Loyalty has become one of the key metrics used by retailers in order to understand how customers feel about their business and whether they can be persuaded to buy more from them. But what does it mean when you hear "loyalty"? Is there such a thing as too much loyalty or should we embrace it all as part of our marketing strategy?
The answer depends on your point of view. If you're a retailer then a high-quality loyalty programme will help drive sales, increase footfall through increased repeat purchases and encourage existing shoppers to spend more money with you. However, if you're a consumer then loyalty could potentially lead to overspending, which would make it harder to get back into debt. And even if you manage to avoid this trap, loyalty programmes come at a cost - so just because you join doesn't necessarily mean you'll stay.
If you want to try and build a loyal customer base but don't have any idea where to start, read on! We've compiled some useful information about loyalty programs including why they exist, who uses them and examples of successful products out there right now.
In terms of numbers, Apple's App Store currently holds seven times more apps than Google Play and four times more than Windows Phone Marketplace. This means that a lot of people download software using these platforms every day. It also suggests that many consumers see value in having access to free applications rather than paying for premium ones. While not everyone agrees with this philosophy (see below), it demonstrates that the concept of 'free' has been embraced across different industries.
Apple Pay was launched in 2015, making it easy for users to pay for goods and services using their iPhone 6S/6S Plus smartphones. The service allows users to complete payments without needing to enter payment details manually. As per the company's official press release, Apple Pay makes online shopping safer since personal identification is no longer required to purchase items.
According to the National Retail Federation, spending on mobile devices reached $1 trillion globally last year alone.
At its simplest level, a loyalty scheme involves rewarding customers with discounts and perks based on the amount of time spent purchasing certain types of product. For example, a supermarket might offer 10% off food purchased during the month of June while offering 20% off purchases made between July 1st and August 31st. A clothing store may give 25% off everything bought within five days of opening an account. These incentives are designed to keep customers returning to the same shop each week, encouraging them to buy more of the same type of item.
This isn't limited to physical stores either. Online sales sites like Amazon and eBay use similar tactics to reward frequent buyers. In fact, according to research conducted by Gartner, 60 percent of ecommerce transactions take place outside traditional brick-and-mortar stores. To appeal to these customers, companies often provide rewards that entice them back to the site once again. Some examples include free shipping promotions, exclusive deals and other special offers.
There's strong evidence to suggest that providing benefits to customers leads to higher levels of satisfaction. According to a survey carried out by YouGov, 69 percent of UK adults said that they were satisfied overall with the way supermarkets treat them compared to 37 percent who felt the same about department stores. When asked why, respondents cited better prices and faster delivery among other things.
However, despite the clear advantages offered by loyalty schemes, only 2% of the population claim to regularly participate in them. Why do so few people sign up? There are several possible reasons. Firstly, some people simply aren't interested in buying extra food or clothes after receiving a good deal on something else. Secondly, others find signing up difficult due to lack of interest or technical ability. Finally, some believe that loyalty programs are expensive and unnecessary.
So, given that fewer than 0.01% of consumers actively engage with loyalty schemes, what's going wrong here? How can companies turn around poor results like this? One solution lies in creating a new form of loyalty program called White Label Loyalty.
It works by allowing small businesses to create their own version of a large retail brand’s loyalty program. With the creation of a single loyalty platform, retailers can develop their own customised versions of major brands’ loyalty programs. They can choose to add features that suit their specific requirements, giving their customers greater control over the process.
For instance, they could decide to implement a ‘swipe left to leave’ feature instead of opting for a credit card number entry field. Or perhaps they'd prefer to allow customers to submit their email address and receive alerts via text message. Whatever the case, the end result is that customers gain more choice over how they interact with the company and are therefore encouraged to return more frequently.
As mentioned above, very little data exists regarding the success rate of loyalty plans. However, some studies have found that less than half of US households ever enroll in a grocery loyalty plan, while almost three quarters never register at a clothing store. Even worse, those who do opt for these programs rarely return to them later on.
A study published by Deloitte revealed that 75% of American households had joined at least one loyalty program in 2014. Of those surveyed, 40% claimed to have enrolled in multiple programs, meaning that only around 15% of Americans participated in at least two loyalty schemes.
One reason behind this is undoubtedly convenience. Consumers already carry numerous cards and accounts with various financial institutions and utilities companies. Signing up for yet another loyalty program comes with added costs and complexity. Another factor is that many consumers believe that loyalty programs are not necessary.
