How to Earn PC Optimum Points Fast at SDM
One of the best rewards programs in Canada is PC Optimum Points, and you can earn them fast.
What shoppers need to know is the secrets behind how we grew our points to 6 million.
That’s over $6000 in free products, including groceries at local Loblaws stores.
Let me show you what we do.
Load Your PC Optimum Offers And Watch Points Grow
You will not often see me buying a cart full of groceries at Shoppers Drug Mart (SDM) as I find that the store is pricey, but when I do, I have an excellent reason for it.
That reason is likely because I am getting a boatload of Shoppers Optimum Reward points for buying a load of stuff or, I’m redeeming points for a ton of free groceries.
How to Earn Shoppers Optimum Rewards Points Fast
In my opinion, the Shoppers Optimum Rewards program is the best reward program that is offered in Canada.
Shoppers Drug Mart does not pay me to promote their program (I wish!), but I love it so much that I tell everyone who will listen.
It really is quite simple to rack up lots of Optimum points in a short period.
Only shop on PC Optimum Points Bonus Point Days
Many people don’t know that the only time you should ever set foot inside a Shoppers Drug Mart location is when they are hosting a bonus point promotion (20x the PC Optimum points, 8,000 PC Optimum Points when you spend $50, etc.).
Of course, there are exceptions to this rule (prescription pick-up, checking out clearance deals, or only buying their special sale items). Still, generally, I tell people to avoid Shopper’s Drug Mart until a special points promotion is going on.
Tip: Coupons count towards your out-of-pocket total.
If you need to spend $50 to earn 20x the points on your transaction and want to use $20 worth of coupons, you will only spend $30 but will earn points on that $50 price.
2. Watch for Bonus Point Coupons and Offers
There are always special bonus point offers available that you can use to bump up your points faster.
Check out the Shoppers Drug Mart website to load your PC Optimum deals of the week and get notifications of in-store points offers.
While shopping, always pays attention to the shelves in the store because some products will advertise special offers (buy 2 Windex, earn 500 PC Optimum points, for example).
Always check the clearance rack
Almost every Shoppers Drug Mart store has a clearance rack inside and at various places throughout the store.
Learn where they keep these racks at your SDM location and make it a habit to check it regularly for reduced-priced products.
The clearance deals at Shoppers Drug Mart are some of my favourites, especially when products are being discontinued or near expiry.
Keep in mind that just because something is on clearance doesn’t mean you can’t earn PC Optimum points on that item.
Tip: Some clearance items also offer special PC Optimum points offers, so watch for these stickers, too!
Buy a Shoppers Optimum gift card
Although you don’t earn points when you buy other store gift cards at Shoppers Drug Mart, you will earn PC Optimum points when you purchase gift cards to redeem at Shoppers Drug Mart.
Note: You will only earn regular PC Optimum points on SDM gift cards, not bonus points (so no buying a $50 gift card on 20x the points day and expecting to earn 20x the points on that gift card purchase).
Tip: Make sure to purchase a Shoppers Drug Mart gift card before you shop to earn these extra points.
Defer PC Optimum Offers
When you load your weekly offers, you can defer the PC Optimum Offer until the following week if you don’t plan to shop that week.
Using this benefit with the program allows customers to push their offers to the next week to shop or plan to shop.
PC Optimum Points Are The Best Rewards In Canada
As I mentioned earlier, I really do believe that the Shoppers PC Optimum program is the best rewards program in Canada.
There’s no other rewards program out there (that I know of, anyway) that will reward you with so many points for so little cash out-of-pocket.
Although Shoppers Drug Mart PC Optimum rewards program is the best of its kind in Canada, I also fancy Canadian Tire Rewards; tools are good.
Over the years, we’ve redeemed thousands of dollars in PC Optimum Points to furnish our home with and continue to do so.
What We’ve Redeemed Our PC Optimum Point For
Below is just a few of the items we’ve redeemed our PC Optimum points for.
- 3x 32-inch televisions
- 2x net-books
- 2x Blue-ray player
- Hard-Drive
- Cologne
- Perfume
- Cosmetics
- Over the counter medicine
- Cleaning supplies
- Food
- Samsung tablet
- Playstation 4
Boost your rewards by Shopping on 20x PC Optimum Points events, loading your PC Optimum offers via the app or online program and pairing coupons with flyer deals, in-store exclusive offers along with subscribing to the PC Optimum program.
