Week 5 Discussion

Respond to the following in a minimum of 175 words (Use APA Style):

Imagine that a large super-center grocery store has the ultimate database for 80% of their shopping customers. They track purchasing behavior through their customer appreciation program that captures basic demographic, address, and contact information as well as all purchasing behavior. Discuss how this database might be used to support personal selling and direct response marketing.

 

First Response:

Reply to these two students below. Be constructive and professional in your responses. (minimum of 175 words) (Uses APA Style)

Student 1- Kimberly Turner

The use of databases can improve customer satisfaction for a business. The use can allow retailers to provide fast and easy service to their customers. By using a database, the grocery store provides customers with personalized shopping experiences such as coupons, incentives, and smart checkout technology. 

Smart checkout technology enables customers to purchase items from the store without being in your store, eliminating waiting in line in the store. We have seen a lot of this take place in retail during the pandemic and is made possible using databases. Customer can scan their phones at the store upon entering and pick up items they purchase. A database tracking of the items chosen by the shopper allows to come in and pick up items and leave quickly.   Eliminating customers waiting in line and wait time can increasing overall customer satisfaction.

Because the database is tracking items purchased by the customer, it can also be used to make offers for personalized coupons that fit the customer’s buying habits and preferences. Databases influences retail and can improve customer satisfaction.

Reference:

Industry, T., Rojas, N., & RetailNext, I. (2020). The Influence of Database in the Retail Industry. Retrieved 4 November 2020, from https://retailnext.net/en/blog/the-influence-of-database-in-the-retail-industry/

 

Second response Reply here:

Student 2- Brant Miller

With this super-center grocery store, their ability to really understand and track their customers would be incredible as they would have so much data and could break that data down in so many ways from demographic regions, age, times in the store, to products that bring them in. We see this a lot with stores putting high volume buying items towards the back so that you have to walk through isles to get to those items which could increase the sales. For this example, the grocery store could personalize coupon selections for their repeat business and establish a greater bond with how the repeat buyers continue to engage. With the availability of knowing where their bulk shoppers live, they can do more direct marketing of coupons to those areas in hopes of gaining more ground with those areas.

I know I have a few small grocery stores I go to in my area that all have some form of mailers I feel I get or electronic coupons I receive via email. Its great as a business as you are constantly being put in front of your consumer in one form or another.

Third response Reply here: