FAQs – Soundarya Club

 

Q: 1. When was the new loyalty program launched?

The new loyalty program was launched on 18th June 2022.

 

Q: 2. I am an old member. How does the new program affect my association with Forest Essentials?

Based on your association with the brand (past purchase history), you will be assigned a suitable tier which will reflect on the dashboard of your account. Every old member’s purchases from April 2019 to 17 June 2022 will be taken on a cumulative front and a tier will be assigned to them based on that. Please refer to the below table for details.

The old purchases will only be considered for tier assignment and will not be eligible for any new accrual or benefits that have been portrayed in the new program construct.

 

Q: 3. I just logged into my account and saw that I have been assigned the Platinum tier. However, no Milestone bonus points are visible. Why is that?

You have been promoted directly to the “Platinum” tier based on your association with us. The Milestone bonus is applicable only in cases where a customer has an avenue to upgrade to a higher tier. In your case, you are already at the highest possible tier. A new joiner will have to fulfil all the required criteria to reach this tier and earn milestone bonus points. Platinum members are eligible to enjoy the benefits of the tier from day one, without having to achieve the minimum spend threshold for the respective tier, which will be applicable for a new member.

 

Q: 4. I have recently become a member and have made a purchase of 25,000 in a single bill. Why have I not received the milestone of “Bronze”?

A customer bypassing a tier will not be getting the milestone of all the tiers that have been bypassed. The point accrual will happen as per the tier achieved. In your case, you will receive a milestone of “Silver” tier (1000 points) and a points accrual @ 3%. The “Bronze” tier milestone will not be applicable in the current scenario since it was bypassed owing to your bill amount, which makes you eligible for a Silver membership directly.

The above is applicable with respect to any tier bypass that has been processed by the member.

 

Q: 5. What is the validity of my tier?

A customer enjoys the benefits of their current tier for a period of 2 years since their last purchase and eligible tier assignment. For example, let’s assume that a member’s last purchase is on 20th September 2022 and they are in the Platinum tier. If they make no further purchases after 20th September 2022, the member will continue to enjoy the benefits of the Platinum tier till 19th September 2024. The member would have to make an eligible purchase of INR 100,000 between 20th September 2023 and 19th September 2024 to avoid any downgrade after 20th Sept 2024. In the current scenario, if the member is not able to fulfil the eligible purchases of Platinum membership between 20th September 2023 and 19th September 2024, they will be downgraded to a new tier based on their purchase between the above period.

 

Q: 6. How does the Soundarya membership work?

Customers can enrol in the Forest Essentials Soundarya Program by completing purchases worth Rs.5,000 (multiple bills allowed) with the brand. On achieving this milestone customers can earn points on their next purchases. The program rewards customers for achieving various milestones across their purchase journey with the brand. The rewards increase as the participation increases. Customers can redeem points earned on their purchases for various member rewards and on their in-store or online (www.forestessentialsindia.com only) purchases. Customers can also participate in various brand loyalty offers to earn more points. Below are the benefits and rewards across various tiers:

 

Q: 7. What are the 4 tiers of the Soundarya Program?

The 4 tiers of the Soundarya program are Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.

 

Q: 8. How long are my points valid for?

The points are valid for a period of 1 year from the date of that specific purchase. For example, if an eligible transaction is done on 19th February 2022, the points earned on the same will be valid for 1 year starting 19th February 2022. Similarly, if an eligible transaction is done on the 22nd of February 2022, points earned on the same will be valid for 1 year starting the same date.

 

Q: 9. What is the value of 1 point?

Currently, 1 Point = Re.1 across all redemption platforms. In case of any changes, the same will be intimated to the members.

 

Q: 10. How do I earn points?

A customer is eligible to earn points once they complete purchase(s) worth Rs.5,000 (multiple bills or a single bill) with the brand. The customer must share their mobile number and email id for the accrual to take place successfully. In addition to this, the accrual % changes as the customer reaches various tier milestones, making them eligible to earn points at a higher %. The customer can also earn additional points by participating in various point-based offers released by the brand at regular intervals, including the ones listed below:

 

Q: 11. How do I achieve Bronze/Silver/Gold/Platinum status?

The below table illustrates how a customer achieves the Bronze/Silver/Gold/Platinum status:

*Per annum

 

 

Q: 12. How can I earn multiple reward points?

Customers will have multiple opportunities to earn additional points as listed below. We also recommend checking our SMS and emailers for the latest offers for members.

 

Q: 13. What information can I find on my Soundarya account?

The Soundarya account will reflect the following details for you:

• Name (If shared)
• Mobile No. (If shared)
• Email Id (If shared)
• Current purchases
• Current tier
• Eligibility for next tier
• Transactions with us
• Benefits of the next tier
• Coupons and Rewards if any allotted to you
• Referral Code
• Referral Dashboard

 

Q: 14. Can I earn points at the Forest Essentials stores – Online and Offline?

