Start pulling those wayward Sub Club stamps out of your wallet and pockets, and affix them to a card soon.
By October, Subway sandwich shops across the country will discontinue the Sub Club program in favor of some other promotion. The Club rewards purchasers with stamps, which can be collected and redeemed for food discounts.
Locally, stores will begin phasing out the program probably in the next two or three months, said Kim Wettlaufer, who owns 10 Subway franchises in central Maine.
“We’ve had it for the last 16 years, and it’s popular,” said Wettlaufer. “But there are lots of issues with it.”
Among them is fraud. Kevin Kane, spokesman for the corporation, said stolen stamps have turned up on eBay. Wettlaufer said he’s seen evidence of stolen stamps here as well.
“It’s been a problem nationwide,” said Wettlaufer. He said franchisees were notified last week that the program would be discontinued.
Store owners in Maine are deciding what to offer in its stead. Wettlaufer said it’s possible that his stores will lower prices, or offer a daily $2.49 special. To ensure consistency throughout a market region, all franchise owners get together and vote on promotions. Wettlaufer expects Maine stores will decide within the next couple of weeks.
Another possibility they’ll consider is an electronic awards program, similar to what Starbucks offers. A customer presents a card with every purchase and points are credited electronically to his or her account. The points are then redeemable toward a purchase.
“If everything is done electronically it would be a lot easier for all of us,” said Wettlaufer.
Kane said the Sub Club program had become “antiquated.” Customers often lost the stamps, or they fell off the card before being redeemed.
Wettlaufer said his customers will be notified of changes through in-store displays and material. Although his shops will stop issuing the stamps in the next few months, Wettlaufer said he’ll honor any outstanding ones indefinitely.
“We’ll take care of our customers,” he said.
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