Dive Brief:
- Staples has reimagined its loyalty program, introducing a new Easy Rewards program, the office supply retailer announced Thursday. The points-based system allows shoppers to earn points and cash them in for qualifying purchases.
- Shoppers can earn reward points for purchasing qualifying items, recycling used items and using other Staples services. Easy Rewards also gives shoppers exclusive access to savings events and members-only offers, according to a company press release.
- Customers will accumulate two times the points when they buy from their three most frequently purchased categories. They can also track their rewards points online or via the store’s mobile app, the company said.
Dive Insight:
Staples developed its new loyalty rewards program in response to customer feedback.
“Staples has a long history of looking for ways to make our customers’ lives easier. So, when they asked us for a different kind of loyalty program, we listened,” Ory Adler, vice president of digital and loyalty at Staples, said in a statement. “Easy Rewards is the ultimate personalized shopping experience, delivering tremendous savings and value to every customer because it’s built around their unique preferences.”
To celebrate the new program, the retailer is offering a series of leap day deals. On Feb. 29, customers can earn 29 times points on products such as laptops, printers, luggage and Apple products if they spend $29 or more. The retailer is also providing 29,000 free passport photos at its stores across the country.
Staples isn’t the only retailer paying closer attention to customer loyalty. Over the past year or so, other major brands and retailers, including Victoria’s Secret, Under Armour, Kith and Barnes & Noble, have debuted or revamped their customer loyalty incentives. Increasingly, retailers are adding unique perks for loyalty members like exclusive merchandise, early access to product drops or tiered benefit structures.
Staples has also bolstered other customer support and returns offerings to ease the shopper experience. Last July, the company introduced three paid computer tech support plans, providing customers with support for issues ranging from laptop crashes and device damage to identity theft and viruses. That same month, the company expanded its acceptance of Amazon returns to all of its physical locations.
