Why Some Retailers Exclude Clearance Items From Loyalty Points
See why clearance items often earn no points and how to check earning rules before you shop sale racks.
Some retailers exclude clearance items from loyalty points because those prices are already marked down and leave little margin for an added reward. Loyalty points, the credits members earn on spending and later redeem for discounts, then apply only to eligible full-price spend. That rule can surprise shoppers at checkout.
Reading the earning terms before you buy helps you compare a sale price against points you might earn on a full-price item.
Verification note: Program terms and availability can change. This page was checked against linked sources on November 03, 2026.
How clearance exclusions work at checkout
Many programs limit earning to the merchandise subtotal after discounts. According to Premier Darts' Reward Points Terms, Premier Darts states members earn points on eligible full-price items only, while sale, clearance and discounted items do not earn points. That means a clearance sticker can remove the whole item from earning.
The register still gives you the lower price, but no points attach to that portion. RUBY describes a similar limit. According to RUBY's Loyalty Terms, RUBY states members earn 1 point per dollar on full-priced RUBY and Liam purchases, with no earning on sale, discounted or third-party pieces.
Why discounts leave little room for points
Clearance exists to move leftover stock fast. The retailer accepts a smaller margin to clear space, so adding points would cut that margin again. Points also create future discounts.
A store that gave points on an already reduced item would discount the sale twice, once now and once at redemption. Redemption limits reinforce the same logic. When rewards apply to full-price items only, sale carts stay outside both earning and use.
What else often earns no points
Clearance is one of several common carve-outs. According to Blackberrys' loyalty page, Blackberrys states points are not earned on discounted or clearance-sale items, taxes, shipping fees, or gift-card purchases. Gap Inc.
applies the same idea to coupons and rewards. According to Gap Inc.'s loyalty terms, Gap Inc. states members will not earn points for the amount of any coupon or discount or for the value of rewards applied to the purchase.
Those limits mean your points balance reflects net eligible spend, not the order total. Shipping, tax, fees, gift cards, refunds and third-party purchases often add nothing either.
How to shop sales without losing value
Ask whether a price adjustment would remove points. A manual discount at the register can have the same effect as a clearance tag. Check the rewards terms before you pay, especially during clearance events.
- Check the rewards terms for sale, clearance, bundle and coupon wording before you pay.
- Compare total savings: a deep clearance cut can beat points from a full-price buy.
- Split purchases when allowed, so eligible full-price items still earn.
- Save vouchers and points for full-price items if sale carts block redemption.