Digital customer engagement on the upswing at Coborn’s

Upper Midwest grocer Coborn’s has boosted shopper spending and loyalty with the deployment of the Birdzi digital customer engagement platform.

Linked with Coborn’s MORE Rewards program, the technology has increased the retailer’s digitally engaged customer retention by 355%, spend per month by 23.7% and trips per month by 16%, compared with shoppers not on the platform, Iselin, N.J.-based Birdzi reported.

“Throughout the development of the MORE Rewards program, Birdzi leveraged cutting-edge and forward-thinking technology to drive customer engagement in new ways that were unique to the grocery industry at the time,” Diana Barr, director of digital and loyalty marketing at Coborn’s, said in a statement. “Anything we can ask, they’re ready to jump at the task and figure it out. At the same time, they keep that forward-looking context, creating the foundation for further enhancements and innovative features down the line.”

The increased shopper activity came over a three-year period, since Coborn’s went live with the Birdzi platform’s integration with the NCR-powered MORE Rewards program. The St. Cloud, Minn.-based grocer had turned to Birdzi to help launch a cardless loyalty program through the chain’s website and mobile app. By driving stronger customer engagement across channels, Coborn’s aimed to buttress customer relationships with personalized communications and savings, according to Birdzi. 

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Coborn's shoppers in the MORE Rewards program receive personalized communications and savings on relevant products with the Birdzi integration.

To that end, Birdzi’s shopper profiling platform is designed to provide a deeper understanding of customer behavior to help Coborn’s better engage with consumers. The technology sends shoppers relevant offers and enhances loyalty through a dedicated, customer-facing website, mobile shopping app, personalized emails and in-store beacons. Coborn’s shoppers can enroll in the MORE Rewards program, see their point balances through the retailer’s mobile and web app, and have access to digital receipts after they complete transactions from the app, Birdzi said.

Digital engagement and advanced insight tools also enable Coborn’s to offer customers more personalized savings, such as through weekly personalized and interactive mobile and web app ad fliers and digital coupon emails, based on shoppers’ purchase histories and app behavior. Coborn’s customers, too, can create shopping lists based on recipes. By integrating with ShoptoCook, Birdzi’s platform pulls in recipes that users can browse, filter and search to add ingredients into their shopping lists.

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Birdzi noted that Coborn’s has found strong shopper satisfaction from receiving more rewards, access to shopping and planning tools, personalized emails and participation in loyalty clubs. The improved digital engagement bore fruit during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the dedicated portal offered digital coupons to customers concerned about shopping in stores, and they could access receipts on Coborn’s app and website.

“COVID-19 has accelerated existing trends and led to a skyrocketing of digital engagement. Consumers want to consistently shop with a trusted grocer that will provide a simplified, personalized and convenient buying experience,” according to Shekar Raman, co-founder and CEO of Birdzi. “Coborn’s MORE Rewards program uses data-driven insights to provide this and more. As such, it’s no surprise the supermarket has seen enhanced loyalty and customer satisfaction. We look forward to continuing our work with Coborn’s as we collaborate to find new ways to create an elevated digital experience for shoppers.”

Overall, Coborn’s has more than 60 supermarkets stores across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin under the Coborn’s, Cash Wise Foods, Marketplace Foods and Hornbacher’s banners. The company’s retail network also includes stand-alone convenience stores, liquor stores and pharmacies, for a total of over 120 outlets. Coborn’s operates its own central bakery, dry cleaning facility and grocery distribution center.