With consumer loyalty now, arguably, more important than ever before, Australia’s largest supermarket operator has teamed with the Australia’s largest airline to create a new loyalty alliance. Woolworths and Qantas today announced an exclusive Heads of Agreement to create a loyalty alliance, which would begin in the middle of next year. The new relationship will allow Woolworths customers who participate in the Everyday Rewards program to earn Qantas Frequent Flyer points when they shop... ...Read more »

Tesco, the UK’s largest retailer, is to launch a new feedback service entitled ‘Every Comment Helps’ in 100 of their UK supermarkets. Essentially, their improved customer service process will increase the ease of which consumers can contact the retailer (at no cost for the customer). “Customers can send us an SMS text, an e-mail, dial the freephone number, or use the traditional comment cards to give feedback,” a Tesco spokeswoman told Retail Week. “The system... ...Read more »

Shopper marketing, a strategy based on the in-store elements of the marketing mix to directly target customers, is reaping great rewards for the growing number of companies embracing the concept. Companies are discovering that, by using market insights, they can enhance the shopping experience to engage the customer, influence their purchase decisions and boost brand loyalty. The impact over the last couple of years has been profound for some companies and 73 per cent of participating consumer packaged... ...Read more »

An array of food and beverage manufacturers are now looking to consumers to provide ideas for new products and flavours as the internet opens up greater opportunities to connect with consumers. And it is not just manufacturers offering consumers with greater control over what they eat and drink, with retailers also seeking increased customer involvement. Mountain Dew  Mountain Dew, a popular beverage owned by PepsiCo, has recently announced a new beverage called Mountain Dew Voltage following an... ...Read more »

Good corporate citizenship reflected by ethical labour, environmental and social practices cannot be ignored by companies looking to differentiate themselves in a competitive market, according to a new survey conducted by TNS Canadian Facts. A key factor in the success of a business over the long term is the trust that is built between the company and consumers. Businesses that breach that trust can often suffer the consequences. In fact, about half of Canadians (49 per cent) say that they are... ...Read more »

Consumers are becoming increasingly disloyal as they look for ways to decrease their shopping bill in the wake of rising fuel, food and finance costs. In all, 22.1 per cent of British consumers were willing to shift from retailer to retailer due to their dissatisfaction with their current store. This data represented greater disloyalty than ever before, according to Verdict Research. Supermarket shoppers were found to be the least loyal, with 32.4 per cent indicating they would be more than happy... ...Read more »