David Jones departs from Virgin Australia Velocity eStore

UPDATE | Only weeks after joining the ranks of Velocity Frequent Flyer, David Jones has departed from Virgin Australia's eStore – preventing Velocity members from earning frequent flyer points when shopping with the chain online.

During the brief period of partnership, travellers could notch up two Velocity points per dollar if they began their online shopping expedition on Virgin Australia's eStore website before filling their basket at David Jones.

A Virgin Australia spokesperson confirmed the shake-up to Australian Business Traveller, adding that Velocity members could still earn points at "over 200 retailers" via its eStore.

David Jones remains one of seventeen shopping partners affiliated with the competing Qantas Mall, serving up five Qantas Points per dollar spent against the two points per dollar awarded briefly with Velocity.

A spokesperson for David Jones has declined to answer Australian Business Traveller's enquiries as to why its Velocity partnership was axed.

Whether shopping in-store or online, Velocity members can still earn points by using a credit card to pay for their purchases – such as the American Express Velocity Escape, NAB Velocity Rewards Premium and the Virgin Australia Velocity Flyer cards.

PREVIOUS – September 3 2014 | Members of Virgin Australia's Velocity Frequent Flyer program can now earn points when shopping online with David Jones.

Travellers can notch up two Velocity points per dollar if they begin their online shopping expedition from the airline's eStore website before filling their basket at David Jones.

(Clicking through to DJs from the eStore allows Virgin Australia to keep tabs on how much you've spent, so the points will be automatically sent to your account.)

David Jones is also a partner in the new Qantas Mall, but splashes out five Qantas Points per dollar against Velocity’s two.

Whether earning with Qantas or Velocity, these extra points are only available for online orders – not walk-up transactions made in the chain’s retail stores.

However, the David Jones website has a ‘click and collect’ service in addition to its normal delivery options.

Through ‘click and collect’, customers can order their goodies online and then pick them up in-store, paying no delivery fees or additional charges.

Savvy points aficionados who prefer to shop in-person could easily browse the shelves in a David Jones retail store, head to the eStore website to place their order and collect their purchase on the next business day, or even on their next trip to the shops while earning up to five points per dollar.

And, if you also have a David Jones American Express Platinum card you'll earn a further three Qantas Points for every dollar spent both online and in-store.

That could see you earning either eight Qantas Points per dollar, or both Qantas and Velocity points on the one transaction – Qantas Points via the David Jones credit card and Velocity points through the new eStore partnership.

Otherwise, your regular points-earning credit card will still do the trick.

To get started, just head to the Virgin Australia Velocity eStore website, or to the Qantas Mall if you'd rather earn kangaroo currency.

Further reading: Virgin Australia offers points for online shopping

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Chris C.

Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.