Boots: rewarding loyal customers
Boots enjoys high levels of customer loyalty thanks to its Advantage Card, which is successful in engaging shoppers across channels.
The health and beauty retailer enables shoppers to collect and spend points in-store, on its website or via its mobile app. The Boots Advantage Card scheme turned 21 last year and it is now one of the largest in the UK, with more than 14.6m members, as of 2018. Key to its success has been the high level of personalisation that it’s been able to deploy. Card holders receive personalised offers and discounts based on their personal information and spending details.
Those who are willing to share more details and fall into its core demographics can earn more points: members of its More Treats for Over 60s and Parenting clubs receive 10 points every time they spend £1 on Boots own-brand products – well ahead of the standard reward level of four points for every pound spent.
The retailer may have one of the most longstanding loyalty schemes in the UK but it’s also one of the most technologically sophisticated. Boots is among a minority of retailers in enabling shoppers to sign up for a loyalty card, or to add an existing one, from its mobile app. By doing so, Boots can more easily track its customers’ spending and shopping behaviours across sales channels.
The retailer also stands out in IRUK Top500 research in this Dimension because it keeps shoppers using its mobile app well-informed. App users can see and share product reviews, ratings and products on social media. They can also access services – booking in-store or pharmacy appointments and consultations – from the app. This all goes to make the app highly useful, a one-stop shop where shoppers can buy on the go as well as book eye tests and vaccination appointments and manage their prescriptions.
Added to this, the Boots website is home to inspiration and advice on subjects ranging from nutrition, beauty and skincare through to child development. Parents can easily tap into advice on how to help their child develop, or how to approach potty training, as well as look at a wide range of buying guides.
Such in-depth content is likely to keep shoppers on the Boots website for a period of time, engaging them while keeping them in the right place to make further purchases whenever they are relevant.
