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1
For love or money?:2013 Consumer Study into Australian Loyalty Programs
a
Welcome to the first Australian research study into consumers’ relationships with loyalty programs.
1.0 Introduction 1
2.0 Executive Summary 3
3.0 Research methodology and profile of participants 7
4.0 Findings in detail 9 4.1 Reach of loyalty programs in Australia 9 4.2 Who loves loyalty programs? 11 4.3 Who is more actively interacting with loyalty programs? 15 4.4 What behaviour does the love of loyalty programs drive? 19 4.5 Where can loyalty programs improve? 25 4.6 For love or money? What features and benefits of loyalty programs do consumers care about? 29 4.7 Who cares about which benefits? 37 4.8 The love of loyalty programs vs the benefits offered 39 4.9 Which communication channels do they love? 41 4.10 Which loyalty programs do they care about? 43 4.11 Consumers’ comments about loyalty programs – the good and not so good 45
5.0 Behind the research – the people who love loyalty programs 47
Contents
1
1.0 Introduction
2
We sought to find out if being a member of a loyalty program was for the love (of the brand) or for the money (rewards). We wanted to find out if being a member made them care enough to:
Influence their buying behaviour.
Be more loyal to the brand whose program they were a member of.
This research study conducted with more than 1,000 consumers provides the answers to these two questions as well as explore:
1. the penetration of loyalty programs with some demographic differences
2. who is more actively involved with their programs
3. their view on the value that programs offer
4. what’s important to them with regard to program structures, features and benefits and
5. communication preferences
Thank you for your interest in the Australian consumer’s point of view on loyalty programs.Directivity and Citrus together with First Point Research and Consulting are pleased to present what we believe is the first research study into consumer relationships with loyalty programs in Australia.
Loyalty programs, frequent buyer programs, VIP clubs, discount rewards and any combination of these are continuing to clutter the Australian market and scream for the attention of their members.
There are many programs in the market and organisations continue to evaluate why they should have a program (if they don’t) or how to continuously improve (if they do). While there have been a number of research studies overseas, we could not find any in Australia that provided the consumers point of view of the loyalty programs they engage in - or don’t.
With this in mind, we wanted to get to the heart of how consumers in Australia really feel about loyalty programs and specifically those they are members of.
Whether you are planning to implement a loyalty program or already have a program, we are confident you will find insights that will make you think more about how your program can be even more relevant and valuable to your members, and therefore more profitable for your business.
Please read on and find out if Australian consumers really care about the loyalty programs they are a member of.
1
2
1
2
3
4
5
Adam PosnerCEODirectivity
Pete NobleCEOCitrus
3
2.0 Executive Summary
Do loyAlty PRogRAms inFluenCe buying behAviouR AnD loyAlty?
4
Buying behaviourAustralian consumers certainly do buy more from companies whose programs they are a member of. In fact, 80% buy more.
They also tend to buy from companies who have a loyalty program versus those who don’t. When faced with choosing two similar products/companies – one with a loyalty program and one without – 55% of consumers tend buy from the one that has a loyalty program.
So if you are facing a competitive environment and the behaviour you want is for your customers to choose you vs a competitor, then a loyalty program does influence the choice of who they buy from.
This means if you don’t have a program, you should seriously consider one.
If you do have a program, then dig a bit deeper into this research and see what customers value from their loyalty programs and see if you match up.
Let’s get to the point.
Firstly, loyalty programs do influence buying behaviour – consumers buy more from companies whose program they are a member of and they choose to buy from companies with a program vs those without. However, loyalty programs do not equal customer loyalty.
Feeling of loyaltyAs for ‘feeling more loyal to a brand whose program they are member of’ - less than half (46%) tend to feel more loyal. This is a close call on whether a loyalty program actually drives a feeling of loyalty.
It’s our view that it does NOT, as there are many factors and touch-points that influence loyalty, not just a program.
Therefore loyalty programs do not equal customer loyalty.
80%buy more from
companies whose programs they
are a member of
55% will choose a product/company with a loyalty program over one without
<46%feel more
loyal because of a loyalty program
5
Key insightsit’s crowded - find your crowd.
Loyalty programs are well established in the Australian shopping community, with 88% of consumers over the age of 16 being members of a loyalty program. So you need to really find a way through the crowd and be valuable to your crowd. There are some loyalty lovers out there with 11% of consumers members of more than 10 loyalty programs.
not all customers are equal.
