Will Catch add flybuys?
Will the discount retailer sign up to the loyalty program now Wesfarmers owns it?
When Wesfarmers (owner of Coles, Kmart and Bunnings) announced this week that it was buying discount retailer Catch (aka Catch Of The Day) for a neat $230 million, just one thought entered my head: "Does that mean that Catch will start offering flybuys?"
Earning points through flybuys is one of my favourite strategies for topping up my Velocity total, so any additional shopping options that let me earn points are welcome. Unfortunately, the signs don't look too promising despite Catch's new owners.
Following a corporate restructure last year, the flybuys scheme is jointly owned by Coles and Wesfarmers. While one of flybuys' core goals for 2019 is to sign up new retailers, there's nothing in the official announcement of the Catch buyout that specifically mentions flybuys.
There is talk of drawing on Catch's expertise with customer data, which is also one of the key strengths for flybuys. "This acquisition represents an opportunity to accelerate Wesfarmers and Kmart Group's digital and e-commerce capabilities while continuing to invest in the unique customer and supplier proposition provided by Catch Group," Wesfarmers managing director Rob Scott said.
As it is, not every Wesfarmers business lets you earn flybuys points. For instance, neither Bunnings nor Officeworks let you rack up points. (Officeworks once did, but withdrew from flybuys in 2009.)
An outside possibility is that Catch might offer flybuys points, but only on some products. That's the approach it takes with buy now pay later services Afterpay and Zip Pay. You can use either, but not on everything Catch sells.
We won't know for sure until the merger is approved and finalised, which will take some months. For now though, it looks like the only way to earn points through Catch will be by paying with a points-earning credit card.
Angus Kidman's Findings column looks at new developments and research that help you save money, make wise decisions and enjoy your life more. It appears regularly on Finder.
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