Currently, we have over 4 million PC Optimum points that we’ve been collecting over the past almost 4 years.
Update: July 2021, we have 6 million PC Optimum Points
As for the electronics, they are still working and have yet to have any problems over the years, fingers crossed.
Other Ways To Earn PC Optimum Points Fast
Finally, you will also earn PC Optimum points when you shop at participating Loblaws or Presidents Choice grocery stores, Joe Fresh Clothing and Accessories, PC flower shops, PC Mobile, PC mortgages, PC Debit Card and PC MasterCard.
Get personalized offers when you create an online account through the PC Optimum app or website.
Exclusively at participating Shoppers Drug Mart, Shoppers Home Healthcare, and Pharmaprix stores (in Quebec) and online at beauty.shoppersdrugmart.ca and wellwise.ca, earn 15 PC Optimumpoints for every dollar spent on eligible products.
Get points in store, online and at points events at participating stores, like the Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix “20x the points” events.
Earn points even faster with the PC Financial Mastercard®. Link your PC Financial Mastercard® to your PC Optimum account and earn all of your points conveniently, with just one card. Plus, earn PC points when you purchase fuel at participating Esso, Mobil and gas bar stations.
SDM website
We Are Simpli Financial Members
We have been with Simplii Financial for almost 20 years without any issues.
We love them the most because they are a no-fee bank, and they accepted me when I first moved to Canada.
It’s one of the best banks in Canada that do not have a brick-and-mortar bank.
Everything is done online or on the Simplii Financial App, which we also use.
No monthly fees. Great rates. As simple as that. TM
Get $50
When you use your friend’s unique link to open a No Fee Chequing Account, High-Interest Savings Account, or Personal Line of Credit
Remember, if you don’t load your PC Offers, you won’t get the points when you shop!
Related: Savings, Freebies, Deals, Codes and Rewards In Canada
Discussion: What other tips do you have for earning PC Optimum Points Fast?
Share your comments below.
Agreed with the Shoppers Optimum Points program being very rewarding! I have noticed that although many things are more expensive, there are quite a few items in their flyer that are the same price or lower than other retailers such as milk, eggs, PC pop by the case,, Catelli Healthy Harvest pasta this week. And they offer the opportunity to use coupons printed from the web. I used to reward myself from their Boutique and buy myself jewelry, purses etc. but I saw the light and did some price comparison and now buy the things we use at home that normally I would buy from the grocery store.
I made a calculator that allows you to compare a product from sdm to another store and see if what you earn in points is worth what you save in dollars at another store, it also allows for coupons. I think a lot of people will find this useful.
Thanks..I never thought about buying gift cards,,silly me lol..i will for christmas for sure
I keep forgetting about buying the gift card before your purchase, gonna have to try and budget that into my shopping plan 🙂
I know sometimes we do as well but we try, it’s worth it. Thanks for your comment Juanita!
Thanks for sharing those tips!
I don’t think that we have Shoppers Drug Mart down here in Arizona, but the same strategies would apply to similar stores here.
I use to be neurotic about shoppers points and have cashed in a few times for free stuff but stopped when I started working for the competitor and getting a wicked discount though them…but now that I’m no longer with said competitor I’m trying to get better at shopping there although, and I know this is silly, I DESPISE their flyer layout. It drives me crazy.
Haha, that’s too funny! What is it you don’t like about the layout?
Hmm interesting! I wish there was a shoppers closer to me, I’d make use of these tips! In fact, I don’t use any rewards cards at all.
I will get groceries there when they are on special – otherwise, they’re way too expensive! But they often have good deals on oatmeal, cream, etc..I really should check my point balance!
I take calcium and multivitamins which are expensive and used up a bunch of coupons stocking up on shampoo, deoderant, toothpaste and bodywash which will be stocking stuffers for my 4 mostly adult children. I also bought a shrimp ring and some crackers for Xmas functions.
Thanks Cassie for your comment. I only knew how to tackle this sale because of the advice I read on your blog. I read you and Mr. CBB religiously.
Glad you were able to take advantage of it!
