Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I was thinking of repeat business, looking at some of the emails I get from online places I`ve shopped. What bugs me to no end are the sites that offer some fantastic special! I have to click to vist, of course, and it turns out that I can get 50% off if only I spend $12,000 in a single purchase! Right!

I hate these kinds of promotions, where I`m going to get some fantastic something but I first have to spend way more than I`d ever want to spend. Most of my online shopping is for single items I can`t find anywhere else. I go back to those sites, yet never qualify for a single one of their specials.

So how about this: a sort of Cracker-Jacks "surprise" incentive. :-)

If you go back to a site for some simple purchase, let`s say that on your third visit you get an email: "We`ve noticed that you`ve purchased (this thing) from us three times in the past year. To show our appreciation, we`ll take 20% off the price next time you buy that item, any time in the next year. Use customer code (number) at that time." (It could be more percent, free shipping, a 2-for-1, or whatever.)

This would require a good shopping cart, and I`m wondering how hard it would be to implement?

It could be promoted on the site, or not...the "surprise" thing would be a fun marketing gimmick in and of itself, I`d think. Maybe?

I reviewed this, and it reminded me of a story I heard today, from "Tony," the owner of a popular Italian restaurant in the Chicago area. Someone said that Ed McMahon had visited there, and Tony probably gave him the special treatment.

Tony said, no. "I always go out and visit with all my customers each night. One time, Mike Ditka had come in and I was talking with some folks I knew at their table.

"They said, `Hey Tony...that`s a VIP over there! You shouldn`t be talking with us, you should be taking care of Iron Mike!`

"I said to them, no...Iron Mike is here only this one time. But you folks are here every week. I gotta take care of you!" :-)

I agree Craig.  I like those visitors that keep coming back, and we are going to take good care of them.  What you`re talking about sounds like a good idea, but I don`t think our cart will do that.  The customers that sign up to receive  specials & promotions  allow us to keep in touch, because they are usually interested in returning to our site.  These are the customers we promote our great incentives to.  These are the customers that usually make the largest purchases, without "requiring" them to make a large purchase.  

With Zen Cart you can offer free or discounted pircing based upon the quantity purchased. However, this is for a single purchase - X amount purchased at one time.

 

~Roland

 

 

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Are you talking about like the GoRewardPlus program that GoTruckStop.com offers?

You can find it at their front page at http://gotruckstop.com , then selecting "Programs" and the Go Rewards Plus program ... or just click on here ... http://GoRewardPlus.com 

They offer just like what you were talking about.

You stated ... This would require a good shopping cart, and I`m wondering how hard it would be to implement?

You mean something like AppleCart, that GoTruckStop.com and BoxerHaus.com both use?

It sounds like GoTruckStop.com and you are on the same page. Imagine that !!

I know there`ve been problems with GoTruckStop, if I`m thinking of the right person. But I wasn`t here when those problems arose. As far as I can see, the site is well-done and working well. If s/he has the same idea, then it just shows t`go ya, that great minds think alike. :-)

I also understand how many online (physical too) places offer a discount on a single purchase. That can happen at the time of purchase for a promotion, or they offer a promotion code to be used later.

But what I`d like to see is indeed something like "buyer rewards," where the SITE keeps track of the Customer ID, number of purchases, or maybe dollar amount. Then, when a key indicator is reached, the site generates an email to that customer letting them know they`ve just "won" a prize.

If AppleCart does that, terrrific. It`d be nice if other carts do this?

Gee, it looks like you just might be starting to realize why several folks have been recommending AppleCart !!

The AppleCart Shopping Cart does exactly what you are asking for - keeping a customer profile, all the purchases that a customer makes, and allows you to enter a "Discount Percentage" in the customer profile also.

Why not contact GoTruckStop to find out if it really does work the way I`ve been talking about?

Obviously, GoTruckStop.com was hot on the concept many months ago, as GoRewardPlus.com appears to have been registered last year.

Its amazing what you might discover when you start to look under the covers, eh?

Gee, your osCommerce & ZenCart folks can`t do what you`ve asked for as both JerkyJanie and Roland have posted.

Maybe its time for folks to taking a long hard look at AppleCart as a viable solution? Unless some have an underlying motive NOT to take a look.

I`m a beleiver that you always do whats in the best interest of the client - not whats in the best interest of you. If you follow that principal - success is bound to come your way.

I don`t understand what the "motive" would be, not to look into another cart if needed.  I`m sure it works  for some.

The rewards program sounds good, but we handle specials and incentives in a different way that works for us.  Everyone should use the programs and carts that work best for them.

CraigL... How many decorative flowers do you think one person needs to buy (referring to my own sites structure, and customers)? But I will say, return customers are the most important thing Elusive Treasures has going for it. I keep a close eye on our customer list. When I see return customers I often throw in extra gifts of some sort just to say, "thanks." I am also prepared to accommodate any new customer whenever possible. In some cases, there have been interior designer that need larger (5-10) flowers to complete their decorating needs and don`t have the budget to spend the dollar shown online. In those situations, I am often able to provide a discount or special arrangement of some sort that allows the customer the ability to complete their interior design task on budget. I am a believer of bargaining when possible. ElusiveTreasures.com is very willing to work with new or old customers. But I can`t "advertise" such special deals because there are many factors involved, which determine the possibilities of price reduction (ie. quantity available, wholesale price of the product in question and other stuff).


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Vincent Wilcox (a.k.a. KRAKR)
Drummer
My band: Letters Make Words

Even though we are a B2B company many of the ways to deal with customers are the same.  Our company’s product prices tend to be on the low end for our industry and we have a lot of unexpected expenses to deal on a regular basis with so we cannot afford heavy discounts.  As inflation continues to take it toll and we are force to increase our prices.  We have found that offering our current customers a limited time offer at the old price just before we increase our prices makes them very happy with our company.  I would think something like this would work well for retail too.

 

Just a thought…

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Bert at Harvey Software, Inc.
Multi-Carrier Shipping Software and Supply Chain Solutions for Internet Retailers

Also a provider of free shipping information and resources at Harvey Software`s Parcel Shipping Blog along with free tracking solutions at TrackingPage.com...

Imagine that !! And I thought that ZenCart was the "cat`s pajamas".