If you're a regular shopper at Marks and Spencer (M&S), then you'll probably have heard of the high street giant's current 12 Days of Sparks promotion, which is offering free goodies every day to people who have and use the Sparks app.
The promotion sees Sparks customers offered a new daily reward every day from December 1 until December 12, with prizes ranging from free festive treats such as light-up biscuit tins and the coveted gin snow globes, to vouchers for money off flowers and knitwear.
While the items on offer might sound amazing, not everyone is impressed by the things they've found behind each door of their virtual calendars, with some shoppers calling M&S a "disgrace" for handing out prizes that aren't "worth" the trip to their nearest shop to claim them.
Most M&S customers were hoping to get their hands on a free gin globe in their calendar, as the light-up bottles have proven extremely popular every year, with M&S even warning of shortages of the Spiced Plum and Clementine duo last year.
But the advent calendar gift that each shopper gets in their Sparks app is completely random, and some have been left feeling disheartened after opening the app to find hand creams and "football chocolates", the Manchester Evening News reports.
One disgruntled shopper moaned online: "I got a pack of football chocolates ... boo, not worth the journey."
While another added: "I got a Robin Christmas decoration. Would have liked the gin!"
And a third posted: "I got a hand cream, might nip in tomorrow and get the two from today and tomorrow - I don't fancy a daily trip unless it's amazing and only claimable that day. I'm dubious about the stock for my local though."
"What a flipping disgrace," someone else grumbled.
Other Sparks customers have even complained that they're unable to access the advent calendar at all, despite having recently used their Sparks cards in-store for purchases.
Someone said: "Just downloaded and says I can't have it, obviously have to spend. Just bought four of those houses the other day."
Another person wrote: "I've downloaded and tried on the app and desktop version but every time I click today reward it just takes me to the app and nothing showing."
M&S told the Manchester Evening News: "We're delighted that customers have been enjoying our 12 Days of Sparks promotion. We've seen unprecedented demand with half a million offers having already been redeemed to date. We advise customers to keep checking their local store as more stock is heading to stores over the coming days."
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