Men are members of fewer programs (average 3) but more active with the memberships, presenting their card at the point of purchase or actively looking to accrue points. Women are members of more programs (average 5) and tend to spread their spend across more programs. Keep an eye on older customers (55+) as they tend to buy more, choose from brands that have a program, but believe more strongly that programs don’t provide any real value.
Just because you have a loyalty program, doesn’t mean it’s working.
Only 41% of consumers feel that loyalty programs have improved in recent years and offer good benefits to members. This presents a great opportunity for loyalty programs to strive to be more valuable. Program features and benefits that consumers prefer are still financial, although ‘surprise and delight’ are also well regarded.
88%belong to a
loyalty program
12%don’t belong to a loyalty program
11%belong to more than 10 loyalty
program
no. oF CARDs
1
2
3
6
Which communication channels get their attention?
At 81%, personalised email is by far the most preferred channel to communicate with members, followed by direct mail (37%). Snail mail particularly appeals to tech-savvy consumers under 25 due to the novelty factor and the association of ‘good news’ rather than older members who are likely to associate letters with bills!
Surprising members with unexpected rewards are highly sought after. Programs which offer ‘surprise and delight’ benefits will go a long way to overcoming consumers’ belief that programs don’t offer any real value.
show me the money’Transactional/financial benefits are still the most sought after program benefit, with 80% of consumers seeking immediate price discounts when making purchases. Points-based programs that enable members to redeem points are also important (77%), as well as exclusive offers (64%) and access to more rewards based on spend.
The key to a successful
loyalty program
4
5
Surprise!Surprise!
A winning program is one with multiple emotional and structural touch-points. Consumers who ‘tend to feel more loyal to the company/brand when I am a member of their loyalty program’ consistently place higher importance (than the average consumer) on ALL listed loyalty program features - from transactional to emotional.
The insight here is that those programs with multiple structural and emotional touch-points and benefits in their program framework to reinforce their program and their brand, are better placed to build genuine loyalty with their members.
81%
37%
<25s
prefer personalised
prefer direct mail
like personalised letters80%
feel the discount is most
important
77%
feel the points
are most important
7
3.0 Research methodology and profile of participants
Who gAve theiR Point oF vieW?
8
Research method ANDÒPROµLEÒof research participantsthe research was conducted independently by First Point Research in February 2013, through an online panel of Australian consumers, men and women 16 years+.
The research was structured to gain some quantitative results with comparative analysis as well as free form questions to gain a sentiment of how they feel towards the programs they are a member of and how programs should improve.
Programs were named - some shamed, some cheered. The richness of the free-form responses is enlightening.
The total sample of N=1010, provides a margin of error of +/- 3% at a 95% level of confidence. Broad quotas were set for age and gender.
gender location
marital status
57% Married
68% No dependent children
9% Widowed/divorced/separated
32% Single
32% Dependent children
2% Prefer not to say
Age
Dependent children
household income
52%
48%
35%
18%
part of
NSW
9%10%
25%
3%
16-24years
9%
26%18%
15% 17%
9%15%
25-34years
29%
45-54 years
16%
55-64 years
17%
65+ years
8%
35-44 years
21%
$50,000 - $74,999
$75,000- $99,999
$100,000 - $149,999
$150,000 or more
Refused to say
Under$50,000
9
4.0 Findings in detail
4.1 ReACh oF loyAlty PRogRAms in AustRAliA
10
Loyalty programs reach far and wide in Australia.Not too surprising, however we now have a benchmark.
of Australian consumers over the age of 16 are members of a loyalty program.
88%
NoYesTotal sample (N = 1010)
11
4.0 Findings in detail
4.2 Who loves loyAlty PRogRAms?
12
Female (N = 525) Male (N = 485)
93% 82%
Warning! Don’t let this mislead you! Further in the report findings reveal that men are more actively involved with programs they are a member of.are members of....
of women are SIGNIµCANTLYÒMOREÒlikely to be members of a loyalty program than men.
93%
13
CHILDREN: AGE:
of people with dependent children are members of at least one loyalty program which for those families looking for savings or rewards, loyalty programs make sense.
There is a fairly even spread of age groups who participate in loyalty programs.92%
16-24years
25-34years
45-54years
55-64years
65+years
35-44years
83% 88% 91% 88% 85% 85%
92%
14
How many programs are Australians a member of?
