When you’re earning rewards, by and large, a credit card points redemption for travel is your best bet to get the most value.
But not everyone wants to redeem for travel. Maybe you’re not planning any trips. Or maybe you don’t collect enough points that it’s worth saving up for years before you could use them for a trip, and you want an easy way out.
An easy way to redeem points in almost every rewards program is merchandise. And it’s simple. You’re in your kitchen and your blender stops working. Or perhaps you have the sudden urge to get an espresso maker. You can use rewards points and get both of those things (and more).
But to be honest, if you redeem your points for merchandise, you’re throwing your points away. There’s almost always a better way to use your points than merchandise, even if it isn’t for travel.
Here’s a review of some major rewards programs, what merchandise is worth, and a better way to redeem your points.
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Summary of merchandise value and a better way to use your points for merchandise
Here’s a summary of some popular rewards programs that let members redeem for merchandise, and a better way to get free stuff for your points (with 1 exception).
With that said, travel is almost always the best way to use rewards points. But not everyone can redeem for free travel.
We’re looking at popular rewards programs in Canada. But, we’ve also included a pair of credit card-only programs to show that this rule extends everywhere.
| Program | Value Of 1 Point/Mile For Merchandise | A Better Way To Get Free Stuff | Value Of 1 Point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Miles | 9.5 cents | Air Miles Cash | 9.5 cents |
| Scene+ | 0.74 cents | Redeem points at Sobeys/Safeway | 1 cent |
| Aeroplan | 0.69 cents | Air Canada gift cards | 1 cent |
| Amex Membership Rewards | 0.75 cents | Redeem points towards any purchase | 1 cent |
| MBNA Rewards | 0.87 cents | Electronic gift cards | 0.99 cents |
How did we get our value for a point when redeemed for merchandise? We browsed the merchandise catalogues and picked 10 items. We then went to Google Shopping and searched for the item, taking into account what was the best price and ensured it had free shipping if applicable.
We then added 13% sales tax on top of that number. When you redeem for merchandise, you don’t pay anything, so you need to account for the full cost of the item.
You may notice 2 popular programs aren't listed here – Triangle Rewards and PC Optimum.
With Triangle, the only way to use your points is by buying something in store, then using rewards to help pay for your purchase.
With PC Optimum, paying for merchandise is often the best way to use your points. PC Optimum points can be redeemed for car washes, gas, or groceries, and PC Mastercard cardholders can also redeem PC Optimum points as statement credits.
While redeeming points for free car washes at Mobil and Esso nets the highest value, you’ll only want so many car washes. And even if you have a PC Mastercard, redeeming PC Optimum points for merchandise gets you higher value than redeeming them as credits toward your statement. You can get $10 of groceries or gas for 10,000 PC Optimum points, as opposed to a $7 statement credit.
Want the lowdown on Canadian Rewards programs? Here’s our guide to the most popular rewards programs in Canada.
Redeem Air Miles for merchandise
Let’s start with one of the biggest rewards programs in Canada – Air Miles. For many people, you’ll collect Miles on occasion. And when you only collect some, merchandise is an easy way to use them.
Here’s a current sampling of merchandise you can get, without any potential Gold or Onyx level discounts.
| Item | Miles Required | Actual Cost | Value Of 1 Mile (cents) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton Beach Professional Quiet Shield Blender | 3,290 | $361.60 | 10.99 |
| Hamilton Beach Pro All-Metal Drink Mixer | 1,900 | $180.80 | 9.52 |
| KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer | 6,391 | $395.50 | 6.19 |
| Super Mario Odyssey | 900 | $82.49 | 9.17 |
| Nikon COOLPIX P950 Digital Camera | 9,830 | $1,118.70 | 11.38 |
| Samsung HW-Q800B 5.1.2CH Soundbar | 11,305 | $847.50 | 7.50 |
| Cuisinart MOTORIZED 4-SL TOASTER | 2,055 | $222.61 | 10.83 |
| Revolution Cooking InstaGLO 2-Slice High Speed Smart Toaster | 4,625 | $508.50 | 10.99 |
| Breville the Barista Express Impress Manual Espresso Machine | 13,355 | $1,469.00 | 11.00 |
| Starfrit Electric Espresso & Cappuccino Machine | 1,440 | $108.48 | 7.53 |
That works out to an average of 9.5 cents per mile. It’s among the lowest values you can get for an Air Mile.
