Indigo Plum Rewards is the loyalty program associated with the Indigo Card that allows you to earn points on your purchases and redeem them for discounts and rewards.
With some strategic planning, you can maximize the points you earn to get the most value from the program.
This comprehensive guide will explain everything you need to know to leverage Indigo Plum Rewards to its full potential.
An Overview of Indigo Plum Rewards
Indigo Plum Rewards was launched in 2019 as a way for Indigo Card holders to be rewarded for their spending. When you open an Indigo Card, whether it’s the basic Plum Card or the premium Plum Plus Card, you are automatically enrolled in Plum Rewards.
The program allows you to earn Plum points on qualifying purchases made with your Indigo Card. These points can then be redeemed for monetary discounts on future Indigo purchases. There is no limit to the number of points you can accumulate.
How to Earn Plum Points
You’ll earn Plum points every time you use your Indigo Card, with no need to pre-register purchases or activate bonuses. Here’s a breakdown of how many points you’ll earn per dollar spent:
- Plum Card: 1 Plum point per $1 spent
- Plum Plus Card: 1.5 Plum points per $1 spent
As you can see, the premium Plum Plus Card earns points 50% faster on every purchase. Points are earned on the full amount of qualifying purchases, including taxes and shipping fees.
To earn points, you must pay with your Indigo Card – you cannot pay with points or a gift card. Purchases made through a third-party payment app linked to your Card also do not qualify. The transaction must be directly processed by Indigo to earn points.
Bonus Point Categories
In addition to the standard earning rates, you can earn bonus points on select categories of purchases:
- 5x points on Indigo bookstore purchases (both in-store and online)
- 3x points at Indigo Cafe locations (in-store)
- 2x points on purchases at Indigo Online (books, toys, home, and more)
These accelerated earn rates make the program extremely rewarding for frequent Indigo shoppers. Even occasional shoppers can rack up points quickly with bonus categories.
Additional Ways to Earn
Aside from making purchases with your Card, there are a few additional ways to add to your Plum balance:
- Welcome bonus – New Cardmembers receive an initial welcome bonus of 2,000 Plum points when approved. This gives you a headstart on redeeming rewards.
- Birthday bonus – Receive 250 bonus points each year on your cardmember anniversary, as a birthday gift from Indigo.
- Promotions – Limited-time bonuses and incentives offer opportunities to earn accelerated points, such as 5x points events.
- Refer-a-friend – Referring friends to open an Indigo Card earns you 500 points for every approved referral.
- Point transfers – Transfer points to your account from other Plum Rewards members, such as friends or family. The Cardmember transferring points must initiate the transfer.
- Surprise bonuses – Indigo may reward random acts of kindness by surprising members with point bonuses or gifts. You never know when you may be rewarded!
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How to Track and Monitor Your Points Balance
To redeem your hard-earned Plum points, you’ll first need to check your balance. Here are some ways to monitor your Rewards activity:
- Online account – Log into your Indigo online account and visit the My Plum Rewards section. You can see up-to-date points balances and transaction details.
- Mobile App – Download the Indigo App and connect your Indigo online account. You can view your Plum Rewards right in the app.
- Email notifications – When you earn or redeem points, you’ll receive automated email updates on your transactions and balance.
- Purchase receipts – Check the bottom of your digital or printed receipt after using your Card. It will show points earned for that transaction.
- Account statements – Your monthly Indigo Card statement will provide your opening and closing points balance for the period.
Monitoring your points frequently helps you track if you are earning points properly on purchases. You can also ensure your redeemed rewards appear correctly.
How to Redeem Rewards
Once you’ve built up your plum points balance, it’s time to redeem them for rewards. Here are the ways you can convert points to discounts and perks:
Redeem Points for Purchases
The primary way to use Plum Rewards is redeeming them as a monetary discount on Indigo purchases. You can use points online, in-store, or in-app in increments of 100 points.
Every 100 Plum points is equal to $1 off your purchase subtotal. For example, 20,000 points would redeem as a $200 discount. The discount is applied instantly at checkout – there are no blackout dates or restrictions.
Partial redemptions are allowed if you don’t have enough points to fully cover your purchase. Simply use all the points you want and pay any remaining balance.
Redeem for Indigo Gift Cards
Instead of discounts, you can opt to redeem points for Indigo gift cards. Points must be redeemed in denominations available on Indigo.com such as $10, $25, $50 and $100 gift cards.
For example, to redeem for a $100 gift card, you would need 10,000 Plum points. Gift cards can be physical or digital, with digital delivery taking just minutes via email.
Gift cards are a great way to redeem if giving Indigo gifts to friends and family. You can also stock up on gift cards when points are abundant to extend the life of your rewards.
Redeem Points for Plum Perks
In addition to monetary rewards, you can redeem Plum points for exclusive perks and experiences through the Plum Perks program. Perk options may include:
- Early access to events like book signings
- Free shipping rewards
- Annual fee waivers
- Exclusive discounts and deals
Plum Perk redemptions often require 5,000 – 15,000 points, depending on the experience being offered. Quantities can be limited.
Automatic Redemptions
To save time and effort, you can enroll in automatic redemptions. When turned on, your points will always redeem automatically at checkout on Indigo purchases until you toggle it off.
Choose your preferred redemption increment, such as the minimum of 100 points ($1 discount) or larger amounts. This allows hands-free savings without having to manually apply points each transaction.
Tips for Maximizing Your Plum Rewards Earnings
Here are some savvy tips to optimize your Plum Rewards earnings and benefits:
- Always use your Indigo Card for Indigo purchases to earn the highest base points rate. Never pay with another card or tender.
- Take advantage of 5x points bonuses by shopping often for books in-store and online. Load up on books to rack up major points.
- redeem your points frequently to maximize value. Letting them sit reduces the rewards you can enjoy.
- Pool points with friends or family by transferring points to each other to redeem larger rewards.
- Keep an eagle eye on promotions and limited-time point bonuses to earn at accelerated rates.
- Add your Indigo Card to a mobile wallet to easily access it for all your in-store and online purchases.
- Refer friends and family to open their own card and earn 500 points for each new member.
- Contact Indigo Card customer service if points are missing from your balance. They can investigate and correct any issues.
The Benefits of Indigo Plum Rewards
Indigo Plum Rewards provides tremendous value if you are a regular Indigo shopper. Unlike programs from other retailers, there’s no expiry on the points you earn. This gives you flexibility in accumulating and redeeming rewards over time.
The ability to earn accelerated points on Indigo’s top categories like books and cafes makes racking up points easy through your normal spending habits. Redeeming for monetary discounts gives you savings on the specific purchases you want, rather than being restricted to rewards catalogs.
By monitoring your point earnings diligently and redeeming strategically, Plum Rewards can offset a significant portion of your Indigo spending. The program is free to use for all Indigo Card holders, making it a rewarding way to get the most from your relationship with Indigo.