Of course, it's important to remember that loyalty doesn't always equate to profit. Many consumers are happy to pay full price for goods provided that the quality meets expectations. This is particularly true for luxury fashion labels where the average ticket price exceeds £500. So while loyalty schemes clearly have flaws, they still play a crucial role in maintaining profitability in a competitive market.
To learn more about the topic, check out this article discussing the differences between loyalty programs and promotional strategies.
The rise of ecommerce has seen more retailers look at ways they can improve their online shopping experience through better marketing campaigns or even by cutting out middlemen altogether. One way you might be able to do this is by implementing a white label loyalty programme instead.
A white label loyalty program allows companies to take an existing brand name and re-brand it as theirs without having to pay any fees upfront. This means your customers won't need to switch between different apps (or websites) when they shop on your behalf. Instead, they'll just see your logo and branding wherever they go.
While there's no doubt that these types of programmes offer many benefits - such as improved customer service from staff who know exactly what products and services people want to buy - some brands may struggle to understand how to implement them effectively. So here we're going to explain everything you need to know about white label loyalty programmes so you can start using them today!
Apple has been running its own rewards scheme since 2011 called Apple Pay which lets users earn points based on purchases made on the App Store. In 2016, however, the Cupertino giant began accepting payments via Mastercard and Visa credit cards thanks to new partnerships with payment processors like PayPal and Stripe.
And while other tech giants including Samsung, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Amazon all also run similar schemes, none come close to matching Apple’s popularity. The only problem is that if you don’t use Apple devices then you won’t get access to the rewards. However, if you do, then you still stand to benefit financially from spending money within the App Store.
It’s not always clear whether or not a particular retailer will accept white label loyalty platforms but the fact remains that almost every major retail chain runs one. For example, Starbucks currently uses a white label loyalty app called MyStarbucksRewards which was launched last year. It works alongside the coffee company's main reward scheme called Stars which gives members free drinks after paying with certain debit/credit cards.
In addition to this, the app provides discounts on food and drink items across over 500 stores worldwide. And because the app isn’t owned by Starbucks itself, the business doesn’t have to worry about losing control of its brand image or reputation. Instead, it gets to focus solely on growing sales revenue.
One of the most popular loyalty systems comes from American supermarket chain Walmart. Known as 'Save Money, Eat Right', the company introduced its first digital loyalty programme back in 2008. Nowadays, shoppers around the globe can collect points whenever they make a purchase. These points can then be redeemed against future goods and services from Walmart or used towards buying gift cards.
For instance, if you spend $100 dollars on groceries during the month of January, you'll receive 100 points that can be spent against anything available on the store’s shelves. If you were to redeem those points into a $50 dollar gift card, you'd save yourself $50 dollars. As well as being a great deal to consumers, the Save Money, Eat Right scheme helps Walmart maintain its competitive edge. Without it, competitors could easily undercut prices and steal away valuable market share.
If you've got a budget, check out our guide to the cheapest places to find cheap flights right now.
When considering the best loyalty strategy for your business, it’s important to remember that each retailer has its own unique demands. Some prefer to keep things very basic whereas others would rather go overboard with features. When it comes to creating a successful loyalty programme though, simplicity usually trumps complexity.
Take for example, the grocery store chain Whole Foods Market. With over 600 locations across America alone, the company already had plenty of ground covered before launching its own loyalty app last year. But despite this, the US retailer decided to create yet another app. Called Shop & Earn, the app acts as a sort of virtual wallet where shoppers can track down special deals and coupons.
Whole Foods wanted to allow loyal customers to enjoy additional savings throughout the year, but they didn’t want to sacrifice convenience either. By offering both perks and discounts, the firm hopes to lure new customers whilst keeping old ones happy too.
Another good example of a loyalty strategy that focuses less on the technology behind it and more on the user experience is McDonald’s. After all, it wouldn’t matter much if you couldn’t download the official app onto your phone if you weren’t actually eating inside the restaurant. So, the fast food giant created its own mobile application named McDelivery. Available on Android and iOS, McDelivery enables members to order various menu options straight from their phones.
As soon as someone makes a purchase, the system automatically calculates how much cashback the diner deserves. They can choose to claim the full amount themselves or wait until the next time they visit one of McDonald’s restaurants. Either way, once they’ve paid up, their account balance increases accordingly.
Finally, take a look at Tesco PLC, the UK’s largest supermarket chain. Back in 2015, the company announced plans to launch a loyalty app called Tesco ClubCard. Aimed at helping shoppers stay organized, it also serves as a tool for employees to help grow their careers. To date, the app has helped boost employee productivity by 20% and increased average transaction times by 10%.
