Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd. and Tim Hortons have joined forces to enhance their customer loyalty programs. Through a newly launched partnership, customers who connect their Triangle and Tims Rewards accounts can earn between two to five percent in Canadian Tire money on select Tims purchases, in addition to Tims points.
The collaboration aims to attract Tims customers to Canadian Tire and vice versa. Currently, 53 percent of Triangle Rewards customers are enrolled in both loyalty programs. Canadian Tire boasts 12 million Triangle Rewards members and operates 1,600 locations, while Tims has eight million loyalty program users and 4,000 restaurants across Canada.
According to Darryl Jenkins, Canadian Tire’s executive vice-president and chief development officer, the partnership will facilitate the growth of both Triangle Rewards and Tim Hortons reward members. The amount of Canadian Tire money earned by shoppers will vary based on their purchase and whether they use a Triangle credit card for payment.
Canadian Tire money can be redeemed for savings at the retailer and its affiliated brands like SportChek, Mark’s, and Party City, whereas Tims points can be used for food and beverage purchases at Tim Hortons.
The collaboration between the two companies was a natural progression, as they share board memberships, network connections, and sponsor similar events. The decision to explore enhancing their loyalty programs together stemmed from the desire to provide added value to customers.
While the partnership was met with anticipation, some industry experts like Liza Amlani from the Retail Strategy Group express concerns. Amlani believes that in an already saturated loyalty market, the value of the partnership must be clear and rewarding to customers to avoid becoming just another corporate alliance benefiting the brands more than the consumers.
The partnership was initially announced almost a year ago, with the official launch taking place on Wednesday after meticulous planning to ensure its technical feasibility. Jenkins highlighted the coincidental timing of the launch amidst trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada, emphasizing that it was not intentionally planned that way.