The world of grocery retail is constantly evolving. With technology rapidly transforming the way we shop, grocers must come up with new and creative ways to connect with customers, both online and offline, and ensure a seamless experience at every interaction.
However, finding the right strategies and tactics to achieve this can be challenging. In this article, we will discuss five innovative strategies to help ambitious grocers like you to boost digital engagement and deliver an unforgettable shopping experience for your customers. Let’s get started.
Gamification: turning grocery shopping into an adventure
Deep down, we all have a playful side. At Lobyco, we help clients to infuse grocery shopping with interactive elements that gamify both the in-store and online experience. The result? A truly memorable customer journey that goes way beyond a mere chore.
By adding gamification elements, we can unlock a world of rewards, both financial and experiential. Picture interactive challenges, surprising bonuses and a shopping experience that keeps customers engaged and coming back for more. Our clients have reported outstanding results with gamification. Some were delighted to report that their customers spend 17% more in the weeks they win a game!
Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Introduce loyalty points: Encourage customers to collect points with every purchase, unlocking exciting rewards or exclusive discounts and offers. Our clients increased store visits from existing members by 14% after large-scale app adoption. Imagine what you could achieve?
Devise in-store challenges: Inspire your customers to channel their inner explorer by creating engaging quizzes or scavenger hunts that lead them to discover hidden deals and promotions throughout the store. This is also a great strategy for keeping kids entertained during family shopping outings.
Offer digital rewards: Introduce a tool that lets customers track their progress on loyalty schemes and earn digital stamps or badges. Better still, encourage them to compete with friends and family for the top spot on the leaderboards.
Find out how Lobyco’s gamification functionalities helped Coop achieve a 50% increase in repeat customers.
Time to get personal: targeted offers that drive sales and build loyalty
In today’s data-driven world, customers expect personalised experiences that cater to their unique preferences. By delivering relevant, targeted offers and recommendations, you can forge deeper, long-lasting connections with customers, enhancing their digital engagement, driving repeat purchases and – ultimately – creating advocates.
There is undeniable power in personalisation and cultivating a one-to-one relationship with customers. Statistics show that when customers activate a personal offer, their spending increases by 22% within weeks, driven by an impressive 14% increase in the number of trips they make. Personal offers play a crucial role in engaging customers even from the comfort of their homes, as up to 79% of these offers are activated outside the store. This emphasises the significance of tailoring experiences and building personalised connections to drive customer engagement and boost sales.
So how do you make it happen? For the best results, start by segmenting your customer data. Divide your customer base into distinct groups based on their demographics, location, shopping preferences, dietary requirements and any other relevant metrics. With our technology you can even break in down to hyper-personalised offers based on the individual rather than a group sharing similar characteristics – more on this in the next section. You can then leverage customer data and utilise advanced analytics to create tailored marketing campaigns that land at just the right time with just the right offer. You could also surprise your loyal customers with personalised offers on birthdays or anniversaries, making them feel valued and appreciated.
While surprises have their place, it’s also important to present offers when people are most receptive. For example, knowing their customers were contemplating the week ahead after a busy weekend, Coop Denmark delivered their personalised offers on a Sunday. This strategic data-driven decision resulted in over 50% of customers activating their offers on the day they were sent, resulting in a 40% increase in in-store sales.
Unlocking untapped engagement opportunities with marketing automation
Marketing automation has some crossover with personalisation but in the context of loyalty apps for supermarkets, they are distinct but complementary approaches to enhance engagement. Marketing automation involves dividing the customer base into different groups or segments based on specific criteria such as demographics, shopping behaviour, or preferences. This allows grocers to target each group with relevant offers and promotions that align with their unique needs. For example, one segment might consist of health-conscious shoppers, while another could include price-sensitive customers. By understanding these segments and delivering effective marketing automation campaigns, supermarkets can create tailored marketing strategies to appeal to each group effectively.
On the other hand, personalisation takes a more individualised approach by customising the shopping experience for each customer. It involves using data and analytics to understand individual preferences, past purchases and browsing history. With this information, supermarkets can provide personalised product recommendations, discounts, or even a curated shopping list. This level of personalisation fosters a sense of exclusivity and makes customers feel valued, ultimately increasing engagement and loyalty.
To maximise engagement, supermarkets can combine marketing automation and personalisation strategies. By first segmenting the audience and then offering personalised experiences within each segment, loyalty apps can deliver targeted promotions that resonate with customers on a more personal level. This approach not only increases customer engagement but also strengthens the overall relationship between the supermarket and its customers, leading to greater brand loyalty and increased customer retention.
Seamless instore convenience at their fingertips
Naturally, ordering online is second nature to us now, but it isn’t always the seamless experience we want and expect. Adopting the right technology, and integrating your payment, inventory management and delivery methods means your customers will always enjoy a smooth and secure checkout process.
It all starts with a great, user-friendly app that allows customers to browse products, place orders and make payments quickly and easily, whether they’re in-store or shopping online.
It’s also a good idea to integrate digital payment methods, such as mobile wallets or contactless payments, ensuring a smooth and secure checkout process. Make sure you keep customers in the loop by providing notifications and real-time tracking of their orders, so they know precisely when to expect their groceries.
Revolutionising loyalty programs: uniting in-store and online for unforgettable shopping experiences
Crafting unique, distinctive and innovative loyalty schemes helps you foster a sense of community, making customers feel valued and deepening their digital engagement. Your aim should be to devise programs that enhance both the in-store and online experience, creating a unified scheme that rewards customers financially and is seamlessly integrated throughout their shopping experience.
For example, many supermarkets have implemented loyalty programs that connect their physical stores with their online platforms. Customers can earn and redeem rewards both in-store and through their digital channels, providing a cohesive and convenient shopping experience. Moreover, the most effective loyalty schemes often offer personalised discounts, targeted recommendations and exclusive loyalty promotions based on individual shopping habits and preferences. Customers can track their rewards, access special promotions and receive personalised notifications of new products or deals. You could add further inspiration and value by sending a recipe featuring the promoted products that also take into account any specific dietary needs or preferences the customer has.
Grocery retailers have enjoyed a long association with charitable fundraising, enabling customers to make donations at the checkout. Adding this functionality to online purchases and incentivising customers to donate as part of their reward scheme is a win-win for all parties. Don’t forget to update your customers on how much they or your business overall have raised!
Find out how Profi increased their customers’ average basket size by 70% through an innovative loyalty platform.
Start your journey to increasing digital engagement today
Whatever combination of the above tactics you decide on, always start with a clear idea of your goals and the needs of your customers. Keep a close eye on your engagement analytics and an even closer eye on the technology and tools that are available to you.
If implementing these strategies seems overwhelming, especially considering your already busy schedule, there’s no need to worry. Lobyco is here to help. Our app offers all the tools and features you need to successfully implement these strategies and more. With Lobyco, you can effortlessly engage your customers online and offline, ensuring a seamless and unforgettable shopping experience at every touchpoint.
Our app is designed specifically for grocery retailers, addressing the unique challenges and opportunities in the industry. You can easily integrate Lobyco into your existing systems and processes, streamlining your operations and maximising efficiency. Whether it’s personalised offers, interactive features, or convenient shopping services, Lobyco has you covered.
But don’t just take our word for it. Contact our team today and request a free demo. We’ll walk you through the app, showcasing how Lobyco can transform your digital engagement and create a remarkable shopping experience for your customers. Let us help you take your grocery retail business to the next level.