Tesco believes that by making the app easier to navigate, it has reduced the number of errors committed by workers. Plus, the app encourages members to return frequently to ensure they never miss out on promotions and extra saving opportunities.
So if you think your business could benefit from becoming part of a white label loyalty programme, why not contact us today. We'll be happy to discuss your requirements and provide expert advice.
Benefits of White Labeling
White labeling is when a business licenses its brand from another company so it can use it in products without having to pay any fees. This also means your customers won’t have to worry about being sold different versions of the same product.
For example, if you own a clothing store called ‘Jacket Factory’ then you could license that name to other companies wanting to sell clothes under the exact same name but using a different image or logo on them. The licensing fee will cover all aspects of running the shop including everything from staff salaries to advertising costs. So it’s really cost-effective compared to starting your very own business!
However, there are some drawbacks to this method as well. For starters, you don’t get to control how much profit each licensee makes off selling these products. You just need to make sure you’re happy with whatever price they set themselves.
So what exactly does licensing mean? It basically lets you take someone else's brand and create something new under that name, which is why it’s often known as “branding”. However, not every business owner wants to go down this route because it involves handing over control of their brand to someone else. But if you want to try white labelling, here are some benefits you should know about…
1. Brand Protection
Loyalty programs can be used by any business in order to encourage repeat customers who will spend more money on your products or services. They're also useful for retaining existing clients and increasing sales as they become aware of discounts available through them. It's easy to see why many retailers use these tools -- but what exactly do you need to know about loyalty programs before you dive into this exciting industry?
In this article we'll look at how loyalty works, which companies offer it, and how much it costs. We’ll then explore some of the most popular forms of loyalty and provide examples of each one from various industries including retail, travel, restaurants, utilities, insurance, telecoms, banks, hotels, gyms, fashion brands, and sports teams. Finally, we'll cover the best places to find white label loyalty apps and platforms so you can start using one today.
If you don't yet know what a loyalty program is, read our introduction to loyalty marketing first. It explains what makes a good one, why people like them, and how to make sure yours stands out from the crowd. If you want to learn more about loyalty programs offered by other brands, check out our articles on Starbucks' MyRewards program, Apple Pay, Google Play, and Tesla's Supercharger network.
With all this information covered, let's get started with exploring different ways to implement a loyalty program into your own brand.
Amazon has been offering its Prime members rewards since 2013, though their current reward scheme hasn't changed significantly over time. Their 'free shipping credit', called Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), was introduced back in 2015 with the aim of keeping customers loyal while still allowing merchants to ship goods quickly without incurring additional fees. The service allows shoppers to receive free two-day delivery when buying certain items. The same year, Amazon launched a new membership plan called Shopping Passport. This allowed users to earn points based on spending habits, giving access to exclusive deals, faster deliveries and personalized recommendations. In 2017, Amazon rolled out the Amazon Cash program that gives cashback rewards to those who shop online regularly. You can redeem the cashback via PayPal or gift cards. It's worth noting that Amazon does not currently feature any type of loyalty program within their marketplace itself. However, there are several third party loyalty app developers who may help increase your traffic and conversions.
There are four main categories of loyalty programs:
1) Discount Programs - These allow customers to claim special prices, promotions, or incentives. They typically work well if you already have a strong relationship with your client base, such as frequent travellers looking to save money on airline tickets or hotel rooms.
2) Rewards Programs - These give consumers something tangible in exchange for their patronage. Some of the options include vouchers for events or merchandise, entry into sweepstakes, and even free gifts.
3) Points Programs - Customers gain points depending on purchases made during specific periods of time. For example, airlines often award miles to frequent flyers after accumulating enough flight miles. There are no limits to how many points you can collect and they can vary between airlines, ranging anywhere from 1 point per dollar spent to 10,000 points per mile flown.
4) Membership Programs - These require customers to pay monthly dues in return for benefits, usually related to special perks or discounts. Examples include gym memberships, prepaid phone plans, and auto club subscriptions.
To understand how to select a loyalty program provider, you should consider what kind of benefit you wish to deliver to customers. Here are some of the most common ones:
1) Coupons/Discounts & Offers - A coupon is simply an incentive given away to attract customers. It doesn't necessarily involve purchasing anything, although sometimes it might. Offers, meanwhile, tend to focus on incentivizing future purchases rather than attracting new customers. An example would be a promotion where a company provides a one day sale on a product.
