Loyalty Account Scheme

After deciding that we wanted our main objective to be creating and keeping loyal customers, it was then a matter of finding a scheme to achieve this. This wasn't necessarily going to be a matter of promotion alone, we needed a new initiative for the company that we could promote further later.

After a day or so of brain storming, I suggested a change to the sales section of GC's online store. This would be along the lines of an account level system, where you could earn either points or advantages and move up levels.

I thought a simple ranking way to display this would be with BRONZE, SILVER and GOLD accounts you could progress to - you would begin with a BRONZE account with your first purchase. For aesthetic purposes (wanting them to resemble the webpage in sets of four) we chose to add LUXURY as a premium account. The harder part of this scheme would be to then choose how you could progress and what exactly you would earn in each account package. As a group we settled on the following:

BRONZE - you have bought ONE dress.

SILVER - you have bought TWO dresses and you earn a monthly 15% discount code.

GOLD - you have bought five dresses and you are entered into a prize draw to win a FREE dress, and 

continue your 15% monthly discount.

LUXURY - you have EIGHT dresses and you are given a guest discount code for a friend, a one off 30% discount code, and you continue with your 15% monthly discount after that.

The discount codes mentioned would be individual to the customer/account holder, they would be one use, and they would have a time limit for their use. This will reduce the amount of discounted sales and save the company unnecessary loss.

In time, depending on the company's growth and success, there could be further account stages added, or LUXURY customers accounts would be given further privileges such as being entered into random prize draws.

In terms of fashion shopping accounts online, a lot offer exclusive deals to account users such as next day delivery and discounts. Very.com provide the following:

10% off first credit order

FREE next day delivery when ordered with Collect+

FREE Very treat every time you order with a credit account

Buy now, pay later

3 payments, 3 months, no interest

As GC create most garments by order, free next day delivery would be unrealistic. Giving a free gift was also a possibility but appeared to be a waste of budget. The discount is something we had decided to use but because of our objective to create and KEEP loyal customers, we extended our discount codes to one a month rather than a one off promotion technique. Also keeping our objectives in mind, we feel the 4 level progression scheme I thought of would keep them interested and provide an ongoing opportunity to promote to customers and engage them within the company.

Rebecca Jaye Sharples