[trishj]

Take an electronics product, add the maximimum recommended retail price found anywhere in Australia, give the frequent flyer a discount of around 5% in exchange for frequent flyer points that would have cost them 3 times as much in real dollars and make them pay the other 95% in cold hard cash. That's how the Qantas product rewards system really works.

There isn't even an option for frequent flyers with huge points to simply use those points to purchase the products outright. Basically Qantas have set up a 'rewards' store, are making a tidy profit out of the sale of the products on it AND still managing to diminish their members points at the same time. In most cases they are actually making more than retail chains selling the same products...talk about a rip-off for supposed loyal customers! Compare it to any other credit card reward scheme that entitles users to use 100% points to acquire products or gift cards for, say, David Jones, and you fast realise you could have got 3 products for the price of one on the Qantas system. Good one Qantas...rip of your most loyal customer base....that'll REALLY help your market share!

[Damien]

Welcome to AFF, trishj.

Using points to purchase household appliances is a rip-off regardless of which airline or credit card scheme you are using.

I suggest you save your hard earned points and use them on flight upgrades. That is the method that gives the best "bang for buck".

[oz_mark]

As with most reward schemes you need to do the sums to determine if it is really worthwhile. As you have found using points in the store is generally not an effective use of points.

[Kiwi Flyer]

Welcome to AFF tishj

Yes they are a rip off. Stick around here to find better ways to use the points.

[JohnK]

Originally Posted by trishj

There isn't even an option for frequent flyers with huge points to simply use those points to purchase the products outright. Basically Qantas have set up a 'rewards' store, are making a tidy profit out of the sale of the products on it AND still managing to diminish their members points at the same time.

Yes for anyone using the rewards store QF is making a tidy profit. We should have the option to use just points to buy the products not just points + pay. Even award seats are not free as you have to pay all the surcharges for the ticket.

As others have said there are other ways you can get good value for your points.

[NM]

Of course the best use of QF FF points is for flight upgrades. However, for people who have a large points balance and no or little status (i.e. they "earned" their QF FF points from credit card spending), the ability to redeem for flight upgrades is hindered by the fact that they are not "Frequent Flyers" and hence get beaten by the real frequent flyers whose status enables them to get to the front of the waitlist queue.

So in my opinion, the FF store is really only of benefit to those people who are not really Frequent Flyers (i.e. do not hold reasonable FF status with the airline) and have found themselves lured into moving points from credit cards into the QF FF scheme only to find they cannot use their points for flights to LAX during the school holidays or unwilling to risk purchasing a mid-priced economy ticket and hope to win the upgrade waitlist roulette game. Once their points are in the QF program, the only way out is through some sort of reward, and flights and upgrades are not viable, then they have little choice.

I very much doubt anyone would join QF FF just for the non-flying rewards. They would be much better choosing a credit card with its own reward scheme rather than sending their points into the QF coffers.

[JohnK]

Originally Posted by NM

So in my opinion, the FF store is really only of benefit to those people who are not really Frequent Flyers (i.e. do not hold reasonable FF status with the airline) and have found themselves lured into moving points from credit cards into the QF FF scheme only to find they cannot use their points for flights to LAX during the school holidays or unwilling to risk purchasing a mid-priced economy ticket and hope to win the upgrade waitlist roulette game. Once their points are in the QF program, the only way out is through some sort of reward, and flights and upgrades are not viable, then they have little choice.

I would suspect that a few people have been caught out by this one. Transfer C/C points to QFF and then try to find award seats for 2 or more people at peak times without luck. I remember a few threads on this site where this has happened.

[NM]

Originally Posted by JohnK

I would suspect that a few people have been caught out by this one. Transfer C/C points to QFF and then try to find award seats for 2 or more people at peak times without luck. I remember a few threads on this site where this has happened.

I would be certain this happens very often. If only they checked friendly sites like this one first, they could save themselves a lot of angst and have received reasonable value in shopping vouchers from their credit card program.

[Commuter]

The phenomenal postage they charge also doesn't help! I was pretty shocked to discover how much postage FF product 'rewards' incurred.

[JohnK]

Originally Posted by NM

I would be certain this happens very often. If only they checked friendly sites like this one first, they could save themselves a lot of angst and have received reasonable value in shopping vouchers from their credit card program.

I have seen the rewards available from Amex and believe me when I say that they are definitely not worth it either. Something like 15,000 points for a $100 voucher. Less than 1 cent a point.

You are better off using them on a FF program but be prepared to be flexible for award bookings or use them for cabin upgrades.