Men are members of about 3 programs on average and women closer to 5 programs.
Interestingly, 11% of all respondents are members of 10 or more programs.
(Again, don’t let the volume of programs mislead you, as the level of activity in their programs is more enlightening)
Male (N = 396) Female (N = 488)
3.3 4.7loyalty
programsloyalty
programs
Clutter? Perhaps our wallets/purses are not as cluttered as one may think, which still presents an opportunity for loyalty marketers.
15
4.0 Findings in detail
4.3 Who is moRe ACtively inteRACting With loyAlty PRogRAms?
16
Active = “you present your card or membership number when making purchases”
ACTIVE:
of consumers are active in all of their programs, by presenting their cards or membership number when making purchases.
Only
45%
Active = engaged? If active = engaged, then there is certainly room to improve. It’s fair to say that if your program is one of a few in your category, then it’s clear that you need to evaluate how to get your members to be ACTIVE in yours. More insights on how to do that follows.
i try to keep my card handy. i am cross when i don’t get to add points because i have forgotten my card. Female, 45-54yo, NSW
some don’t engage with their members as much as others & therefore i tend to not use those brands so much.Female, 25-34yo, NSW
45% 30% 15% 9% 1%
Use all of them Use most of them
Use about half of them
Use not many of them
Use none of them
Base: Members of a loyalty program (N=884)
17
men are more committed to their loyalty programs.
MEN:
of men are active in all of their loyalty programs vs 41% of women.
With fewer cards, its clear that men are more deeply committed to the loyalty programs they belong to than women.
49%
We ignored Flybuys for many years when it took a huge amount of expenditure to get any benefit. now, combined with fuel vouchers and Frequent Flyer points on the credit card, shopping at Flybuys retailers makes sense. so keep the rewards at an achievable and worthwhile level. Male, 55-64yo, QLD
nearly everyone has a loyalty programme – and that diminishes the value of what they are for. you seem to be treated liked an alien if you are not a member and use a business that has one.”35-44 YO male, NSW
Use all of them Use most of them
Use about half of them
Use not many of them
Use none of them
Total Men Women
15%45% 30% 9% 1%
Base: Members of a loyalty program (N=884)
49% 29% 12% 8% 2%41% 31% 18% 9% 1%
18
Women are less engaged with their loyalty programs.
WOMEN:
of women are active in all of the loyalty programs they belong to.
of women are active in half or less than half of the loyalty programs they are members of.
While women belong to more loyalty programs than men, only
As the primary shopper in most cases, women are exposed to more opportunities for loyalty programs which in turn, motivates women to spread their loyalty across those various programs.
In competitive categories, the program really needs to differentiate itself to gain a woman’s total commitment.
41%
28%
Please remember that loyalty programs are a two-way street. it can’t just be about collecting information about the way a person shops – there needs to be a benefit for the cardholder as well.” 35-44 YO female, NSW
Use all of them Use most of them
Use about half of them
Use not many of them
Use none of them
15%45% 30% 9% 1%
Base: Members of a loyalty program (N=884)
49% 29% 12% 8% 2%41% 31% 18% 9% 1%
19
4.0 Findings in detail
4.4 WhAt behAviouR Does the love oF loyAlty PRogRAms DRive?
20
of consumers buy more from companies whose program they are a member of.
80%
They buy more.Consumers who are a members of a loyalty program do buy more
BUY MORE:
If you are developing a loyalty program, here is one very good reason for a program – consumers buy more.
I tend to buy more from the companies whose program I
am a member of
When choosing between two similar products/companies,
one who has a loyalty program and one who does not, I
tend to buy from the one that has a loyalty program.
I tend to feel more loyal to the company/brand when I am
a member of their program
Loyalty programs have improved a lot in recent years and
tend to offer good benefits to members
Most loyalty programs don’t offer me any real value
Most loyalty programs just don’t seem to understand how
to communicate appropriately with their members
% Strongly Agree / Agree
80%
55%
46%
41%
40%
27%
the more that customers are rewarded, the more likely they are to shop at a particular store. if retail sales are in such a slump, retailers have a perfect opportunity to offer loyal customers incentive to spend.” 25-34 YO female, Victoria
i like it when they give you 10% discount if you spend over $50 and it is taken off your grocery bill immediately. When that happens i will make a special effort to spend $50 (which is more than my regular weekly spend).” 55-64 YO female, NSW
Base: Members of a loyalty program (N=884)
21
of consumers when faced with choosing two similar products/companies, one who has a loyalty program and one who does not, tend to buy from the one that has a loyalty program.55%
They choose to buy from the company with a program.More than half of Australian consumers tend to buy from companies who have a loyalty program vs those that don’t.
