Best Buy has decided to integrate its Reward Zone loyalty program with its regular BestBuy.com site to attain a more accurate gauge on customer behavior. Until now, whenever one of the 40 million Reward Zone members wanted to shop online, he or she had to do so through a dedicated section of BestBuy.com.
The shift, which is part of Best Buy’s major overhaul of its website, will allow Reward Zone members to view items that are not currently listed in the loyalty program’s section of the site. Members can still earn points by writing reviews or posting updates about their purchases on Facebook.
Incorporating Reward Zone into the regular site allows BestBuy.com to track customers’ behavior online. Currently, most people browse BestBuy.com without logging in. But Reward Zone members – similar to Amazon Prime -- need to be logged in to receive any benefit from their purchases and interactions.
“Almost all of our customers today on the site are transacting as guests,” Best Buy President and CEO Hubert Joly recently told investors. “But to personalize, you’ve got to know who they are. You’ve got to tie it in to all of the other information we have about customers. And here’s the great thing about Best Buy. It’s a gold mine of data.”
Joly, who is the former CEO of hospitality company Carlson, took over the helm at Best Buy's last August and launched a 5-point “Renew Blue” plan. Included among those five points are reinvigorating the customer experience by offering customers unique benefits and exclusive membership programs.
In April, Joly increased the percentage back for Reward Zone credit card-holders from 4% to 5% to spark sales. The increase put Best Buy in line with many retailers. As a result, Best Buy will give 5% back in rewards points to customers paying with a Reward Zone program credit card or MasterCard. According to the rewards customer logistics, members also will have the option to choose 0% financing instead of points.