TFSource's point's system on paper probably looks good to someone, but functionally it's probably detrimental to the company, because it simply doesn't work with how their customers shop.

The idea behind a point system is simple: Create an incentive for people to purchase your products, and create loyalty by making it a long term, cumulative benefit. They buy your stuff to get the points, and because it takes a lot of points to get the rewards they want, they tend to buy from you first to build their point 'investment'.

TFSource's system fails in several regards;

1. The steep usage requirements: Requiring a purchase to use the points? Fair enough. Requiring a $150 purchase? That's kinda steep. Requiring a $150 purchase AND not allowing them to use it with the Stack system? That's asking a LOT. You're basically excluding the ENTIRE preorder market. Someone has to buy a fairly large purchase, of items IN STOCK, in order to take advantage of it. Which... if they're seeking a discount they will do ANYWAY to get the free shipping. And THAT works with the Stack. To get these points people have ALREADY spent a lot of money with you.

2. Poor Selection of Rewards: The items that they have available are, to be perfectly frank, pathetic. It's a smattering of stuff that isn't selling otherwise (I mean, half of it isn't even Transformers!), and it's not even up to date. Thirteen items, all but ONE of which are incredibly niche items. This could be forgiven if they ALSO didn't have such steep requirements to actually use the points to get them.

3. Bad exchange rate: $1 = 25 points, approximately. So to get a $50 item, you need 1250 points, which is going to be about $1000 worth of stuff to get that many points. Which, again

For a points system to work, you want it to be easy for them to use their points, and/or give people an attractive reward. If you're going to put steep restrictions on your point system, like requiring hefty purchase minimums, then you want the rewards to be attractive, like a discount on the purchase, or the ability to use points to get a large selection of freebies.

If you want to use the points system to clear out your unwanted, shelf-warming stock? Make the points flow freely and easily, and allow people to use them with ANY purchase as long as they pay the shipping.

Really, the trouble to get these items in their Freebie list is literally not worth the trouble. If someone wanted them, it would be easier and likely cheaper to get them through a normal purchase.

Getting regular e-mails reminding me I have this huge balance of completely useless points doesn't help.

Really, they should yank the points system, or at the very least update the catalogue to include stuff that hasn't been shelfwarming since 2013.

 

Yeah they used to have some good stuff but now it's pretty crappy . In the past I used it on some deluxe prime molds that I gave away as gifts. Now I have like 800 points and it's all pretty useless stuff now

 

I started collecting with tfs but don't go there anymore because of this - their customer loyalty system does nothing for me. it's full of shitty items and the purchase requirements to actually use the points are ridiculous.

 

I've stopped shopping TFSource because of their crappy rewards implementation. Period. I spent HUNDREDS with them, gave them my PREORDERS, and then discover it's all for nothing because they screw the very people entrusting them with the most business by not letting you apply those rewards when your stack comes up. Even if the stuff is garbage, it's garbage I earned per your advertising.

Not to mention that twice now they've shipped to the wrong address...

Only upside is I think their preorder cancellation is the most flexible.

 

Good news for those with source points and thought you would never use them. Looks like TFS is letting you convert it to store credit. I got over $100 worth given to me just now. Nice.

Just log on, go to your dashboard and select source points on the side.

 

yep, i noticed last week and got $30 off with the points i had left. It isn't a huge amount of $$$ but it is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than that old system. For all peoples' complaints I have never had a problem with tfsource. They fix any issue i have quickly, they stock almost anything I want, and now they finally have a decent points system.

 

Yeah. Definitely better than before. I've spent thousands probably, which is scary.... But at least I can use my points on things I actually want

 

I traded my source points for $9 credit.

 

Got 38 bucks waiting for me. Now to find something to splurg on.....

 

Their customer service just keeps getting worse and worse. And I loathed their "reward" system since the inception.

Good to know they went in this direction, it was way overdue.

I just checked my account and did some math. Conversion rate is roughly 0.015 cents per pt. You had to have over 6667 pts to get $100+. Eh, I dunno. Combined with their bad CS I've continued to have with them, I'm kinda over TFS. Especially when other retailers have done a better job and reward system rate.

 

Math checks out, just got $65.33 for my 4,355 pts. Still feels like a rip off seeing how much I put in to get those points in the first place.

 

No. I have soop many points, but they are only for US residents  

 

Whhhhat? How does that work?  

Edit:
Oops, there you wrote it already. Have ta try that.

 

Too bad the source points are not 25 = $1 like they were before.
Looks like they are docking us more for utilizing this feature.

 

Nope. Bought two things from them, figured what the hell give it a go. Got some points. Looked at what they are good for and have not bought anything from them since.

The points are useless.

 

Just saw this morning that my points are eligible for store credit, but the exchange rate of points earned/dollars spent to store credit is still less than TCP, even though I can cash in on TCP only at certain milestones.

 

TCP?

 

TheChosenPrime

 

Hells yeah I have $45 credit. Looks like I'll be making one last purchase at TFS