CHOOSING:
If your competitors have a loyalty program and you do not, good chance you are losing business.
Base: Members of a loyalty program (N = 884)
I tend to buy more from the companies whose program I
am a member of
When choosing between two similar products/companies,
one who has a loyalty program and one who does not, I
tend to buy from the one that has a loyalty program.
I tend to feel more loyal to the company/brand when I am
a member of their program
Loyalty programs have improved a lot in recent years and
tend to offer good benefits to members
Most loyalty programs don’t offer me any real value
Most loyalty programs just don’t seem to understand how
to communicate appropriately with their members
% Strongly Agree / Agree
80%
55%
46%
41%
40%
27%
Don’t create a program for the sake of it. loyalty needs to be earned. While the benefits don’t have to be big, they have to be in proportion to what the company does or sells. one free coffee in 10 is generous. $10 off a $200 grocery bill is not.” 45-54 YO female, NSW
22
of consumers strongly agree/agree that they tend to feel more loyal to the company/brand when they are a member of their loyalty program, which leaves the rest who are neutral or do not agree.
46%
Consumers are not loyal to a brand just because they are a member of their loyalty program.Loyalty programs do not = customer loyalty.Less than half feel more loyal to a brand when a member of their program
FEELINGS OF LOYALTY:
I tend to buy more from the companies whose program I
am a member of
When choosing between two similar products/companies,
one who has a loyalty program and one who does not, I
tend to buy from the one that has a loyalty program.
I tend to feel more loyal to the company/brand when I am
a member of their program
Loyalty programs have improved a lot in recent years and
tend to offer good benefits to members
Most loyalty programs don’t offer me any real value
Most loyalty programs just don’t seem to understand how
to communicate appropriately with their members
% Strongly Agree / Agree
80%
55%
46%
41%
40%
27%
Although its a close call on whether a loyalty program actually drives loyalty, its our view that it does not as there many other factors that influence loyalty, not just a program.
As a pensioner on a limited income any kind or reward is a bonus but the low rewards do not make me want to be loyal to the business.” 45-54 YO female QLD
23
A loyalty ‘card’ does not maketh a loyalty program. unless being a part of this program entitles you to rewards, discounts, free gifts, exclusive invitations or something special over and above what other customers receive, i have no incentive to give retailers all my details. i am happy to give them this information for sales and statistical analysis of purchasing, however i deserve something in return.” Female, 25-34 yo, Victoria
24
Which age groups care about loyalty programs even more?
I tend to buy more from the companies whose program I
am a member of
When choosing between two similar products/companies,
one who has a loyalty program and one who does not, I
tend to buy from the one that has a loyalty program.
I tend to feel more loyal to the company/brand when I am
a member of their program
Loyalty programs have improved a lot in recent years and
tend to offer good benefits to members
Most loyalty programs don’t offer me any real value
Most loyalty programs just don’t seem to understand how
to communicate appropriately with their members
80% 77% 80% 85%
55% 49% 55% 63%
46% 46% 46% 48%
41% 41% 39% 45%
40% 41% 43% 54%
27% 31% 27% 22%
TotalN = 884
<35 yearsN = 338
35-54 yearsN = 340
55+ yearsN = 206
More mature Australians stand out.
When cross analysing the different age groups to the behaviours and beliefs, some interesting and significant differences were highlighted.
55 YO +
tend to buy more than the restchoose more from those brands who have a programbelieve more strongly that programs don’t offer them any real value
???
25
4.0 Findings in detail
4.5 WheRe CAn loyAlty PRogRAms imPRove?
26
of consumers feel that loyalty programs have improved in recent years and tend to offer good benefits to members. There is certainly room to improve.41%
only
Loyalty programs have room to improve – what a great opportunity
IMPROVEMENT:
I tend to buy more from the companies whose program I
am a member of
When choosing between two similar products/companies,
one who has a loyalty program and one who does not, I
tend to buy from the one that has a loyalty program.
