Iselin, New Jersey-based Birdzi has announced the implementation of virtual ad circulars at Niemann Foods’ County Market.
In order to reduce printing costs and increase shopper engagement, County Market was determined to quickly pivot from the paper Penny Pincher coupons to a more personal digital format. A month after implementation, the regional grocer witnessed a 400 percent increase in digital coupon redemption rates and a 300 percent increase in digitally engaged shoppers, including those that had originally resisted a transition away from paper.
To better digitize and personalize the in-store experience, County Market turned to its partner, Birdzi, the host of its mobile app. The regional grocer had previously worked with Birdzi to implement the mobile app, a web app, personalized email marketing, customer segmentation and analytics capabilities.
The new Penny Pinchers format utilizes Birdzi’s solutions to highlight relevant offers for each shopper in the County Market app. When clipped, these coupons are automatically added to their customer profile and easily activated at checkout. Unlike paper circulars, the digital Penny Pinchers campaigns are monitored in real-time via Birdzi’s dashboards, allowing County Market to be more strategic and adaptable.
With Birdzi’s partnership, County Market’s digital Penny Pinchers greatly improved critical metrics for a fraction of the cost of paper circulars. In only one month, the results of the switch to digital included:
- A more than 300 percent increase in the number of digitally engaged customers compared to the previous highest number of digitally engaged customers;
- A 500 percent increase in monthly app downloads and web registrations;
- Eighty percent of shoppers who clipped and activated an offer redeemed it with a purchase; and
- A 45 percent overall redemption rate for the digital coupons, a 400 percent increase compared to previous digital coupon redemption rates.
“County Market did an exceptional job encouraging customers to try the digital Penny Pincher,” said Shekar Raman, CEO and co-founder of Birdzi. “As a result, County Market immediately earned lifts in loyalty and engagement. Over time, they will gain invaluable data and customer intelligence that can be used to better cater to the needs of their shoppers and improve profitability.”
In December 2021, County Market began the transition to digital by consistently offering two to five digital coupons on the store’s app for two months. Additionally, the grocer used signage, flyers and bag stuffers to educate and encourage customers to download the app. QR codes were placed next to select items; if scanned, these QR codes launched the app and took customers to the related coupon. Finally, all in-store associates were trained to use the platform so they could support customers.
By March 2022, County Market had implemented the digital Penny Pincher campaign in all 42 stores.
“We were impressed by our shoppers’ willingness to switch to digital Penny Pinchers,” said Avry Brown, consumer engagement manager with Niemann Foods Inc., based in Quincy, Illinois. “With Birdzi, we witnessed an over 400 percent increase in digital coupon redemption rates compared to previous digital coupon trials in just the first month. Birdzi has been an essential partner for us as we enhance the customer journey for both our in-store and online customers.”
To learn more, visit birdzi.com.
