Woolworths responds to confusing detail in 'disappointing' promo
Woolworths has revealed what will happen to unused credits customers weren’t able to redeem for glass containers due to the controversial promotion’s stock issues.
Availability problems have been well documented by shoppers frustrated that despite earning enough points, sometimes spending more in the process, they haven’t been able to claim anything for them.
Some reported commencing their search last year after the promotion began in November, claiming their local and surrounding stores were consistently drained of stock.
Many have confronted Woolworths with requests to have their points transferred into cash credits to use in store, or have them saved to claim seedling kits in the upcoming Discovery Garden return.
The retailer has now denied the possibility of both options and confirmed what will happen to container credits at the end of the promotion.
Because container credits were established purely for the campaign and have no other value outside of the promotion, Woolworths said they will disappear entirely from customers’ Everyday Rewards account after February 16.
A spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia shoppers had been earning Everyday Rewards points alongside their container credits throughout the promotion and were still eligible for subsequent bonuses and discounts.
For Woolworths customers who shop online before February 16 and can’t secure their desired container, container credits will be refunded back into their account so they can be used in store.
The supermarket revealed the process in response to a customer who on Sunday claimed they had “a lot of container credits but can’t redeem them”.
“How do I get the containers? My shop hasn’t had them available since before Christmas,” the customer said in a tweet
Woolworths replied saying “if you redeemed a Glassware Container in your online shop with your Container Credits, and the Glassware container is out of stock, your Container Credits will be refunded to your Everyday Rewards account”.
“This may take approx three days for credits to be refunded. Please check your Everyday Rewards App or Everyday Rewards online account for the refunded Container Credits,” Woolworths’ response read.
‘So disappointing’
Hundreds have taken to social media to express fury at the retailer, arguing they had accumulated abundant points but were likely to miss out on the containers completely.
“[I’ve got] 67 points sitting there that I can't use because the containers are out of stock. Wondering if Woolworths will come good on offering something else?,” one wrote to Facebook.
“So disappointed as my local store (Innisfail North Queensland) hasn't had any in stock. Been in there on and off the last couple of weeks to redeem and no luck. I have over 50 points to use,” another said.
@woolworths I have a lot of container credits but can’t redeem them. How do I get the containers? My shop hasn’t had them available since before Christmas..
— Nick (@thenduncan) February 7, 2021
“It is a total disgrace that they cannot supply these containers. This is a promotion they have set up and they should honour all the points awarded to customers who incur them before the cut off time,” a third wrote.
Woolworths last week came under fire for emailing customers to inform them of the upcoming end of the promotion, encouraging them to redeem containers before the February 16 end date.
Shoppers were furious the supermarket was trying to lure them into stores on the false promise of having containers while knowing full well there had been no stock for weeks.
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