SAYNOTO0870.COM - Thomson Directories Nectar offer

Dave

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Thomson Directories Nectar offer
May 14^th, 2007 at 5:05pm

Thomson Directories are currently promoting a new offer in association with Nectar. Details are here.

For consumers:
Quote:

Whether you are looking for florists, hairdressers, decorators, double glazing or hundreds of other businesses, we'll give you 50 points every time you call a Nectar affiliate advertiser.*

Collecting points is easy, just look out for ads that feature the Nectar logo from January 2007 and call on the number provided. You will be prompted to enter your Nectar account number using your telephone keypad, before being connected to the advertiser. We'll then award 50 Nectar points to your account, just for calling them. It's that simple!

*up to a maximum or 250 points a week and 1000 points per year. Second and subsequent calls to the same advertiser in a seven day period will not be eligible for points.

For businesses:
Quote:

Stand out from the competition and increase your sales leads with a special Nectar ad. Place a Nectar affiliate advertisement in the Thomson Local, and we will award Nectar points to customers who call your business. With around half of UK households collecting Nectar points, that's a lot of people who could choose your business instead of the competition. In addition, when you buy a Nectar advertising package, you'll earn 2 Nectar points per pound on your advertising spend (ex VAT) in the Thomson Local.*

*up to a maximum of 5000 points per year

If Nectar is Nectar, I assume it will provide each business with a 084x/087x number of some kind. I can't see it using freephones!

Assuming this to be the case, then any Nectar points will be paid for in extra call costs by the caller. And who thought Nectar points were free? How many people will fall for this? Roll Eyes

It's a break from Thomson's good image with its 01 number for advertisers.

Bearing in mind that Nectar 2 points are worth 1p at Sainsburys, benefits are:

for consumers: 25p per call upto £5 per year
for businesses: upto £25 per year

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jrawle

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Re: Thomson Directories Nectar offer
Reply #1 - Sep 12^th, 2007 at 9:06pm

I received my new Thomson Directory today, complete with prominent Nectar promotion. As you reported in May, they offer 50 Nectar points if you use the 0845 numbers they provide.

It seems this is similar to past cases reported in the forums where pub or restaurant guides have replaced advertisers' phone numbers with 087 numbers. (I wonder if Thomson asked those particular advertisers' permission?) However, in this case, the Nectar promotion only applies to selected display adverts in the directory, not to normal listings. The adverts in question are shown unchanged, complete with all contact numbers. Underneath, it has the special Nectar 0845 number.

I can't say I object to this offer, as long as the potential cost of calls is made clear and people have a choice. In fact, with BT's latest price changes, it's now cheaper for Option 1 customers to call 0845 numbers in the daytime. I will certainly be using these numbers as I already shop at Sainsbury's and use Nectar - unless, that is, I'm calling in the evening or at the weekend and the call is likely to take long.

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BexTech Junior Member Offline A Proud European! Posts: 66 Gender:	Re: Thomson Directories Nectar offer Reply #2 - Sep 19^th, 2007 at 1:29am However the 0845 number would still be dearer than if you called the 01 or 02 number via 1899 or 18185 who only charge 5p for the entire call.
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floella2

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Thompson Nectar Points - Scam of the Day award!
Reply #3 - Jun 27^th, 2009 at 8:20pm

I have just registered for a nectar card and noticed you can get 50 nectar points for simply calling a business you find in the Thompson directory.

Great, but here's the catch - you have to call the 0845 number. Lovely, 40p a minute to get 50 nectar points (which is worth about 25p).

Oh, and of course Thompson advertise the call as Local Rate.

Anybody know a geographic number for one of these? I would love to call it several times from my inclusive minutes, just to scam them back and rack up some free points..... Wink

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sherbert Supreme Member Offline Posts: 2,011 Gender:	Re: Thompson Nectar Points - Scam of the Day award Reply #4 - Jun 27^th, 2009 at 8:39pm Ok, give us a clue, what is the 0845 number? I forgot to buy a crystal ball today!! I guess you are saying 40 per minute from a mobile? Anyway depending on which option you may be on and if you have a BT land line, this 0845 number is inclusive to that particular option.
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floella2

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Re: Thompson Nectar Points - Scam of the Day award
Reply #5 - Jun 27^th, 2009 at 8:49pm

There are lots of them! They are different for each company affiliated with the offer. An example would be Interflora where you call 0845 8633118, key in your nectar number then they CONnect you to the proper number.

Thanks for the info on the BT call package. Unfortunately I live in a shared house and the landlord will not connect a phone line. The is a whole generation of us in this boat who can't get on to the property ladder. So yes the 40p is from my moby.

High time 08 numbers were included in mobile tariffs!!!

