Imagine walking into your local Shoppers Drug Mart, having received an email with an online coupon saying you’d get 20 times the Shoppers Optimum Points if you spend more than $50 in-store. Owning a smart phone and figuring Shoppers Drug Mart would have supporting technology, you select a substantial amount of products and purchase them at the till. You mention the 20 times the points offer to the cashier and show them the coupon on your phone. They tell you you won’t get the 20 times the points because you didn’t print the coupon onto a piece of paper.
Imaging the surprise and disappointment of some shoppers when they find that the coupon MUST be printed. On paper. Because Shoppers Drug Mart doesn’t accept emailed coupons otherwise.
Retailers offering such promotions must realize that they risk alienating their customers when promotions like this fall short. This specific promotion brings shoppers into the store, often specifically to purchase a substantial quantity of items with the expectation of the money-saving points. A disappointing promotion can turn customers away sometimes temporarily, sometimes permanently.
We’d like to see Shoppers Drug Mart succeed, but we’re also in an age where customer convenience is paramount. Online shopping is on the rise and Nordstrom is on the way. If Shoppers Drug Mart wants to compete in an age where American retailers like Walgreens are sniffing north of the border, it had better ensure its promotions succeed.
If you’d like to suggest to Shoppers Drug Mart that they reconsider forcing customers to print coupons onto paper, you can call them at 1-800-SHOPPERS (Minus the S) or email them at this link.
[Shoppers Drug Mart Website]
