Loyalty Programs

Loyalty programs have been table stakes in retail marketing for many years, and it’s easy to understand why. Rewarding customers for shopping with the brands they love is a win-win scenario. However, through all the seismic changes in retail and e-commerce in recent years, the playing field looks very different from even a few short…

A lot has changed since the marketplace was visited by the coronavirus. Businesses closed down. Schools closed down. Restaurants closed down. Retailers were forced to close down, too. At last count, since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March, 22 retailers have filed for Chapter 11. That makes a total of 42 retailers this year, and…

In this episode of Retail Right Now, Total Retail's Joe Keenan and Kristina Stidham discuss an article recently published on Total Retail, “5 Keys to a Successful Online Retail Loyalty Program,” authored by Tara Bartley, senior manager of retail at Akamai Technologies. The article shares how retailers can foster customer loyalty with fast, frictionless and…

Loyalty programs can help online retailers improve customer retention, increase cross-sell and upsell opportunities, and expand margins and revenues. However, poor user experiences can impair customer satisfaction and hamper loyalty programs. Today’s consumers expect fast, friction-free and secure interactions from any device. To unleash the full potential of their loyalty program, retailers need to accelerate…

Consumer shopping behavior has changed, and the holidays will look different this year. Since in-store shopping has declined, brands are looking for ways to drive their e-commerce business and move the needle before the end of the year. However, the online space has become cluttered and confusing. Stand out by running chance-to-win promotions that are designed to motivate…

While COVID has been an “unprecedented disruption” for business and consumers, it’s clearly been an accelerant for existing trends. For retailers, this includes “Retail Darwinism.” Retailers filing for bankruptcy is nothing new, but regardless of a vaccine or another “unprecedented” event, failure to understand the context that made COVID exacerbate retail’s challenges will only leave…

While many studies have assessed the efficacy of retail loyalty programs and their influence in driving desired member behaviors, little has been researched as to the consumer perception of these programs in relationship to the perception of the brands themselves. Are these programs elevating the brand … or are retail loyalty programs damaging the brand…

Walmart on Tuesday unveiled a subscription service that will go toe-to-toe with Amazon Prime, reports CNN. The Walmart+ membership plan includes free shipping on items $35 and over, including same-day deliveries on certain items from stores, such as groceries. It will cost $98 a year or $12.95 a month, and includes a 15-day free trial period. Members…

Uncertain and unsteady are two words often used to describe the current state of the U.S. retail industry. This fact is compelling companies to adapt to an ever-changing marketplace in real time, which for some savvy brands has included avoiding spending unnecessary cash on advertising and tapping into one particularly stable marketing effort where they…

Predicting when the COVID-19 outbreak will subside, and then navigating consumer shopping behavior when it does, is a challenge for all retailers. Indicators suggest that consumers want to resume their retail rituals, with 33 percent of shoppers buying retail goods as much as they did before the coronavirus. Because of increased digital shopping and supply…