Swedish retailer tests NFC rewards scheme
Pilot of digital programme in Stockholm Read more ...

Mobile app for cinema food and drink orders
Scheme starts in Australia Read more ...

EU plans strict rules on internet user data
Process to introduce new regulations starts today
Read more ...

Qype monetises fifth market
Search and review reward scheme set up in Brazil Read more ...

Airline launches “one of a kind” travel experiences promotion
Partnership with MasterCard Read more ...

London 2012 - More than just the Olympics
Hockney's art and Yorkshire tea
There was something so unashamedly British and celebratory about David Hockney’s  “A bigger picture” at the Royal Academy that I wanted to bottle it and sell it to businesses, writes Annich McIntosh
Read more ...

Rapping on the virtual door of the hip-hop world
Snoop Dogg has dominated the rap game since the early 90s and now he’s making moves in Smeet.
Read more ...

Over 50% of smartphone owners use them more for apps than for calls or texts
Changing use of mobile technology giving marketers the runaround
A survey has been published which shows consumers are becoming obsessed with phone apps,  especially the free ones.
Read more ...

Declining US superstores turn to social media to reverse trend
Wal-Mart Stores and Sears Holdings Corp. are suffering uncomfortable media comparisons. Both are grandfathers of the retail sector, both have historically been giants and innovators. And now both are squirming due to declining revenues and a lack of concentration on where the customer buck is going.
Read more ...

Seven out of 10 Americans visit a Macy’s store at least once a year – but who are they?
Dunnhumby helps them find out
Following close on the heels of the announcement last week that Nordstom was revamping its loyalty programme to “put more control” into the hands of customers”, Macy’s have unveiled its plans for learning more about its customers.
Read more ...

Top ten eShopping trends for 2012
Mobile to become 18-20% of website traffic

Retailers to feel the pinch as more brands sell direct to customers online

Over half of retail sales to be influenced by a brand's web presence

Read more ...

Data is the new oil
As data protection rules are being tightened in many jurisdictions, how should companies ‘join the dots’ of the actions of the datarati?
Having just returned from the four day Loyalty World conference in London, it is not surprising that my head is buzzing with dozens of buzz phrases and important insights, writes Annich McIntosh Read more ...

Loyalty Magazine in print
Loyalty Magazine is back in print after seven years of being an online-only title. The reason for this 'retro' move is to support the launch of The Loyalty Awards and act as a carrier for The Call for Entries, The Shortlist and The Winners brochures. Read more ...

Changing the face of retail - again
When Tesco opened a store in a South Korea subway filled just with pictures, it signalled a massive leap forward both for retail loyalty, and for the use of mobile technology Read more ...

Positioning Avios as the international multi-airline mileage reward
Avios will emerge like a phoenix from the flames of UK Air Miles – but what of the consequences, both for owner International Airlines Group (IAG) and for customers? Q&A with The Mileage Company MD Andrew Swaffield. Read more ...

Special report on loyalty in Japan
Loyalty still a respected value of Japanese culture

A loyalty rewards card that encourages gravesite visiting

The importance of "Matsuri/Festival" to the Japanese people Read more ...

That thorny old question: Is there such a thing as loyalty at all?
The question is often raised, mostly by people who don’t work in the loyalty business, whether there is really such a thing as loyalty at all. Annich McIntosh, editor of Loyalty Magazine believes that with an economic recession and changing perceptions, it is more important than ever.
Read more ...

Can established businesses offer beat Groupon for deals?
A new group buying business model aims to take dominance of the market away from the likes of Groupon, and enable more traditional companies to run their own daily deal offerings. Read more ...

Are social networks the key to ecommerce loyalty?
Since the advent of widespread ecommerce, retailers have been trying every avenue available in an attempt to foster serious loyalty among their online customers. From Search Engine Optimisation and Pay-Per-Click advertising to email marketing, online discounts and offers, all digital marketing forms have been heavily implemented, and while some online customers are loyal, many will just flit between competitors to find what’s best for them. Read more ...

Greek bank success in a troubled market
It is the stuff of loyalty dreams. The points redeemed from the loyalty scheme of a European bank exceeds the number of points issued, even though the number of points being issued has gone up. The result of this of course, means 100% redemption - and it has been achieved by a bank in Greece. Read more ...

Payback drives India ambitions
Analysis of Indian loyalty sector
Payback aims to double its presence in highly competitive loyalty market through deal with country's biggest retailer Read more ...

The role of trust in customer relationships
ECSP and Pitney Bowes conduct new study
Trust is seen as a core requirement in business, but very few consumers actually admit to trusting a provider.
Read more ...

Outsourced rewards programs earn their keep
An increasing number of small enterprises are using rewards programs to incentivise their customer base to remain loyal to their business, and many are using third party providers to offer the technology and expertise to measure success.
Read more ...

Listening in to customer conversations
Using text analytics to understand what people are saying about you
Data analytics is no longer seen as an interesting add on but as a crucial business requirement in a world where negative Twitter, Facebook or TripAdvisor reviews can devastate a product very quickly.
Read more ...

Special report: Making the experience count on a low cost carrier
* "Ancilliary Revenue Opportunity" is the buzz phrase for low cost carriers, who have realised that significant revenue can be gained from selling things other than the seat.
* Chart on top LCCs with loyalty schemes
* Profile of rising star airBaltic
* Using partners to fund loyalty rewards  Read more ...

How to piggy back on Apple’s success
Think of an app and then strategise it
Apple, (the world’s most valuable brand with an estimated brand value of more than US$153bn) is definitely not sitting on its laurels despite its pole position.
Its latest quarterly results show they sold a massive 18.7 million iPhones in the last three months, Read more ...

Can frequent flyer schemes live up to consumer expectations?
As American Airlines begins the celebrations for its 30th birthday, Loyalty Magazine considers whether frequent flyer schemes live up to expectations in the country where the miles rewards concept was first born. Read more ...

Southwest Airlines tries to repair rewards relaunch damage
US carrier Southwest Airlines, long regarded as a model of customer engagement, showed that even the most celebrated companies can run into problems when changing their customer offering. The airline’s Chris Mainz talks to Loyalty about how it has been working to overcome the complaints of customers about its revamped rewards scheme. Read more ...

Reputation and trust are key decision influencers
Reputation and trust issues were both hugely influential factors in Barclaycard's decision to cancel its contract with card insurance company CPP along with sales of their identity theft product.
The data breach at Epsilon is also causing reputational havoc for major US brands.
Read more ...

Loyalty Programs vs. Loyalty Behavior: Do Marketers Get What They Intend?
How marketers should use customer advocacy research to drive the desired business outcomes from their loyalty programs. Article by Dr. Michael Lowenstein, executive VP of market research and consulting company Market Probe Read more ...