Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd. and Tim Hortons have joined forces to enhance their customer loyalty by integrating their rewards programs. The collaboration, unveiled on Wednesday, allows customers to connect their Triangle and Tims Rewards accounts, enabling them to earn between two and five percent in Canadian Tire money in addition to Tims points on specific Tim Hortons purchases.
The objective of this partnership is to attract Tim Hortons customers to Canadian Tire and vice versa. Presently, over half (53 percent) of Triangle Rewards customers are already enrolled in both loyalty programs. Canadian Tire boasts approximately 12 million Triangle Rewards members across 1,600 locations under its various banners, while Tim Hortons has eight million loyalty program users and operates 4,000 restaurants in Canada.
Darryl Jenkins, Canadian Tire’s executive vice-president and chief development officer, highlighted that the merger aims to expand both Triangle Rewards and Tim Hortons’ reward memberships. The amount of Canadian Tire money earned depends on the use of a Triangle credit card for payment and the type of purchases made.
Canadian Tire money can be redeemed for discounts on purchases at the retailer and its affiliated brands such as SportChek, Mark’s, and Party City. On the other hand, Tims points can be utilized for buying food and beverages at Tim Hortons outlets.
The collaboration between the two companies arose naturally, according to Jenkins and Hope Bagozzi, Tims’ chief marketing officer. They share common executive board positions, often engage in networking activities, and sponsor similar events, making it a logical step to explore enhancing their loyalty programs collectively.
While some experts view the partnership as a strategic move to capture a larger market share in a saturated loyalty market, others emphasize the importance of providing clear and rewarding value propositions to customers. The partnership was initially announced nearly a year ago, with the past year dedicated to ensuring the seamless functioning of the joint loyalty program.
Jenkins mentioned that the launch timing coincided with recent tariff impositions, but it was not deliberately planned. The partnership’s formal implementation occurred on Wednesday, unveiling the operational details to the public.