Dive Brief:

• Washington, D.C.-based Giant has refreshed its rewards program to offer more ways for shoppers to collect and redeem loyalty points, according to a company press release. Existing rewards program members must upgrade their membership online, while new shoppers can simply enroll.
• Under the new name Flexible Rewards, the program allows customers to redeem their loyalty points for gas savings, grocery savings or free products. Fuel rewards can be used at Giant gas stations or select Shell stations.
• Giant customers earn one point for every dollar they spend with the retailer and can earn extra points when buying products presented through personalized offers online or in the mobile app.

Dive Insight:

This is another step for Giant toward a more cohesive omnichannel shopping experience. In October, the company revealed an updated website and app alongside a same-day grocery delivery pilot in Washington, D.C. The grocer also rebranded its delivery service to Giant Delivers, dropping Peapod from the name, and expanded grocery pickup to more locations as part of the overhaul.

Giant’s director of loyalty Ryan Draude said in a statement the new program gives customers more opportunities to customize their rewards. The company plans to add additional ways to redeem points soon, he noted. 

Shoppers are more apt to participate in loyalty programs if they have different options for redeeming their rewards and if they can access their points digitally. A recent survey from Blackhawk Network found 60% of shoppers said they’d like to pay for products in-store with a smartphone using loyalty points they’ve earned, while almost half said they’d join a loyalty program if they could use points to purchase products. 

To meet this demand, more retailers are revamping rewards to offer additional flexibility while maintaining fuel rewards, which have been the foundation of many programs. 

For example, the recently rebranded Giant Company introduced its Choice Rewards loyalty program across all stores last October. The new system allows shoppers to redeem points for grocery dollars, gas discounts or other options. Price Chopper also unveiled a more flexible loyalty program last year, making it easier to redeem points for fuel or rewards both in person and online or through an app.