If you are currently using the Pampers Club app to get rewards on your diaper spend, then get ready because there are several changes coming to how you can earn and redeem awards.
What Changes are Coming to the App?
The Pampers Club app will soon be closing out their current loyalty rewards structure on May 31st. The new rewards earning and redemption program will launch on June 1st. While much of the app will stay the same, there are some significant changes that you need to know about.
Earning Rewards
The biggest change to the app will be in how rewards are earned. Right now the app uses a cash back and points structure, while after the May 31st date the app will be using a new Pampers Cash method for earning rewards.
Cash back and Points Are Going Away
The way the current app works, is that for every diaper code you scan you earn X number of points. The number of points depends on the type of code scanned (i.e. diapers or wipes). You can then use these points to spend on various products, coupons, and sweepstakes offered through the app.
You also earn cash back on the codes you scan through the use of cash bonuses, like $2 for buying a pack of Pampers Overnights. This cash can be directly transferred to your PayPal account. Once your PayPal account is connected, automatic transfers of your cash back balance will occur weekly.
Both of these earning types will be disappearing. Pampers will be suspending both cash back and point earnings as of 05/31/2021.
New Pampers Cash
Pampers is replacing the earning of cash back and points with its new Pampers Cash. Earning Pampers Cash will be similar to how points are currently earned. For each diaper code you scan, you will get $0.20 in Pampers Cash. For each wipe code you scan, you will get $0.05 in Pampers Cash.
You will then be able to use this Pampers Cash on their online catalog to purchase various rewards.
The key difference here is that the new Pampers Cash has no cash value. You can only spend your Pampers Cash in the Pampers Club app. This is a significant disadvantage when it comes to reward flexibility.
Bonus Offers Will Remain
One rewards earning feature that will be staying is the Offers section of the app. While special offers will still be available for extra earnings, these earnings will now be in the form of Pampers Cash.
Will the earnings rate on these offers match up to the current cash back offers? Will the number of offers available change? We likely won’t know the answer to these questions until well after the release of the new rewards program.
Redemptions Options
In addition to the changes on how rewards are earned, the program switch will also include changes to which redemption options are available.
Options Being Removed
As part of their statement on the switch to Pampers Cash, Pampers included some details on redemption options that will be disappearing after the May 31st date.
Currently they state that they will “focus on the most loved rewards” with the launch of this new program. Their list of items staying, currently includes gift cards, Pampers products, Shutterfly items, and discount codes.
The one category they specifically state will be removed is the toys category. While they only specifically mention toys, there will likely be other individual items that disappear from the Rewards section of the app.
Most importantly, all of the Rewards options will now feature a Pampers Cash cost. How closely this cost will match up to the points cost, only time will tell.
New Options
While Pampers hasn’t announced any new Rewards redemption options yet, it quite possible that there will be. We’ll have to wait and see what new redemption options await come June 1st.
What to Do Before the Update
With the many changes coming to the Pampers Club app, there are several steps you need to take now if you currently have a cash back or points balance. You don’t want to miss your opportunity to spend these before the switch.
When are Changes Being Released
The new rewards program launches on 06/01/2021. This means that to take advantage of current rewards points/cash and redemption options, you will have until 05/31/2021.
Spending Points & Cash
All points will need to be redeemed by 05/31/2021 or else they will be lost. Cash back that is not transferred to Paypal before June 1st will be converted into Pampers Cash
Transfer or Convert Cash back
If you have not yet linked the Pampers Club app to your PayPal account, you will want to do so before the May 31st date. The Pampers Club app provides detailed instructions on how to link your PayPal account.
If you choose not to transfer your cash back balance to PayPal, then on June 1st your balance will be converted to Pampers Cash at a 1 to 1 rate. While this will give you full value for redemptions, you will be restricted to spending this cash only within the app.
Supplement Points With Cash
Pampers is keeping the rewards catalog open until May 31st to allow you spend your points. If you don’t spend your points by then, they will permanently disappear.
If there was a particular reward you were saving up for and you’re still short of the redemption value, Pampers is giving you the option to make up the missing balance with cash. Example: for a Shutterfly 10×14 canvas print, you can redeem using 851 points plus $8.05 cash. You will need pay the dollar balance with a credit card.
These cash plus point redemption options are limited. Several items display “points only” markers to indicate topping up with cash is not allowed. Items not supported include gift cards, diapers and discount codes, sweepstakes, and Lumi discount.
If you have just a very small number of points, you can always use one of the donation options to zero-out your balance.
Why you need to spend your points asap
Even though you have until May 31st, you will want to spend your points sooner rather than later. This is because many of the rewards will not be refreshed until after the program switches over to Pampers Cash. Many of the diaper redemption options are already out of stock.
This same thing happened when Huggies switched from their own loyalty app to Fetch Rewards. As the spend-points-by date approached, reward options began dropping from the catalog. The last to go were the sweepstakes and donation options.
We can likely expect a similar progression with Pampers, although perhaps some options like donations, gift cards, and sweepstakes will remain through May 31st.
So if there is a particular product you have in mind, buy it now, because there is no guarantee it will remain in the catalog for long.
While I will personally miss the cash back option, I have to admit, I always found the simultaneous earning of cash back and points confusing. The conversion to Pampers Cash will definitely simplify the earning structure.
Still, I will miss the cash back. But unlike Huggies, at least they are retaining their own app. I am still upset at the move to Fetch Rewards.
While some of the changes are disappointing, I am looking forward to what updated program has to offer. Perhaps their will be future changes to the program that make up for the loss of cash back.
