Card builds on the success of Tesco Clubcard and “Friends of Fresh & Easy” email program.
Building on the success of Tesco‟s Clubcard, a loyalty program with more than 30 million card holders in 12 countries, Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market is introducing a similar program for its customers later this year.
The program will be an evolution of the grocer‟s popular “Friends of Fresh & Easy” email program. The “Friends” program, which will trial first in seven stores in the Bakersfield area in the Autumn, is a digital points-based program with customers earning one point for every dollar they spend at Fresh & Easy. Customers can exchange their points for cash-back rewards and “Friends” will receive personalized bi-weekly emails with real-time updates on points earned and targeted bonus point coupons.
“Friends of Fresh & Easy” was introduced in December 2008 to give Fresh & Easy’s most loyal customers exclusive news and information about the company and its products as well as special coupons and offers. The program has grown rapidly since introduction and now is more than 360,000 customers strong.
“We wanted to create a program that was designed to thank our customers for being our friends,” said Fresh & Easy CEO Tim Mason. “The program will be digital so points can be online and communication to customers can be sent via email. This model for Clubcard will work well for our U.S. customers and is a great fit for our Fresh & Easy business.”
Unlike most supermarket and retail loyalty programs in the US, “Friends” will not penalize customers who do not use their card with higher prices. It’ is not designed to be a “key to unlock special prices,” the company noted. Fresh & Easy’s everyday low prices will remain the same for everyone.
Fresh & Easy plans to roll out the program to all stores following the Bakersfield pilot.
