Loyalty Marketing

Customer engagement requires visibility into a shopper’s preferences and path-to-purchase behavior.   By using a cloud-based platform to merge experiences across a customer’s shopping journey, Office Depot Europe will better understand and meet the needs of each individual customer, regardless of where, when, and how they interact with the brand.   

Generation Z grew up online, but that doesn’t mean that’s where they do all their shopping.    Sixty-seven percent of Gen Z — the first “digitally native” group to grow up not knowing a world before cellular phones, smartphones and other digital devices — said they shop in a bricks-and-mortar store most of the time, with another 31% shopping in-store sometimes, in a new survey by IBM and the National Retail Federation.  

Amazon has a new perk for its Prime members.   Through its partnership with Chase, Amazon is introducing the new Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card. Available exclusively to Amazon Prime members, the card offers users 5% back on all Amazon.com purchases, and rewards members for other purchases, including 2% back at restaurants, gas stations and drug stores, and 1% back on every other purchase.  

Zappos is hitting the road.   The online footwear retailer famous for its customer service is embarking on a year-long road show to show its gratitude to loyal customers nationwide. The event will feature merchandise, special events and one-of-a-kind experiences.   “At Zappos, we know there are real people behind each online transaction. And we wanted a way to celebrate and thank you for your loyalty — personally,” the company’s website said.  

A new partnership is giving Discover card users more flexibility and security at point-of-sale.   An agreement between Discover Financial Services (DFS) and PayPal allows U.S.-based PayPal customers to use Discover at all contactless-enabled merchants that accept the card. Discover cards will be presented as a payment option within the PayPal wallet, making accounts easily identifiable to card members when paying.  

Eager to take advantage of an increasing amount of customer-specific big data, Sobeys is adding a new analytics platform.    The Canadian grocer has entered into a long-term strategic relationship with IRI, a move that will enable Sobeys to unify all data in a centralized location. By leveraging the IRI Liquid Data technology and its Unify visualization platform, the grocer’s eight retail food formats will be able to integrate and report on transaction, loyalty card, promotional and other data sources.   

With an eye on customer engagement, 7-Eleven is upgrading its point-of-sale fleet chainwide.   7-Eleven entered into an agreement with NEC, making the technology company its exclusive POS provider. Overall, 8,600 7-Eleven stores throughout the United States and Canada will be outfitted with the TwinPOS G5100, a POS system that also features a sleek, durable customer display to run promotions, share information, and create a personalized shopping experience.  

As the retail industry settles into 2017, CIOs industry-wide are dusting off their To-Do lists, and creating a game-plan on how to implement this year’s top priorities.   While these projects will run the gamut, retail is facing an inflection point — one that is influenced by new, “smarter” solutions that will not only change the trajectory of how businesses operate, but how chains will communicate with employees and customers.