NEXT GENERATION OF LOYALTY

Starwood Retail Partners debuted Oh, So Simple, a first-of-its-kind rewards program that offers consumers a revolutionary way to earn credit for their purchases at stores across an entire mall. The program piloted at four properties in 2015 and will roll out to all 29 Starwood centers this year. The one-step process links an existing Visa, MasterCard, or personal American Express credit or debit card to an Oh, So Simple Rewards account. Members can connect as many of their cards to the account as they wish. They will then automatically earn credit for purchases made across the entire mall and receive real-time notifications for cashback rewards. When the shopper spends $250, they will automatically earn a $10 credit connected to the card(s) registered to their rewards account. Members can use their earned cash value at a retailer they choose. Once the rollout is complete, the program will reach approximately 3,000 retailer locations, more than 100 million annual consumer visits and $15 billion in consumer spending. — Melonie Messina