I tend to feel more loyal to the company/brand when I am
a member of their program
Loyalty programs have improved a lot in recent years and
tend to offer good benefits to members
Most loyalty programs don’t offer me any real value
Most loyalty programs just don’t seem to understand how
to communicate appropriately with their members
% Strongly Agree / Agree
80%
55%
46%
41%
40%
27%
Flybuys is far and away the best loyalty program for me.... i get the most cash back from it. millers give generous discounts. video ezy also have special offers for members only, although they are spasmodic. everyday Rewards is a disappointment - seems all you get is a fuel discount. i expect to be contacted by stores with whom i have a card, yet blooms, noni b, target, Adairs, Rockmans, bras n things never contact me with product information. to me, that’s a wasted opportunity for them. Female, 45-54yo, NSW
Base: Members of a loyalty program (N=884)
27
of consumers strongly agree/agree that loyalty programs don’t offer any real value. 36% are neutral and 24% disagree, which means that there are more consumers who are either on the fence (ready to be proven that there is value) and the rest who think they are getting value.
40%
VALUE,VALUE,VALUE:
I tend to buy more from the companies whose program I
am a member of
When choosing between two similar products/companies,
one who has a loyalty program and one who does not, I
tend to buy from the one that has a loyalty program.
I tend to feel more loyal to the company/brand when I am
a member of their program
Loyalty programs have improved a lot in recent years and
tend to offer good benefits to members
Most loyalty programs don’t offer me any real value
Most loyalty programs just don’t seem to understand how
to communicate appropriately with their members
% Strongly Agree / Agree
80%
55%
46%
41%
40%
27%
i have some cards that don’t do anything. needs to have a value to make it worth my while.” 25-34 YO female, Victoria
They can be more valuableBe more valuable. There is great opportunity for loyalty programs to strive to be more valuable to their members
There are more insights into what consumers love (what they value) about loyalty programs further along in this report.
28
Programs with minimum number of purchases before you earn points, rewards programs where you need to pay annual membership fees erode the value gained.” 45-54 YO female, NSW
29
4.0 Findings in detail
4.6 FoR love oR money? WhAt FeAtuRes AnD beneFits oF loyAlty PRogRAms Do ConsumeRs CARe About?
30
It’s still all about the money - THEYÒCAREÒMOSTLYÒABOUTÒµNANCIALÒBENEµTS�Transactional/financial benefits are still highly sought after by consumers
Immediate price discounts when making purchases
Point based programs that allow members to redeem
‘points’ for vouchers, products or other rewards
Surprise gifts or surprise rewards that arrive without you
making a redemption
Exclusive offers available to members only
Sending me information that is tailored and personal to
me
Access to more rewards based on the more you spend
with the company
Updates on relevant news about the company and its
products or services
Partnerships with other businesses/brands that can
increase the opportunity to accrue rewards or points
Different levels of reward based on different levels of
spending (eg Gold, Silver and Bronze membership tiers)
% Very important /
80%
77%
67%
64%
46%
62%
37%
61%
36%
Base: Members of a loyalty program (N = 884)
It’s clear that members of loyalty programs are looking for the hard benefits - especially financial, as a reward for their loyalty.
31
“offering a change to go in a draw or lottery is not a reward. Cash and decent discounts have value. most other offers have very little value.” 35-44 YO male, NT
offers that have an immediate discount are better than non-tangible and confusing schemes such as points. 16-24 YO male, Tasmania
Cash is king and all of these reward programs offer a choice of cash or store vouchers so i can choose what to buy are better. 35-44 YO male, NSW
32
there could be things given randomly from time to time – eg: bonus points after shopping or monetary voucher or just for being a ‘valued customer’. 45-54 YO female, VIC
i buy all my cosmetics and healthcare products in this store and receive a loyalty cheque in the mail which comes as a nice surprise. 65-74 YO female, NSW
the (myeRone) gift cards are automatically sent out, you don’t have to log on and ‘redeem’ anything so it’s a nice surprise to open the letterbox and have a gift card waiting.” 25 YO female, QLD
33
Surprise! Surprise!Share the love!Surprising your loyalty members with rewards that are not expected, are highly sought after!
