Shoppers want to collect loyalty points on their mobiles

New research has shown that three-quarters of shoppers want to collect loyalty points on their phone, and retailers are being urged to develop mobile loyalty schemes to engage with their consumers.

A study of 1,000 people in the UK by leading mobile app developer, Apadmi, found that eight in 10 Brits would like to start collecting loyalty points on a retail app. The research also found that 29 percent of shoppers would be happy to share their location with a retail app to gain incentives and loyalty points when they walk around the store.

Customer loyalty card schemes are used by a lot of shoppers, with over half of consumers (51 percent) claiming they own more than one loyalty card, and 46 percent stating that they regularly collect and spend points on a reward card.

However, at present, only 20 percent of UK smart phone users interact with a retail loyalty scheme on their phone.

The research reveals that 47 percent of consumers said they would prefer to collect loyalty points on a mobile app, rather than a card, to free up space in their wallet. Also, 63 percent said they would be more likely to take their phone with them when they go shopping over a loyalty card, highlighting the convenience of mobile loyalty schemes.

Nick Black, CEO of Apadmi, said: “Loyalty schemes are a great way to acknowledge a customer’s loyalty by adding value to their visits and giving them a reason to return in the future. And it seems the days of retailers offering customers only traditional loyalty cards could soon be limited, as technology opens up huge opportunities for mobile apps to offer instant rewards, offers and location-based messaging in a much more engaging and interactive way.

“Interestingly, our research shows that UK shoppers are open to mobile loyalty schemes and are attracted to the benefits they could bring. Customers appreciate investment that retailers make, especially when it is rewarding and thanking them for their loyalty.”

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