Loyalty Programs

In last year's fourth quarter, the U.S. Postal Service proposed a 9 percent to 12 percent increase in shipping fees for all shippers (including FedEx, UPS, Amazon.com), which could impact retailers in a big way. Consumers expect free shipping, but it’s getting harder for retailers to offer. And it’s already tough enough to compete with…

Total Retail is excited to present to you its 50 Best Retail Tips of 2018! For the past several years, the Total Retail editorial team has spent time in the fourth quarter poring over the work of our expert contributors to identify the 50 very best tips of the year, and 2018 was no exception. We…

Technology is providing new, enticing means for customers to seamlessly augment their retail experience via connected devices.

As part of our coverage of Total Retail's recently released Top 100 Fastest-Growing Retailers report, which ranks publicly traded retailers on year-over-year net sales growth, we've chosen select companies on this year's list to profile. Our goal is to provide insights into how these retailers were able to grow sales (and in many cases net…

Today customer loyalty is much more than a rewards program. It’s about recognizing and reinforcing total customer value and creating sustained personal engagement with customers throughout every step of their brand journeys. Traditionally, loyalty has been achieved through a series of rational benefits delivered to members in exchange for their business. But now emotional benefits have…

Amazon.com said today it would offer free shipping with no purchase minimum this holiday season for the first time. The U.S.-only promotion, effective from Nov. 5, waives the $25 minimum that customers outside Amazon's loyalty club Prime must pay for free shipping for orders that will arrive in time for the Christmas holiday. Amazon cut…

Back in the early 1980s, American Airlines realized it had very little information about its customers. The company knew your name because it had to issue you a ticket, and in some cases it may have had your address because it had to mail you your ticket, but that was about it. All the relevant…

CVS Pharmacy, the retail division of CVS Health, is testing a membership program called CarePass to members in Boston that offers additional benefits to the company's ExtraCare Rewards Program. The new loyalty program is being compared to Amazon.com's Amazon Prime. CVS will charge CarePass members $5 monthly or $48 for a full year, which includes free one-day or…

In the age of the consumer, brands need to retain customers more than ever before. Consumers are empowered with all the information they could ever need about products at their fingertips. They can easily use their mobile devices to find the best deals anywhere, anytime. That’s why it’s more critical than ever to differentiate. One of the most powerful ways retailers can do that is through their loyalty programs, and is why many retailers are rethinking loyalty.

Nordstrom announced last month the evolution of its customer loyalty program, The Nordy Club, launching this fall. The program incorporates the traditional point system and favorite benefits of Nordstrom's previous loyalty program, while offering customers personalized and enhanced service and experiences, including exclusive access to product and events as well as more convenient ways to shop…