Price Chopper launches instant one-to-one coupons

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By: Wise Marketer Staff |

Posted on March 28, 2007

Price Chopper launches instant one-to-one coupons

In the US, Price Chopper Supermarkets has rolled out to 115 stores its targeted, 1-to-1 frequent shopper programme called 'iSaveToday', providing relevant offers and messages to customers at the start of their shopping trip.

The programme is now available in all 115 Price Chopper supermarkets in six North-eastern states. Shoppers simply scan their AdvantEdge loyalty card at the iSaveToday dispenser in each store's entrance, and immediately receive a custom-printed sheet containing up to eight offers and promotional messages selected for them (based on their shopping history).

Incremental value "Providing customers with targeted offers at the scan of their Price Chopper AdvantEdge Card adds unique incremental value to our loyalty card programme while strategically expanding our marketing reach," explained Mona Golub, vice president of public relations and consumer services for Price Chopper.

The programme has already been praised by Vincent Sottosanti, Unilever's laundry shopper marketing manager, who observed: "We have found iSaveToday's 1-to-1 marketing to be very effective and efficient in driving our product sales. I can make individual offers to each shopper, customising my marketing message for each shopper's unique situation."

Technology partner Price Chopper contracted Entry Point Communications in 2006 to implement the iSaveToday system. According to Entry Point, the entrance marketing programme has three major components: 1. The dispenser in the store entrance; 2. The 'DealSense' offer software; 3. Extension beyond simple, untargeted offers.

How it works The iSaveToday unit itself is a purpose-built coupon dispenser designed for rapid throughput, with software that understands as much as possible about how each shopper has historically made their purchasing decisions. So, rather than interacting with the shopper at the kiosk and spending time making touch-screen choices about offers, shoppers simply swipe their loyalty card and receive their sheet of targeted offers in real time, based on their previous 64-week shopping history.

The dispenser is designed to be the first place shoppers stop at after entering the store. In addition to its capability of delivering offer sheets at high speed, it, houses Price Chopper's own ad circulars and streaming video clips, providing food and health-related information if it's needed.

Intelligent software The kiosk's DealSense software uses proprietary tools to compare each shopper against other shoppers to help identify insights about what and how each person buys, and then adds to that knowledge based on how the shopper responds to iSaveToday offers.

The system analyses category purchase history, purchase price history, purchase cycle for each category, category volumes and voids and many other factors to create pages of the best, most relevant offers for each shopper. Shoppers are given one page per shopping trip, and up to a maximum of two per week, on a sheet of perforated paper for immediate detachment and redemption in-store.

Consumer engagement Golub concluded: "While most direct marketing programmes start with offers and then look at their predefined shopper segments so as to give the same offers to each segment, iSaveToday is more consumer-centric. It starts with the shopper and then looks to match its best offers with that shopper on that day. For example, the system knows if it's time for you to buy coffee again and therefore, dispenses the right coffee offer based on your brand purchase history."

Such consumer/brand dialogue makes it possible to implement a variety of marketing programmes that engage shoppers, including points or dollar-based loyalty clubs, sweepstakes, and even personalised sampling, among others. All of these programme features are expected to be made available as Price Chopper expands its iSaveToday offering.

More Info: 

http://www.pricechopper.com