Customers can earn points at our official website and every Forest Essentials store in India. Promotional purchases like gifts with purchases, offers, or coupons will not be eligible for points accrual, but they will be eligible for tier upgrades.

 

Q: 15. Can I earn points for Forest Essentials purchases on Amazon, Nykaa, Myntra etc?

Purchases made on partner websites will not be eligible for points accrual under any scenario. Only purchases made on www.forestessentialsindia.com and the Forest Essentials stores will be eligible for points accrual.

 

Q: 16. Will I earn points when redeeming my points?

Points will be accrued for the differential amount which has been paid via cash or card only. The amount redeemed via points will not be eligible for points accrual. Points redeemed against promotional purchases will not be eligible for points accrual.

 

Q: 17. Can I earn points for purchases made before enrolment?

Points accrual on purchases before enrolment in the program will not be possible under any scenario. Customers will be eligible for points accrual only after they have enrolled in the program and achieved the minimum points accrual criteria. There will be no exceptions to this.

 

Q: 18. Can I redeem points multiple times within a transaction?

Points can be redeemed only once against a single transaction. Multiple points redemption against a single transaction will not be possible.

 

Q: 19. Are there any limitations to the number of points that I can redeem?

There are no limitations on the number of points that can be redeemed against a single transaction.

 

Q: 20. Can I use my points in conjunction with promotional discounts?

Points can be redeemed against all purchases and with coupons, gift cards, and vouchers.

 

Q: 21. How do I personalise my profile?

Personalisation of your profile is possible by logging into your account on forestessentialsindia.com and updating your missing account details. The brand will also request for personalisation of your profile via SMS and emailers. Points will be awarded after the profile is completed.

 

Q: 22. When will the milestone points be credited?

The milestone points will be credited based on the below table within 24 hrs of achieving the milestone.

 

 

Q: 23. When will the Birthday Rewards be credited?

The Birthday Rewards will be credited based on the below table on the birthday of the member and will be valid for a week. The intimation to update the date of birth must be shared with us at least a week prior, in order to receive the birthday reward points. Any request received to update the birthday after the stipulated time will not be entertained. In such a scenario, the reward points will be eligible from next year onwards.

 

 

Q: 24. What are the new changes regarding point expiry for the Platinum tier?

Starting 1st March 2024, purchase points earned by Platinum members will expire in 1 year.

 

Q: 25. Do my tier status and tier benefits expire?

Yes, the tier status and benefits will expire after 2 years of inactivity. A customer is downgraded to the preceding tier if they fail to fulfil the minimum purchase threshold for their current tier. In addition to this, points accumulated will also expire.

The membership of the customer will never expire despite the tier downgrade and points expiry. The customer can reinstate their original tier by shopping for the minimum purchase threshold associated with the tier.

 

Q: 26. What happens to the points and benefits I have earned if my membership is terminated or expires?

In cases of membership termination, the membership ceases to exist in the system and cannot be reactivated again. The customer loses all benefits and points.

Memberships do not expire, even though the points and benefits related to that tier may expire post 1 year of inactivity.

 

Q: 27. Why have my points disappeared?

Points will be removed from the customer account only when their validity expires. Points earned against eligible purchases are valid for 1 year from the day the specific purchase was made. For example, if an eligible transaction is made on the 19th of February 2022, the points earned on the same will be valid for 1 year starting 19th February 2022. Similarly, if an eligible transaction is made on the 22nd of February 2022, points earned on the same will be valid for 1 year starting the same date.

Points under promotions or offers will expire as per their stated expiry timelines. Birthday rewards will expire 1 week post the birthday, whereas milestone points will expire 15 days post the milestone is achieved. Points earned through other earning options will expire as stated and communicated. Revalidation of promotional points is not possible under any scenario.

 

Q: 28. I placed an order online, but no points have been added to my account yet. Is something wrong?

In case points have not been credited for any order, customers can reach out to our customer service team. They can write to us at service@forestessentialsindia.com or chat with us through our chat feature, available on the website. We can also be reached via call at +918010200666. In case we miss your call, we endevour to reach out to you within 24 hours (barring Sundays). Emails are usually responded to within 24 hours (barring Sundays).

Points will not be credited for purchases made under a promotion or an offer.

 

Q: 29. . What do I do if I believe that a purchase or other activity was not properly credited to my account?

You can share your purchase details with us at service@forestessentialsindia.com. Emails are usually responded to within 24 hours (barring Sundays). We will process the request in 3 working days.

 

Q: 30. What happens if I return a product(s) from an order that was purchased with birthday rewards or Soundarya rewards?

