Leveraging Loyalty

Leveraging Loyalty

Reaping Rewards Loyalty marketing programs recognize and reward the best customers of a business. Nearly one-third of U.S. consumers (32.3%) consider their participation in retail rewards programs to be “more important” as they seek to stretch their household budgets in the recessionary economy, according to survey research from Colloquy. In another significant result from its [...]

Wilson Farms Adds ACH Debit Card with Multiple Rewards

Wilson Farms Adds ACH Debit Card with Multiple Rewards

Wilson Farms has introduced a combination ACH debit and loyalty card to their customers in the Batavia, N.Y. market. The Red Hot Rewards Card allows Wilson Farms’ customers to earn free and discounted products as well as 5% cash back on both fuel and non-fuel purchases and earn rewards every time they shop with Wilson [...]

Outsite Networks Completes Loyalty Certification for Verifone

Outsite Networks Completes Loyalty Certification for Verifone

This certification allows Outsite Networks to integrate directly with the terminal loyalty ports and offer loyalty partners the additional capabilities of special member pricing, price roll back and stored cash-value rewards. “Our loyalty solution opened the possibility of loyalty across varied combinations of POS equipment because it works with every make and model POS equipment [...]

Kroger and Shell Kickoff Grocer Rewards Program

Kroger and Shell Kickoff Grocer Rewards Program

The Kroger Co. and Shell have teamed up to launch a customer loyalty grocer rewards program in several U.S. cities. The rewards program provides shoppers the exclusive opportunity to earn savings on fuels when using their Kroger family of brands loyalty card at their local Kroger or Ralphs stores.  Beginning on Feb. 15, Kroger and [...]

BP Aims To Offer Price Rollback Technology Network-wide

BP Aims To Offer Price Rollback Technology Network-wide

BP Products North America Inc. plans to be the first fuel company in the U.S. to deliver price rollback technology that awards instant cents-off-per-gallon savings at the pump to consumers throughout its BP-branded network. As of Jan. 31, more than 350 eligible sites have begun the BP-funded and managed technology deployment process with the remainder of [...]

Set Your Sights on Loyalty

Set Your Sights on Loyalty

Catalina Marketing and Outsite Networks have partnered to bring brand-sponsored loyalty offerings to convenience stores. Catalina Marketing, the innovator and leader in consumer-focused marketing, delivers compelling and relevant in-store promotions. The marketing company partners with grocery, drug, mass and convenience retailers to provide the best money-saving incentives for your customers. Catalina offers 25 years of [...]

CVS/pharmacy Delivers More Rewards

CVS/pharmacy Delivers More Rewards

CVS/pharmacy’s ExtraCare rewards program is paying off for customers. Cardholders received a combined total of more than $1.9 billion in savings and rewards throughout 2009 by using their ExtraCare card each time they shopped at CVS/pharmacy or online at CVS.com. “In 2009, Americans continued to cut costs and look for new ways to help stretch [...]

Ronald Samuel Wins Sunoco’s “Free Fuel 5000”

Ronald Samuel Wins Sunoco’s “Free Fuel 5000”

Sunoco has awarded 5,000 gallons of gasoline to the winner of its 2009 Free Fuel 5000 promotion, Ronald Samuel. As the official fuel of NASCAR, Sunoco’s “Free Fuel 5000″ promotion offered millions of Sunoco customers a decal identical to the ones on every racecar in NASCAR’s three top series. By getting spotted with a decal [...]

Nice Guys Do Finish First

Nice Guys Do Finish First

Congratulations to Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes, Convenience Store Decisions’ 2009 Convenience Store Chain of the Year. The Chain of the Year award remains the oldest and most prestigious award in the industry. This year is our 20th anniversary of presenting the distinction to a deserving chain and we’re honored to have recognized some of [...]

Speedway SuperAmerica Presents a Unified Front

Speedway SuperAmerica Presents a Unified Front

SuperAmerica won CSD’s Chain of the Year award in 1991, and Speedway was recognized with that honor six years later. In 1998, the two convenience store chains merged to form Speedway SuperAmerica LLC, which is owned by Marathon Oil Corp. Today, Speedway SuperAmerica, which is based in Enon, Ohio, is made up of more than [...]

Neighbours to the North

Neighbours to the North

Since receiving CSD’s Chain OF THE YEAR award in 2002, Petro-Canada has seen multiple changes. The most significant has been the merger between Suncor Energy Inc. and Petro-Canada, which was finalized in August of this year. While the company operates under the Suncor Energy name, it maintains the trusted Petro-Canada brand for its refined products [...]

Opportunities Abound

Opportunities Abound

The NACS Show is my annual reminder of just how much innovation exists among the many talented retailers and suppliers I communicate with every day. I expect this year’s show—amazingly the 14th of my career—to be one of the most interesting I’ve ever attended. While the event has so much to offer, a black cloud [...]

Cultivating Customers Through Loyalty

Cultivating Customers Through Loyalty

Customer Commitment The biggest hurdle some retailers face when implementing a loyalty program is getting customers to notice the many benefits. When Mid-State Petroleum launched its loyalty offering last November company Vice President Tony Perez launched a promotion to give away $10,000 in rewards at each of his locations. New customers received a $5 reward [...]

When One Size Fits All Doesn’t Fit

When One Size Fits All Doesn’t Fit

I have always been a c-store guy, I just did not realize it until I became affiliated with this publication and started paying more attention to the intricacies of the segment.  Thanks to my wife, I rarely go to the grocery store anymore–she actually likes the experience. I also rarely take the time to enjoy [...]

Pizza

Pizza

TOP PERFORMERS Hunt Brothers Pizza Freschetta (Schwan’s) Hot Stuff Foods HONORABLE MENTIONS Piccadilly Circus Pizza Red Baron (Schwan’s) With menus that are customizable to a broad array of tastes and budgets, pizza programs have long been a go-to solution for convenience retailers who want foodservice solutions that deliver immediately profitable models, not to mention proven [...]