tell you what your Waterstones Stamps are worth. A Waterstones Stamp is valued at £1/Stamp.
Do Waterstones Plus Stamps Expire?
Yes, both Stamps and Waterstones Plus Credit expire after 12 months of inactivity. However, ‘activity’ is a really low bar in this case. Logging into your account online and checking your Stamps balance, checking your balance in the app or at the till in-store will all reset the expiry period. Collecting stamps and redeeming Waterstones Plus Credit resets the 12 month expiry window too.
It Waterstones Plus Worth It?
Plus is an easy to use, free loyalty scheme with a long expiry window (as long as you check your account balance once a year). As such, I’d definitely recommend joining if you’re going to buy from Waterstones as Plus stamps somewhat equate to an ongoing 10% discount.
However, as with any purchase, it pays to shop around before buying and checking for discount codes (I often use Honey). That may be especially true in the case of books. Books are often cheaper on Amazon, Audible titles can be especially cheap if you’ve got a membership (try a 30 day free Audible trial). If you want to support local bookstores, you can shop on Bookshop.org too.
Do you have any questions or comments about Waterstones Plus? Comment below for a fast response or tag me on Twitter @AndrewYBlogs or Instagram @capitalmattersblog.
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