ROCKFORD, Ill. -- When most people think of coupons, they think supermarkets. And it's no surprise that coupon clipping is up at supermarkets these days. But several months ago, Road Ranger LLC, a chain of 90 convenience stores in seven Midwestern states, began to notice a sharp increase in the use of coupons by its customers as well. "The number of customers bringing in coupons is up 82% in the last three months," said Dan Arnold, president of the chain.
That sparked a new idea that Arnold hoped would allow him to help his customers while attracting more business: Internet [image-nocss] coupons.
In January, Road Ranger began its own Web Coupon Club. "We decided if the customer wants coupons, let's give them Road Ranger coupons," said Arnold.
RoadRangerUSA.com now offers its club members immediate downloadable coupons on items such as hot dogs, fountain drinks, money orders, slushie pops and cigarettes. Each month, club members receive an e-mail with special Road Ranger coupons. Last month, members got a free travel coffee mug with the company's logo, to be filled with a free coffee at any Road Ranger store.
Jeremie Myhren, senior IT director for Road Ranger, implemented the system. "When we were putting this program together, IT set it up so that every time a customer signs up for the coupon club, I get an e-mail alert. In the beginning, I thought that it would not be a big deal. Well, much to my amazement, the response has been overwhelming."
The company considers the program to be a big success. "We think we will have 20,000 members in the club by the end of May," said Arnold.
Rockford, Ill.-based Road Ranger is a retail petroleum convenience store chain that operates company locations in the states of Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Indiana, Missouri, Wisconsin and Ohio. Founded in 1984, it currently employs approximately 1,000 individuals and estimates that it will reach approximately $900 million in revenues for the current year.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.