Times have changed.
In years gone by, it may have been enough for retailers to offer modest discounts to loyalty club members via a double pricing system, or offer larger discounts via targeted coupons for items the customer bought regularly .
Advances in technology enabled retailers to even create segments of one for their targeted marketing, allowing them to analyze shopping cycles to improve the timing of targeted messages, to make product suggestions based on shopping history, and to entice them to spend more via cross and up sell offers. While this was once considered as leading edge, it has since become the standard amongst chains running loyalty clubs and no longer creates real differentiation between chains. Shoppers have demonstrated that they are willing to give retailers their personal shopping data, but they demand more in return than just targeted coupons. They expect retailers to use that data to improve their overall shopping experience and even their lifestyle as it relates to buying, preparing, and eating food.
Times are indeed changing within the grocery industry. And as always in times of turmoil, there will be winners and losers.
Download our industry report – “Loyalty Leaders” that outlines some of the innovators from around the globe, the chains who are continuously listening to their customers and looking for ways to give them what they want.
In most cases, it’s not about disruption of existing club schemes, but rather about small, incremental gains. Discovering what resonates with shoppers and how to continue to make their lives easier in the smallest of ways is what truly drives loyalty and is the strategy behind most of the examples that we have curated from around the world in this report.
While most of the examples are taken from the grocery industry, we have also included some ideas from other mass consumer markets, including health and beauty, fashion, and more.
Happy reading.