Study: Mobile, loyalty, email offer CRM value

Columbia, Md. – Although it is now dismissed as a “legacy” technology, email can still provide value to retailers’ CRM (customer relationship marketing) efforts, as can mobile technology and loyalty programs. According to new data from CRM firm Merkle, 67% of consumers want a totally mobile path to purchase and 42% of supermarket shoppers use their phones at least once during a trip.



In addition, 46% of supermarket shoppers want personalized offers sent to their smartphones while shopping in store and 58% want personalized offers via text message. There was a 75% increase in mobile paid search in 2014.



And while less than one-fifth of consumers cite traditional price-based loyalty programs as a differentiator in where they shop and only one-fourth want to receive offers via retailer loyalty app, retailers who take an omnichannel, personalized approach to loyalty increase their revenue by four times.



In terms of email, 40% of consumers report receiving “way too much” email from retailers and 57% “occasionally” find value in retailer emails. Despite these figures, 80% of consumers (including Millennials) rate email as a preferred interaction channel with retailers.