Nectar Connect Is Closing

One of the lesser-known Nectar programmes is Nectar Connect – a programme likely unfamiliar to most, given its limited advertising. The programme allowed you to earn Nectar points (convertible to Avios) simply by linking your credit or debit card to your Nectar account and shopping at participating retailers. The standout benefit of Nectar Connect was its ability to let you double up on offers; for example, if you had a deal on your Amex and on Nectar Connect, you’d reap the benefits of both. Unfortunately, however, it’s been announced that Nectar Connect is closing…

When is Nectar Connect closing?

Nectar Connect is closing down on the 27th of October as per Nectar’s website. After this date you will no longer be able to collect any further Nectar points with Nectar Connect.

Why is Nectar Connect closing?

Whilst we don’t have any ‘official’ line on why it is closing it’s likely due to a few reasons…

1. As we mentioned in the opening of the article, the programme wasn’t particular well advertised so usage probably wasn’t high.
   
2. Carrying on from the above point there wasn’t a lot of information regarding the sort of offers you’d get (to see if it was worth signing up) and if you did sign-up you wouldn’t get any offers for a few days by which point most people would of forgot all about it.
   
3. People didn’t like that they were basically selling their data on the ‘cheap’ (Nectar collected spent on your credit cards and used this for marketing purposes.)
   
4. There wasn’t any ‘big ticket’ offers to get any exposure with any offers only worth a few quid at most. Amex provide some excellent offers which get wide stream coverage e.g. £100 off a hotel booking. £1/£2 worth of points from a Nectar Connect offer isn’t really going to pick up any coverage, thought it’s beneficial when you can double dip with an Amex offer. Which brings us onto our final point…
   
5. Retailers might have realised they were paying out twice on offers and weren’t keen…

Conclusion

Unfortunately at the moment no provider comes close to the quality of offers we see on Amex cards. Nectar Connect was a good added ‘bonus’ with the ability to ‘double dip’ but what we really need is a provider to challenge their monopoly on good offers!