Woolworths Everyday Extra devaluation: Is it still worth it?

Woolworths’ paid Everyday Extra membership will undergo some controversial changes, so is the bang worth the buck?

Introduced late last year, Woolworths Everyday Extra is a subscriber-only program that unlocks compelling perks like a game-changing 10% grocery shopping discount once per month for more than 13 million existing Woolworths Everyday Rewards members.

However, amidst other controversial changes, from July 1 2023 that discount won’t be available to use for online orders.

As far as Australian supermarkets go, Woolworths offers a competitive loyalty program. And, in a landscape of ever-increasing living costs, it’s fair to say that this paid program could still be one worth knowing about.

Controversial changes

Woolworths has confirmed three major changes to its Everyday Extra program, which will be introduced from from 1 July 2023:

1. The yearly subscription fee has increased from $59 to $70
2. Members will earn 2x Everyday Rewards Points per $1 spent (instead of 3x points)
3. The 10% discount is not only available instore at Woolworths and Big W

As such, subscribers can no longer take advantage of the discount on online shopping orders, which could render the membership useless for customers who primarily shop online.

While changes to the pricing and benefits may help Woolworths to future invest in its loyalty programs, it certainly leaves members worse off for now.

It’s not all bad news…

To ease the blow, Woolworths is giving members three months additional free access on their current annual plan, while monthly subscribers will get an additional month free.

Still interested in what Woolworths Everyday Extra has to offer? Read on for our updated program guide.

What is Woolworths Everyday Extra and how does it work?

Just like it sounds, Everyday Extra is an addition to the existing Woolworths Everyday Rewards loyalty program. In exchange for a monthly fee, Woolworths Everyday Extra offers a range of additional perks, which are bound to hold significant appeal given the rising cost of living.

The headline perk is the ability to save 10% off one shop, once per month (albeit only instore), at both Woolworths and Big W – up to a cap of $50. In using this benefit, Woolworths says it expects dedicated Woolworths Everyday Extra members may be able to unlock savings worth over $400 per year.

The program also promises access to complimentary products, subscriber-only offers and the ability to earn extra points – double the regular earn rate of Everyday Rewards members.

It’s easy to see why an Woolworths Everyday Extra subscription may be appealing – particularly if you’re an avid Woolies devotee – but as always, it’s worth considering whether you’re getting enough value out of the paid program.

How much does a Woolworths Everyday Extra subscription cost?

Woolworths Everyday Extra subscription options are straightforward. Essentially, if you’re planning to stick with your subscription long-term, you’re better off paying for a year in advance because you’ll save $14 with a 16% discount (significantly less than what was previously a 29% discount).

Existing Everyday Rewards members can opt for one of the following two payment plans:

• Annual: $70 per year
• Monthly: $7 per month (works out to be $84 a year)

How does the 30-day free trial work?

Technically, there’s a third option for those who want to test the waters, which may prove to be a sensible way to assess the value of the scheme.

Woolworths is currently testing its new program by emailing current Everyday Rewards members an invitation to start a 30-day free trial.

You can still sign up for the trial if you haven’t received this email, however, you’ll need to be an Everyday Rewards member before doing so.

How to subscribe to Woolworths Everyday Extra

1. Simply head to the Woolworths Everyday Extra page and click ‘start your 30-day free trial’
2. You’ll then be prompted to choose a plan (which you’ll be charged for after the 30 day trial)
3. Click ‘subscribe now’
4. Fill in your Woolworths online account details
5. Enter payment details

New subscribers will be able to access Woolworths Everyday Extra benefits for 30 days, with the option to continue with a paid monthly or annual subscription plan after this time. If after the 30 days you decide you’re not getting the ‘extra’ from Everyday Extra, you can simply decide to cancel.

While Woolworths sends a reminder email a few days before the free month is up, we suggest jotting the date down somewhere to avoid rolling over into an annual plan.

It’s worth noting that Woolworths won’t offer a refund for plans cancelled after the subscription has moved into a paid plan.

Benefits of a Woolworths Everyday Extra subscription

Beyond the free trial, there are three key benefits an Woolworths Everyday Extra subscription offers, as outlined below.

Save 10% off a monthly shop

Woolworths Everyday Extra members will be able to access a couple of key discounts here. Once a month, subscribers can take 10% off one instore shop of their choosing – once at Woolworths and again at Big W.

Since the discount on offer is capped at $50, you’ll hit the savings cap on a $500 shop. Therefore, it makes sense to apply the discount to your most expensive shop each month.

Planning a single monthly bulk shop is not only a great frugal living tip, but also a strategic way to get the most out of this valuable benefit.

By maxing out the monthly discounts on offer, shoppers could technically save up to $1,200 a year ($600 at Woolworths, and a further $600 at Big W). While it’s unlikely that many members would be spending $500 once monthly at both Woolworths and Big W, there’s still scope to come out ahead with an outlay of $59 for an Everyday Extra annual subscription.

Breaking down the 10% shopping discount

When it comes to subscription services, it’s crucial to ensure that the value on hand justifies the membership cost outlay.