Base: Members of a loyalty program (N = 884)
Immediate price discounts when making purchases
Point based programs that allow members to redeem
‘points’ for vouchers, products or other rewards
Surprise gifts or surprise rewards that arrive without you
making a redemption
Exclusive offers available to members only
Sending me information that is tailored and personal to
me
Access to more rewards based on the more you spend
with the company
Updates on relevant news about the company and its
products or services
Partnerships with other businesses/brands that can
increase the opportunity to accrue rewards or points
Different levels of reward based on different levels of
spending (eg Gold, Silver and Bronze membership tiers)
% Very important /
80%
77%
67%
64%
46%
62%
37%
61%
36%
34
They also care about exclusivity and a lot moreThey also care about the love they get through exclusive offers for being a loyalty program member, Access to more rewards based on their spend and more opportunities accrue rewards/points through partners
Base: Members of a loyalty program (N = 884)
Immediate price discounts when making purchases
Point based programs that allow members to redeem
‘points’ for vouchers, products or other rewards
Surprise gifts or surprise rewards that arrive without you
making a redemption
Exclusive offers available to members only
Sending me information that is tailored and personal to
me
Access to more rewards based on the more you spend
with the company
Updates on relevant news about the company and its
products or services
Partnerships with other businesses/brands that can
increase the opportunity to accrue rewards or points
Different levels of reward based on different levels of
spending (eg Gold, Silver and Bronze membership tiers)
% Very important /
80%
77%
67%
64%
46%
62%
37%
61%
36%
35
They Don’T care that much about the company and tiered rewards are not important.Consumers are NOT that interested in news about your company, they are more focused on WIIFM
Immediate price discounts when making purchases
Point based programs that allow members to redeem
‘points’ for vouchers, products or other rewards
Surprise gifts or surprise rewards that arrive without you
making a redemption
Exclusive offers available to members only
Sending me information that is tailored and personal to
me
Access to more rewards based on the more you spend
with the company
Updates on relevant news about the company and its
products or services
Partnerships with other businesses/brands that can
increase the opportunity to accrue rewards or points
Different levels of reward based on different levels of
spending (eg Gold, Silver and Bronze membership tiers)
% Very important /
80%
77%
67%
64%
46%
62%
37%
61%
36%
Only a third of consumers feel that tiered rewards are important.
Base: Members of a loyalty program (N = 884)
36
levels (bronze, silver and gold) are no longer relevant. All members should be treated as gold.” 35-44 YO male, QLD
37
4.0 Findings in detail
4.7 Who CARes About WhiCh beneFits
38
Consumers over 55 are more FOCUSEDÒONÒTRANSACTIONALÒBENEµTS�
77%
72%
68%
64%
62%
60%
41%
33%
37%
80%
78%
69%
63%
61%
61%
49%
36%
35%
85%
64%
64%
63%
63%
36%
TotalN = 884
<35 yearsN = 338
35-54 yearsN = 340
55+ yearsN = 206
They also place significantly greater importance on the ongoing communications from loyalty programs
Point based programs that allow members to redeem
‘points’ for vouchers, products or other rewards
Surprise gifts or surprise rewards that arrive without you
making a redemption
Exclusive offers available to members only
Sending me information that is tailored and personal to
me
Access to more rewards based on the more you spend
with the company
Updates on relevant news about the company and its
products or services
Partnerships with other businesses/brands that can
increase the opportunity to accrue rewards or points
Different levels of reward based on different levels of
spending (eg Gold, Silver and Bronze membership tiers)
80%
77%
67%
64%
46%
62%
37%
61%
36%
51%
43%
84%
i can use the points on other things and the points are valuable. Male, 65-74 yo, Victoria, member of QFF and everyday rewards
the immediate discount at the register is a great incentive to shop. Female, 65-74 yo, Victoria,member of Spotlight
good communication and excellent rewards system when compared to other similar competitors. great recognition of customers. Male, 55-64 yo, Tasmania, member of Virgin’s Velocity program
Immediate price discounts when making purchases
39
4.0 Findings in detail
4.8 the love oF loyAlty PRogRAms vs the beneFits oFFeReD
40
Cross analysing how they feel to WHICHÒBENEµTSÒAREÒIMPORTANT�
84%
78%
74%
66%
60%
62%
45%
36%
36%
88%
87%
75%
76%
77%
78%
58%
49%
47%
TotalN = 884
“Most loyalty programs
don’t offer me any real value”
N = 338
“I tend to feel more loyal to companies/brands when I am a member of their
program” N = 340
Programs which have a core element of ‘surprise and delight’ will go a long way to overcome consumer’s belief (74% of them) that programs do not offer them any real value
Consumers who feel that ‘loyalty programs don’t offer any real value’ are far more likely to place high importance on ‘surprise gifts or surprise rewards that arrive without you making a redemption’.
