This Weekend's Shoppers Drug Mart Bonus Redemption Event

***Update: The rumours listed below are true! This year's November bonus redemption event will give those who redeem at the top two points levels extra Optimum points in lieu of extra spending cash. These points will be added to their accounts on December 12. More details, including the flyer, can be found here.***

The last weekend in November is a big deal if you collect Shoppers Drug Mart Optimum points. That's because that weekend is when Shoppers historically hosts a bonus redemption event that see collectors rewarded with higher-than-standard cash amounts. In 2013 and 2014, redeeming 95,000 points (the highest level) got one $210 instead of the usual $170 worth of stuff while redeeming the next highest level, 50,000 points, got one $105 worth of stuff instead of $85. The "bonus" amount was lowered a bit last year, 95,000 level was dropped to $200 while 50,000 points dropped to $95, but still it was a great event that let collectors stock up on Christmas gifts.

But this year everything is changing! Okay, not everything — next weekend is still a great one to redeem points. But based on the rumours circulating over on Smart Canucks' Shoppers forum, gone is the bonus redemption amount. Instead, the five redemption levels will be worth their usual cash value. While there will be no incentive to redeem the three lower levels (8,000; 22,000 and 38,000 points), collectors who redeem 50,000 points will be receive $20 back in points while those who redeem 95,000 points will receive $40 in points.

If you read the Smart Canucks thread on this topic, not everyone is thrilled with this change. Many hardcore collectors hoard points in preparation of this event and then redeem them for pricey items like electronics. For them, losing the bonus cash value has a real negative impact on their shopping plans.

But for someone like me who treats Shoppers like a general store and who is sometimes there multiple times a week, getting the bonus in points actually works out nicely, especially since the bonus amount has return to its 13/14 value. Most years I've had enough points to redeem at the 95,000 level and the 50,000 level, meaning I had to spend anywhere from $295 to $315 in one transaction. I know it sounds crazy, but it can be hard to spend that much in one shot (okay, I could blow it all on makeup and beauty products but unfortunately Husband does not think that's a good use of points).

I do hope that the bonus points will be automatically added to my account. Based on the rumours, these points won't appear to collectors until two or more weeks later. Delaying the rewarding of points is something Shoppers often does and I don't like it. I worry that something weird will happen, I won't get my points and I won't have any recourse because I will have lost my receipt or the won't remember the details of the offer. I realize that there is a logical reason behind why points are delayed (they don't want you redeeming your just-collected bonus for even more stuff/points)  but still, I'm not a fan.

Of course, right now this is all speculations. What exactly is happening this weekend at Shoppers hasn't been officially announced yet and won't be until Wednesday at the earliest. But once I know what's going on, I'll be sure to tweet about it (so follow me).