Loyalty Marketing

With its recent acquisition of Jet.com, a commitment to growing its online grocery business with a convenient grocery pick-up option and an extensive investment against delivering a seamless digital shopping experience, Walmart is once again flipping the script on what it means to compete for America's shopping dollar.   The company's investment in grocery pick-up services represents the cover of that new script - and Walmart is expanding that service to 600 stores this year and 500 stores next year.  

At a time when loyalty programs are becoming ubiquitous, Lowes Foods’ new service is breaking the mold.    The grocery chain is launching a promotional reward campaign in 75 stores across North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. For every $10 spent at Lowes Foods stores, customers will receive one stamp — either traditional or virtual — at checkout, good toward VIVO kitchen knives, knife blocks and cutting boards. The promotion runs until February 26, 2017.   

With an eye on merging the physical and virtual shopping experience, too many retailers still struggle with how to engage shoppers pre- and post-purchase.   This was the message delivered in a new global study from Sitecore. Based on responses from 826 marketing and IT decision makers, and 414 IT partners and suppliers in 14 countries, the majority reported they do understand the importance of online commerce. However, they do not feel fully prepared for driving the growth of this channel globally.  

Omnichannel retailing is no longer some far flung prediction, or even a trend, it’s the reality that today’s consumers demand. To succeed in the age of this cross-channel business model, retailers must prioritize customer engagement by building positive brand recognition and loyalty and providing experiences tailored to their preferences and behaviors.  

Sears is launching a new program designed to give its loyal shoppers the best shot at holiday promotions.    Members of the chain’s Shop Your Way loyalty program will get a jump on their holiday shopping during this weekend’s “Sears Days Lowest Prices of the Season Member Bonus Event.” However, there is always a chance these items could be further discounted as the holiday season ramps up.   

TRENDING STORES: PetSmart debuted a new store concept that puts a big emphasis on pet services. The 7,400-sq.-ft. PetSmart Pet Spa, in Oceanside, N.Y., is decidedly smaller than PetSmart’s typical footprint and features a self-service dog wash, a grooming salon and a coffee bar-lounge area. The overall modern design includes a circular “concierge” desk with a bakery full of dog treats.…Amazon Books plans to open its fourth location, a 7,200-sq.-ft. store in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood.

The omnichannel retailing model is forcing brands to bridge the gap between physical and digital retailing. Add in the power of the Internet of Things, and this business transformation is finally within reach. From beacons that send out personalized promotions to frequent shoppers, to smart mirrors that allow customers to virtually “try on” clothing, IoT technologies are transforming the store experience.

If digitally savvy shoppers have taught retailers anything it’s that a traditional shopping experience isn’t enough to drive loyalty.

Providing shoppers with a consistent brand experience across channels is retailers’ top digital priority.   That’s according to a survey from Boston Retail Partners (BRP), in which 56% of surveyed retailers said they were focused on a consistent brand experience across channels as a top digital priority, followed by improving the mobile shopping experience (46%) and personalization (40%).