After recapping the loyalty news from June, an important element stands out for all brands: When you understand your loyalty program members and show them value, they will take notice and increase engagement with your brand.
Whether you launch or revise a loyalty program or offer customers chance-to-win incentives, you’re catering to your best customers to earn their long-term loyalty.
Here are some examples of impactful loyalty news from the past month:
- REI announced plans to open a store dedicated to providing used gear for its loyalty program members.
- Target scheduled Target Circle Week in July so loyalty program members can earn exclusive savings.
- Harley-Davidson launched a new membership and community platform program.
- Heinz launched Saucemerica Collection to give consumers chances to win various prizes.
- Circle K launched a free membership program.
New REI Store Will Provide Loyalty Program Members With Used Gear
Officials at REI Co-op always think of their customers, especially with a loyalty program that only costs $30 for a lifetime membership.
Learn more about what makes REI Co-Op a unique loyalty program.
In that spirit, REI announced plans to open a Re/Supply store to provide loyalty program members access to used gear and apparel. The store is scheduled to open in Clackamas, OR in late August, a few doors down from the company’s existing store that opened in 2007.
Access to the program is a benefit of co-op membership. Loyalty program membership also includes discounts on shop services and experiences, free flat-tire repair (labor only) and ski waxing and an annual Co-op Member Reward of 10% back on eligible purchases.
The new store will focus on providing members with access to high-quality, used, outdoor gear and apparel at great prices.
REI regional director Bob Cagle said: “As a member-owned co-op, we have a responsibility to preserve the long-term health of the planet. Our Re/Supply offering reimagines the lifecycle of outdoor products and helps keep gear where it belongs—out on trails, waterways and other natural places.”
This is a perfect example of a company listening to, understanding and giving back to its loyalty program members.
REI’s loyalty program revolves around its experiences, which include outdoor classes to organized trips around the world. Opening this new store will perpetuate member retention and create more brand advocates.
Target Circle Week Scheduled for Loyalty Program Members
When Amazon’s Prime Day, which began in 2015, became a highly successful and popular annual event for Prime members, we wondered why other brands don’t create their own special shopping events.
Should you create your own shopping holiday like Prime Day?
Target is one of the brands that meet the Prime Day challenge (July 11-12) with its Target Circle Week, scheduled for July 9-15. Target Circle has been a highly successful loyalty program since it launched nationwide in October 2019 and now boasts 100 million members.
Learn more about the Target Circle loyalty program.
Target Circle Week is the brand’s biggest sale event of the year, exclusively for members of Target Circle, which is free to join.
With savings of up to 50%, it’s a full week of deals on Target-owned brands like Sun Squad, Good & Gather and Cat & Jack and top national brands like Dyson and Keurig. Target Circle members can shop the deals in stores, online and on the Target app.
According to our 2023 Loyalty Programs Data Study, 82% of consumers say discounts are the most important reward a loyalty program can offer members. Another 26% say that exclusive, member-only events are important as well.
Target Circle Week meets both consumer expectations and instills a sense of community among loyalty program members.
Harley-Davidson Launched a New Membership Program
The Harley-Davidson brand has always been synonymous with community.
Now the company launched its new H-D™ Membership program. H-D Membership is an industry-leading community platform and membership program that will bring together riders and moto-culture fans under the United We Ride banner to connect, engage and ride with one another.
H-D Membership will help provide personalized experiences for riders and fans with in-app social features, riding benefits and access to the Harley-Davidson brand like never before.
Harley-Davidson CEO Jochen Zeitz explained: “Our community is at the heart of everything we do – building on the success of the Harley Owners Group, H-D Membership will enhance the way in which we engage with our members, leveraging modern tools to connect riders, deliver new benefits and create new experiences.”
According to our 2022 Customer Loyalty Data Study, 22% of respondents say a strong sense of community triggers long-term loyalty.
While 90% of consumers agree that in general, when it comes to being personalized to their preferences, most loyalty programs have room for improvement, Harley-Davidson officials don’t have to worry about that.
Being a Harley-Davidson owner and being a member of the company’s loyalty program is a highly personalized experience.
Heinz Launched Saucemerica Collection for Chances to Win Prizes
Heinz launched a three-month-long event titled The United States of Saucemerica (“Saucemerica”) Collection, which is a new, limited-edition lineup of 50 United States-inspired condiment packet designs.
Saucemerica packets are available in seven different HEINZ condiment varieties, and each packet’s unique design corresponds to one of the 50 states and its most notable dish.
This event runs through the end of August and Heinz officials encourage consumers to collect as many different states’ packets as possible and upload them to www.saucemerica.com for a chance to win $500,000 worth of exciting prizes, including a grand prize of $100,000.
Each Saucemerica packet features either HEINZ Ketchup, Yellow Mustard, Real Mayonnaise, Ranch, BBQ Sauce, Tartar Sauce, or Simply Ketchup, and the packet designs draw inspiration from the most beloved dishes from each of the 50 states.
Consumers can collect the Saucemerica packets at restaurants, drive-thrus, theme parks, movie theaters and stadiums across the country.
After consumers submit photos of their newest state packet, Heinz will verify the photo, and then they will see their “Saucemerica Map” update to indicate their submission has been counted.
Consumers are encouraged to “Take a Spin Around America” each day for a chance to win one of over 1,000 instant win prizes.
They can help your brand reach certain marketing goals, including data acquisition, customer acquisition and earning customer loyalty.
Chance-to-win incentives build interest and excitement among your customers and help you collect valuable insights while keeping your brand top-of-mind.
Circle K Launched Inner Circle Loyalty Program
Convenience retailer Circle K launched its first free membership program called Inner Circle.
The program allows customers to save on fuel and merchandise and offers them the opportunity to join as a premium member after they spend $500 at participating Circle K locations.
The new loyalty program will be available in more than 400 select stores in Florida, in cities including Fort Myers, Orlando and Tampa, with the goal to expand to more markets over time.
Kevin Lewis, Chief Growth Officer at Circle K, said: “The free membership to Inner Circle is just the foundation for a variety of benefits and experiences Circle K plans to build upon for customers.”
New program members receive benefits like saving 25 cents per gallon on their first five fill-ups and five free drinks on any-size fountain drink, Froster or coffee. Program benefits also include surprise monthly discounts.
Circle K hits on a key point for loyalty programs by offering tiers.
According to our 2023 Loyalty Programs Data Study, 74% of consumers agree that they would engage more with brands that offered different tiers in their loyalty programs based on how much they spend per year.
June 2023 Loyalty News Wrapup
Earning customer loyalty is challenging.
Consider that 91% of consumers say most loyalty programs today feel similar and aren’t differentiated.
The best way to differentiate your loyalty program is by catering to your customers and giving them what they want.
We saw through the brand examples that offering members special sales events, exclusive access and valuable loyalty programs is critical to increased engagement.
If you’d like to learn more about what consumers think of today’s loyalty programs and what brands can do to boost member engagement, download our 2023 Loyalty Programs Data Study here.
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ebbo helps brands achieve their customer loyalty goals with full-service, end-to-end solutions and also creates original educational content straight from the experts to help loyalty marketers stay on the cutting edge of customer engagement.