Loyalty program

Loyalty cards are carriers of customer-related data and / or a customer loyalty program. They are regarded as a particularly informative and efficient tool for attracting customers through interesting service or trade offers as well as to induce the customer to repeat purchase, thus to increase customer loyalty and to obtain personal data. Loyalty cards are either personalized or transferable. The customer receives a card with the accession of plastic or paper, which often also includes a magnetic strip with stored data.

It is estimated that in the United States more than 70 percent of households own a debit card in a supermarket, in the Netherlands more than 80 percent. In Germany, 60 percent have a Payback card.

Operation

Companies provide their customers from customer cards to make long-term to bind itself to analyze the buying behavior and create the transaction data stored customer profiles. By presenting the card, the customer receives cash benefits, benefits or other perks. Through the mediated " savings effect " the customer returns to the company. In addition, the company is constantly present by the presence of the card in your wallet.

Criticism

Another criticism of store cards, that they are intended to monitoring and evaluation of the consumption habits of customers in addition to customer loyalty. Complicating the problem is that there are often several companies from various sectors issuing a joint customer card and thus a common database. A movement profile can be created for frequent use of a customer card. It has been shown empirically that the acceptance of the customer card with increasing anxiety decreases from abuse of data. Publisher of customer cards must therefore observe the option of customers. "Without the responsible handling of customer data one eludes even the basis for individualized retail marketing. "

Types of loyalty cards

Loyalty cards are diverse; they may have one or more functions, which is also directed their name:

  • Bonus cards, for example frequent flyer programs of the airlines and their alliances, the programs of various hotel chains and customer cards of trade. In the following examples, the percentage of the spread in German households in 2008, according to a GfK study of Payback to:
  • Payback 59.5 %
  • Happy Points ( HappyDigits ) 42.8 % ( adjusted at 31 December 2012)
  • Germany Card 13.7%
  • Shell Club Smart 11.0%
  • BSW. The Bonus Club
  • SüdBest ( Has December 31, 2009 set )
  • SME customers cards
  • Frequent flyer programs (eg Miles & More from Lufthansa in 9.5 % of German households or blue miles by TUIfly ) or frequent traveler programs (eg bahn.bonus comfort and bahn.bonus Deutsche Bahn or ÖBB club & bonus ÖBB )
  • Regio cards, merger of several local businesses such as marketing associations, which issue a joint loyalty card
  • Access cards, for example, for automatic video stores or phone companies (eg Global One ) or SIM card
  • Customer cards with payment function, such as airlines and credit card or benefit card at drugstores and perfumeries (eg Douglas Card ) that are also debit cards simultaneously
  • Customer cards with direct benefit, ie direct deduction of a certain percentage or amount of the purchase price when buying (eg City Power -card regional energy provider, Esprit club pre -card or Ikea Family Card)

It is possible to save through smartphone apps store cards purely digitally on the iPhone or Android, and thus to earn points. Examples of such apps are Stocard, Key Ring, FidMe and mobile pocket.

Magnetic stripe card Android (operating system)
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