This IDC Perspective looks at incentives including price incentives, metrics, and the cost to do business with loyalty programs. Retail loyalty programs permeate a majority of retailers that have invested in and implemented a loyalty program as a top marketing initiative at their companies. Loyalty programs can be complicated, but they drive several advantages for retailers. However, they are not created off the cuff, in an ad hoc process, or by accident. Loyalty programs require thoughtful review, intention, and deliberation on how to build and execute across many complexities, especially an incentive structure. The price of loyalty is certainly not free — learn about the incentive basis for loyalty programs in retail."Metrics establish where and how a loyalty program is functioning. Without understanding how your customers engage with your program, your firm remains blind to both the risks and opportunities that loyal customers present," says Ananda Chakravarty, VP, Research, Merchandising, and Marketing, IDC Retail Insights.
Please Note: Extended description available upon request.
Executive Snapshot
Situation Overview
Retailers Seek Consumer Loyalty
Consumer Loyalty Offers Advantages to Retailers
Direct Top- and Bottom-Line Impact
Market Share
Marketing Costs
Marketing Alignment
Loyalty Is Not Driven Through Serendipity
Incentives Are Loyalty Drivers
Price Incentives
Discount Price Incentives
Markdown Price Incentives
Service Value Incentives
Status Incentives
Convenience Incentives
Loyalty Performance Is Business Performance
What Is the Price of Loyalty?
Advice for the Technology Buyer
Match Loyalty Tools to Your Strategy
Attractiveness of the Program Needs to Be Long Term