Massive new loyalty scheme 'follows our lead', says Fly Buys

Mitchell said the new tie-up between OneCard and AA Smartfuel wouldn't change Fly Buys plans.

A massive new loyalty scheme combining supermarket savings with discounts at the petrol pump is "following our lead", says displaced market leader Fly Buys.

Countdown's loyalty scheme Onecard has combined with AA Smartfuel to bring together their saving schemes on one card.

The combined loyalty scheme will have 3.5 million members and overtake Fly Buys, which has 2.5 million members.

Loyalty New Zealand runs Fly Buys and its general manager of customer value Hamish Mitchell says the partnership made sense as it was hard to succeed as a standalone player in the rewards sector.

Mitchell said Fly Buys had added 250,000 to 300,000 new members in the past year, though added that some had left the scheme as well.

"The increased activity and increased interest in loyalty [schemes] this year has been phenomenal for us, we've seen continued and massive growth and customer activity this year," he said.

Mitchell said the tie-up between Onecard and AA Smartfuel wouldn't change Fly Buys plans.

"We launched a fuel proposition with Z Energy earlier in the year we've launched grocery discounting with the New World Club Card...so in some respects it's good to see Onecard and Smartfuel following our lead," he said.

The Onecard AA Smartfuel joint programme will offer members discounts at Countdown, instant savings of 6 cents per litre at BP or Caltex when members spend $40 or more at the pump, and the opportunity to earn supermarket vouchers or accumulate additional discounts at BP or Caltex.

New Onecards will be issued to all active Onecard holders and AA members and all new Onecards, AA membership cards and AA smartfuel cards will be co-branded Onecards.

Countdown's Head of Loyalty Susan D'lima says the new Onecard programme has
evolved.

"By partnering with AA Smartfuel we're opening up an instant fuel saving to Onecard
holders, and enabling AA Smartfuel cardholders to accumulate fuel savings on what
could be their biggest spend per week once the bills are paid.

"Together both programmes give consumers more opportunities to save whenever they swipe, on a single card, and without having to keep track of dockets."

AA Smartfuel Director, Ian Sutcliffe, said members had been asking for a grocery partnership for some time.

"Countdown is a major addition to the family of participating retailers and it's a significant boost for consumers to be able to accumulate savings on a big weekly spend like supermarket shopping."

Sutcliffe said some AA Smartfuel cardholders saved hundred of dollars on fuel annually.

BP Oil New Zealand general manager of retail Debi Boffa said the company would be deploying extra staff to assist customers with the transition to the new Onecard.

While many members will begin to see their cards appear in the mail later this week, a number of cardholders will still need to collect their new card from BP stores and transition their existing balance across, Boffa said.

The joined loyalty scheme would have a network of 1500 retail sites throughout the country.

New World today announced it would roll out its Clubcard nationwide. The programme launched in the South Island two years ago and has 450,000 members.

One million New World Clubcards are being sent to existing Fly Buys and Airpoints card holders in the North Island, who have recently scanned their card in a New World store.

Fly Buys, previously New Zealand's biggest loyalty scheme, will part ways Air New Zealand's Airpoints scheme on October 17.

Airpoints announced new partners Mitre 10, Tower Insurance and Storage King in September when the split with Fly Buys was revealed.

In June Z Energy announced instant fuel price discounts for Fly Buys members.