PC Optimum Points cards are the combination of Pc Plus and Optimum Points. These programs were amalgamated February 1, 2018 to form a new points program.

Where you can use the PC Optimum Card

While using this card you can collect points at: Esso, Fortinos, Loblaws, Maxi, Mobil, No Frills, Provigo, Real Canadian Superstore, Shoppers Drug Mart Your Independent, Valumart and Zehrs. You can link your cards to the app to save you having to find your card every time you are out. The app is also the easiest way to ‘load’ offers on your PC Optimum Card.

You can earn extra points by having the PC Financial Credit Card. For the purpose of this post, we are going to base the article off someone who does not have the credit card.

In order to understand your points card, there are a few things you should know; there are different types of offers or ways to make points.

Loadable Offers

A loadable offer is an offer for points that must be loaded to your card. This can be done one of two ways. If you have the PC Optimum app simply open it and it will ‘load’ your offers. If using only a physical card, or you do not have the app, then you will need to login to your PC Optimum account and load the offers. Personal offers, and most loadable offers, are valid from Thursday of one week and expire at midnight on Wednesday of the following week, unless you save them.

A loadable store or flyer offer will specify ‘load to card to get’. At this point, follow the instructions for loadable offers as seen above. If an offer in flyer does not specify, then it is not a loadable offer and you need to follow the offer instructions to receive your points.

Personal offers are offers that are geared to you. There will always be loadable offers. Loadable offers will usually consist of points per dollar spent on a certain item or points per item purchased. Some of mine, for example, are 200 points per dollar spent on vegetables and 1000 points for every package of sharpies. These offers generally are tailored to what the system remembers you purchasing.

You can save an offer by going into the app, swiping left on the offer, and clicking save. You can do this for up to 4 offers a week. These saved offers will need to be reloaded on Thursday morning with the rest of your offers.

Other offers

A store or flyer offer, that is not a loadable offer, means the points should be applied as soon as you meet the conditions of the offer. For example, Real Canadian Superstore has an offer of 25,000 points when you spend 250.00. The 25,000 points should be applied as soon as you spend 250.00 at Real Canadian Superstore. If they are not, contact PC Optimum as they will be able to correct this.

Sometimes you will get a ‘we think you would like’ offer. This will show up in your loadable offers. It is generally 1500 or 2500 points off a product that they are trying to push marketing for and generally is one per account.

Using your card at Esso/Mobil

This is quite a newer program. PC Optimum cards can now be used to collect points when you buy gas at Esso. Each liter of gas will reward you with 10 PC Optimum Points. Points may not be redeemed on gas.

Sometimes you will receive a personal offer for Esso. Tthey have also been known to hold an Esso exclusive offer.

Shoppers Drug Mart Points

Points do work a little differently at Shoppers Drug Mart. It is the only store in which you get base points without a credit card attached. Base points are points given on every dollar spent whether or not you have an offer for that item.

At Shoppers Drug Mart, you get 15 points for every dollar you spend. There are some exceptions; such as prescriptions and lotto. For full details, visit the PC Optimum site.

Points will also be awarded on your personal offers and the in store/flyer events. Unless the offers state ‘exclusive’ to any other store, in that case, those offers are only valid at that store.

Using coupons at Shoppers

Coupons count as tender and as long as you scan your card, and the total is pushed before the cashier enters your coupons, you will receive the points on the full value of your purchase. This is a great way to keep your money in your pocket where it belongs.

Shoppers has exclusive offers almost every weekend for bonus points; such as 20x when you spend 50.00 or more. These days are my favorite time to shop at Shoppers. If you spend 50.00 you will get 15 points per dollar x 20. This increases the overall value of the points I receive on my shop. I only buy items I need and only if they are a good price. The points won’t matter if I spent 20.00 on a bag of milk. That’s almost 16.00 more than anywhere else! This is also a great event to use any of your Free Product Coupons.

Points redemption weekends are very popular. On these weekends, you can redeem points and they add a little to them. Things like redeem 200,000 points, normally worth 200.00, get you 300.00 worth of merchandise. You’re essentially getting 100.00 free!

PC Insiders

This is a paid subscription to take part in special points offers and discounts. It earns you 200 points for every dollar spent on Joe Fresh items, PC Organics, PC Black Label products, baby diapers and formula, and all luxury beauty items on shoppersdrugmart.ca. You can try the PC Insiders program free for one month. A one year subscription currently goes for 99.00. Sometimes they run promotions for discounts on this program or points back for joining it.

Value of Your Points and Redeeming!

Each 10 points on your PC Optimum Card is worth 1 cent; so 25,000 points is worth 25.00. You must have 10.00, (10,000 points), to cash in your points for money off your transaction. PC points are only redeemable in increments of 10,000. For example, if your purchase is 28.94, you could redeem 20,000 points and pay only 8.94. Points cannot be used to cover the tax at Shoppers Drug Mart. Points are not redeemable for cash.