During the 2013 holiday season, retail sales increased 3.8% to $601.8 billion, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). To mirror that success this holiday season, retailers are focusing on optimizing their omnichannel strategies and boosting customer satisfaction.
CVS/pharmacy is reaffirming its position as a top holiday destination by providing stocking stuffers, gift cards, décor, gift-wrap and last-minute gifts, acting as a one-stop-shop for customers.
“But our physical stores are only one piece of the puzzle, and we have put a lot of thought around the behaviors and habits of customers who may prefer to browse or research online before coming into the store, while others are more likely to leverage digital technology while actually standing in the store itself,” said Erin Pensa, Director of Public Relations at CVS/pharmacy. “For us it’s about connecting with our customers to deliver content that is meaningful, relevant and at the right time, in the channel they prefer.”
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In 2013, CVS/pharmacy saw consumers flock to their smartphones and tablets to refill prescriptions, access weekly ads and look up stores. On Thanksgiving Day, online traffic increased 21% over the period in 2012. At its peak, mobile traffic on the holiday reached 9.2 million page views per minute at 10 p.m., according to Pensa. “We expect this trend to continue as more shoppers look to easily and conveniently make purchases before or after their Thanksgiving Day meals.”
As a result, the retailer is focusing on improving digital and mobile features to enhance the in-store experience.
“MyWeekly Ad, a personalized digital circular, is a great example of this,” Pensa said. “Shoppers can easily browse weekly deals personalized with what they buy most — and those we might recommend for them — and can also build a digital shopping list featuring the deals they’d like to take advantage of each week.”
Shopping lists are personalized to CVS/pharmacy locations consumers shop at most, and tell them where they can find products in each store, Pensa reported. This will “help make shopping during the holiday season easier and more convenient.”
In 2013, CVS/pharmacy issued more than 335 million personalized offers between Nov. 10 and Dec. 28 via its ExtraCare loyalty program. The retailer plans to make offers even more personalized, giving shoppers more opportunities to save on the products they love.
“Both in-store and digitally, the offers customers receive will be more personalized and targeted,” Pensa said. “We’ve also been making it easier for our customers to send those offers digitally to their rewards cards, whether it be from their computer at home or on an iPad or smartphone while they’re on the go, so they can take advantage of those personalized deals without having to carry paper.”
Adding more convenience to the CVS/pharmacy experience, the retailer recently unveiled the Ship & Save online program, which allows shoppers to receive timed deliveries on the products they use most.
“Consumers never have to worry about running out and always enjoy 20% off plus free shipping,” Pensa said. “They can enroll items marked ‘Ship & Save Eligible’ and choose the delivery, frequency and quantity. Consumers can also easily change or cancel an order online anytime.”
