Pick n Pay's Personalised Discounts: How to Train the Algorithm for Maximum Savings

Pick n Pay's Smart Shopper program has evolved far beyond a simple point-collection scheme. Its most potent feature, "Personalised Discounts," uses sophisticated data analysis to offer you unique deals. However, many shoppers use this feature passively, accepting whatever the app gives them. The secret to unlocking its full potential is to actively "train" the algorithm, teaching it what you want so it provides the most valuable discounts. This guide will show you how.

The Three Tiers of PnP Savings

To understand Personalised Discounts, you need to see where they fit in PnP's savings hierarchy:

1. Weekly Specials: These are the deals in the main Pick n Pay catalogue, available to everyone.
2. Smart Prices: Deeper discounts on catalogue items, available only when you swipe your Smart Shopper card.
3. Personalised Discounts: Unique voucher-style deals on specific products, based on your history, that you must load onto your card.

The ultimate goal is to stack a Personalised Discount on top of a Smart Price for maximum impact. First, always review the main catalogue on a site like Cataloguethisweek to know the baseline offers.

How the Algorithm Learns

The Personalised Discounts algorithm is like a student. It learns from what you show it. Every time you swipe your Smart Shopper card, you are giving it data. It tracks the products you buy, the brands you prefer, and the frequency of your purchases. After a few shops, it builds a profile of you and starts guessing what discounts you might like.

Training Your Algorithm: A Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Establish a Baseline

For your first few shops, buy your absolute favourite, regular items. If you are loyal to a specific brand of coffee, washing powder, or cheese, make sure you buy them and swipe your card. This teaches the system your core preferences.

Step 2: Actively Load Your Offers

Every two weeks, a new set of up to eight Personalised Discounts becomes available. You must load them to your card via the PnP app or an in-store kiosk. This is the most crucial step. By loading an offer, you are telling the algorithm, "Yes, this is relevant to me." If you ignore the offers, the system gets no feedback and can't refine its suggestions.

Step 3: Show Intent for New Products

Want to get discounts on a product you've never bought before? Buy it once or twice. If you decide you'd like to start buying more premium PnP Finest products, for example, purchase one or two items from the range. The algorithm will notice this new behaviour and is more likely to offer you a discount on that range in the future to encourage you.

Step 4: Prune Irrelevant Offers

While you can't "dislike" an offer, you can train the algorithm by consistently *not* loading irrelevant ones. If the app keeps offering you discounts on baby nappies but your children are grown, simply ignore those offers. Over time, the system will learn that this category is not relevant to you and will be less likely to offer it.

The Payoff

After a month or two of this active management, you will notice a significant change. The Personalised Discounts offered to you will become incredibly accurate, reflecting your true shopping habits. This is when the magic happens: you'll get money off the things you were going to buy anyway, representing a pure, effortless saving. You've successfully trained your personal savings assistant.