Point based programs that allow members to redeem
‘points’ for vouchers, products or other rewards
Surprise gifts or surprise rewards that arrive without you
making a redemption
Exclusive offers available to members only
Sending me information that is tailored and personal to
me
Access to more rewards based on the more you spend
with the company
Updates on relevant news about the company and its
products or services
Partnerships with other businesses/brands that can
increase the opportunity to accrue rewards or points
Different levels of reward based on different levels of
spending (eg Gold, Silver and Bronze membership tiers)
80%
77%
67%
64%
46%
62%
37%
61%
36%
Loyalty also appears to be more likely when programs implement a multi-faceted approach.
Consumers who ‘tend to feel more loyal to the company/brand when I am a member of their programs’ consistently place higher importance than the average consumer on ALL listed loyalty program features (transactional and emotional rewards).
This suggests that those programs with multiple touch points and multiple opportunities to reinforce their brand are better placed to build genuine loyalty from their members.
Immediate price discounts when making purchases
4.0 Findings in detail
4.9 WhiCh CommuniCAtion ChAnnels Do they love?
email then mail.
EMAIL:of consumers prefer personalised email81%
Text Message/SMS
20%81%Personalised
37%Personalised
letter
10%Facebook
alter or update
41
Base: Members of a loyalty program (N=884). Option to select more than one channel provided in this survey question.
(Woolworths) emails are fantastic and makes you feel updated as a member. their communication is the best out of the clubs. 35-44 YO female, QLD
42
older = email vs younger = mail
78%77%69%
38%36%43%
17%28%34%
12%14%16%
87%
39%
18%
7%
9%
4%
TotalN = 884
35-44 yearsN = 338
25-34 yearsN = 338
<24 yearsN = 338
45-54 yearsN = 340
55+ yearsN = 206
Personalised
letter
Personalised
Text message
/ SMS
Facebook alert
or update
81%
37%
20%
10%
34%
Several differences can be observed across the age groups:
89%
The theme overall is that younger consumers are likely to be open to engaging in a variety of different platforms, whereas consumers over 45 years have a distinct preference for email
Personalised email is favoured far more by consumers aged 45+, relative to younger consumers
Personalised letters are very appealing to consumers under 25.
The insight here is that old style letters are of more novel value to younger consumers and are more likely to be associated with ‘good news’ as opposed to older consumers who are more likely to associate letters with bills!
This highlights a little used opportunity to engage with younger consumers via mail.
Text message or SMS is considered to be a good option for engagement amongst the Under 35s in particular;
Similarly, Facebook alerts and updates are far more appealing to the Under 35s.
From my own experiences, personalised emails are completely ignored. Contacting by other means would draw more attention.16-24 YO male, VIC
43
4.0 Findings in detail
4.10 WhiCh loyAlty PRogRAms Do they CARe About?
Programs and brands mentioned843 consumers commented on the programs they are a member of.
Accor
Airmiles
AliBaba
Altitude Rewards
Amex
Amcal
ANZ Rewards
Autograph
Athletes Foot
Coffee Club
BB’s
Betts Kids
Boost Juice
Brumbys
Choice Hotels
CBA credit card
Crown Signature
Club
EB Games
Emirates
Event Cinema
Everyday rewards
Fusion
Flybuys
Gloria Jeans
Horseland
Hoyts
Hudsons
IGA
IKEA family
Jeans West
Katies
Millers
Mychemist
MYERone
Muffin Break
National Pharmacy
Oxford
Pet Barn
Priceline
QFF
Rewards Central
Rivers
Rockmans
Snowys Outdoors
Sportscraft VIP
Spotlight
Sumo Salad
Supabarn
Terry White
Toys r Us
Village
Virgin
44
Programs that got the nod as doing a good job
Flybuys / Coles
Everyday Rewards, Woolworths
Qantas
MYERone
Priceline
Virgin
CBA Credit Card
IGA
Millers
Rewards Central
Spotlight
All Others
None
37%
22%
11%
6%
5%
2%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
<1%
12%
Base: Members of a loyalty program (N = 884)
the fact that 78% of respondents, without being given a list of options, provided the name of a program they considered to be doing a ‘good job’, suggests that the vast majority of Australians do actually see merit in joining a loyalty program.
