Waitrose says it’s putting its customers in the driving seat as it gives them the power to pick which groceries they save money on when they shop either in a branch or online.
The supermarket says its Pick Your Own Offers scheme is a world-first. Customers who are also members of loyalty scheme myWaitrose can now choose ten products they’d like to save 20% on, from a list of almost 1,000. That list includes everyday items as well as special treats and is chosen from the most popular items that Waitrose customers usually put in their shopping baskets. Shoppers will still be able to benefit from in-store promotions, as well as price match schemes.
“This is a ground-breaking move giving customers the power to choose the offers they want,” said Mark Price, managing director of Waitrose. “We know from the success of myWaitrose that customers like straightforward deals they can trust that are relevant to them. Pick Your Own Offers goes one step further by putting them in control.
“Different forms of personalised marketing have been around since the 1990s, but we’re introducing mass customisation in grocery. Customers can choose what’s valuable to them when they shop for groceries. We really are giving power to the consumer.”
myWaitrose members choose their product savings by setting up or logging into a Waitrose.com account and choosing their 10 nominated products online. That choice will remain in place for a set period, to the end of the summer in this instance. Then when the shoppers buys those products either in the store or online, the discount is automatically applies, as long as they swipe their myWaitrose card in store or sign into a linked Waitrose.com account.
Commenting on the new scheme, Tim Reay, head of grocery at Salmon , said the new scheme was a “game changer in grocery”.
“Delivering exceptional customer experience is essential for any brand but with the price war so prominent at the moment innovations like this will help to set grocers apart from their competitors,” he said.
“Whilst savvy retailers should continue to gather and analyse data to suggest offers and products bespoke to their individual customers preferences, innovative loyalty schemes like these will hyper-personalise the customer experience and put the power directly back into the hands of the customers themselves.
“The message is clear: retailers who can execute a truly personalised multichannel experience for their customers are rewarded with order frequency other industries can only dream of, and truly incremental sales and profit alongside a deeper relationship with their most valuable customers.”
