3V cards – still alive and kicking, surprisingly

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I spent a few days last week up in North Yorkshire, taking the kids to their grandparents. I was more than a little surprised to wander into the Tesco in Filey to see one of these:

3V card

…. on the gift card rack. Annoying, though, there was only one of them! However, in the 5 days I spent in Filey, that solitary 3V card was not purchased – although, sadly, neither was the rack topped up.

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Simon emailed me to point out that 3V has finally added Tesco to its list of official stockists – which presumably means that they aren’t about to go away tomorrow.

Another Flyertalker also posted this:

I got 36 in Bournemouth on Monday afternoon (left 1 on the shelf) and 20 from Swansea the week before (left about same again on the shelf)

…. so supplies are certainly not low everywhere.

Ironically, the card that I saw in Filey last week was the first that I have seen in the flesh since the very first day I saw one, in the Covent Garden Metro. For old times sake I popped in there again this week …. but the shelves were bare.

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Category

Tesco Clubcard

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

James67 says:

9 Aug9 August 07:11

Still seeing quite a few in central Scotland although when they are restocked now it is only about half a rack and not a full rack as before.
Dan says:

9 Aug9 August 07:11

My local Tesco still seems to get filled up with them every few weeks, but I haven’t seen any in Bedford Tesco Extra for a long while.

I saw some in a Boots for the first time and bought them with an Amex the other day (no Advantage card points). Homebase still get them and you seem to get Nectar points at the standard rate, although last time I bought some there the assistant wouldn’t scan my Nectar card telling me you don’t get points on gift cards.

Now I’ve no tax due until January I’m a little reluctant to buy any, although the Avios is probably better than any interest I’d otherwise get in a savings account.
- Sinizter says:
  
  9 Aug9 August 07:17
  
  Which Boots? I look for them, but have never seen them in Boots.
  - Dan says:
    
    9 Aug9 August 07:35
    
    It was Boots in Bedford town centre. There were about 8 and I bought 4.
  - john says:
    
    10 Aug10 August 09:36
    
    Knightsbridge Boots has some the last time I checked (I moved away 2 weeks ago)
- DANIEL says:
  
  9 Aug9 August 07:41
  
  prepay is the way… ive prepaid 1200 for money ive yet to earn…
Sideysid says:

9 Aug9 August 07:27

Im having a war in my local Tesco Extra in Thornton Heath (I have only seen them in Extra stores despite trying in a number of Metro and Express stores) with someone doing the exact same thing as me as sometimes there is none on the peg and sometimes 1. I have to travel a bit further out to get any.

*If your a reader on here Mr (or Mrs) 3V nabber, I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career…*
AvioNewbie says:

9 Aug9 August 07:43

Can someone please let me know where can these be purchased in London? I have looked at so many Tescos, but have never seen a single one of these cards! 🙁 🙁
- Waribai says:
  
  9 Aug9 August 07:58
  
  Regular stocks in Lewisham and Sidcup. Bought 10 from each last weekend
- Rob says:
  
  9 Aug9 August 08:47
  
  That photo was Surrey Quays (outside Canada Water Jubilee Line station). I’ve seen them, once, in Covent Garden Metro. Never seen them in the ones I actually tend to visit, eg Bishopsgate, Cheapside, Monument.
Eric OMara says:

9 Aug9 August 07:54

Ive noticed there is an option to pay for flights with these on Ryanair. I was wondering if anyone has tried using multiples to pay for a flight?
- Gingerbread says:
  
  9 Aug9 August 13:27
  
  Haven’t tried paying in multiple installments for flights, but definitely worked with extra baggage charges < £25 as you can pay per direction.
Johnny5a says:

9 Aug9 August 07:59

I cleared out the Extra stores in Reading, haven’t seen them in any Express stores.

Also tried Elephant and Castle Metro despite the store locator saying they sold gift cards, nothing in store at all.
- Michael Kelly says:
  
  9 Aug9 August 09:43
  
  HA! So you are the one…
  
  “I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career…”
  
  Just kidding. I’ve cleared out the Reading stores a few times.
Andy says:

9 Aug9 August 08:02

There are still loads on the shelves in my Tesco local in Nottingham. (obviously not giving away exactly which one) I buy a few each time I nip in. Shelf gets replenished on a regular basis.
I have loads of complementary credit with Izettle so just churn them through there for free
- Andrew (@andrewseftel) says:
  
  9 Aug9 August 11:25
  
  I know which one too 😉 Glad to see that the Notts lot aren’t clearing the shelves – makes it much easier to collect Helping Hand/Petrol vouchers when you pop in for groceries if you can add on £50 at a time.
trickster says:

9 Aug9 August 08:07

Seen some in Chester on a few occasions – not got round to persuading the wife that this is a good idea yet (or sneakily buying them).

I guess the London shortages reflect the skewed readership of this blog and Flyertalk.
- Rob says:
  
  9 Aug9 August 08:46
  
  … driven by the skewed focus of BA!