With that said, there are a few items on our list that may be worthwhile. It can’t hurt to at least browse and see what you can get.
A better redemption option: Air Miles Cash
This comes with the caveat that you have to change your collection settings to collect Cash Miles. By default, Air Miles sets up collectors to get Dream Miles.
And there’s no switching Miles between categories either – once you collect 1 type of Mile, that’s where it has to be used. To change this, you’ll have to log in to your account and change your earning preference.
Cash Miles offer better value. 95 Miles turn into a $10 discount or voucher at many partner retailers, for a value of 10.5 cents each. And it’s much easier to use – you don’t have to load up on Miles to get something for them.
Here’s a sampling on retailers you can get an eVoucher for:
Will they get you that free blender or espresso maker? No, but there are still everyday savings here.
If you do have a bunch of Dream Miles though, these won’t be of use to you. In this case, if you have no travel plans, you can stick to merchandise or turn to experiences, which have a few things you can get like movie passes or free lift tickets at select ski hills. But if none of these things interest you, then merchandise it will have to be.
Boost your Air Miles balance with an Air Miles credit card
If you want to earn more Air Miles and make better use of the program, an Air Miles credit card is for you.
Here are a few Air Miles credit cards you can look at.
×1 Award winner 
GC: $150
1x Award winner
$150 GeniusCash + Up to 9,000 bonus AIR MILES + 3x the AIR MILES at partners.*
Redeem Scene+ for Apple and Best Buy merchandise
Thanks to Sobeys becoming a part of Scene+, it’s now easier than ever to collect Scene+ points on everyday shopping without a credit card.
A credit card points redemption works a little differently when it comes to merchandise. Scene+ has Apple and Best Buy portals if you want to get some merchandise.
Here are the items we looked at:
| Item | Points Required | Actual Cost* | Value Of 1 Points (cents) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xbox Series S Console | 46,221 | $361.60 | 0.78 |
| Braun 2L 1600-Watt TriForce Power Countertop Blender | 43,332 | $339.00 | 0.78 |
| Cuisinart Single Speed Immersion Blender | 14,873 | $116.39 | 0.78 |
| Oster Programmable Drip Coffee Maker | 10,832 | $45.20 | 0.42 |
| Nikon Z30 Mirrorless Camera | 151,665 | $1,186.50 | 0.78 |
| God of War Ragnarok PS5 Game | 12,999 | $101.70 | 0.78 |
| Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker – 10Qt | 15,165 | $118.65 | 0.78 |
| Apple Watch SE GPS | 47,522 | $361.60 | 0.76 |
| Apple AirTag | 5,634 | $44.07 | 0.78 |
| Apple TV 4K 64 GB | 25,855 | $202.27 | 0.78 |
All but 2 items have a value of 0.78 cents. But there’s a better and easier way to use your points.
A better redemption option: Redeem your points at Sobeys and Safeway stores (plus 3 other options)
There are 4 ways that are not only easier to use your points, but also get better value.
They all have the same value, the only difference is the minimum number of points you need to redeem.
| Merchant | Minimum Redemption Required | Amount Saved |
|---|---|---|
| Sobeys And Safeway | 1,000 points | $10 |
| Cineplex | 100 points | $1 |
| Recipe Unlimited Restaurants | 500 points | $5 |
| Travel through Scene+ & Expedia | 100 points | $1 |
Each of these redemptions is worth 1 cent each. And you don’t have to really save many points either to get your savings.
Scene+ credit cards to earn even more
Scotiabank offers a lineup of Scene+ credit cards to earn points everywhere. Here are your options.
