Gone are the days of the linear buyer journey. Today, shoppers zigzag between various channels, both online and offline, before finally making a purchase decision — and they expect to interact with loyalty programs seamlessly at every touchpoint.
However, if your brand is providing disparate experiences between these channels, it’s likely you’re losing out on LTV. In fact, over a quarter of shoppers say their biggest frustration with loyalty programs is the disconnect between online and in-store experiences.
So, what does that mean for your brand? It’s time to focus on omnichannel loyalty programs.
Winning eCommerce brands are shifting from traditional loyalty programs to omnichannel strategies, enabling them to provide personalized experiences that connect with and reward customers across channels, in-store and online, without friction or barriers. According to the Aberdeen Group, companies with the strongest omnichannel customer engagement strategies retain an average of 89% of their customers, compared to 33% for companies with weak omnichannel strategies.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to shift the way consumers shop, it will only become more crucial for brands to encourage customer loyalty across all channels. Consumers are buying products online they’d typically only purchase in-store, turning them from one-channel to multi-channel customers, and it’ll be essential to build omnichannel loyalty strategies that capture and engage customers on both these online and offline channels.
With Yotpo’s in-store point-of-sale integration and receipt scanning functionality, your brand can enable customers to access your loyalty program in their hands while they shop, providing an easy, comfortable experience that puts their well-being first.
As customers return to shopping in-store, it’s important to ensure they feel safe. These features limit interactions with store associates, like exchanging phone numbers and email addresses at checkout, and they give brands the power to provide a valuable loyalty program experience that transitions seamlessly from online to offline.
What is omnichannel loyalty?
Omnichannel loyalty programs allow members to earn and redeem points online, in-store and even through channels like social media and SMS. This approach to loyalty allows customers the flexibility to enjoy the perks of a loyalty program as they feel most comfortable.
Yotpo Loyalty & Referrals supports online-offline hybrid shopping behaviors, meaning customers can easily access their loyalty data, earn points, and redeem rewards at brands’ brick-and-mortar stores or online.
Enable shoppers to earn and redeem points in your stores with a POS integration
Your customers won’t use a loyalty program that’s difficult to access, so it’s essential to ensure shoppers can interact with your program across channels to drive the most engagement.
Yotpo’s POS integration provides seamless, customer-led redemption experiences via QR codes in your brick-and-mortar store. These enable your loyal customers to easily access their accounts from their mobile devices to check their loyalty program status and see discounts and offers while shopping. They can then access easy checkout experiences that remove the need for associate-led customer look-up.
How does it work?
First, raise awareness about your loyalty program in your store with banners displaying a scannable QR code. The codes will link to a URL inviting your shoppers to open their rewards program profile or register for your loyalty program by setting up their email address to opt-in, enabling your brand to effortlessly drive acquisition.
Shoppers can then open their loyalty program accounts right away and select the available discount they’d like to redeem in store, and the store associate will simply scan the barcode.
The process is entirely customer-led, eliminating the uncomfortable experience of walking up to the register to ask about available discounts. And, because shoppers know their promotions, they’re more likely to spend more in store — increasing AOV.
Let shoppers earn points, even when they shop via third-party retailers, with receipt scanning
If your brand does not have a POS integration in your brick-and-mortar location, or your brand sells via third-party retailers, it’s still essential to enable your loyalty program members to earn points for their purchases across these channels.
With receipt scanning, your shoppers can continue to earn rewards and engage with your loyalty program, even if they purchase outside of your traditional loyalty channels.
How does it work?
Customers simply sign into their account via their mobile device and upload a photo of their receipt with their purchases from the brand. After being validated — every receipt submitted is manually moderated by a human to prevent fraud — the customer will receive an email letting them know they’ve received rewards for their purchase.
For the customer, the process is seamless and easy, and it allows them to shop wherever they prefer without missing out on loyalty program rewards. Your brand also benefits: You can collect new customers’ email addresses, view and analyze purchase data, and even incentivize your D2C channel with specific rewards for their next purchase.
With the holidays coming up, receipt scanning is a great way to capture new customers and continue to engage them across channels. Post-holiday, try encouraging shoppers to gather up their receipts to earn points even after the gifting season is over.
Omnichannel loyalty programs provide a unified customer experience
Regardless of where your customers prefer to shop, whether it’s online, in-store, or through third-party retailers, your brand can create a seamless omnichannel loyalty strategy with POS integrations and receipt scanning.
To get started with these features, request a demo or contact your Customer Success Manager.