2) Free Gifts / Services - Gift cards, event tickets, meal certificates, etc., are all great ways to entice customers with little effort. Many of these are only valid on a limited number of occasions, however, making them less reliable than coupons or offers.
3) Accessibility - Certain programs allow customers to book appointments ahead of time, purchase products early, or enjoy priority treatment on account creation. The former two could potentially lead to higher conversion rates, whereas the latter helps improve customer satisfaction and create positive word-of-mouth reviews.
4) Loyalty Program Integration - Companies can integrate their loyalty systems directly onto websites or mobile applications, creating a seamless experience across devices. Integrating with external websites means it won't matter whether someone visits your site through desktop computer, tablet, or smartphone.
5) Customer Data Collection - Most companies rely heavily on collecting data from customers, either at registration or later on during checkout. Using analytics software, they can track how long customers stay on site, which pages they visit, and what actions they take. This enables marketers to better tailor offerings to suit individual preferences and optimize campaigns accordingly.
6) Customer Profiling - Companies can identify key factors associated with customer behaviour, such as demographics, interests, location, shopping history, and past transactions. With all this information, they can develop targeted marketing strategies designed to reach particular audiences.
7) Automated Marketing Campaigns - Companies can send automatic emails containing promotional messages tailored to each recipient. Depending on the audience segmentation, marketers can target individuals based on age, gender, income bracket, hobbies, and geographical locations.
8) Personalized Recommendations - By analyzing consumer behaviour patterns, companies can recommend products and services that meet their unique requirements. These suggestions are often displayed alongside search results or placed above the fold on landing pages.
9) Social Media Sharing Tools - Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube have built-in sharing capabilities that enable companies to promote their loyalty initiatives through social media channels. As mentioned previously, this form of advertising tends to perform particularly well with younger generations.
10) Referral Rewards - One way to strengthen relationships with customers is to compensate those who refer others to your store. Brands like Zappos and Nordstrom run referral schemes where customers win prizes just for referring friends and family to stores. Other companies, such as Groupon, offer bonus points to buyers who sign up using a friend's email address.
11) Special Event Tickets - Similar to gift cards, companies can issue discounted admission passes to attend special events held at venues around town. These come in handy for major holidays like Christmas and Halloween, as well as sporting matches and concerts.
12) Frequent Flyer Miles / Credit Card Rewards - Airlines offer mileage programmes that allow passengers to accumulate points throughout their travels. Members can then convert these to flights, upgrades, lounge access, and other premium amenities. Airline loyalty programs are especially valuable to travelers because they often charge relatively low annual fees compared to competitors. Some airlines even offer complimentary seats to frequent flyers. Similarly, credit card issuers frequently award extra bonuses to loyal customers.
13) Redemption Codes - Companies can distribute codes that unlock special discounts, rewards, or other benefits for customers. Typically, these are distributed through email newsletters or SMS text messages.
14) VIP Status - Companies can build a sense of exclusivity among customers by granting them privileges reserved exclusively for high-value accounts. Examples include private lounges, dedicated parking spaces, and preferential seating arrangements.
15) Bonus Credits - Sometimes referred to as "loyalty credits", these represent unused balances acquired through previous purchases. For instance, say you buy $100 worth of groceries every month. Once you've reached 100% of your total grocery budget, you can apply your remaining balance towards another item.
16) Reward Certificates - Companies can grant customers small amounts of currency in exchange for proof of participation. These range from stamps, stickers, pins, and badges to electronic versions of physical rewards.
17) Digital Assets - Companies can upload digital assets such as PDF files or videos onto their loyalty platforms. Users can download these items and share them with colleagues, friends, and family.
18) Member Benefits - Companies can add customised features to member portals. These include discounts, invitations to workshops or seminars, or access to member-only content.
19) Virtual Goods - Companies can sell virtual goods to customers. These include downloadable games, music tracks, and movies.
20) Mobile Apps - Companies can create mobile apps that act as extensions of their brick-and-mortar outlets. Through these apps, customers can browse inventory lists, compare prices, view real-time availability, and complete transactions.
21) Online Stores - Businesses can set up eCommerce sites that function similarly to traditional storefronts. Consumers can browse products, request quotes, and place orders through these websites instead of visiting physical shops.
22) Webcam Cameras - Companies can equip staff members with webcams that enable them to interact with guests virtually. Employees can show off products, answer questions, or conduct demonstrations remotely.
Just follow our battle-tested guidelines and rake in the profits.