From March 2020, you're going to need to spend more to earn GrabReward points and -- wait for it -- use more GrabReward points to redeem Grab or GrabFood vouchers.

Essentially, this means fewer GrabReward points for every dollar spent.

Grab recently posted the update to their GrabRewards programme on their website.

This is the second devaluation in less than two years.

Pay more to earn GrabReward Points

Currently, here's how many points you earn for every S$1 spent, depending on the services you use (Grab/GrabFood/GrabPay purchases) and what method of payment (cash versus GrabPay):

• Member: 1 - 5 points
• Silver: 1 - 5 points
• Gold: 1 - 7.5 points
• Platinum: 1 - 10 points

After the revamp, you earn the same amount of points regardless of service and you'll earn way fewer points per S$1:

• Member: 2 points
• Silver: 2 points
• Gold: 3 points
• Platinum: 4 points

And in case you can't see the fine print, it says "cash transactions will no longer be eligible for GrabRewards points".

That's right. You want to earn points? You'll have use Grab's e-wallet.

Use more points to redeem Grab, GrabFood vouchers

Here's the change in number of points you need to redeem Grab/GrabFood vouchers:

According to Milelion, Platinum members (ironically, Grab's most loyal customers) will be hit hardest by this hike in voucher cost.

Milelion also provides a very detailed analysis of this overall change in the GrabRewards programme which shows that the effective rebates that one gets from the programme will drop below 1 per cent for all users, regardless of tier.

Grab: Rewards must change with shift in customer expectations

In response to queries from Mothership, a Grab spokesperson said that the company continuously evaluate its existing cutomer programmes to deliver better experiences on the platform:

"Our customers today interact with the Grab app more frequently for their transport, food, payments and other needs, and are demanding for better engagement on the platform. With shifts in customer expectations coupled with the overall growth of our ecosystem, the way we reward and create value for our customers must change too."

While points earned per dollar will be lower, the spokesperson said that customers will have more places to earn and spend their reward points at "millions of merchants, online, in-app and offline, with the recent launch of GrabPay Card".

Customers can also earn points and rewards though in-app activities called "Challenges", flash sales and moment-based campaigns, said the spokesperson.

Top images via Grab.

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