Hannes Glavanovits explained how a target group-oriented product range design and an app can work without personal user data in the Alumni Talk on October 24, 2023.
The protection of personal data is a big issue. It feels like after a conversation about a new mountain bike over breakfast, you receive countless offers for a new bike in your social media feed before lunch and the matching web ads are no longer a surprise. This creates uncertainty and not trust! Against this backdrop, how can a food retailer create trust again with a tailored offer and personal benefits?
App use without registration
In August of this year, a murmur went through the food retail industry: the SPAR retail chain launched its new app on the market. People had long wondered why the top player on the market had not jumped on the loyalty card hype long ago. With the usual expectations of another similar customer loyalty program, you download the app and are amazed to discover that you don’t have to pay for the discounts and benefits with your personal data as a “currency”. A simple barcode is enough, and setting up an account for collecting discount tokens together and for a recovery option remains optional (currently 20% of app customers use these functions). This creates trust and customer loyalty even without the price of personal data.
Customized concepts for diverse target groups
The Spar data analysts prove that anonymous scanner data is sufficient to ensure that the product range is tailored to the target group. SPAR has thus distilled entire worlds in the micro and macro environment. For example, the Vienna city area alone is divided into several lifeworlds, ranging from “Boho” to “Sophisticated” and “Price-conscious”. Accordingly, not only is the product range customized, but the store design is also tailored to the product range requirements, e.g. with more refrigerated shelves for convenience products or additional self-service shelves for S-Budget bread and pastries. This creates convenience and customer loyalty.
About the speaker
Hannes Glavanovits graduated from FHWien der WKW in 2002 with a degree in Marketing & Sales and works as Regional Head of Advertising and Information at SPAR. He works part-time as an external lecturer at FHWien der WKW.
Many thanks to our alumnus Hannes Glavanovits for providing us with these innovative first-hand insights into food retailing!