Pat Joyce believes that when shops offer bargains, shoppers should not have to wait six months to get the benefit. When asked at a conference last year why his store did not give customers loyalty cards, he replied by saying that while other stores offer you money back six months down the line, customers in his stores were getting the benefit of the savings straight away.
And it is that thinking that has led to the introduction of the new Deals card at Joyces Supermarkets. Launched this week, it has the potential to offer shoppers at Joyces the opportunity to knock thousands of euro off their shopping bills each year, while also giving them a convenient way to save money for use on their shopping.
Customers can get the card at any of the Joyce Supermarkets stores and already in the first week of operation, thousands of shoppers have done that to avail of the weekly deals.
As he gets ready to celebrate the opening of his latest superstore at Headford, Pat Joyce said that he is very excited by the possibilities of the card and of the opportunities it offers his customers.
“Each week there will be major discounts on a selection of four items, offering the cardholder the opportunity to save thousands of euro per year.
" For example, last week we had a saving of €37 on items such as Jameson, Victoria biscuits, Persil, and this week savings of approximately €30 can be made on the products featured in the deal.
“Our card is simple and uncomplicated and can be used across all of our stores. To get one, you just have to have a mobile number or an email address, give that to the operator in our stores and away you go. And you get the benefit of the savings straightaway.
“Some stores offer customers the chance to make savings if they take a holiday or a break months from now, but they only get that saving if they take the break. With the Deals card, you get the savings instantaneously,” he said, adding that with other loyalty cards too, shoppers have to spend approximately €1,000 to get a saving of €10. “With the Joyces Deals card, you get the saving straight away.”
Cardholders can also use the card to save money. “They can top up their card and take this money back for shopping or whatever purpose at a later stage. For example, they could leave their change on the card and when it adds up, it can be used or withdrawn,” he said.
The card is launched at the start of an exciting week for Joyces Supermarkets because on Friday of next week, they open their new 20,000sq ft store in Headford, on the site of where it all started more than half a century ago for the Joyce family.
The store will be managed by Pat's son Patrick Joyce, and is set to give a significant boost to the employment and local economy of Headford.
