How to Save at Chapters Indigo Canada

As with any shopping, the best ways to save at Chapters Indigo Canada include watching for sales, shopping online, and using the retailer's rewards program. In this case, the program is Plum Rewards, and it offers a few solid benefits.

This article goes into further detail about how to save when shopping at Indigo, including information about Plum Rewards and Plum Plus subscriptions. We've also compared prices between Indigo and Amazon, so you can see which option helps you save the most.

Ways to save money at Chapters Indigo Canada

There are several ways you can save on your book haul at Chapters Indigo Canada, including these:

• Using Plum Rewards
• Signing up for a Plum Plus membership
• Shopping sales and promotions
• Shopping online with free shipping

Use Plum Rewards

Joining Plum Rewards is free, and you'll earn 5 Plum points for every $1 you spend on eligible purchases at Indigo, Chapters, and Coles. Keep in mind, though, that some items don't earn you points – this includes eBooks, eReaders, electronics, and select brands.

Once you've collected at least 2,500 points, you can redeem them for a $5 discount on your next Indigo purchase. You can save up and redeem larger quantities for bigger discounts, but these discounts are your only redemption option with this program.

With a base-level Plum Rewards membership, you get these extra perks:

• Free shipping over $49
• 20% off for your birthday
• Exclusive offers and events

Consider a Plum Plus subscription

If you're an avid reader, you may want to join the higher rewards tier: Plum Plus, which is a subscription membership. For $39 per year, members enjoy the same basic membership benefits as well as these:

• 10% off on most purchases
• Free shipping every day
• Exclusive offers and events

There aren't as many differences as you might expect, but no-minimum free shipping is an incredibly valuable perk – especially when you consider the cost of convenience. If you’re regularly buying from the bookstore and don’t mind paying the annual fee, Plum Plus is the way to go.

Try out our Plum Rewards calculator to quickly estimate just how much value you'll get from collecting Plum points.

Shop sales and promotions

Like many shops, Indigo Canada often has seasonal sales, with especially big events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

They also often offer deep discounts on:

• New book releases
• Bestsellers
• Home decor
• Other entertainment products

As with most things, shopping the sales is one of the easiest ways to save money. It's worth checking every so often to see what's on sale at Indigo, especially if you have gifts to buy.

And don't forget to sign up for email updates. This way, Indigo alerts you to upcoming sales and events, so you won't miss a thing.

Get free shipping when shopping online

Shipping is free if you're a Plum Rewards member, and for for base-level Plum Rewards members spending at least $49 on eligible purchases. So, if you're only buying a few books and don't qualify for free shipping, it might be worth waiting until you can place a larger order and hit the free shipping threshold.

If you're a Plum Plus subscription member, there's no need to worry about shipping costs, making it easy to order what you want, when you want it.

Chapters Indigo Canada vs. Amazon

While ordering online from Amazon.ca is essentially the default for Canadians, we researched and compared prices at these 2 retail giants. We looked at a variety of books, toys, stationery, and lifestyle items and determined that, most of the time, you don't actually save by shopping with Amazon instead of Chapters Indigo Canada.

Here's how the purchases compared:

Surprisingly, the books were priced pretty much the same, with differences often depending on the format, like hardcover or board books.

Amazon was cheaper for things like LEGO and highlighters, so it may have better prices on some games and gifts. Indigo came out ahead on lifestyle items, although it didn't have quite as much selection.

The moral of the story? Though the difference is minimal, Indigo has better prices than Amazon, especially if you're part of the loyalty program or get free shipping.

Kobo vs. Kindle

Kobo is Indigo's eReader. We should note that you can't buy eBooks for Kobo from Indigo. Instead, you'll have to buy them directly from the Kobo website. Don't be alarmed if you see Rakuten listed on the website heading – Rakuten purchased Kobo in 2012.

Kindle is Amazon's eReader. Instead of being redirected to a separate website to buy eBooks for a Kindle, you can buy them directly from Amazon. Just search for the book you want and choose your format.

To compare electronic purchases, we looked at the prices of the newest eReaders, several eBooks, and a few audiobooks for good measure. Here's what we found:

Most publishers can set their own prices for the eBooks they sell on each platform, which explains why most of these are the same. However, there's a pretty big difference in the cost of audiobooks – something to keep in mind if that's your preferred format.

Overall, Indigo definitely falls behind Amazon when it comes to electronic media.

Kobo Plus vs. Kindle Unlimited subscriptions

You might already have a favourite for eBooks and audiobooks, whether that's Kobo or Kindle. If you're not sure which one is right for you, it's worth comparing their subscription options.

The best credit cards to help save at Chapters Indigo Canada

Here are some of the best credit cards to use when shopping at Indigo (or any other bookstore):

Card Name	Annual Fee	Rewards	Welcome Bonus	Learn More
Neo World Elite® Mastercard - Everywhere	$149	* Average of 5% cash back at partner retailers * 2% cash back on all other purchases	$25 GeniusCash + $100 bonus cash back, first year free (terms)	Learn more
SimplyCash® Preferred Card from American Express	$119.88	* 4% cash back on gas and groceries * 2% cash back on all other purchases	10% cash back for the first 3 months + $50 (terms)	Learn more
Rogers Red World Elite® Mastercard	$0	* Earn 2% cash back on all eligible non-U.S. dollar purchases if you have 1 qualifying service with Rogers, Fido, Comwave, or Shaw * Earn up to 3% cash back on all eligible purchases made in U.S. dollars * Otherwise, earn 1.5% cash back on eligible non-U.S. dollar purchases	None	Learn more
RBC Avion Visa Infinite	$120	* 1.25 points per $1 spent on travel * 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases	70,000 bonus points (terms)	Learn more
Wealthsimple Visa Infinite +* Credit Card	$240	* 2% cash back on all purchases	5% cash back for the first 35 days (terms)	Learn more

Note that the SimplyCash Preferred Card from American Express and Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard are also on our list of best credit cards to use for shopping at Amazon.

FAQ

How can I save money at Chapters Indigo Canada?

The easiest way to save at Chapters Indigo Canada is to sign up for the Plum Rewards, or, if you spend enough to make it worthwhile, subscribe to Plum Plus. Don't forget to watch for sales or promotions and pay for your haul with a cash back credit card.

Are Chapters and Indigo the same company?

Yes, Chapters and Indigo are the same. Indigo was founded in 1996, and in 2001, it purchased Chapters, one of its biggest competitors. Today, Indigo operates just under 90 superstore locations across Canada, along with more than 120 smaller bookstores under other names.

Why are Indigo books cheaper online?

Indigo's books and other products are priced cheaper online as it's easier and more economical to process and ship books online than to sell them in stores. The store then passes those lower costs on to customers through lower online prices.

Can you tell me where to buy Chapters Indigo gift cards?

It's easy to buy Chapters Indigo gift cards – head to a local Indigo bookstore and ask for them at the checkout or search for them online. It's also worth noting that Indigo gift cards are a common currency used by survey sites and research groups to pay participants.

Are books cheaper at Indigo vs. Amazon?

When comparing prices between Indigo and Amazon, paperbacks and even some hardback books are usually the same price on both sites. Amazon Prime and Plum Plus subscriptions offer members free shipping. However, Amazon/Kindle tends to have cheaper eBook and audiobook prices than Indigo/Kobo.