News

Sep
08
2015

Don’t Toss That Loyalty Card: Most Australians Still Prefer It

For marketers worried that consumers are growing weary of loyalty-rewards programs, the results of a new study bring a sigh of relief – at least in Australia.

Despite the perception of consumer fatigue and worries about low program activity rates, the study found that 59% of loyalty-program members in Australia are active in all of their programs, up 31% from 2013. The study “for love or money 2015” – by strategic loyalty consultancy Directivity and retention marketing agency Citrus – defines “active” to mean the member has used his membership or card in the last 12 months.

As for that card: Program operators shouldn’t be so quick to toss it. The study found that 67% of members still prefer using a traditional loyalty card, while only 10% prefer a mobile app.

“We found this one of the most surprising findings of all,” said Peter Noble, report co-author and CEO of Citrus. “It goes to show that getting the card into a person’s wallet or purse is a critical piece of brand real estate and connection.”

Loyalty programs are doing a better job of capturing a bigger share of those wallets and purses, too, said Directivity CEO Adam Posner, and the programs are evolving from cost centers into key profit drivers. A full 82% of those surveyed say they’re buying more from brands with a loyalty program, and 16% even report purchasing items they don’t need just to earn rewards; that number jumps to 26% for men under 45.

More members are sticking with their loyalty programs, too, with the defection rate falling to 22% from 26% in 2013. Noble credits that staying power in large part to the fact that brands are working to keep their programs simple; only 12% of survey respondents said programs are too confusing, for example, compared with 19% in 2013.

When it comes to rewards, money still talks: The preferred program benefit is still immediate price discounts, followed by redeemable points-based programs. And members want to be rewarded for their interaction with brands, with 53% expecting something for answering surveys and 46% for opening emails.

“This research is a good news story for loyalty marketers,” said Posner. “While consumers are telling us they’re more selective with their programs, they’re also more active and engaged.”

The 2015 study – the third annual “for love or money” research effort – was based on surveys of 1,367 Australian adults who are members of at least one loyalty program. In addition to up-to-date consumer insights, it benchmarks results over the last three years. The full report is available at theloyaltypoint.com.au.

 

Source: Colloquy and The Loyalty Point

MEDIA CONTACT:
KATY LASEE | MARKETING DEPT.
651 554 8533
KRLasee@traveltags.com

TAGS:   card manufacturing, card services, Loyalty, Rewards and Membership, trends

Sep
04
2015

InComm Expanding Offerings into Asda Living Stores

-- Gift card malls to be placed into 26 stores by the end of August --

ATLANTA, Aug. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- InComm, a leading prepaid product and transaction services company, is proud to announce it will be expanding its offerings this summer in Asda, the United Kingdom-based subsidiary of the world's largest retailer, Walmart.

By the end of August 2015, InComm will expand  its gift card malls into 26 Asda Living stores, which offer consumers all of Asda's non-food products, including George clothing, home ware, electrical, health and beauty, music and video, and toys. Many Asda Living stores also include café shops, which enhances the consumer's shopping experience, encouraging them to take more time in the store.

"The growth of the gift-card category in Asda stores has been very impressive over the past few years," said Tim Pope, Vice President, InComm Europe. "By expanding and further solidifying our partnership with Asda and Walmart, we are going to be able to continue offering consumers the prepaid products they want in the stores they prefer."

InComm has developed a strong relationship with Asda over several years, having worked with the UK retailer to develop the gift-card category in more than 200 of their stores. By now offering InComm's gift card malls, Asda Living stores will have a prepaid destination for consumers looking for third-party gift cards from the most popular brands across a wide range of categories and services. InComm's gift card malls offer consumers the convenience and value they want for retail, music, digital content, gaming and entertainment.

"At Asda, we are always striving to provide our customers with the products they want in the most seamless and convenient way, " said Michelle Creaney, Head of Cards and New Initiatives, Asda. "We have been able to do that with InComm. Expanding their gift card malls into our Living stores is an extension of our desire to make shopping rewarding and easy in our stores."

About InComm
Leveraging deep integrations into retailers' point-of-sale systems, InComm provides connectivity to a variety of service providers that allow consumers to conduct everyday business at more than 450,000 points of retail distribution worldwide. Whether those consumers are activating prepaid products, paying bills, enjoying real-time discounts through a membership card, purchasing digital goods in-store or adding funds to an online account, InComm is there to provide unique gift-gifting opportunities, cater to on-the-go shoppers, deliver added value through loyalty programs and serve cash-based consumers. With 186 global patents, InComm is headquartered in Atlanta with a presence in over 30 countries in North and South America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Learn more at www.InComm.com or connect with us on www.twitter.com/InComm, www.facebook.com/InComm, www.linkedin.com/company/InComm or www.InComm.com/blog.

About Asda Stores Ltd.
Founded in the 1960s in Yorkshire, Asda is one of Britain's leading retailers. It has more than 180,000 dedicated Asda colleagues serving customers from 592 stores, including 32 Supercentres, 329 Superstores, 34 Asda Living stores, 194 Supermarkets, 26 depots and seven recycling centres across the UK.  Its main office is in Leeds, Yorkshire and its George clothing division is in Lutterworth, Leicestershire. More than 18 million people shop at Asda stores every week and 98 per cent of UK homes are served by http://www.ASDA.com.  Asda joined Walmart, the world's number one retailer, in 1999.

 

Source: InComm & PR Newswire

MEDIA CONTACT:
KATY LASEE | MARKETING DEPT.
651 554 8533
KRLasee@traveltags.com

TAGS:   card services, InComm

Sep
02
2015

Blackhawk Network Holdings CEO: King of the Gift Cards | Mad Money | CNBC

It’s the name behind many of those pre-paid gift cards and debit cards near the cash register. Can Blackhawk Network hang in the digital age?

 

 

Source: CNBC (YouTube)

MEDIA CONTACT:
KATY LASEE | MARKETING DEPT.
651 554 8533
KRLasee@traveltags.com

TAGS:   Blackhawk Network Holdings, card services, holidays, prepaid cards, trends