Lidl shoppers fury as new loyalty app glitch stops them getting £5 discount
FURIOUS Lidl shoppers have complained that a glitch with the discounter's new loyalty app stopped them from getting a £5 discount.
Unhappy shoppers have complained on social media of problems including money-off coupons not working, and of the app not tracking spending, which is needed to get discounts once you hit monthly expenditure targets.
The free app launched on September 3, after first being teased in August, and promises discounts off both Lidl shopping, as well as deals from other companies.
At launch, for example, the app offered £5 off a £25 shop for new users.
It also set a target spend of £100 to receive £2 off a future shop made within seven days, while shoppers hitting £200 in a month got a £10 off coupon.
Meanwhile, deals offered at other brands included 40% off Sky TV and broadband for new and existing customers.
But what appears to be a glitch with the app has seen shoppers unable to track spending and earn discounts, while others say they then can't get through on the phone to Lidl's customer services to complain.
One shopper tweeted: "@LidlGB why is it fair, that because YOUR scanner wasn't working that I have missed out on £10 off? I have the receipt to prove spending taking me £30 over £200 target but I get nothing because your scanner didn't work?"
Someone else said: "Yesterday was the last day to reach the coupon plus target of £200, obviously with the card not working I didn't manage to get the reward I suppose to. Customer service very slow in sorting the issue, which is not been resolved yet."
Another wrote: "@LidlGB Few times I used the new app on my phone. Once for when you spend over £25 you get £5 off second, when you spend £10 you get £2 off. Every time it was not acceptable in Malvern store. They said to call customer service but can’t get through. It’s waste of time."
Supermarket loyalty schemes - which has one?
MOST UK supermarkets have loyalty schemes so customers can build up points and save money while they shop.
Here we round up what saving programmes you'll find at the big brands.
- Iceland: Unlike other stores, you don't collect points with the Iceland Bonus Card. Instead, you load it up with money and Iceland will give you £1 for every £20 you save.
- Morrisons: Morrisons' More gives customers five points per £1 spent in store. When customers earn 5,000 points they receive a £5 voucher.
- Sainsbury's: While Sainsbury's doesn't have a personal scheme, it does own the Nectar card which can also be used in Argos, eBay and other shops. You need 200 Nectar points to save up £1 to spend on your card. You need to spend at least £1 to get one Nectar point.
- Tesco: Tesco Clubcard has over 17million members in the UK alone. You use it each time you shop and build up points that can be turned into vouchers - 150 points gets you a £1.50 voucher. Here you need to spend £1 in Tesco to get one point.
- Waitrose: myWaitrose also doesn't allow you to collect points but instead you'll get access to free hot drinks, and discounts off certain brands in store.
Someone else said: "Don’t believe you get £5 off a £25 spend the first use of the app. I spent £65 no £5 off!! The staff did not give a toss! Come on Lidl get your act together.";
Another added: "@LidlGB proper class that I’ve tried to use the £5 off twice now and both times it hasn’t worked and I’ve spent more to get the discount, actual proper annoyed."
Lidl advises shoppers to activate any coupons they want to use online before they check-out - you can do this either in store using your mobile data or at home using WIFI.
You then present your digital loyalty card on the app to the scanner in store to benefit.
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But the discounter warns that balances that haven't gone through can't be credited retrospectively.
A Lidl spokesperson said: "Since launching, Lidl Plus has seen overwhelming support and we are pleased that the majority of customers are utilising and enjoying the app.
"We encourage the small number that are experiencing problems to visit the on our website or contact our customer services team on 0800 977 7766."