×1 Award winner GC: $60
1x Award winner
GC: $175
GC: $30
Redeem Aeroplan points for merchandise
There’s a good chance you have some Aeroplan points lying around. Fly just once every couple of years and you’ve got some points you could use. Enough for a free flight? Probably not.
And unfortunately with Aeroplan, there aren’t many ways to earn points outside of flying. There’s the eStore for online shopping, and a couple of select merchants like Starbucks. If you have any kind of decent bank, it probably came from flying.
But you have enough to get something in return. And merchandise is one of those items. Here are 10 items we took a look at.
| Item | Points Required | Actual Cost | Value Of 1 Points (cents) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breville Super Q Blender | 94,800 | $904.00 | 0.95 |
| Cuisinart 1.7L Digital Programmable Kettle | 24,200 | $67.80 | 0.28 |
| KitchenAid 9-Speed Hand Mixer | 18,100 | $146.90 | 0.81 |
| Ricardo The Rock 10 in. Non-Stick Forged Aluminum Crepe Pan | 9,100 | $62.15 | 0.68 |
| Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas One | 20,100 | $101.70 | 0.51 |
| Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | 12,700 | $101.70 | 0.80 |
| JBL Flip 6 Portable Wireless Speaker | 23,600 | $192.10 | 0.81 |
| Bodum Milk Frother | 3,600 | $14.69 | 0.41 |
| Bodum Melior Air Fryer | 37,200 | $381.94 | 1.03 |
| Lego City Fire Command Unit | 14,800 | $87.01 | 0.59 |
A couple of items provide decent value, but on the whole you’re looking at an average of 0.69 cents per point.
A better redemption option: Air Canada gift cards
There isn’t an easier way out than merchandise with Aeroplan if you want to avoid free travel. Regular gift cards? Their value is no different than merchandise. All gift cards except for Air Canada and Starbucks have a point value of 0.71 cents, in-line with our merchandise number.
But to have earned a decent amount of Aeroplan points, you probably had to fly with Air Canada (or other Star Alliance carriers) to get them.
You may not collect enough points to get a free flight without waiting for many years, but you can still use them to help pay for your next one.
There are plenty of different denominations for Air Canada gift cards, from $100 to $1,000. Each one offers a point value of 1 cent each.
Aeroplan credit cards for more points and benefits
Air Canada offers an extensive array of credit cards. You’ll earn points everywhere and get benefits on Air Canada flights. Here are your top Aeroplan-branded credit cards.
Credit card points redemption for merchandise
We’re going to state one thing when it comes to credit card rewards programs. When it comes to them, the best option is travel. If you’re not going to redeem rewards for travel, you’ll be better off with a cash back credit card or collecting store rewards (think Scene+ for instance).
Travel credit cards offer the best rewards. But if you don’t actually get travel, your rewards value is diminished, and a cash back card will probably offer better rewards.
What are these credit card rewards programs? Some of these programs include:
- Amex Membership Rewards,
- RBC Avion Rewards,
- TD Rewards,
- CIBC Aventura Rewards,
- MBNA Rewards,
- BMO Rewards, and
- HSBC Rewards.
But even with these programs, there are better ways to use your points instead of redeeming for merchandise if you want something for them now. Or maybe you’re closing your credit card account and need to use the rest of them. With these programs, if you don’t have a credit card, you can’t collect rewards. When you close your account, you have a set number of days to use the rest of your points or they’re gone.
Let’s take a quick look at 2 of them. We’ll look at Amex Membership Rewards and MBNA Rewards.
