The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS 

Tribune Staff Reporter 

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

SHOPPERS have mixed views about Super Value’s decision to replace its 35-year-old paper stamp rewards system with a digital quality points initiative.

Super Value announced that its digital quality points would maintain the rate of one stamp per every five dollars spent. Customers will be able to track their points via a mobile app, but the company has promised to continue accepting paper stamps indefinitely.

Stamp collecting has long been a staple for families looking to save money.

“I imagine that gluing and taping gets very tedious, so I have no issues with the digital platform,” said Ismella Delancy, 60, who shops at Super Value’s Prince Charles location every Thursday. Ms Delancy said she saves stamps for special occasions such as Easter, summer, and Christmas.

In contrast, Louise Smith, 86, is concerned about the change. “It’s going to be online. I ain’t into that. I don’t even know nothing about online,” she said.

Ms Thompson, a 70-year-old customer, acknowledged that improvements are welcome but stressed the need for support for the elderly.

“It will be at a disadvantage for the elderly because we are not going to learn as fast as the young people,” she said. “When we come to the food store to get the digital stamp, we older people don’t understand it and will be confused.”

While expressing some concerns, younger customers generally seemed to support the transition.

“Well, 50/50, I think you could benefit from it,” said Lashea Smith, whose household uses the stamps monthly. “It’s not like they are cutting it off completely, but it doesn’t make sense if five adults in one house each have their own card, especially for bulk shopping. That’s the only downside.”

Michelle Solomon, 25, who shops monthly, said she also supports digitisation once it is properly implemented, adding that a slow transition would be beneficial, as there are many “non-tech-savvy people”.

Food stamps aren’t the only item facing obsolescence. BTC recently announced that it will retire phone cards.

Keisha Edwards, BTC’s director of commercial operations, told The Tribune the elimination of phone cards will not affect customers.

“BTC offers a wide variety of ways for customers to top-up their phones,” she said. “Earlier this year, we upgraded our MyBTC Mobile app to simplify plan purchases and top-up. The app can be downloaded in the app store on Android and Apple devices. Alternatively, customers can top-up their accounts at their nearest BTC retail store or at thousands of merchants and vendors across the country, including grocery stores and gas stations, just by providing their mobile phone numbers.