Home decor retailer betas membership-only loyalty program

Bed Bath & Beyond is taking a loyalty lesson from Amazon.com.



The chain, which is synonymous with blanketing its customer base with ubiquitous $5 off and 20% off discount coupons, is beta testing a paid membership-based loyalty program that rewards participating customers with exclusive benefits online and in-store. Analysts speculate that the program, if successful, could lead to the demise of the wildly popular coupons, which have become a drain on the retailer’s profit.



Called Beyond+, the loyalty program is $29, plus tax, for a year-long membership. Once enrolled, members receive 20% off all purchases made at Bed Bath & Beyond stores or online, as well as free shipping on all online orders.



Members can access the loyalty program by downloading the Bed Bath & Beyond app, and clicking on the “My Offers” section. Users get their benefits by choosing the app’s Beyond+ discount offer and showing it to the cashier. They also have the option of printing out the discount coupon to redeem in-store.



When shopping online, members enter their enrolled email address in the billing section during checkout. They must select both the Beyond+ free shipping and discount offers during each transaction to receive benefits on every order.



The chain accepted a small group of consumers to participate in the beta test, and it is no longer accepting any new members, according to the company’s website. Bed Bath & Beyond is already preparing to pilot the program, which will also have a limited number of memberships available. The chain has not announced a pilot launch date, but all existing accounts will automatically renew after one year, according to the company’s website.



Beyond+ is not valid at the chain’s other banners, including buybuy Baby, Harmon Face Values, Christmas Tree Shops, Cost Plus Market, One Kings Lane and Of a Kind.