• In cases where the complete order has been processed via points, the points will be reversed for the returned product(s). On reversing, the current points balance will reflect after the deduction of the points. In case the account does not have any balance points, the points balance will reflect in negative and the same will be adjusted with the future purchases of the customer.
• In case the order payment is via card and points, a refund will be provided in the card for the returned items, provided their value does not exceed the payment made by the card. In case the value of the returned item exceeds the card payment, refunds will be processed via coupon codes, which will only be redeemable at forestessentialsindia.com.
• In case the order payment is via cash and points, refunds will be processed via coupon codes, which will only be redeemable at forestessentialsindia.com.

Note: For online orders, points will be reversed only when the order is received at our warehouse. The return time for domestic orders ranges from 10-15 working days, whereas for international orders, it ranges from 30-45 days. The return time is dependent on external delivery partners and Forest Essentials plays no role in delaying or expediting delivery of returned orders.

 

Q: 31. What happens to my points if a part of my order or the entire order is cancelled?

Part order cancellation is not an option. In cases where a complete order is cancelled, below are the details as to how reversals will be processed:

• In case points are redeemed on an order that gets cancelled or fails, the points will be reversed back into the account within 24 hours.
• In case points are redeemed and an order is cancelled pre-dispatch, the points will be reversed back into the account within 24 hours.
• In case points are redeemed and the order is cancelled post-dispatch, the points will be reversed back into the account within 72 hours of its return to our warehouse.

Note: For online orders, points will be reversed only when the order is received at our warehouse. The return time for domestic orders ranges from 10-15 working days, whereas for international orders, it ranges from 30-45 days. The return time is dependent on external delivery partners and Forest Essentials plays no role in delaying or expediting delivery of returned orders.

 

Q: 32. Can I return or exchange an item purchased with points?

Products or items purchased via points will be eligible for exchange and return as per the brand guidelines. You may refer to this link for more details on exchange and refund: https://www.forestessentialsindia.com/payment-policy#returnpolicy.

 

Q: 33. Can I return a product that I received as a free reward or exchange it for money?

Points or loyalty rewards cannot be exchanged for cash under any scenario.

 

Q: 34. Can my membership be terminated?

The membership can be terminated under the following scenarios only:

• On Customer Request: In case a customer wishes to discontinue their membership with us, they can write to us at service@forestessentialsindia.com, chat with us via the chat feature available on our website, or call us at +918010200666. In case a call is missed, we endeavour to reach out to you within 24 hours (barring Sundays and official holidays). Emails are usually responded to within 24 hours (barring Sundays). The termination request would be completed and fulfilled in 7 working days.
• Identification of Fraud: In case a customer profile is identified to be committing fraud or malpractice, the account will be deactivated, and all benefits will be withdrawn with immediate effect.

 

Q: 35. May I share my account or points and benefits with someone else?

It is not advisable to share your account details with anyone else. However, to ensure the security of your points, we have built an OTP system for the redemption of points.

 

Q: 36. How do I update or modify my account information?

To update the email id and mobile number, the customers can write to us at service@forestessentialsindia.com, chat with us via our chat feature available on the website, or call us at +918010200666. In case a call is missed, we endeavour to reach out to you within 24 hours (barring Sundays and official holidays). Emails are usually responded to within 24 hours (barring Sundays). The request would be processed in 3 working days.

In case of other details, the customers can log in to forestessentialsindia.com and make the necessary changes to their profile.

 

Q: 37. How do I unsubscribe from emailers?

You can unsubscribe to emailers by writing to us at service@forestessentialsindia.com or care@forestessentialsindia.com, by calling us on +918010200666, or chatting with us from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm IST (Mon-Sat). It usually takes 48-72 hours to process the request from the time our team responds to you. We intend to respond to all queries within 24 hours from the time the query or request is raised (Mon-Sat).

 

Q: 38. What if I have additional questions or concerns not related to the Loyalty program?

In case of any doubts, concerns, or clarifications, please feel free to write to us at service@forestessentialsindia.com. You can call us at +918010200666 or chat with us from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm IST (Mon-Sat).

 

Q: 39. How do I contact customer service?

Our customer service is available from Monday-Saturday (9:30 am to 5:30 pm IST). Customers can write to us at service@forestessentialsindia.com, chat with us via our chat feature available on the website, or call us at +918010200666. In case a call is missed, we endeavour to reach out to you within 24 hours (barring Sundays and official holidays). Emails are usually responded to within 24 hours (barring Sundays and official holidays).

 

Q: 40. Can Forest Essential close or change the Soundarya Club program and its benefits?

Forest Essentials has the right to change, modify, alter, and/or amend any program benefits without any prior notice.