Here’s the merchandise sampling for Membership Rewards.
| Item | Points Required | Actual Cost | Value Of 1 Points (cents) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breville Barista Express | 109,100 | $904.00 | 0.83 |
| Breville IQ Kettle | 24,900 | $226.00 | 0.91 |
| Breville Smart Fryer | 36,800 | $316.40 | 0.86 |
| Canon DSLR EOS REBEL T7 | 92,600 | $644.10 | 0.70 |
| Sonos Roam Portable Smart Speaker | 35,600 | $259.90 | 0.73 |
| Beats By Dr. Dre Studio 3 Headphones | 62,600 | $497.20 | 0.79 |
| Fitbit Luxe Fitness Tracker | 29,700 | $192.10 | 0.65 |
| Google Nest Audio Speaker | 21,800 | $146.90 | 0.67 |
| Cuisinart Evolution X Cordless Compact Blender | 23,500 | $158.20 | 0.67 |
| Bissell Zing II Vacuum | 18,300 | $123.17 | 0.67 |
That’s an average of 0.75 cents per point.
As for MBNA Rewards, here are some merchandise options.
| Item | Points Required | Actual Cost* | Value Of 1 Points (cents) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proctor Silex Power Opener Can Opener | 3,075 | $25.99 | 0.85 |
| Black & Decker Natural Convection Toaster Oven | 6,770 | $67.80 | 1.00 |
| Hamilton Beach Wave-Action Blender | 7,825 | $90.40 | 1.16 |
| Cuisinart Compact Deep Fryer | 12,185 | $90.40 | 0.74 |
| Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 Camera and 10-pack film | 15,420 | $118.65 | 0.77 |
| Fitbit Inspire 3 Fitness Tracker | 17,065 | $148.03 | 0.87 |
| Epson WorkForce ST-C2100 | 52,525 | $440.70 | 0.84 |
| Dell Chromebook 3100 2-in-1 Laptop | 85,250 | $678.00 | 0.80 |
| VTech KidiGo Basketball Hoop | 5,930 | $62.15 | 1.05 |
| Google Nest Wifi Router and 1 Point | 56,850 | $355.95 | 0.63 |
These items work out to an average of 0.87 cents.
Better credit card redemption options
There are better ways to use your points outside of merchandise.
With Amex Membership Rewards, you can simply use your points to pay for any purchase, at a value of 1 cent per point. And you don’t need enough points to cover the entire transaction either – you can redeem what you can and pay for the rest.
One point to note about Amex – if you’re closing your account and have some points left over, you can also transfer them to 1 of 8 travel partners in case you use them for travel at a later date.
Here are your options.
As for MBNA Rewards, you can look at electronic gift cards. There are plenty of different retailers you can choose from.
The higher gift card amounts have better value, averaging around 0.99 cents per point.
MBNA Rewards and Amex Membership Rewards credit cards
What are the credit cards associated with these programs?
Here are your MBNA Rewards credit card options.
×4 Award winner GC: $125 + $25
4x Award winner
And your Amex Membership Rewards cards.
Transfer points to Aeroplan and 7 other travel partners with Canada's #1 credit card.* Transfer points to Aeroplan and 7 other travel partners with Canada's #1 credit card.* ×8 Award winner 
8x Award winner GC: $125
Do you redeem points and miles for merchandise?
There’s our summary about merchandise, and why it’s best to look elsewhere to use your points or miles.
Do you redeem your points for merchandise, or do you avoid it?
Let us know in the comments below.
FAQ
What are some popular Canadian rewards programs that allow members to redeem for merchandise?
Most rewards programs allow members to redeem points or miles for merchandise. They include:
- Air Miles,
- Aeroplan, and
- Scene+.
Some programs do not allow this. Triangle Rewards and PC Optimum, for instance, only allow members to redeem their points towards in-store or online purchases.
Is getting merchandise a good use of rewards points?
Generally speaking, merchandise is not a good way to use rewards points. Merchandise provides the lowest value for points and miles.
What are some better ways to get free products instead of just redeeming for merchandise?
For free products, here are some ways you can use them instead. Availability of them depends on the rewards program.
They can include:
- redeeming them with a partner retailer,
- getting gift cards, and
- turning your points into cash.
What is the best way to redeem credit card points?
When it comes to redeeming credit card points, using them for travel offers the best value for your points.
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