How Brand Loyalty Changes While Traveling
By Brett Dworski on Sep. 15, 2017CHICAGO -- Most consumers stay faithful to their local convenience-store brand even when they're on the road. That’s just one insight from Foursquare’s August Traveler Chain Loyalty report.
With summer vacation in the books, Foursquare, the New York-based search-and-discover mobile app, analyzed foot-traffic data to understand how consumers’ brand loyalty changes whether traveling to a nearby town or across the country.
Foursquare’s location intelligence helps identify consumers who are less likely to comparison shop and may be better targets for a loyalty program. The app also determines key audiences for chains and their competitors, and entices loyal consumers to visit a chain when nearby. The report evaluated chains with fewer than 10,000 U.S. locations.
Convenience stores
Consumers will look for a familiar c-store when on the road. Regulars of Walgreens, which Foursquare groups with c-stores, for instance, choose the pharmacy chain 63% of the time when traveling, while BP America's ampm customers choose the store over other locations 40% of the time. Other c-stores that attract loyal consumers nationwide include CVS, 7-Eleven and Rite Aid, according to the report.
Coffee shops
Unlike c-stores, coffee shops vary in brand loyalty among traveling consumers. Patrons of Dunkin’ Donuts and Tim Hortons select these chains nearly 50% and 38% of the time over competitors, respectively, while Krispy Kreme regulars choose the brand only one-fifth (20%) of the time. Customers at Peet’s Coffee & Tea and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf are less than 20% likely to stay loyal while away from home, the report says.
Casual dining
Despite being on the go, loyal consumers congregate at casual-dining chains that remind them of home, according to the report. Traveling Cracker Barrel customers choose the Southern-themed chain more than half the time, while Cheesecake Factory and Applebee’s also maintain about half their share of travel wallet. Other chains with loyal away-from-home consumers include Olive Garden and TGI Friday’s.
Gas stations
Proximity is the key factor in gas-station visits, and top national fuel brands—Shell, Chevron and BP, among others—lure the most loyal consumers, according to Foursquare. These patrons are as likely to visit stores offering their preferred fuel brands when they’re at home in addition to when they are traveling.
Loyalty tips
Some customers are simply more difficult to conquest than others, but location intelligence gives marketers the insight to identify consumers who are less likely to comparison shop and may be better targets for a loyalty program, according to Foursquare.
Foursquare recommends three tactics to drive store loyalty:
- Demographic targeting: Determine the categories and chains that your audience is most likely to shop at.
- Competitive conquesting: Find the competitive chains your audience also visit while not at your stores and pursue them with promotional media.
- Real-time targeting: Entice loyal, lapsed and new customers to visit when they are in close proximity to a store.