HARRIS TEETER SWEEPSTAKES BRINGS CASH HOME TO CARDHOLDERS

DEENA AMATO-McCOY

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A sweepstakes program that distributes $10,000 a week in prize money to members of Harris Teeter's frequent-shopper program is designed both to boost excitement about the loyalty program and to promote the retailer's private-label brands.

The 10-week promotion, which runs through July 28, will reward a total of $100,000 to randomly selected members of the "Very Important Customers" loyalty program at Harris Teeter here. Cardholders using their VIC frequent-shopper card to make at least one purchase per week in any of the retailer's 142 supermarkets are instantly entered for the weekly sweepstakes prize.

"Harris Teeter representatives visit the weekly contestants' homes between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., and reward the chosen cardholder with $500 just for being home," said Sonya Elam, director of customer and community relations for Harris Teeter.

"Also, for every Harris Teeter [private-label] product each customer can provide us during the visit, they receive an additional $100 per item," she explained. Eligible products include the "Harris Teeter," "President's Choice," "Premier Selection," "Hunter Farms" and "More Value" brand names.

"If the first contestant has enough items to claim $10,000, that cardholder wins that week's reward," added Elam. "If the cardholder does not have enough products to win the $10,000, 50 households in the area are eligible for the remainder of the reward. We visit as many houses as necessary to give away each week's $10,000 prize."

The promotion, which kicked off May 20, rewarded its first four winners May 30, according to Harris Teeter executives. While the objective of the promotion is to reward its customers' loyalty, Harris Teeter feels the contest will also add excitement to its card program.

"While rewarding our customers, we are also trying to increase our Harris Teeter brand awareness," she said.

Elam declined to comment on specific results. "Though the program is too new to gauge any increases in sales or volume, we will be measuring its effectiveness by comparing results before the promotion was launched, during its rollout, and after it ends," she explained. "We expect to see the shopper excitement continue, as well as see increased loyalty and increased sales of our private-label products."

Harris Teeter's VIC frequent-shopper program has been in place since 1996.