Samsung on Monday introduced a new rewards program for its mobile payments app that will allow consumers to “double-dip” by earning both credit card rewards and points to redeem for Samsung products.
Called Samsung Rewards, the program combines elements of frequent flyer accounts and credit cards that offer miles or points for each dollar that you spend. There are different tiers that correspond to how many transactions you make, from 10 points per transaction for under 5 transactions per month, to 40 points each for 31 or more transactions per month.
The program launches in the US this week, and early adopters will be able to redeem points for Samsung products, vouchers for Samsung.com, or a prepaid Visa debit card. Redemptions will expand in the coming months to “exclusive events and experiences,” Samsung wrote in a blog post. You’ll have to visit an online rewards catalog to check how many points are required for redemptions; the terms and conditions state that Samsung can modify point values “at any time for any reason.”
Samsung is introducing its rewards program as it faces intense competition from other mobile payments providers. Archrivals Google and Apple have been introducing new features like ATM compatibility and public transit payments as they seek to capture a bigger portion of the nascent mobile payments market. One of Samsung Pay’s main advantages is that it can be used with virtually any credit card reader, so merchants don’t have to invest in new ones designed for wireless payments.
The new rewards program, meanwhile, will appeal mostly to Samsung loyalists who already use Samsung Pay extensively and will jump at the chance to get free gear from the Korean tech giant for transactions they would make anyway.