Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd. and Tim Hortons have initiated a partnership to enhance their customer engagement through their loyalty programs. By connecting their Triangle and Tims Rewards accounts, customers can now earn between two to five percent in Canadian Tire money, in addition to Tims points, on specified Tims purchases.
The collaboration aims to attract Tims customers to Canadian Tire and vice versa. Presently, 53 percent of Triangle Rewards customers are dual members of both loyalty programs. Canadian Tire boasts approximately 12 million Triangle Rewards members spread across 1,600 locations, while Tims has eight million loyalty program users and 4,000 restaurants in Canada.
Darryl Jenkins, Canadian Tire’s executive vice-president and chief development officer, expressed that the partnership will facilitate the growth of both Triangle Rewards and Tim Hortons reward members. The amount of Canadian Tire money earned will vary based on the use of a Triangle credit card for payment and the type of purchase made.
Canadian Tire money can be utilized for discounts on purchases at the retailer and its affiliated brands like SportChek, Mark’s, and Party City. Tims points, on the other hand, are redeemable for food and beverages at Tim Hortons.
The partnership between the two companies was a natural evolution, according to Jenkins and Hope Bagozzi, Tims’ chief marketing officer. They noted that executives from both organizations frequently collaborate on various boards and sponsor similar events, leading to the exploration of enhancing their loyalty programs jointly.
Despite positive intentions, Liza Amlani, principal and co-founder of the Retail Strategy Group, expressed skepticism, suggesting that the partnership may be more about market share than customer satisfaction. She emphasized the importance of simplicity and transparency in loyalty programs to truly benefit customers.
The collaboration was initially announced a year ago, with the launch delayed until Wednesday to finalize the operational details. The intervening time was dedicated to ensuring the technical aspects of the partnership were sound.
Jenkins highlighted the coincidental timing of the launch, occurring amidst new tariffs imposed by the U.S. on Canada and impending retaliatory levies by Canada in September. The partnership launch was not strategically planned with these economic events in mind.
Shoppers come and go from a Canadian Tire store in Ottawa on Aug. 11, 2023. The new loyalty program partnership is meant to draw Tims customers to Canadian Tire and vice versa. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)