Programmes save consumers billions

SOUTH AFRICAN consumers, under the whip of a tough economic climate, are increasingly taking advantage of reward points and loyalty programmes. It is estimated that last year this was to the tune of billions of rands and the trend looks set to continue. An Eighty20 and Tritech Media ‘2018 Loyalty Programme Member Engagement Survey’ interviewed 1,413 respondents with regard to 26 of the biggest loyalty programmes out of a possible 100+ in South Africa, including eBucks, UCount, Smart Shopper and Vitality. It reveals that the average consumer is subscribed to about nine different rewards programmes but is not necessarily active.

In determining the most successful programmes, the analysts looked at three major factors. How many respondents indicated they were registered for the rewards programme; how many were active and how the programmes changed their spending habits.

Members said those that gave them the most value were Clicks ClubCard, Pick n Pay Smart Shopper and Dis-Chem Benefits. Within the retail banking sector Standard Bank UCount, FNB eBucks and Absa Rewards were said to have had the greatest influence on their shopping behaviour.

As customer marketing executive Heloise Janse Van Rensburg, recently shared with IOL, “Our Clicks ClubCard has 7.5million active members. We provide simple, easy rewards that are accessible and convenient to our customers.” Partners include Shell, Discovery HealthCare, Sorbet, The Body Shop, Musica, SpecSavers and Execuspecs, City Lodge Hotel Group, Europecar and Netflorist where customers can earn further points and benefits.

A Truth report, reveals Clicks Clubcard as the top loyalty programme at 72 percent, Pick n Pay Smart Shopper as 60 percent. DisChem Benefit Programme ranks as the third most used.