Carter's vs. Children's Place Rewards: Which Offers More Savings?

Shopping for kids’ clothes can be fun, but it can also be a frustrating exercise. You want to splurge on those adorable 2T jeggings (with a sweet ruffle on the butt!), but you know it’ll only be a few months before your daughter wears them. So when the salesperson offers a store rewards program, you jump at the chance to save money.

Carter's and The Children's Place both offer free (and very similar) rewards programs, and there's no downside to joining. In both cases, you earn points for every dollar you spend, which can be converted into rewards that can save you cash on your next purchase. But how much exactly can you save, and is one program better than the other? We've compared the benefits of each so you can decide for yourself.

Carter's Rewards Program

Carter's Rewards points system works at Carter's, OshKosh B'gosh, SkipHop and Little Planet. You can register on the Carter's website or in person at a store (including outlets). There are three possible tiers.

1. Family Tier

In this free level you will: Earn 1 point for every dollar you spend. 100 points equals $5 in rewards. Sounds good, but it takes some effort to cash out. There's a time limit, and there's a digital coupon you can use at checkout.

Here's how it works:

After purchase, points will be credited to your member account. Points expire after 6 months.. If you reach 100 points ~ before After that 6 month deadline, it will be converted into: $5 reward. Carter's will send you an email notification that your reward is in your account. Print it out and give it to the cashier or display it on your mobile device. Just The reward usage period is 45 days. Once issued.

Carter's Rewards also sends emails throughout the year offering bonus points with special offers. Birthday surprise gift (Generally 30% off coupon) for up to 5 children. But there are restrictions here too. To receive the birthday gift, the purchase must have been made within 12 months of the child's birthday. And the child must have “opted in” to the promotional email.

2. VIP Tier

Spend $500 at Carter's in a year and you'll automatically be upgraded to VIP status. Now you can earn points twice as fast.

• Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend.
• Get early access to sales

3. VIP+ Tier

When you sign up for the Carters Credit Card, you automatically become a VIP+ member, which gives you even more benefits.

• Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend.
• For every 150 points you earn, you'll receive a $10 reward.
• We offer a “You Pick Bonus Day”, which means you can choose one day per year to receive 3x bonus points on your purchases.
• Enjoy free shipping on all credit card purchases.
• Receive a $10 gift annually

My Place Rewards (Kids Place Rewards Program)

My Place Rewards is available at The Children's Place, Gymboree, Sugar and Jade, and PJ Place. You can register online at The Children's Place or in-store (including outlets). There are two tiers: Basic Membership and Credit Card Holder.

1. My Place Rewards

In this free program you get: 1 point for every dollar spent. But like Carter's Rewards, you need to be careful to make the most of the benefits.

Here's how it works:

Points will be credited to your account, When you reach 100 points, you will receive a $5 reward.. Children's Place is more lenient on the timeline. It takes up to one year to reach 100 points.. Each time you do, the reward will appear in your member account and you will receive an email notification that you have a reward. To redeem your reward, print it out and give it to the cashier or display it in your online account on your smartphone. Rewards have an expiration date, which is usually 45 days.

The Children's Place program also offers birthday gifts, and unlike Carter's, you don't need to make a previous purchase to receive the gift. Just enter the birthdays of up to four children in your My Place Reward profile. Receive a 20% discount coupon for each child's birthday month. You must “opt in” to receive promotional emails.

And there are plenty of special promotions to earn extra points, right now. Get 100 bonus points until August 31st Join the Give Back Box giving program. (To participate, donate gently used clothing or shoes from The Children's Place brand to Delivering Good, a nonprofit that supports people in poverty.) You'll instantly receive $5 off your next purchase.

2. My Place Rewards credit card holders 

When you open a My Place Rewards credit card account, you are automatically enrolled in the My Place Rewards program and can reach higher levels.

• Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend.
• We'll give you a 25% discount coupon on your child's birthday.
• Earn 3x points during special promotions (one of which runs until July 7th!)

Which rewards program is better?

As you can see from this chart, these loyalty programs offer essentially the same benefits. Both stores double the savings opportunities for credit card holders. And both stores are designed to get you back to the store (or site) as quickly as possible, since rewards must be used within a month and a half.

verdict

If you had to choose just one? Children's Place: My Place Reward. Your points will remain valid for a year, so you’ll be less likely to miss out on a well-earned benefit! You can also earn up to 15% cash back on purchases.

Rewards aside, if you want to save even more at Carter's, check out our guide to Carter's savings tips and Carter's Grandparents Day deals. Plus, get 10% cash back on your purchase.

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