What does the M&S Sparks loyalty card Give You?

Marks and Spencer have relaunched their loyalty scheme. What is it and how does it work? Is it worth joining? We ask – What does the M&S Sparks loyalty scheme actually give you?

The previous Sparks scheme with points and sale access tiers was considered rather confusing to customers and we struggled to get much benefit. Is this relaunched version any better? We take a look at these questions below to give you all you need to know.

What is M&S Sparks?
How Does M&S Sparks Work?
What will I get with M&S Sparks?
Are there any other benefits?
How do I join M&S Sparks?
Is M&S Sparks any Good?

What is M&S Sparks?

If you’ve ever heard M&S be referred to as “Marks and Sparks” in the past, it makes sense that their loyalty scheme is aptly named M&S Sparks. The name conjures images of all things sparkly and wonderful, which is somewhat reflective of their magical Christmas adverts. But what is it, exactly?

Well, it’s a reward scheme in that customers are rewarded for shopping there. It says in the promo video , “Good things happen every time you shop”. Read on for the full details.

How Does M&S Sparks Work?

Unlike other popular reward schemes such as the Tesco Clubcard and Nectar Rewards, you don’t collect points. There used to be a points system, but that’s been scrapped. Instead, you scan your card every time you shop in return for thank yous, treats and offers.

Your shopping habits will determine your personalised offers, which will be presented to you via the app. On that note, M&S sees it as a digital first loyalty scheme, so you’ll be scanning your “card” via the mobile app and receiving all of your offers and updates that way. You can, however, ask for a physical card if you prefer.

What will I get with M&S Sparks?

In return for shopping with them, you have the chance — every week — to win your shopping for free. You’ll also be in with a chance to get a special treat such as a donut, some Percy Pigs, or a candle. If you’re really lucky you could get hundreds, or even thousands, of pounds to spend in-store or online.

Additionally, each time you shop, M&S make a donation to a charity of your choice. The personalised offers, tailored for you based on your shopping habits, mean that, the more often you shop there, the higher the chances of you receiving a reward in the form of an offer or a gift.

Examples might be £5 off when you spend £5 or more on clothing, homeware and beauty. Or, £10 off when you spend £10 or more on clothing, homeware and beauty. Of course, each offer will vary by customer and depend on how you shop.

Although we don’t shop in Marks and Spencer very often – occasional meal deals and stocking up on the underwear and seasonal thermals or summer clothes, we do get some decent offers. Bizarrely, we now wait for these offers and shop when we have them. For M&S this means the offers they send to us are actually costing them money.

Recent offers include 15% off dressing gowns and 15% off womens trainers and 50% off nuts! 50% off Macaroons would have been more useful – still waiting for that one.

Are there any other benefits?

Yes – M&S Live events. One of the best things about being a Sparks member is invitations to live events. We have done a couple of these and they are fun. We did a cook along with Chris Baber – you get emailed the recipe and ingredients needed and off you go. There was also an eat well live event – one lucky viewer won a £250 M&S gift card.

Not sure if these live events are due to Covid / Lockdown, and whether this will be replaced by something else when Marks and Spencer stores are fully open again. We will have to wait and see.

There used to be a birthday treat – afternoon tea for 2 at an M&S cafe – not sure if this is still a thing, let me know in the comments if M&S still offer this.

How do I join M&S Sparks?

You can join online here, or download the app and get started with the scheme straight away. Once you’ve registered, you’re ready to start scanning. Alternatively, you can pick up a card in-store.

Is M&S Sparks any Good?

As mentioned in this MoneySavingExpert article, the likelihood of receiving a reward isn’t clear.

M&S have said that the more you shop, the better the offers become. There’s no guarantee that you’ll win your shopping for free, or that you’ll get a treat each time you shop. However we have enjoyed some benefits so for us it is definitely worth having.

Do you use a M&S Sparks card? Have you had any worthwhile offers? Do share your experiences in the comments. I’d love to hear our experiences.

What do you need to know about Loyalty cards?

Loyalty cards are designed by stores for their benefit first and foremost. Learn how to play the loyalty card game to make sure you get as much benefit as you can in an article posted here soon.

Have a read of all our store Loyalty Card reviews and let us know which you use and which benefits you enjoy most.