Loyalty Programs

Hardly a day goes by when you don’t visit a store, restaurant or supermarket and have an employee ask, “Do you belong to our loyalty program?” Loyalty (or rewards) programs have become ubiquitous — a fact of life in American business. Accordingly, it's helpful to ask what the role of a loyalty program should be…

Amazon.com is raising the price of its loyalty subscription service, Amazon Prime, from $99 to $119 per year. The company announced the price hike during a call with investors Thursday. The change will go into effect May 11, and will apply to Prime renewals beginning June 16. The change is the first time Amazon has upped…

LIDS, a Genesco brand that operates within Hat Word Inc., earned the No. 1 ranking in Total Retail’s analysis of 100 publicly traded retailers based on its omnichannel capabilities/programs offered and the execution of said programs. LIDS was part of a three-way tie for first place, joined by DSW and UGG. The full rankings can…

Whole Foods announced this week that it will end its rewards pilot program and digital coupons, beginning May 2. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports all rewards must be redeemed and digital coupons used by May 1 or be lost. Any other benefits, including unused rewards, will not roll over to other accounts. The organic foods grocer…

Consumers today have seemingly endless retail options. Beyond price, product and delivery options, shoppers can choose how they communicate with their favorite brands, whether that’s through a voice assistant, chatbot, Facebook Messenger, etc. A recent study by Narvar revealed that shoppers are indeed choosing a combination of these channels and expect that brands use them…

“To fee or not to fee?” will be the question many retailers ask themselves this year, as paid loyalty programs steadily take hold. While the paid model isn’t new — Costco is a pioneer in this space and game-changer Amazon Prime launched back in 2005 — more retailers are viewing pay-to-play as a compelling option for…

Online wholesale shopping site Boxed announced yesterday that it's launching a paid membership program that will offer customers rewards and discounts. The membership program, Boxed Up, will not replace the standard free membership. However, it does offer perks, including free “priority shipping” for orders over $20, as well as 2 percent cash rewards based on…

The loyalty landscape is in the midst of significant evolution, driven by new technologies, smarter programs, and changing customer needs and expectations. In a new study released by Bond Brand Loyalty, a leading global customer engagement agency, consumers say they spend more, advocate for, and remain loyal to brands with loyalty programs that offer innovative personalized experiences in addition to points and discounts. Consumers spend 37 percent more with brands when they're a loyalty program member.

Amazon.com is offering a discount on its Prime membership to the millions of Medicaid recipients in the U.S., according to media reports, taking another step to wooing lower-income shoppers and keeping pressure on Walmart Inc. Under the offer, customers on Medicaid, the public health insurance program for low-income Americans, can get Amazon Prime for $5.99 a…

Amazon.com announced yesterday it’s expanding its delivery partnership with Whole Foods by rolling out free delivery from the grocery chain to Prime members in San Francisco and Atlanta. Recode reports orders that total at least $35 can be delivered within two hours for free through Amazon's Prime Now service, or within one hour for an…