Digital CPG Blog

Photo via New York Times.

Big-box stores have finally joined the loyalty game. Sam’s Club is offering personalized discounts for buyers through it’s eValues program that tailors bargains based on a member’s buying history. The New York Times reports:

Linda Vytlacil, vice president for member insights and innovation at Sam’s Club, said coupons normally had a response rate of 1 percent or 2 percent. With eValues, she said, as many as 20 percent to 30 percent of eligible customers collect the discount they are offered.

The program is available only to Sam’s Club’s “Plus” members, who pay a higher yearly membership fee than do regular members. They can view the deals by e-mail, on the Sam’s Club Web site or at store kiosks.

“There’s no clipping coupons,” Ms. Vytlacil said, adding that eValues offered “highly individual relevant offers specific to each Plus member. All they have to do is purchase the product, and the savings are automatically applied at checkout.” Like other membership clubs, shoppers must present a card at checkout.

While consumers and retailers benefit from such long-awaited programs, manufacturers continue to watch from afar. Watch for CPG manufacturers to create their own loyalty programs to buid brand loyalty and acquire customer data. This is just the beginning for an exciting chapter on loyalty in CPG.