Data from the ABS Household Expenditure Survey shows that a couple living in Australia spends on average $331 a week on groceries.

However, according to recent ABS Consumer Price Index data, the cost of vegetables has increased by 12.7% from March 2021 to March 2022, suggesting that the weekly Australian grocery shop is likely to be even higher.

A 10% discount on a $331 Woolworths shop would see a monthly saving of $33.10, which would work out to be just shy of $400 over the course of one year. As such, whether you pay for a monthly or yearly subscription, you’d be coming out on top with at least $316 in your pocket after taking the annual Everyday Extra membership cost into consideration.

Collect double the points

Grocery shopping discounts aside, another key Everyday Extra program perk is the ability to earn double the normal number of Everyday Rewards points earned instore or online at Woolworths and Big W.

Essentially, where Everyday Rewards members would usually earn 1 point per $1 spent, Everyday Extra subscribers will collect 2 points per $1.

To break this down, a $500 Woolworths grocery shop would see Everyday Extra members earn almost half the number of points required to unlock $10 off a shop, or 1,000 Qantas Points.

Enjoy exclusive offers

Finally, Woolworths has sweetened the deal with a range of ‘subscriber-only’ exclusive offers and free products. We’re expecting to see Everyday Rewards points booster promotions on offer here, which could prove particularly useful for boosting an Everyday Rewards balance.

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Everyday Rewards vs Everyday Extra: what’s the difference?

Not yet sure if it’s worth upgrading your Everyday Rewards membership to Everyday Extra status? We’ve prepared a comparison table below to help highlight the differences.

Shoppers who hold an Everyday Rewards card can currently earn one point per dollar spent at Woolworths and Big W, as well as claim a $10 discount at the checkout or opt for 1,000 Qantas points for every 2,000 Everyday Rewards points.

The ability to unlock supercharged points earn rate, along with the subscription fee and other extra perks are the main differences between the programs. Here’s how Everyday Rewards and Everyday Extra stack up at a glance:

Woolworths Everyday Extra vs Coles Plus: who comes out on top?

Before taking out an Everyday Extra subscription, it could be worth looking at the alternative program offered by rival supermarket brand, Coles.

Early in 2021, Coles introduced Coles Plus, a paid subscription service that operates separately from the free-to-join Coles Flybuys program. Here are the main benefits of a Coles Plus membership:

• earn double Flybuys points (on eligible online purchases)
• get free delivery (for orders over $100)
• get one free delivery per month for a Liquorland delivery over $50
• get unlimited access to Click&Collect Rapid
• access to a priority customer care line

As can be seen, the key benefits include free deliveries on orders and supercharged Flybuys points earn rates. However, unlike Woolworths Everyday Extra, no capped monthly discounted grocery shopping saving is included. That’s arguably a big disadvantage, with many shoppers likely to see the benefits of a 10% Woolworths and Big W discount in the face of significantly rising cost of living pressures.

The strength of Coles Plus appears to be more in the free delivery benefit, which is where the real value lies. There are still some strings attached, but in saying this, it’s not difficult to spend more than $100 on a grocery shop with a little strategic planning.

When it comes to comparing points earn, Coles Plus members earn double points (2 Flybuys points per $1 spent) on eligible Coles Online purchases, so the double Everyday Rewards points earn rate accessible via Everyday Extra doesn’t offer anything ‘extra’ there.

Essentially, Coles Plus seems more suited to those who do their grocery shopping online and make use of free delivery, as well as the many Flybuys partners. On the other hand, Woolworths Everyday Extra offers more value in-store, plus a greater capacity to collect points.

Coles Plus costs $19 a month, which works out to be $228 each year (significantly more expensive than Everyday Extra).

For a more detailed comparison of Coles Flybuys and Woolworths Everyday Rewards, head to our comprehensive Flybuys guide.

Bottom line: Is Woolworths Everyday Extra still worth it?

It’s fair to say that Woolworths Everyday Extra is about to undergo a devaluation of sorts, with the cost of the subscription increasing by $11 and multiple benefits

While there’s no doubt the benefits on offer will be less compelling once the changes to Woolworths Everyday Extra come in from July 1 2023, customers who regularly shop instore at Woolworths and Big W will still likely find value in taking out an Everyday Extra subscription.

For maximum value, shoppers will need to strategically time the monthly 10% instore discount benefit with a big shop. That said, even without an overflowing shopping trolley, spending upwards of $70 on a single instore grocery shop once per month (easily done nowadays) will cover the cost of a $7 subscription, with extra points and subscriber-only perks on top.

If nothing else, it’s certainly worth leveraging a 30-day free trial to earn double the points during that time. Doing this over Christmas could easily see shoppers bag upwards of 600 Everyday Rewards points and save up to $100 across shops at Woolworths and Big W.

In terms of extracting maximum value from your extra Everyday Rewards points, we’d recommend converting them to Qantas Points and saving them up for Classic Flight Rewards and upgrades.

Keen to bank even more Everyday Rewards points? Here’s how you can earn 20X points with gift cards.

What do you think about Woolworths Everyday Extra?

FAQ: Woolworths Everyday Extra

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