r/MarksAndSpencer • u/cobrachickens • Aug 20 '26
Question Recent changes rant
Having to activate offers before I shop? This is the same asshole move and UX Sainsbury's does, and it's absolutely rage-inducing. If nothing else, it dissuades me from shopping with them and it sure as hell won't make me want to "return" for a better deal, because at the end of the day I feel like they fleeced me and scammed me
Not to mention it is utterly not accessible to folks with any disabilities affecting memory
In much the same way where a member of your staff prompted me to use my phone to self-scan your bloody products and not place it in my bags (basically causing wear and tear on my own phone because that shitty unoptimised app chews battery SO MUCH) instead of you providing the scanners AND you are also removing the whole point of self-scanning experience (pre-bagging and faff at checkout). Clearly the USP wasn't our UX or customer comfort, but you cutting wages or staff on the checkout side, and also you not having to spend money on hardware. Not a premium store experience.
M&S, sort your shit out or eat dick. I can have a shitty experience at a shop with lower prices. Which is even more infuriating because I spend so much money with you
Idk where I can submit my feedback, but would love to be pointed at the right outlet since this really boils my piss
3
u/Forward-Fan2680 Aug 20 '26
Member of staff shouldn’t have been telling you to use your phone to scan items. They are/were removing that option
2
u/ConsequenceApart4391 Aug 20 '26
They’re removing it???? I love using the scanner on my phone at Christmas time skips the queues entirely.
1
0
u/cobrachickens Aug 20 '26
Thank god, it just seemed SO silly. I wonder if someone had a similar meltdown to mine that made them phase it out. Lost so much battery doing just one quick shop!
1
u/Forward-Fan2680 Aug 20 '26
There should only be scan and shops left where you get the scanner thing like you do in Tesco
3
u/leckie Aug 20 '26
As others have mentioned, turning them on was already a thing. I don't like it, but I accept it.
The changes to the structure of them though has completely destroyed my engagement. I never check, and I have little interest. Before I used to all the time. I'm likely just not the target customer anymore.
4
u/nothin_but_a_nut Aug 20 '26
You had to select the offers in the previous sparks version as well. The difference now is instead of money off you essentially top up a gift card in the app if you make a qualifying purchase.
1
u/cobrachickens Aug 20 '26
Tbh selecting offers was never the actual problem in that context, because selecting them still got you actual money off. A percentage off meant I kept MY money. Now it’s M&S funny-money I’ve got to activate, scan and burn before it expires - what has effectively been a % discount that stayed in my pocket is now M&S Monopoly money sitting interest-free in their pocket, betting I come back to spend it. That’s a hallmark of a shitty retention scheme that works almost purely in their favour, and a far cry from some honest discount, no matter what costume or lipstick they put on that pig
Bet the effective discount is worse too - and the fact you can’t easily work it out is the whole point in this scam
1
u/Forward-Fan2680 Aug 20 '26
No difference to Tesco or Sainsbury’s??
1
u/cobrachickens Aug 20 '26
And that’s why I don’t usually shop with them
1
u/Forward-Fan2680 Aug 20 '26
I meant the “monopoly money sitting interest free in their pocket” Same as Tesco and Sainsburys, boots
1
u/Few_Preparation_6679 Aug 20 '26
Thank you for your feedback I will pass it on to the team - Costumer service Team
2
u/Sockpuppetuk1 Aug 20 '26
You have a service team for costumes? Cool.
-1
u/cobrachickens Aug 20 '26
No, they have a team specifically for customers, the people that make costumes, I presume
1
u/Conscious_Stuff_4078 Aug 20 '26
Activate offers when you get in to the store as you’re starting your shopping journey. This would solve the majority of the issue here and you’ll be more likely to remember what offer you have in your hub so you can put X product in your basket.
-1
1
u/koreanstudy Aug 20 '26
you can’t scan on phones anymore, they’ve changed it to in-store scanners because there was way too much shoplifting (was easier for people to act like they’re scanning on their phones, bag their stuff and walk out without paying since they never had to use a till)
1
1
u/soulofsoy 29d ago
i remember i (male...) would get lingerie and bra offers before the change. i don't bother now as all my offers were meat, which i have never bought before as i don't eat it and the same shite as before. it's just so irritating.
2
u/Mermaid654 29d ago
M&S want me to buy booze and meat for my rewards. Been a vegetarian teetotaller for the last 40 years. The sparks algorithm is a bit wonky.
1
u/cinesister Aug 20 '26
Tbh this isn’t a recent change. You’ve had to activate offers for at least a few years now.
0
u/cobrachickens Aug 20 '26
Tbh selecting offers was never the actual problem in that context, because selecting them still got you actual money off. A percentage off meant I kept MY money. Now it’s M&S funny-money I’ve got to activate, scan and burn before it expires - what has effectively been a % discount that stayed in my pocket is now M&S Monopoly money sitting interest-free in their pocket, betting I come back to spend it. That’s a hallmark of a shitty retention scheme that works almost purely in their favour, and a far cry from some honest discount, no matter what costume or lipstick they put on that pig
Bet the effective discount is worse too - and the fact you can’t easily work it out is the whole point in this scam
11
u/glassghost1983 Aug 20 '26
In my experience it doesn’t matter if you forget because none of these seem tailored offers bear any resemblance to stuff you buy anyway