Best Buy Rewards Program Changes
Best Buy is making a big change to its rewards program. The news was revealed today through an email that was sent out to My Best Buy members.
The Terms and Conditions of the program have been updated, showing the changes coming to the My Best Buy program on May 3, 2022. Best Buy says these changes are an effort to simplify the program.
Elite Plus, Elite and My Best Buy tiers will be consolidated into a single tier. On May 3, 2022, you are moving to the standard My Best Buy program.
Best Buy is also updating how points are displayed within the program. As a My Best Buy member, you will receive 1% back in rewards on qualifying purchases (0.5 points for every $1 spent) at Best Buy and Participating Properties. My Best Buy Credit Card members can choose to earn 5% back in rewards (2.5 points for every $1 spent) on Best Buy purchases.
If your preferences are set to points banking, you should self-issue a reward certificate by September 27, 2022. Thereafter, any points remaining in your account will be issued automatically to you on September 28, 2022 with a 60-day rewards expiration.
Conclusion
Best Buy rewards program is changing in May. The changes were announced by email. But interestingly, there are at least two or three different emails being sent out. So the text of your email could vary from the one I received.
While it’s being described as a change aimed to simplify the program, it is also a hit for those who have Elite and Elite Plus status. Currently, Elite and Elite Plus members who don’t have the Best Buy credit card earn 2% back (1 point per $1 spent) and 2.5% back (
1.25 points per $1 spent) respectively.
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Best Buy will also lose my business in favor of Amazon and Target. My wife is an ex Target employee and we receive 10% back for every dollar spent. I spend about $1000 a year on Blu-ray & UHD media. Other items like Roku streaming devices and UHD players can also be easily purchased at Target or Amazon.
Elite Plus is why I still shop at BestBuy at all. I usually pick my purchases up, but just noticed that I had lost my free shipping. BestBuy and their credit card have lost my business. I will use up my reward points and then never use them again. Too bad. They are going to lose business. Total tech? No way.
It is fun to read these comments because I’m in the same boat as many of you. The rewards program is the only reason I purchased from Best Buy. I’d often go to Best Buy instead of Amazon because I wanted to keep a local store in business. I usually let the rewards certificates expire, so I wasn’t about the actual rewards, but having that elite status made me feel important and motivated me to go to Best Buy just to keep it. And, as most here, I’m my own tech support so there’s no chance I’m signing up for their $200/yr plan.
Been top tier, platinum back when you had to spend $12,000+ per year to qualify, elite plus whatever they call it. I only cared to keep my 45 day return status. I still have my original reward zone plastic card issued in 2022. Guess Amazon will get most of my business and I need to cash out my $1500+ reward zone money soon.
I don’t recall getting notification about this and just got dinged on a return where I still expected my return period. Man, that sucks! Like you I have spent a ton with best buy and have been elite since they created the program.
And like you, now I will completely reconsider my purchases because even Amazon gives me a longer return period now and that was the biggest benefit with best buy. Plus Amazon’s returns are so simple vs returning to the store anyway.
I get the change but I don’t think it is a smart decision. I think the majority of us commenting used the rewards to their fullest. I sure did. This was the only remaining thing keeping me purchasing from Best Buy. I guess at this point I can walk away and not worried about missing out on rewards and get much better customer service with another store.
I have been a loyal Best Buy customer and rewards program member for close to a decade and over that time I have been at the Elite plus rewards level by spending at least $3500.00 per year and most years much more than that at Best Buy stores and online at BestBuy.com
The recent downgrade of the rewards program without any notice mid year that totally eliminated both upper tiers of the rewards program has totally Ruined the rewards program and now offers no incentive to remain a loyal Best Buy customer. This is an absolutely terrible business decision on Best Buy’s part there is absolutely no reason why they are treating their loyal longtime customers so dirty. If Best Buy does not reinstate their once wonderful Elite Plus rewards program I will no longer spend my hard earned money at Best Buy, I will spend my money with a company that actually appreciates my business
Just another former Elite Plus member here who will take their business elsewhere. This change didn’t even register with me until I tried to order something today and wondered where my free shipping went.
