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2020 Loyalty Trends for Convenience Stores

It’s about choice, technology and ever before as a result of technology-based loyalty data (but not too much data) programs. It allows retailers to offer personalized, customized rewards, offers and experiences to , which enhances their engagement. Across all segments, including convenience Like Netflix and Amazon, it gives the the stores, loyalty programs are big , and it’s feeling that retailers know them, are interested in no wonder. They’re proven to boost growth, they their preferences, offering what they want and need are not expensive for the retailer to implement, and even before they know what that is. they enhance your relationship with your customers. It’s a gold mine of data for retailers, but that data When you consider that, according to Harvard is sitting on a slippery slope. It’s the “too much of a Business Review, acquiring a new customer is five good thing” syndrome. As consumers get more and to 25 times more expensive than retaining one you more savvy about data privacy, and high-profile data already have, and that, last year, according to CS breaches across all industries make people more News, C-store operators said decreasing store visits wary about giving personal information, retailers and attracting new customers were their two main must walk a fine line about the type of data they’re concerns, loyalty programs are a no-brainer. collecting and using. The perception out there is: U.S. consumers have 3.8 billion memberships in preferences = good. Email addresses or consumer loyalty programs. Today, it’s all about other personal information = bad. the customer experience, creating personalized, In the end, it all boils down to , customer choice-driven programs that will meet and exceed engagement, increased purchases and an improved consumers’ ever-heightening expectations. customer experience. Whether it’s a point system, discounts, cash back or members-only , retailers need to balance In this white paper, we’ll delve into today’s loyalty the financial costs to them, versus increased program landscape, highlighting current stats, customer loyalty and increased purchases as a challenges and opportunities; examining what result. makes a great in this current market; profiling successful loyalty programs and In addition, today we have access to more (and best practices in other industries; and highlighting more personalized) customer preference data than trends to look for in the year ahead. 2020 Trends for Convenience Stores 1 Loyalty stats, challenges and opportunities

The loyalty landscape is stronger now than ever. Retailers are able to give more personalized and meaningful options to customers, which creates What makes a loyalty and repeat business. Win-win! But there are some conflicting stats out there that show the great loyalty program? challenges and corresponding opportunities that still exist. A great loyalty program should... • Consumers belong to an average of 13 loyalty • Give consumers the power of programs, but are active in only about half of choice. Offer it via email, text, push them, according to Bond Loyalty. notifications or a card. • 55% of customers say they abandon their • Be relevant to most of your customers. loyalty program if they realize points have expired. • Support and align with your • 71% of consumers decide to join a loyalty corporate goals. program because of off every • Encourage customer referrals by purchase. offering valuable rewards to the • 63% join for free products. sender and receiver. • 81% of consumers are loyal to that are • Focus on consumer engagement there when they need them, but want their by making the program visible and time to be respected. accessible onsite. • 94% of consumers name a good customer experience as the main reason they stay loyal. • Leverage customer data to offer more personalized rewards and experiences. • According to Excentus’ C-Store Shopper Profile 2018 report, 43% of shoppers visit • Not ask for too much information. a convenience store because of its rewards Customers are becoming sensitive program. to that. • 42.5% of consumers belong to a C-store • Drive customers from the pump into loyalty program. the store by offering rewards for • C-store operators say keeping up with merchandise purchases in addition technology, mobile apps for tracking and to fuel. redeeming and customer fraud were their main challenges with rewards programs.

points for every purchase, and those points should What does it all mean? It means customers like add up quickly. And for goodness’ sake, the points and appreciate loyalty programs for the savings should never expire. and other rewards, but don’t want too much intrusion in the form of too-frequent emails or text And since only 42.5% of customers belong to a messages. It also means customers should get C-store loyalty program, it means there’s room to grow. 2020 Loyalty Marketing Trends for Convenience Stores 2 Loyalty best practices in other retail segments

Target Circle Sephora Beauty Insider My Rewards

Target Corp. revamped its It’s a traditional point system To compete with the loyalty program this year, rolling with a twist: flexibility. increasingly competitive out the new name, Target Customers get points for coffee marketplace, Starbucks Circle, in October 2019. The every purchase, but they have simplified and streamlined free program gives members a a choice about how to use its loyalty program this year 1% discount on everything in those points. They can redeem to include a larger range of stores and online, and for every them for gift cards, discounts redemption options for the purchase made, customers on purchases, limited-edition points customers earn with earn votes to help direct products and in-store beauty purchases. They can now earn Target’s charitable giving to 800 tutorials. rewards quicker, at just 25 nonprofits nationwide. Also, points, or they can accumulate there are personalized perks points for greater rewards. Also, tailored to the customer based Why it works for Sephora: points no longer expire. on purchase preference data. . Sephora Beauty The program is based entirely Insider has 17 million members, on the Starbucks app. No punch which for 80% of card, no sign in. To earn loyalty Why it works for Target: Sephora’s annual . Those points, which they call “stars,” Engagement, greater spending, numbers show that most customers must order or pay and data. In their six test of Sephora’s customers are through the app. markets, more than 2 million participating in the program. customers have already enrolled and are spending more than Why it works for Starbucks: those who aren’t. Why it works for Data. Starbucks learns customers: Flexibility and customers’ usual drink orders, choice. Customers love the frequently visited stores, Why it works for customers: personalized way they can seasonal preferences for Ease of signup and immediate choose to use their reward specialty drinks, and more. discounts. If customers already points, earning discounts on All of this information allows have a Target branded debit otherwise expensive products. Starbucks to personalize offers or , RedCard, the that are relevant to customers. app-based Cartwheel savings tool or a Target.com account, they’re automatically enrolled. Why it works for customers: If not, a quick phone number Ease of use and rapid at the checkout is all it takes. accumulation of points. Like RedCard, the discounts are Customers who order and pay applied to the next purchase. on the app skip the long line, and earn two “stars” for every dollar spent.

2020 Loyalty Marketing Trends for Convenience Stores 3 Trends and Technology

How technology supports and enhances loyalty marketing programs Loyalty programs that use technology, like an app, can seem like a game you play on your phone. It’s not only fun for the user, it creates a sense of personal competitiveness, too. If your customers earn points or stars (or whatever your unit of measure is) for purchases, accruing to win rewards, discounts or other perks, that gives them an incentive and a personal goal. Random rewards and offers enhance the experience as well. Data and AI are allowing brands to kick their loyalty programs up a notch by gathering consumer data about purchasing preferences (hello, Starbucks) and 4. Technology will continue to be important to using it to offer personalized rewards. the rewards experience. It’s because it’s easy to use, and makes purchasing easy and fun. It’s also because we’re accustomed to doing 3 main loyalty trends for 2020 everything else with our smart-phones, why What will we see in the loyalty landscape in the not loyalty, too? coming year? Look for these trends: Loyalty programs will continue to be an important part of a C-store’s success in 2020. The best 1. Brands across all retail segments will be programs are inclusive, easy to use, engaging, and refreshing and updating their loyalty programs use technology to enhance the experience. in 2020, following the lead of successful brands like Target and Starbucks. A traditional loyalty program isn’t going to cut it anymore. Some brands are upgrading, others are completely revamping. At Tecmark, we specialize 2. Consumer preferences are changing. They in loyalty programs for want personalized rewards, simplicity, ease of membership, and points that don’t expire. convenience stores. Contact us to find out more. 3. Customers are becoming wary of supplying personal information. People are pushing back at loyalty programs that ask for too much information up front. Collecting data on buying preferences is fine, but asking for things like addresses, birthdays and sharing one’s contacts is being viewed with wariness and skepticism.

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