Flybuys and to a lesser extent, Everyday Rewards are the benchmarks against which most other programs are assessed.
4.0 Findings in detail
4.11 ConsumeRs’ Comments About loyAlty PRogRAms – the gooD AnD not so gooD
Priceline...they are constantly in contact with me, letting me know what’s on sale and what’s going to be available and what competitions, bonus buys and offers that members can utilise. Keeping the brand in my mind by being in touch all the time.Female, 24-34 years
Myer one...i like that you don’t need your card to redeem points in store (via app is great) i have received vouchers from them - tangible rewards for spending. it is easy to collect points as they sell a broad range of products. Also have had myer viP shopping nights as a reward to customers.Female, 25-34 years
Sportscraft VIP program...i think it’s quite good value that when you sign in online as a viP you get instant discount on all items on the website. they also have lots of sales online just for viP members. i think it was also great that the sign up was so simple and could also be done online.Female, 16-24 years
Millers...millers is great because not only do they have cheap clothes, they give you discounts off sale items too..Female, 45-64 years
Fly buys...because they update regularly, send emails with my points balance and discount vouchers.Female, 25-34 years
Everyday rewards...i like that it can be linked to my Qantas FF program. i also like that you can accrue points simply by purchasing your everyday items, you don’t need to go out and buy something that you may never use to accrue points. Recently, they sent me a keychain to use as well as my card, this is really handy as sometimes you don’t have your purse with you, but you almost always have your keys.Female, 25-35 years
843 customers gave their point of view.
A few of the good
45
46
Just make the rewards worth staying with you for. Don’t make the customer need to spend millions to redeem chicken feed.” 45-54 yo male, QLD
some rewards programs are designed for big spenders in the higher income brackets. People with low funds, small spenders can never hope to accrue enough points etc. to benefit from the program.55-64 yo female SA
Points that expire are one of the biggest turn offs. Paying to belong to a loyalty program... i’m already spending my money at your business and you expect me to pay you to belong to your program too??45-54yo female, SA
i do feel negatively when asked to pay to be a part of a loyalty program. i did pay $10 i think to join bras n things, but i have to buy 2 bras a year to benefit, so don’t think i will bother again. i expect a loyalty program to be free, and to actually have a benefit to me. i think Just Cuts, for example, is fairly lame, as they keep no records of me on their pc, so if i forgot to offer up my discount card, then it’s as if i never got a haircut. it’s like they know people will forget, so one never earns that free hair cut. i don’t think i have ever benefited from some of the cards i have, so why do they even bother to have them?45-54 yo female NSW
Please don’t make the programs too complicated or time intensive to gain rewards. And reward points that expire are a waste of time and misleading.16-24 YO female, QLD
i just think loyalty programs are all about the company selling more. it’s not about rewarding the customers as it’s really aimed at people who are big buyers.45-54 YO female, WA.
A few of the noT so good
47
5.0 Behind the research – the PeoPle Who love loyAlty PRogRAms
48
Directivity was established in 2007 to provide customer acquisition and loyalty strategies for organisations in financial services, energy, tourism, manufacturing, education, IT and retail.
Adam Posner (CEO) has been involved in a range of loyalty programs from large retail programs such as the new flybuys program launched in 2012 as well as the development of self-funding financial modelling for loyalty programs for pharmacy and large accommodation networks.
Adam’s obsession with loyalty drove him to initiate this research study as the first of its kind that digs deep to understand what Australian consumers really feel about loyalty programs.
Adam is also the author of the practical book on loyalty ‘Give-back to Get-back - 9 steps to a profitable loyalty program’.
He has a keen interest in working with organisations who want loyalty programs that are structured to become valuable to the customer and profitable to the business.
If you would like to discuss the potential of a loyalty program for your business, then please email [email protected]
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Adam PosnerCeoDirectivity
Pete nobleCeoCitrus
49
Directivity t. 0433 818190e. [email protected]
CitrusLevel 8, 100 Albert RoadSouth MelbourneVictoria Australia 3205t. +613 9681 5333e. [email protected]