Retail Disruption Watch (November 2020)
By Jackson Lewis on Nov. 20, 2020CHICAGO — Convenience stores are upgrading and expanding their loyalty capabilities as the United States faces a spike in coronavirus cases and more severe restrictions to enforce social distancing.
From embracing subscription programs to expanding perks to new sets of customers, the convenience retail industry is making it easier to manage loyalty programs and for customers to take advantage of savings.
Click through for five ways c-store loyalty is adapting to the country’s changing reality …
Subscription services
Now that subscription services are more commonplace in today’s socially distant world, loyalty supplier Paytronix has introduced a subscription program for c-stores and restaurants.
The program includes technology necessary for payments, emails, analytics, tracking and more. Newton, Mass.-based Paytronix also manages the data behind the program so brands can make data-based decisions about their subscription program.
Flexible rewards
GPM Investments is relaunching its customer loyalty program, fas Rewards. The new fas Rewards program allows customers to earn up to 4% in loyalty points, double the current 2% level, and has enhanced communications with customers based on personal information and shopping behaviors.
- Richmond, Va.-based GPM is No. 7 in CSP’s 2020 Top 202 ranking of c-store chains by number of company-owned retail outlets.
The program gives customers more flexibility to spend loyalty points on fuel or in-store purchases as they see fit.
Expanded perks
All four-wheel drivers are getting loyalty perks at Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores normally reserved for professional drivers. Using the Love’s Connect app, customers can get every 10th drink free.
- Oklahoma City-based Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores is No. 16 on CSP’s 2020 Top 202 list of c-stores by number of retail outlets.
“We offer professional truck drivers deals through My Love Rewards, so we want to do something for our four-wheel customers to show our appreciation,” said Francie Koop, manager of customer strategy for Love’s.
More ways to save
McLane Co. Inc., a supply chain services company providing grocery and foodservice solutions, and Koupon, a convenience-store promotion solution, have partnered to integrate Koupon’s digital promotion platform with McLane’s Consumer Loyalty Program application.
This partnership will allow c-store operators to take advantage of hundreds of industry consumer packaged goods (CPG) coupon offers within McLane’s Consumer Loyalty Program application, potentially reducing product costs for both the retailer and the consumer.
Temple, Texas-based McLane and Addison, Texas-based Koupon’s integrated solution is free to retailers who use McLane’s Consumer Loyalty Program.
Data-backed loyalty
Wholesale distributor Core-Mark International, Westlake, Texas, and enterprise software supplier PDI, Alpharetta, Ga., recently partnered to offer some of PDI’s loyalty and data capabilities to select CoreMark customers. Some of these options include loyalty programs, access to tobacco scan data, digital operational tools and access to funded promotions for select consumer packaged goods.
PDI also gives these Core-Mark customers access to real-time data and insights to gauge customer engagement and program performance.