How Taco Ball is going digital first--and others would be wise to follow
April 13, 2024
Fast food is stuffing itself with software. Yum Brands, which owns Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, is embracing a few strategies we’ve chatted about, including software bundles and membership programs. It’s even investing in AI. Its budget: $21m last year. That’s a lot of lettuce.
Does the market merit it? Well, 45% of Yum’s sales are digital. Likewise, we’re hearing website sales make up about half of our merchants' sales. Note: We’re not half of every ...
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RetailDive reports Target is offering new loyalty programs to better compete against Amazon Prime and Walmart+ services.
Excerpt:
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Target on April 7 plans to debut Target Circle 360, a paid membership program that builds on its Target Circle loyalty program, the company announced Tuesday. The new program will offer unlimited free same-day delivery for orders $35 and up, along with free two-day shipping, rivaling similar offerings from Walmart and Amazon.
...
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How restaurants, hotels, and tableware brands are using loyalty programs--and what indie stores can learn from this.
October 11, 2023
Perk-y
I recently read about a new loyalty program and wondered what we could learn from it. The founder of Eater and Resy, Ben Leventhal, has started Blackbird, a loyalty program service designed for indie restaurants, reports The New York Times (Read the article). Using the Blackbird app, a diner receives a perk for eating at a restaurant. The retailer sets tiers for which the user qualifies for the perk. For example, a restaurant, Nat’s on Bank in New York City, gives tier 1 customers ...
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It was October 2021, and I had just finished my first in-person trends seminar since the pandemic impacted all industry shows. At the end of the image-packed program, an audience member raised her hand and challenged, “Do trends even matter anymore?”
It was a valid question. The pandemic had disrupted business, upended supply chains, transformed education, revealed vulnerabilities, altered priorities, and unexpectedly claimed many lives. The question was tinged with cynicism. Pent...
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I was happy to see Tableware Today magazine share our experiences and lessons regarding the power of free shipping.
You're invited to read the article below:
.........................
THE LAST WORD
FREE SHIPPING PAYS OFF
by JASON SOLAREK
Most indie stores don’t have the technical ability or people power to track pricing and offer discounts like free shipping. Indie stores need this information or they’ll be left behind. This information can make a difference: in ...
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Bridge analyzed the websites for the top-40 selling brands in the tabletop and giftware industry. We assessed what promotions and discounts, such free shipping, brands offer. Bridge did this because a product's price, which is impacted by discounts, is often the leading factor when shopping online. More than 67% of the brands surveyed by Bridge offer free shipping.
More than 65% of brands surveyed by Bridge offer free shipping, while just 14% of indie stores do. Brands often charge just $118 to quality for free shipping, while stores charge $190 (a $72 difference). Where would you shop?
Bridge analyzed the websites for the top-40 selling brands in the tabletop and giftware industry. We assessed what promotions and discounts, such free shipping, brands offer. Bridge did this because a product's price, which is impacted by discounts, is often the leading ...
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With our retail members in the throes of the holiday season, it was nice to read an article by Retail Dive providing some insight into Q4 2022. Retail Dive, a retail industry publication, informs readers that big-box stores share much of the same friction as our indie retailers do. I appreciated the acknowledgement that independent stores may feel disruptions quicker and may even have an edge on providing a more superior customer experience to gaining loyalty. The good news is that there are ...
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When we talk about prices, there are two prices that are important:
The price that we charge clients.
The price our clients charge their customers.
We normally talk about the former, aka how our prices compare with other competitors, like Shopify or wholesale services like Faire.
Of increasing importance to us is what our retailers charge their customers. Walmart recently announced that it was taking brands to account and pressuring them to keep ...
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Ring in 2022! Our team and artisans are sending these best New Year wishes to your friends and family. Thank you for your continued loyalty and support. Happy New Year!
CALAISIO
natural elegance, extraordinary durability
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Each month, on average 99.3% of retailers retain their Bridge Store service. A high retention rate shows that retailers are happy with Bridge’s software and customer service. This high customer loyalty says that Bridge is providing great value for members.
A monthly retention rate of 99.3% equates to approximately an annual retention rate of 92%.
Attention Friars, Blazers, Huskies:
Enjoy your drinks and declare your loyalty to the school at the same time!
We have pint glasses, double old fashioned glasses, and pilsners as well as pitchers, carafes and wine cradles. Come in and let us show you all the options.
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As a small business, we look forward to serving you. We are grateful for your patronage.
Due to the current health crisis and out of an abundance of caution, Stafford Jewelers will be closed to foot traffic. We will continue to serve you by filling telephone and online orders weekdays from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm. We will bring a beautifully wrapped gift to you at curbside.
We will work with brides to create online registries via telephone or email.
Call us at 864-585-0235, email us at ...
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July 2, 2019
July 2, 2019
We have a new loyalty program! Receive store credit on in-store purchases.
Spend $100 — Get $5 Store Credit Spend $200 — Get $12 Store Credit Spend $500 — Get $32 Store Credit Spend $1,000 — Get $70 Store Credit
Store credits carry over when not used. Store credit does not have to be used all at once.
"Customer service, willingness to evolve, introduction of new business technologies, community involvement and customer loyalty are factors that determined the list of 55 award recipients nationwide..." Last month, our 67-year-old shop was selected as a 2019 Retail Star by Home Accents Today. A special thanks to our customers and local community for helping us achieve such an award (for the fourth time!)
The author argues that Walmart is not focusing on customers.
My thoughts on it:
I think that Walmart does know some people’s purchases--and thereby its customers--via its loyalty card program. Now in terms of how this relates to Amazon, could any purchases made in store at Walmart with a loyalty card show up online in one’s account? Sure, ...
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January 14, 2018
January 14, 2018
A friend of mine asked me about the buy local movement and young people. She wonders if young people (people under 40--gosh, I guess that excludes me?!) cared about the buy local 'movement.'
My response to her was that asking someone to buy local is sort of like asking someone to ignore the major principles of why people shop (aka ignore capitalism). The primary reasons we shop where we do is:
1. Selection. People want a wide variety of selection…aka: all the items you can find on Amazon.
Your preferred customer program, POS or even just your intuition should make it possible to identify those individuals who mean the most to your business. It pays to give VIP treatment to these “regulars” whose loyalty is key to your success.
1) It seems like a simple thing, but greeting them by name is an easy way to make them feel ...
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