This sound similar to the new program Walgreen’s Drugstores in the US has started. It is overpriced, but like you said, if you shop the sales and get the points, it can pay off. My problem is that it takes so much time to figure out a good deal that the sale is over before I decide!
I go to Shoppers each week and purchase two bags of milk and four boxes of tissues and then any item needed that is on a great price.Purchasing just the six items a week ( milk and tissues) get me $30. in Optimum points each year. So that is without even trying.
Just want to mention that I purchase Shoppers gift cards and get the points when I purchase the card and then when I redeem them, however I only go to one Shoppers.
Wow Donna, that is amazing. I would never have $100. to just spend at a drug store, But………!
Anna I don’t get the fliers either. Part of living in the boonies, they like city people only I think!
Although Shopper’s Drug Mart’s prices are generally much more expensive for the essentials compared to Wal-Mart, they do tend to have decent sales here and there. You just have to do enough price comparison to recognize that it is a good deal. While I have been a long time Optimum card holder, my beef is that the minimum points required tp reap the rewards has been raised twice. I clearly remember it being 7,000 pts when I first joined, and then it went up to 7500 and then without warning, at least to me, it jumped to 8,000. It feels like it takes forever and a million purchases just to reach that first redemption level.
Thought that was you when I started reading!!!! Excellant article as always!!I really wish I could get my hot little hands on the shoppers flyer every week. The online version just doesn’t cut it for readability. Right after I got an optimum card they stopped sending the flyers our way!! I have complained but so far it hasn’t done me any good….I will stop into the store if I’m in Stratford and the manager there is quite good about giving me a copy of the upcoming flyer if it’s Thursday or Friday ….. I’d still like to get the flyer in with the rest of them but I’ll keep nagging…
Awesome job! It looks like you found an opportunity to stock up!
I shopped the 20x event last Saturday. I looked at the flyer and figured that I wanted to spend about $100.00, so I purchased a $100.00 gift card before I started, earning 1000 pts. I showed up early Saturday morning and not everything was scanning at the sale price so I cited SCOP and got Tenderflake lard FREE. Everything I purchased was on sale AND had a coupon, except for Citrical petites, which I use regularly so was happy to get on sale without a coupon. When I got to the shelf, there was a box with 6.00 store coupons attached to it and so I got the box for 3.99 (reg 11.99). SCORE!
The customer behind me was asked if he had an optimum card when he cashed out. His reply was “No, but with shopping like that lady, maybe I should get one”.
My hubby put me in front of a mirror with my coupon binder and said the people at Shoppers would take a picture of me and make a poster to put at the cash banning me from the store for theft! HA HA!
Overall I spent $127.70 OOP, saved $51.20 from sale purchases, used $23.50 in coupons, and earned 28,200 Optimum points.
Now that’s a great shopping haul!
Love the Shoppers Optimum Program! By far my fave points program, and the fact that its all FREE is even better!
I know many people have had issues with Shoppers adjusting promos last minute and changing limits recently, but if you plan appropriately and use your coupons strategically you can still score a TON of points with minimal out of pocket expense:)
I wish there was a shoppers closer to us. I like knowing how to maximize all the little point programs out there. 🙂
Wow Mr. CBB! You racked up some nice rewards off your points! I am not aware of anything this nice here in the States, unless you use credit cards. We’re currently using our to save up for a trip to San Diego next summer.
Wow, Mr. CBB! You’ve definitely racked up some nice things using your rewards points! We don’t have anything quite that nice here in the States, that I know of unless you’re using a credit card. We’re using that to get enough points to be able to go to San Diego next summer.
Thank you for sharing! I am downloading your free e-book now!
Those are some good tips but I think you forgot the most obvious: get a credit card offering Shoppers Optimum Points. I have an MBNA Shoppers Drug Mart Mastercard (soon to be taken over by RBC) and if I use it at Shoppers Drug Mart, I get an extra 15x the points for every dollar I charge. In conjunction with my Shoppers Optimum card, this means that I get 25x the points for every dollar that I spend at Shoppers (10x for the Optimum card plus 15x for the credit card).
I’m not big on recommending credit cards, but yes, if you use it responsibly, the Shoppers Mastercard is a great way to earn points fast!