Buy one get one (BOGO) apps give paying members access to BOGO, 50% off or 2-for-1 deals from affiliated merchants. They’re like coupon booklets that contain discounts or freebie vouchers, but BOGO apps sell membership plans that make you eligible to redeem offers. This article explains how the BOGO apps work and share some practical tips on how to use them effectively.
How It Works: The Case of The ENTERTAINER
The ENTERTAINER is an example of a BOGO app. To use it, you need to choose your location (e.g., Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Dubai) and buy a relevant membership plan (e.g., ENTERTAINER Qatar 2025). Your app will be populated by thousands of offers from restaurants, bars, attractions, spas, salons, hotels, and other types of merchants from your chosen location (e.g., Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, in this case).
The offers are valid for one year. To redeem, please inform the merchant you have an ENTERTAINER offer when you request the bill. Next, on your app, load the voucher, tap it, get the merchant’s PIN, and generate the redemption code that will be applied as a 50% discount to your bill.
Example: You and your friend get a full-body massage that costs QAR 987. With a BOGO voucher, your QAR 1,974 bill for two massages will be slashed by 50%, so you’ll pay only QAR 987.
According to the ENTERTAINER, Qatar and GCC members save an average of QAR 2,320 annually. This is more than possible. If you book a deluxe suite for QAR 1,801 per night at a five-star hotel, a relevant BOGO offer for that hotel means a two-night stay for the price of one night or two hotel rooms for the price of one room.
That’s an immediate QAR 1,801 savings, which is already more than half the average Qatar and GCC ENTERTAINER members save.
Indeed, to maximise the value of BOGO savings apps, you must plan and use your vouchers wisely. Here are a few savvy, stress-free strategies that will let you get the most value out of a BOGO app.
1. Focus on What You Already Spend On
Don’t buy a BOGO membership without first checking out its list of merchants and available offers. You want to sign up for a BOGO app that has the merchants, services and products you already buy from and use.
If the BOGO app has a free trial period, use it to see the full list of merchants and offers. Does it have an offer for the Sunday brunch you love, the hair treatment you always get, and your monthly mani-pedi habit? If yes, it’s worth it.
2. Ensure Lifestyle Fit
There’s another way you can maximise the value of BOGO membership plans. Check if the offers are for merchants, services and products you’re probably going to try. In other words, do the offers fit your lifestyle?
Case in point: If you and your best friend dine out every weekend, then a BOGO plan with hundreds of weekend-applicable BOGO offers for restaurants in your city should be a good buy. Do you and your sister get a body wrap, body scrub and facial every month? Look for a BOGO app that has hundreds of deals on these spa services.
3. Upgrade Experiences
Additionally, if you are used to Saturday hotel staycations, you can use a BOGO app to upgrade your experience. With a buy one night and get two nights deal at your favourite hotel, you can turn your customary Saturday staycation into a weekend getaway.
This strategy allows you to maximise value without overspending. Fundamentally, you don’t change your spending habits, and you spend the same amount, but you get more for that money.
4. Ensure Prices Are Not Inflated
Make sure the prices of products and services are the same, regardless of whether you use a BOGO voucher or not. If you get charged a higher price for the privilege of using a BOGO offer, you won’t be saving much (or saving as much).
5. Redeem for Groups
A 2-for-1 deal typically gets you thinking in pairs. Move beyond that and plan for groups. For instance, your BOGO app may let you redeem up to four different vouchers from the same merchant for a group of eight diners. Get one free main course, a free appetiser, a free drink, and a free dessert; that’s great value, isn’t it?
Another way to use it is if multiple members of your group have the same BOGO offers. Think spa-dates. If four of you have two-for-one mani-pedi vouchers, you can get eight mani-pedis for the price of only four. You and your buddies can then equitably divide the price of the services so each one effectively pays only half the price.
6. Track Your Spending and Savings
Track the offers you’ve redeemed and how much they’ve cost. You must also record how much you saved. To log savings, input the dirham value of the massage, main course, hotel room, or coffee you got for free. It can be highly motivating and rewarding to see your savings stack up.
It’s All About Maximising Value
BOGO apps are great if you know how to get the most out of them. For instance, on the ENTERTAINER app, you must know how to gauge which of the buy one get one free offer gives you maximum savings.
Remember, with BOGO apps, you get the best value by saving on things you buy and spend on anyway. Never make the 50% discount or the free product or service the inducement for buying and spending.
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