NUS card hit by confusion
A “lack of information” is being blamed for York shops failing to uphold the exclusivity of the National Union of Students’ new discount card.
The NUS Extra card promises students who buy the card “a range of exclusive discounts, offers and competitions designed to make student life more exciting, more memorable and more rewarding.”
However, Nouse phoned six local branches of shops advertised by the NUS as only offering discounts to NUS extra holders, to ask if they provided a student discount. Five out of the six questioned said that you only needed to prove you were a student to get the discount.
Alongside the Extra card, which costs £10, NUS are still offering a free ‘NUS Democracy’ card. This denotes membership of the NUS and your local union, but they have stressed that the card will “not provide access to any discounts or special offers.” However, a member of staff at the York branch of Office said “We can offer you a student discount as long as your card has ‘NUS’ written on it.”
When presented with the results of the survey, an NUS spokesperson said: “I would suggest that the staff that gave you that information were not fully briefed. “That’s not the policy and it appears to be a lack of information in those particular outlets.”
However she did admit that “students who brought the NUS Extra card at £10 would find it very unfair if someone who got the free card received the same discounts.”
The decision to introduce a charge for a student discount card has been controversial as before this year NUS provided a free card which included discounts. However, the new card does offer more discounts than previously.
Amy Woods, Student and Finance Officer for York Students’ Union, said that the card was introduced as “due to previous problems (the NUS’s) financial position is not good at all.
“However, most students will be able to get their money back in a term, and it will undoubtedly save students money.” The NUS spokesperson said “We needed an extra revenue stream, and one that would go into the unions.”
She denied that charging for a discount card would detract from the campaigning side of the NUS. “One of the aims of the card is to plough money back into the unions to empower them and therefore enable them to do their own campaigns.” However, Amy Woods said “most students see the NUS as a discount card and not as a campaigning body.”
Students have voiced their displeasure at not being able to get the free discount card previously offered by the NUS. Alex Barrister, a first year Vanbrugh student, said: “£10 is a lot of money to pay.”
The shops questioned by Nouse
JJB Fitness
NUS say: “No joining fee for NUS Extra cardholders.”
The gym says: “You can just bring in a letter from your university.”
Storage King
NUS say: “25% exclusive NUS Extra discount off storage and packing supplies.”
The business says: “Any student card will do.”
Dorothy Perkins
NUS say: “10% off for all NUS Extra cardholders.”
The shop says: “Only students with an NUS Extra card are valid.”
Peacocks
NUS say: “Save 10% with your valid NUS Extra card.”
The shop says: “All you need is a standard NUS card.”
Office
NUS say: “Office shoes offer NUS Extra cardholders a 10% discount.”
The shop says: “We’ll accept anything with NUS on it.”
Burton
NUS say: “10% off everything for NUS Extra cardholders”
The shop says: “You can get the discount if you have a Union card.”
