One rewards account, two stores. Shoppers can now earn and redeem rewards at both JCPenney and Aéropostale, with every 200 points earning a $10 CashPass.
Free bonus for joining. New members get a $10 CashPass through JCPenney or a $5 CashPass through Aéropostale, plus chances to earn extra rewards through shopping challenges.
Good news for families. Combining purchases across both stores can help shoppers earn rewards faster, especially during back-to-school season.
Loyalty programs are everywhere these days, but most come with the one major limitation that you can only earn and spend rewards at a single retailer.
That's changing for shoppers at JCPenney and Aéropostale.
Starting Monday, June 22, parent company Catalyst Brands is launching Rewards Access, a new loyalty program that lets customers earn and redeem rewards across both retailers. In other words, purchases at either store can help unlock discounts that can be used at either brand.
For families juggling back-to-school shopping, clothing purchases, and home essentials, the new program could make it easier to earn rewards faster.
How Rewards Access works
The program combines rewards earning between JCPenney and Aéropostale.
Customers earn points when shopping at either retailer, and every 200 points unlocks a $10 CashPass reward that can be redeemed at either store.
Catalyst Brands is also adding bonus earning opportunities through shopping challenges. Customers can earn an additional $5 CashPass for completing certain activities, many of which are tied to everyday shopping habits such as:
Shopping early for back-to-school
Buying home essentials
Trying new beauty products
Refreshing seasonal wardrobes
New members can also receive a welcome reward just for signing up.
How do shoppers sign-up for the program
You can sign-up online at both JCPenney.com or Aeropostale.com, as well as in-store at both retailers.
If you sign-up through JCPenney’s website, you’ll get $10 CashPass for free, and if you sign-up through Aeropostale’s website, you’ll receive a $5 CashPass.
Why this matters
Most retailer rewards programs keep customers locked into a single brand. The advantage here is increased flexibility.
For example, a parent buying school clothes for a teenager at Aéropostale could use those purchases to earn rewards that are later redeemed at JCPenney for home goods, shoes, beauty products, or additional apparel.
The shared rewards pool may also help occasional shoppers reach reward thresholds faster than they would through a traditional single-store program.
Catalyst Brands also owns Brooks Brothers, Lucky Brand, and Nautica. It will be interesting to watch if these brands get included in this joint rewards program in the future.
Tips to maximize the program
Sign up before making your next purchase. The "welcome reward" alone can provide immediate value on a future purchase.
Stack rewards with sales and coupons. Both retailers regularly run promotions, and rewards are often most valuable when combined with already-discounted merchandise.
Watch for bonus challenges. Completing simple shopping tasks could unlock extra CashPass rewards without requiring additional spending.
Use one account for the family. Consolidating purchases into a single loyalty account can help households earn rewards more quickly.