Rewards and points have an instant pull. They attract customer attention. Generate engagement. And increase customer loyalty.
But only a handful of brands are able to achieve success and sustain their loyalty programs.
One such brand with an impressive ecommerce loyalty program is Mattel. In this blog, we breakdown Mattel’s loyalty program strategy, and learn why it is amongst the best.
Let’s get started.
What is the Mattel loyalty program?
Mattel is a toy and family entertainment company that owns multiple brands and portfolios in the world. Mattel has a unique business model, in which it has multiple partners in the toys industry. Their brands include Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, American Girl, Thomas & Friends, UNO, Masters of the Universe, Matchbox, Monster High, and Polly Pocket, among others.
Mattel eCommerce loyalty program breakdown and lessons
There’s a lot that goes into the planning, designing, and running of loyalty programs. From the type of program to the benefits and perks to the structure and more, brands have to get every aspect right.
Not just that, brands also have to offer something unique and exciting in their eCommerce loyalty programs. In this section, we look at all the features that make the Mattel loyalty program much loved by its members.
1. It has an easy sign up process
Lengthy or complicated sign up processes are amongst the top reasons customers avoid registering to loyalty and rewards programs. Mattel’s sign up process is easy and takes just a few steps.
Customers that have signed up for the customer account are automatically registered for the loyalty program and start earning points.
Tips and best practices:
- Have a short sign up form that does not ask for too many details
- Automate a thank you message upon successful sign up
- Instantly send reward points for instant gratification
2. Many benefits to reward program members
An effective loyalty program is one that offers many benefits to members. Only points are not enough to keep customers engaged. Today, eCommerce brands use various tactics to sustain their loyalty programs, for example, gamification in loyalty programs helps increase engagement.
Apart from this, there are numerous tactics and benefits that brands mix within their programs. The Mattel rewards program offers multiple benefits. Here are some:
- Reward points for every purchase made on the website
- Points for creating an account
- Points for updating profile
- Points for following Mattel’s social media pages
- Points for sharing with friends
- Exclusive promotions, such as double points
- Exclusive events for reward program members
Tips and best practices:
- Incorporate brand engagement tactics when planning rewards
- Make it easy to collect a lot of points and rewards
- Make the rewards valuable and worth your customers’ time and effort
3. Easy to redeem points
Offering points for various activities is one part, the other is making it easy for members to redeem points. Many loyalty programs make it extremely hard for customers to use points.
Moreover, some brands don’t explain clearly the process of redeeming points. This can leave customers frustrated and feeling cheated. Mattel avoids this by making it simple and straightforward. Making it easy to redeem points is also one of the best customer retention strategies for brands, as members then keep coming back to redeem and earn more points.
Here’s how members can use their Mattel loyalty program points:
- During checkout, members can select a reward they want to apply to the basket by selecting it from a drop down. The amount gets deducted from the total
- 100 points equal to £5, 200 points to £10, and 500 points to £25
- Members can redeem points up to £25 in a single transaction
Tips and best practices:
- Help your customers with redeeming points, guide them through the process
- Send them reminder messages and notifications about collected or expiring points
- Make points redeeming exciting by creating targeted campaigns
4. The Mattel loyalty program is free
Even though both paid or free loyalty programs are known to do equally well, free programs tend to attract more members. It also allows brands to nurture a wider customer base.
However, people tend to not value things that are free. That is why it becomes necessary to make the loyalty program exciting and engaging. Some ways to do so are: incorporating gamification in loyalty programs, offering a variety of perks and benefits, adding tiered loyalty programs, among other strategies.
Tips and best practices:
- If you are offering a free loyalty program membership, include a tiered structure to create levels and offer perks accordingly. This adds excitement
- If you are offering a paid loyalty program, ensure the rewards and benefits are valuable and also distinguish one level from the other
- Assess the fee of your loyalty program from time to time and make adjustments
5. Easy cancellation policy
Customers don’t like it when they are bound or do not have flexibility. When it comes to memberships, this specifically applies to cancellations, among other factors. Cancellation processes that are tedious and hard, or come with hidden costs, can easily put off customers.
Mattel loyalty program cancellation is easy. All that members have to do is call a specified phone number. Members can cancel their membership at any time.
Another positive take away from this eCommerce loyalty program is that members can use their balance reward points even after they cancel their membership.
Tips and best practices:
- Allow members to cancel but set rules in such a way that it does lead to losses to you
- Automate post-cancellation messages to stay connected with the customer
- Assist members through the cancellation process if they need it
Also read: A Complete Guide On Multi-Brand Loyalty Programs
Ecommerce loyalty program trends to adapt to
Whether you’re interested in knowing more about toy brand rewards or in customer loyalty strategies across industries, there are many loyalty program trends you should know about because these can help make or break your rewards program. Here are some trends:
- Customers are looking for value in loyalty programs. What does “value” mean? Think emotional connections, community feeling, gamification, and a sense of belonging – just some factors to consider.
- Loyalty members communities are growing. Loyal members are not just looking for good deals, but also to engage with other like minded community members. For instance, for a toy brand, members would be interested in engaging with other members to talk about related topics.
- Cross-generation loyalty programs are more successful. From Gen Z to baby boomers, to Gen X, today’s consumer base includes multiple generations. And brands that offer loyalty programs have to cater to the needs and preferences of different generations, not just one or two.
- Tech-based digital experiences are a must. Think voice search, augmented reality, virtual reality, apps, AI and gamification in loyalty programs. It’s essential to adopt these technologies into loyalty programs to get the most out of it.
Launch your eCommerce loyalty program with Appstle
With the market chock-full of loyalty and rewards programs, the competition in eCommerce is increasing day by day. To survive and sustain in this overcrowded loyalty market, it is essential to think strategically.
You not only need to plan and launch a strong loyalty program, you also need to ensure continuous brand engagement tactics and customer retention strategies within your program. To do so much and more, you need an efficient Shopify rewards app partner.
Meet Appstle Loyalty and Rewards App!
The app, known to be the best loyalty and rewards app for Shopify stores, offers advanced capabilities and technologies that ensure you can integrate the most tech-forward and trendy strategies into your loyalty programs.
Install Appstle Loyalty and Rewards App on your Shopify store!