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sherbert Supreme Member Offline Posts: 2,011 Gender:	Re: Thomson Directories Nectar offer Reply #6 - Jun 27^th, 2009 at 9:13pm Well in the case of Interflora, which is the number you have given, I would suggest you dial their customer services number 0115 902 5591 and see if they will put you through.
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SilentCallsVictim

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Re: Thomson Directories Nectar offer
Reply #7 - Jun 28^th, 2009 at 12:12am

Don't forget that 0845 calls are only inclusive from BT because the inclusive package costs have been raised to cover the revenue share that is still being paid. A nice way to earn a few nectar points for nothing, but remember that at the end of the day it is only other BT customers who are paying for this. Nothing is free, with inclusive packages lower users subsidise higher users (assuming that the provider gets their sums right.)

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@fairtelecoms (tweets)

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Heinz

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Re: Thomson Directories Nectar offer
Reply #8 - Nov 15^th, 2009 at 10:13am

http://www.thomsonlocal.com/about-nectar.aspx

I just love the ineptitude of Thomson:
Quote:

Calls from BT to 084 numbers cost up to 4p per min (ppm). 087 cost up to 8ppm. A 3ppm call set up fee applies from residential numbers, mobiles & other providers may vary.

OK, they're talking about 0845 numbers but their "up to 4p per min" statement overlooks 0844 numbers which can cost up to 5ppm.

Similarly, their "087 cost up to 8ppm" statement overlooks 0871//2/3 numbers which can cost up to 10ppm.

And the "A 3ppm call set up fee applies ...." statement is confused, out of date nonsense. Call set-up fees are a one-off charge so cannot be priced in ppm (pence per minute). And how long ago was it they were 3p? That started way back on 1-10-2006 when BT first dropped its 5.5p minimum call charge and came up with the wonderful advertising wheeze about how wonderful they were for doing so and how they were only going to charge a small call set-up fee of 3p! They doubled that to 6p less than a year later on 1-8-2007 and that small fee has more than tripled in 3 years (it's now 9.05p) and will be 9.25p from 1-1-2010!

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« Last Edit: Nov 15^th, 2009 at 10:31am by Heinz »

After years of ignoring govt. guidelines & RIPPING OFF Council Tax payers using 0845 numbers, Essex County Council changed to 0345 numbers on 2 November 2015

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Dave Global Moderator Offline Posts: 9,902 Yorkshire Gender:	Re: Thomson Directories Nectar offer Reply #9 - Nov 15^th, 2009 at 10:35am Also note the text before the 0845 number. This has made it into the listings: http://www.thomsonlocal.com/BusinessFinder.aspx?phrase=leaky+taps&where=GU14
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irrelevant

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Re: Thomson Directories Nectar offer
Reply #10 - Nov 15^th, 2009 at 10:51am

Given that 150 nectar points is only worth about 75p, and the mechanics are that you call the number, it answers, no doubt with an IVR, as you have to enter your nectar card number, and then it then dials the business you want ... and you're still paying while it rings.. it makes the "profit" from the nectar points fairly marginal at best, especially if calling from anything other than a BT Landline ... . I've certainly never found it tempting!

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Dave

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Re: Thomson Directories Nectar offer
Reply #11 - Nov 15^th, 2009 at 11:13am

I have my new 2009-10 edition of Thomson Local to hand and at the bottom of the adverts their is no "local rate". It says "Collect 50 points - call this advertiser on 0845 …"

The version of "Fair Use Policy" in the printed edition varies from that of the website. It states "0844/0845/0870 calls cost 6p plus up to 2ppm from a BT calling plan. Mobiles and other providers' charges may vary."

Also, whilst we're discussing the correct formatting of telephone numbers, the first few pages give some important local (and national) numbers. There are no parenthesis around STD codes although spaces are in the correct places. For some unknown reason, some numbers with four digit prefixes have a '-' where the first space should be. Eg. 0114-987 6543.

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« Last Edit: Nov 15^th, 2009 at 11:22am by Dave »

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Heinz

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Re: Thomson Directories Nectar offer
Reply #12 - Nov 15^th, 2009 at 11:50am

irrelevant wrote on Nov 15^th, 2009 at 10:51am:

Given that 150 nectar points is only worth about 75p, and the mechanics are that you call the number, it answers, no doubt with an IVR, as you have to enter your nectar card number, and then it then dials the business you want ... and you're still paying while it rings.

OTOH, now that the nice BT has given everyone inclusive 'in plan' 0845 and 0870 calls, it's 75p for nothing.

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After years of ignoring govt. guidelines & RIPPING OFF Council Tax payers using 0845 numbers, Essex County Council changed to 0345 numbers on 2 November 2015

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