Dive Brief:
- Half of U.S. consumers say they will remain loyal to the companies they purchase from on Black Friday, according to a survey of 4,000 U.S. consumers released Thursday by SAP Emarsys, an omnichannel customer engagement platform.
- Tailored experiences foster more loyalty, the survey found. One in four consumers say they stick with brands that deliver personalized experiences and messaging based on their individual preferences.
- “Black Friday is just a huge way to maximize the opportunity because you're going to have as many visitors and customers at that peak time as you can,” Joanna Milliken, CEO of SAP Emarsys, told sister publication CX Dive. “The idea is to make all of those interactions count and make sure that you're delivering [not only] on the quality of the products or cost of entry, but that you're delivering an improved experience.”
Dive Insight:
With one in five consumers looking to buy holiday gifts around Black Friday, the retail holiday offers a massive opportunity for retailers to foster loyalty.
The opportunity “often starts with making sure that you're meeting your customers where they are,” Milliken said. “You've got to meet them where they are — on that mobile device. We know when they do that, they're also more likely to convert.”
Just over half of consumers use mobile apps for shopping, the survey found. Nearly half say they would use mobile apps more if they received personalized messages; that grows to seven in 10 if a brand offers rewards or incentives.
Retailers can build loyalty by directing a customer to shop on a mobile app, according to Milliken.
“If you can get somebody to download the app, that's a whole different level of commitment than browsing a site oftentimes,” Milliken said. “They’re giving up more information, and there's a different expectation of a give and get right between the brand and the customer.”
To keep those customers coming back time and again, it’s up to retailers to continue giving them value.
“Even if they come in wanting a discount, or they're kind of coming in for that incentive, [businesses] still have to maximize that opportunity,” Milliken said. “It’s taking what would be transactional and finding a way to just add personalization and continued value.”