I literally made unnecessary purchase at times so I could keep my elite plus membership. Hell I even used my account to buy my neighbor a tv since I have their card + I’ll be able to use elite plus for one more year. Yet out of nowhere they suddenly decide to remove the member tier without any warning. The least they could do is to let the customers to keep their elite or elite plus membership, until it expires. But no, they literally cancelled the whole tiers without even asking our opinion. This sucks to much… They literally are forcing me to buy less for them….
“I literally made unnecessary purchase at times so I could keep my elite plus membership.”
I did exactly the same. Best Buy clearly doesn’t appreciate their loyal customers.
I agree. I probably will use other credit card.
I know this change will make Elite / Plus members unhappy – especially the loss of free shipping without minimum spend, and maybe the extended return period.
But as someone who rarely crossed $1.5 K of annual spend at BB to each Elite status (except for the years I had to replace a laptop), I am really happy to get away from the construct of monthly issue of reward certificates with 60 day expiry. That’s not a concern for Elite members as they have had unlimited point banking.
The BB credit card gives you a few quarterly offers throughout the year (like 10% back on all utility bill payments in Q1), and the rewards used to translate to ~$15 or $20 reward certificates each month which expired after 60 days. Under the new system, I can collect points till they are significant enough to use on a large ticket item.
I’m a Best Buy Elite Plus member (or should say I WAS)
I loved the ‘perk’ which gave me FREE same day delivery when i purchased something online.
When I called to complain about all this and the free delivery I’d miss the phone guy said, “You can still get free delivery by becoming a member of Total Tech”
and i said, “That makes sense, buying a membership which is TWO HUNDRED dollars a year for occasional free delivery. I’d never otherwise use your Total Tech thing.”
Yeah, so I’m not happy
Is this some kind of sick April Fool’s Joke?!
Shame on you, Best Buy!
Only going to Micro Center or Amazon from here on in!
So first, they screw you out of your points by only giving you a month to spend them after they are awarded and now, you get half the points or less than you used to?
BUY BYE, WORST BUY!
Actually, that is incorrect on both counts.
i.e. in the new program, you can ‘bank’ your points and issue a reward certificate only when you wish to. So there is no expiry of points at all, its only the certificate which will expire (but you choose when to issue it).
The banking ONLY applies to those who have a Best Buy credit card and as long as it remains open. Those without the card no longer get to bank points. IF you have a best buy credit card and IF you keep it open, the banking is indefinite.
How long do you get after you redeem them?
You didn’t prove the second point wrong either .
I’m right, you’re a fanboi.
I’ve been a platinum rewards member for around 6 years in a row. No more. Like others have stated they have incrementally removed the benefits associated with their tiers. You used to get a free TV calibration in your home as one benefit. So with merging the tiers the 45 day extended return period will be eliminated. I will do all my shopping with Amazon from now forward. Bye Best Buy.
People still go to Best Buy? 10 years ago I used to be a Top Tier member with purchases over $50,000/yr.
I had to Buy electronics for my sailors that would come to Ports. No more Best Buy for me or my customers. Service sucks, Return Policy sucks, Merchandise sucks. It is Costco, Sam’s Club or Amazon Baby!
Their program was invested as a way to keep high spending customers when choices expanded. Now, because of shortages, etc, they realize that people need to get whatever whenever they can get it. So, they’re choosing to screw over higher-spending customers. I’ve been an Elite Plus with them for a few years and the level of recognition and real benefit has dropped significantly. They keep trying to steer to me Total Tech or whatever their paid program is. If I can get the same thing at Amazon and get my 6% back on my card, then I’ll shop there.
Best Buy does not care about their customers. Check out some of their responses to customers on their Facebook page, some are disrespectful. One person was describing their problem. They added a couple of followup comments and Best Buy threatened to block them for spamming. Look at all the complaints at the BBB. They have a 1.06 out of 5 star review rating on the BBB. They only have an A rating because they pay off the BBB every year to give them the A.