IGA Launches Next Phase of e-Coupon Offer
IGA has teamed up with Royal Oak, Mich.-based reach | influence [ri], to launch a digital promotion solution for several of its 1,200 domestic grocery locations. This collaboration is the next generation of "IGA Performance Insights," a program that launched in May 2013 to organize IGA retailers into a single marketing entity, leveraging their combined sales volume to increase individual store sales.
“This enhancement of IGA’s already successful Performance Insights program is another demonstration of IGA retailers working together as one with IGA-branded marketing programs that leverage smart new technologies,” said Mark Batenic, CEO of Chicago-based IGA. “Our growing relationship with reach | influence continues to reinforce our ability to serve the network and grow revenue for IGA stores.”
The solution aggregates national digital coupon content as well as the content unique-to-the IGA community generated through performance Insights. Exclusive IGA offers and digital coupons are e-mailed weekly to shoppers who register for the program at their local IGA store. employing an electronic wallet (e-Wallet) function, shoppers can digitally clip coupons that are uploaded immediately and then redeemed at their preferred IGA location. The e-wallet technology will also provide additional shopper-specific understanding to enable customization and personalization of the offers based on historic shopping behavior.
According to Eric Green, CEO of reach│influence, the solution offers “a digital conduit for [IGA's independent retailers] to communicate one-to-one with their shoppers and to leverage the same national coupon content as the national chains."
reach | influence will continue collecting and analyzing store transaction data, in addition to managing the digital messaging of this program to shoppers. Additionally, the company will assist participating retailers in synchronizing all transaction data into a secure database using standard transfer protocols, which requires no additional hardware or software. This information will be used to send personalized digital offers and CPG content directly to consumer in-boxes, enabling shoppers to click and load to a digital e-wallet.
IGA is the world’s largest voluntary supermarket network, with aggregate worldwide retail sales of more than $31.5 billion per year. The alliance includes nearly 5,000 Hometown Proud Supermarkets worldwide, supported by 29 distribution centers and more than 30 major manufacturers, vendors and suppliers encompassing everything from grocery to equipment items. IGA has operations in 46 of the United States and more than 30 countries, commonwealths and territories.