Supermarket chain NTUC FairPrice and
ride-hailing platform Grab launched a new membership programme on
Monday (19 March), two months after both companies signed a joint
agreement.
The SCORE membership
programme will allow customers to enjoy rebates on purchases at
NTUC FairPrice outlets and discounts on Grab rides.
Benefits include a five-per-cent LinkPoints
rebate for incremental expenditure above $100, complimentary Plus!
membership, one free online delivery per month as well as 20 per
cent off Grab rides – capped at $4 per ride, for up to 30
redemptions a month – and access to exclusive Grab events.
From now till 18 May, residents in Singapore
can sign up for the programme at an early-bird rate of $18 for the
first year. Subsequently, SCORE will be priced at $29.99 for the
first year and $49.99 yearly thereafter.
SCORE’s launch at an NTUC FairPrice outlet in
Lorong 4 Toa Payoh was graced by Minister in the Prime Minister’s
Office and NTUC Secretary-General Chan Chun Sing.
Speaking to reporters after the event, NTUC
FairPrice CEO Seah Kian Peng said, “For now, we have no immediate
concrete plans to see who will be next (to partner the programme),
but definitely, there are many (partners) who are waiting to join
us. What will drive our decision will be based on what we feel our
customers will like to have.”
A survey, conducted by social enterprise NTUC
Link last year, found that almost 95 per cent of over 1,000 NTUC
FairPrice shoppers expressed openness to signing up for
subscription services.
The top two services that respondents – aged
between 20 to 40 – wanted to enjoy benefits on were groceries and
transport. Other categories that were rated included electronics,
apparel, petrol and telecommunications.
Grab Group CEO and co-founder Anthony Tan said
that the introduction of SCORE will not affect the availability of
Grab promotion codes for non-subscribers. The firm may also extend
the programme to cover its upcoming GrabCycle marketplace platform,
which will allow customers to rent bicycles and e-scooters from
oBike, GBikes, Anywheel and Popscoot.
Added Tan: “Given that GrabCycle is part of
the Grab ecosystem, it is safe to assume that we would want to
extend (the programme) to all of our services.”
Ho Wei Chin, who visits NTUC FairPrice up to
twice a week and on average spends more than $100 per trip,
told Yahoo News Singapore that she is satisfied
with the rebates and benefits from her NTUC Plus! Rewards credit
card.
“I usually take public transport when I am out
with my kids, and my husband also drives,” said the 37-year-old
homemaker. “The programme is catered more towards working
personnel.”
Koh Phuay Yong, a 66-year-old homemaker who
shops at NTUC Fairprice daily, said in Mandarin: “My children and
in-laws may help me to sign up for the programme as they are the
ones who call for Grab rides.”
E-commerce websites Amazon and Lazada had
launched similar membership programmes in Singapore last year.
Amazon’s Prime membership programme offers consumers
free international shipping for orders above S$60 for items listed
on its US store and free two-hour delivery on orders over S$40 from
its local selection. Customers pay an introductory monthly fee of
S$2.99, down from $8.99.
Lazada’s LiveUp programme, launched in April
last year, offers rebates and discounts for online supermarket
RedMart, Netflix, Taobao Collection, Uber Eats and Uber. First-year
membership is S$28.80 per year, and $49.90 yearly thereafter.
yahoo