Five things to know about the merger of PC Points and Shoppers Optimum

Two of Canada’s better-known rewards programs merge today as Shoppers Optimum and PC Plus become PC Optimum.

Loblaw says they’ve had some “bumps” during the merger, with some members complaining online about troubles with the new app and points conversions. However, the company says it’s seeing massive interest in the program and will continue to focus on making the conversion process as smooth as possible.

Here are five things to know:

1. PC Optimum means a single card for both stores, with the dollar value of existing points from both programs converted to the new card. Current PC Plus cardholders will have points converted on a one-to-one basis, while the company is converting Shoppers Optimum points at varying rates to maintain the same dollar value of the points.

2. To convert current points to the new system, customers can go to one of the almost 2,500 stores the system covers to swap existing PC Plus or Shoppers Optimum cards for a PC Optimum card. Customers can also download the PC Optimum mobile app, or create an account online at www.pcoptimum.ca.

3. Under PC Optimum, each 1,000 points is worth a dollar, with 10,000 points the minimum redemption value. At Shoppers almost every dollar spent will earn you 15 points, while at Loblaw-owned grocery stores rewards vary based on promotions on specific products.

4. For PC Financial Mastercard holders, the card automatically switches to PC Optimum and is the only card necessary with points earned varying depending on the type of card.

5. In Quebec, where Shoppers Drug Mart operates under the Pharmaprix name, the Pharmaprix Optimum program ended Jan. 31, 2018 and members will have until May 2 that year to redeem their points or convert them at equal value to the new program.