Are you a Rogers First Rewards member? The company’s loyalty program launched back in the fall of 2013 and offers customers a way to collect points based on their monthly spend, redeemable for things such as extra wireless minutes, data or TV theme packs.
A new report from MobileSyrup claims Rogers is set to shut down the program, based on low participation in the program from customers:
According to a source with knowledge of the matter, Rogers has seen extremely low participation in the program, with fewer than 5 percent of the choices within the program — things like home monitoring credits or The Shopping Network gift cards — having been redeemed at all.
The wireless carrier is also rumoured to end its First Rewards MasterCard before the end of 2015, to replace it with a similar offering said to offer 1.75 per cent of a customer’s monthly spend as bill credit.
Last summer, Rogers raised the redemption limit on some First Rewards awards.
According to sources familiar with the situation, Rogers is not expected to make any changes to these programs, but that remains to be seen.
We reached out to Rogers but they declined to comment on the matter.
Have you been redeeming any Rogers First Rewards?
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Couldn’t see myself giving up my old bundle discount for a less than stellar rewards ‘alternative’…the math didn’t add up. Not even close!!
I use the points for the extra 2GB of data when needed. I gave up my old bundle discount but ended up with a pretty good deal and still get the points.
My guess is people are holding on to them to use towards a new device! I had their credit card but after making a few high end purchases on it they froze it without notifying me. When I asked them they said it was because of unusual activity (Visa always calls me on the spot and I only had the card for three months so if there’s no precedent how is it unusual?) They then told me the only way to continue to use the card was for me to fax them a copy of my drivers license and a utility bill in my name. Never had a credit card company request that before so I cancelled it. They are their own demise.
I don’t use it because it’s a ripoff and borders on illegal IMO.
I am an Internet subscriber only. 99% of the rewards are to augment things I don’t subscribe to like TV.
The redemption rates are too high for what you get and how much money you need to spend to earn the points. Another ROGERS fail!
No different than any other rewards program.
They are better off to offer Frequent Flyer points like Aeroplan points.
Airmiles or nothing ?
Airmiles are worthless
I’ve gotten thousands of dollars in investment vouchers for BMO in the last few years, so I can’t complain.
So this isn’t part of a signed contract? I ask because I have Fido dollars & they’ve cancelled that but by doing that they are altering the terms & I know that if I tried to alter the terms they’d tell me flat out “no” you signed a contract. But if this was a customer opt in or opt out then my original question is mute.
I never joined. Wanted to keep my bundle discount!
Smart!
** CONFIRMED ** I was just trying to log in to my First Rogers account and it is indeed being discontinued.
Seeing how my iPhone 5 is turning 3 this September, it is time for an upgrade. I signed up for a Rogers First Reward Mastercard earlier this year in May when they had the bonus offers. I received enough points to redeem for $100 off my next phone upgrade right off the bat. $50 was by pre-authorizing my Rogers billing with their Mastercard and the $50 awarded for the $xxx in purchases made within a certain time period. I don’t remember the exact requirement but I basically earned $100 off my next phone without changing my spending habits. Then with the legislation that terminated all 3 year contracts coming into effect in June 2015, I signed up as a BYOD customer, receiving $10 a month off my monthly phone bill and an addition 1000 points every month (good for $10 upgrade credit).
By the time the iPhone 6s is released, I should have collected enough points in 4 months to save at least $200! (average monthly spending of $1000) That is better than any other no fee credit card. Hopefully, I didn’t miss any fine print.
Of course I signed up a very opportune time to get that reward. With no annual fee, I think it is a solid program that earns you 2% towards phone upgrades and 1.75% towards bill credits. Sure I suppose by signing up for Rogers rewards, I’m locking myself to the carrier, but all cellphone companies are charging the same these days and Manitoba does not have a carrier like Wind.
Who cares?
I got your email about this, which is why we wrote about it. Thanks Gary.
Confirmed by Rogers: https://www.iphoneincanada.ca/carriers/rogers/first-rewards-shut-down/