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Rewarding all that frequent shopping

What drives consumers to shop at specific stores?

Johannesburg, 06 Aug 2019

Stores and businesses have perfected the way of rewarding the consumers that form their target market. Rewards are not necessarily in the form of money, it can be anything from the shopping experience, social interactions, trust and shopping value or simply differential treatment.

Businesses reward their customers by successfully influencing their shopping experience, whether it is online or in-store purchases. Everything is about making the shopping experience rewarding and memorable for the consumer, which leads to frequent purchases. “Businesses know the pattern of consumers through data analytics; they can use this data to reward customers for their loyalty and support,” says Frik van der Westhuizen, Marketing Director at LoyaltyPlus.

Loyalty programmes are becoming more and more common, from swiping a loyalty card at the gas station to getting a gift voucher when you join a certain loyalty programme. With these loyalty cards, the rewards are endless.

Businesses strive to make their customers feel like they are exclusively getting special treatment.

It all comes down to how a business can improve the experience a consumer has in a store. Online purchases are motivated through social interactions, for example, online chat groups, reviews, and a representative to personally help the customer. This leads to a better relationship with customers, thus the relationship alone can motivate a customer to come back for the rewards on offer. Online shopping rewards can be everything from free shipping to e-gift cards, it all depends on the target market.

In-store purchases have more factors playing a part during the shopping experience. The atmosphere, smell and lighting of a store can influence a consumer’s mood. How customers are treated influence the type of relationship they associate with the store; it can be positive or negative. Consumers decide if their time was well spent in the store, if they got value for money and if the store fulfilled their needs. Consumers develop a sense of trust through the social interactions that go hand in hand with the shopping experience. The interaction with others is what can drive consumers to stay longer or to simply leave the store.

Researchers have found that status plays a big role in society today. Businesses include rewards of great value in the shopping experience, to contribute to this status and improve brand loyalty. Through differentiating these invaluable, high-status customers from other less loyal customers, businesses can customise rewards. Consumers want value for the money and time they spend in a store, while enjoying the experience.

Software solutions specialist and independent CRM firm, LoyaltyPlus, states that stores reward their customers for their loyalty, and these rewards take many forms. In the end, the rewards are what motivate consumers to return to a store, from giving them a discount, special deals, great experiences, positive social interactions to fulfilling a customer's needs. These are all rewards that businesses strive to give their customers, for a better relationship with their client base and improved consumer satisfaction.

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Annica van Wyk
Junior Marketing Administrator
(012) 640 0100