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Ukrop’s Super Markets LAUNCHES
the Savings Spot
REVOLUTIONARY NEW COUPON DISPENSER PRINTS RELEVANT TARGETED OFFERS FOR IMMEDIATE CONSUMER USE
RICHMOND, VA – May 7th, 2007 - Ukrop’s Super Markets announced today that Savings Spot, a 1-to-1 shopper program delivering personalized offers and messages to shoppers at the start of their shopping trips, is now available in all Ukrop’s Super Markets in Virginia. Shoppers scan their Ukrop’s Valued Customer Card (UVC Card) at the Savings Spot dispenser located near the store entrance and within seconds, receive a sheet of up to eight (8) offers and messages selected just for them based on their shopping history. This innovative program allows Ukrop’s and its vendors to give unadvertised personalized offers to the chain’s most valuable customers. Ukrop’s was the first retailer to pilot this system with its creator, Entry Point Communications (EPC) and joins Price Chopper based in Schenectady, NY in EPC’s growing retail media network of Entry Marketing dispensers.
“Our goal is to provide unparalleled customer service and to deliver a superior shopping experience on every trip. The Savings Spot is a major milestone in the re-invention of our UVC Card loyalty platform to widen the gap between other grocery chains’ ‘discount cards’ that have become commodities and ours, that now personalizes the shopping experience and promotes chain loyalty,” says Scott Aronson, Vice President of Marketing at Ukrop’s. “The Savings Spot is a unique competitive advantage for Ukrop’s and our key vendors to speak directly to our customers at the start of their shopping trips,” he added.
According to Bob Gould, Marketing Manager, Snyder’s of Hanover, “We’ve participated in EPC’s Entry Marketing pilot at Ukrop’s since last June. The program results are consistently outstanding. This 1-to-1 marketing program has been very effective and efficient in driving incremental sales of five Snyder’s products. The Savings Spot’s automated targeting allows our brands to reward loyalty while also attracting new consumers. Based on the redemption rates by offer type we’re seeing, we are confident the right offer is getting into the hands of the right consumer.”
Ukrop’s selected EPC, in 2005 to implement its Entry Marketing system. According to EPC, its Entry Marketing program has three major components: (1) The Savings Spot dispenser prominently located inside store entrances; (2) The program’s DealSense automated targeting software; and (3) The program concept that extends beyond just offers and messages to incorporate other UVC Card-based loyalty programs later this year.
High Speed Savings Spot Dispenser
The Savings Spot dispenser is a purpose-built “coupon dispenser” designed for rapid throughput by moving all thinking and decision-making to intelligent software with knowledge about how each shopper has made prior purchasing decisions. Rather than “interact” and spend time making choices about offers, shoppers simply swipe their UVC Card to receive a sheet of pre-selected offers just for them based on their previous 65-week shopping history. Reducing this accessing time down from minutes to seconds brings a new level of convenience to dispenser activation – enabling it to become a part of every shopping trip. The Savings Spot dispenser is designed to be the first place shoppers go upon entering the store. In addition to its capability of delivering offer sheets at high-speed, the dispenser also has an on-board video display which can stream video advertising triggered by a brand’s appearance on a shopper’s offer sheet. At Ukrop’s the Savings Spot is where shoppers go to pick up Ukrop’s weekly circular, stacked on an integrated rack.
EPC Technology
The intelligence behind the Savings Spot is its DealSense™ automated targeting. DealSense uses proprietary tools to compare shoppers against each other to discover insights into what and how each buys and then adds information on how shoppers respond to Savings Spot offers. The system analyzes category purchase history, purchase price history, purchase cycle for each category, category volumes and voids and more to deliver the most relevant offers for each shopper. Shoppers receive their personalized coupons when they scan their UVC Cards at the Savings Spot dispenser. The offers are instantly redeemable on purchases made at Ukrop’s.
“What makes this program truly unique is the technology and how it mines our data,” said Aronson. “While most direct marketing programs rely on a segmentation approach--starting with an offer and then finding a group of shoppers that it makes sense for, Savings Spot is more ‘consumer-centric’. It starts with the shopper and then selects the best offers for that particular shopper based on the household’s needs and potential desires. For example, the system knows when you’re likely running out of cereal and therefore dispenses the ‘right’ cereal offer based on your brand purchase history. It’s very different from any other targeted program available to retailers today,” he added.
Program Evolution Beyond Personal Circular
The Savings Spot delivers offers and messages in stores at the start of the shopping trip with high speed and low cost so it scales. The Savings Spot is the first program that allows grocers and manufacturers to interact one-to-one with shoppers, each time they shop. This consumer–brand dialogue makes it possible to implement a variety of marketing programs that further engage shoppers, including (1) points or dollar-based loyalty clubs; (2) sweepstakes; and (3) low-cost controllable sampling, among others. These program features will soon be available chain-wide to fully engage its loyal shoppers.
About Ukrop’s
Ukrop's Super Markets, Inc., founded and headquartered in Richmond, Va., with more than 5,500 associates now operates 28 retail food stores, Joe's Market, a central bakery and kitchen, and a distribution center. Since 1937, the privately held business remains dedicated to its version of the Golden Rule: “treating customers, associates and suppliers as they personally want to be treated.” Each year, Ukrop's gives a minimum of 10 percent of its pre-tax profits back to the community. Ukrop's was a pioneer in both loyalty marketing and meal solutions when it launched its Valued Customer® program in 1987 and its chilled prepared foods in 1989. In 1997, Ukrop's established a unique partnership to place banks in its retail locations. Today it co-owns, with Markel Corporation, 24 First Market Bank branches in Ukrop's locations and 9 free-standing branches.
www.ukrops.com
About Entry Point Communications: Based in Hartford, CT, EPC invented High-Speed 1-to-1 marketing at store entrances. An in-store marketing and media company, EPC delivers its turnkey 1-to-1 entrance marketing program to both advertisers and retailers. EPC works closely with retailers and CPG manufacturers to craft offer campaigns for each participating product and analyze results. EPC expects to extend its media network to over 2,000 stores by the end of 2008. Advertiser ROI’s average 30% and range from 10% to 250%. Advertisers participating in EPC’s 1-to-1 marketing program include Nestlé, Unilever, Georgia Pacific, Kraft, Mt. Olive Pickles, PepsiCo, Cumberland Packing and many more.
www.epc-instore.com
Contacts:
For Entry Point Communications
Jayne Mullen-Sampson
VP, Marketing
(774) 212-0778
jmsampson@epc-instore.com
For Ukrop’s Super Markets, Inc.
Jonathan Rhudy
804-897-0763
jonathan@rhudy.biz
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