Liquid Barcodes

Resources

Redefining Convenience – 7-Eleven USA

Paula Thomas, Chief Content Officer, Liquid Barcodes

05/28/2018

7 eleven

If innovation is the path to profitability as research often shows, then 7-Eleven USA will undoubtedly retain it’s dominance as the ‘largest chain in the convenience-retailing industry’.

With a legacy of innovation as the world’s first convenience store, the brand has created an impressive business featuring a global footprint of over 66,000 stores in 17 countries, focused on product innovations such as Slurpees, as well as being the world’s first to offer coffee cups ‘to go’! From products and stores to its now relentless focus on digital initiatives to power its future, 7-Eleven USA is launching a whole range of extended services with breathtaking speed and ambition –  ‘redefining convenience’ in this digital age.

As a software company focused exclusively on building engaging loyalty programmes, we share the brand’s belief in ‘non-stop innovation and customer obsession’ – a vision for excellence that builds brand loyalty through customer experience.

This article summarises some of the exciting digital ideas currently being trialled, tested and implemented throughout 7-Eleven USA.

7-Eleven Now

7 eleven now

Time is the most precious commodity for convenience customers, so with the launch of 7-Eleven Now in December 2017, 7-Eleven USA is clearly determined to do everything in its power to deliver the ultimate, efficient experience. It offers mobile ordering, home delivery and in-store pick-up – all from the app. Although limited to just ten stores currently, 7-Eleven Now has the potential to be a nationwide hit strategy, offering Dallas-based customers an exciting promise if they ‘Want it, Get it… NOW’. Customers simply pre-order from a select range of products in their app store. Then they either have those products delivered direct to their home from the local store or alternatively, their order is prepared for them to just collect at the till in their local store – pre-paid for speed and simplicity.

Launched with an offer of one free delivery for each new customer, their current campaign extends the benefits to SEVEN free deliveries – building patterns of reliance and frequent shopping behaviours previously unimaginable in the US market. Chief Digital Officer Gurmeet Singh is quoted as saying “We continuously ask our consumers how we can make their lives better, and 7‑Eleven NOW is a proprietary solution to their on-demand needs. The app will enable our customers to get the products they want, when and where they want them, quickly and conveniently. This is redefining convenience”.

7 eleven app now

Bank On Us (Transact)

Financial services are an essential part of our lives, but banks have limited opening hours which are often inconvenient for busy consumers. Based on this insight, 7-Eleven launched it’s ‘Pay Near Me’ option in 2015, and now offers over 27,000 locations throughout North America where 7-Eleven customers can pay their utility bills in cash – anytime day or night.

Even more recently, ‘Transact’ has been launched as a prepaid Mastercard that brings a range of unique and compelling banking benefits to customers – based on true customer needs and insights. For example, customers whose salaries are transferred to the service can typically access their funds two days earlier than banking clients, a truly customer-centric policy of crediting funds immediately rather than on full settlement. Transact also includes free ATM services (which usually incur a service fee in the US) and mobile cheque loading based on a digital scan of the paper document.

While 7-Eleven may never be able to offer the full range of services of a traditional bank, with such an impressive range of banking services, there is no doubt that the ‘Bank on Us’ range of products will disrupt the financial services industry, particularly if it fails to innovative for digital natives the same way that 7-Eleven are.

7 eleven app

Facebook Messenger Bot

7 eleven bot for messenger

It’s still early days in the adoption of messenger bots in retail, however, 7-Eleven USA is once again leading the way with the November 2017 launch of its Facebook messenger chatbot – described as a ‘new era of conversational commerce’. The bot uses machine learning technology to respond to basic customers’ needs such as finding local stores. It also functions as an instant 7Rewards app, issuing an immediate digital card that can be used immediately by ‘time-starved and digital-reliant consumers’. It may not be the first loyalty programme to leverage a messenger chatbot but the retail giant is uniquely placed to drive consumers to use this compelling technology.

Amazon – Friend or Foe?

While many fear the power of Amazon, 7-Eleven USA is choosing to strategically align itself with them in two distinct ways. The first features a 7-Eleven store on the Amazon marketplace selling 7-Select own-brand products, leading one reviewer to comment:

“Great price! Way better than actually buying in the convenience store.”

As an online marketer, I’ve always believed that brands should be selling online where their customers are (exactly as you would offline), so this strategy makes perfect sense to me. The range is currently limited to own-brand products that don’t require any special storage or urgency to deliver, and it will be fascinating to watch whether the partnership extends to more perishable or branded products.

amazon cash

A second clever partnership between the two brands is designed to allow customers to use cash to shop online on Amazon.com. Amazon Cash is a simple app that customers download and then take to an offline store such as 7-Eleven, where cash funds can be added to their account for immediate use online. This gives Amazon a way to sell to cautious consumers who still prefer not to enter their credit card details online, and drives footfall to 7-Eleven stores for access to this simple and effective solution.

Although billed as the ruthless corporate juggernaut people love, it makes sense to partner with Amazon as a hugely trusted brand and find ways to build convenience propositions that fit with 7-Eleven’s determination to dominate digitally (online) as they do offline.

Closing Thoughts

Few brands are investing, testing and launching digital initiatives with the scale and speed that 7-Eleven are, including early trials of hot and cold food via drone delivery – even if the public infrastructure is not yet ready for this to go mainstream.

I’m incredibly impressed with such a solution-focused approach to digital, so I have no doubt 7-Eleven will continue to dominate globally and retain it’s position in prestigious lists such as the world’s most valuable brands.

About Us:

Liquid Barcodes is a leading global loyalty and digital marketing technology company specialized for the convenience store and foodservice industries. Our proprietary cloud-based technology platform allow retailers to create and manage their digital marketing campaigns with a proprietary process we call the “customer connection cycle’ to engage, promote and reward customers activities in real-time across digital and media channels.

How we do it:

We have developed the most advanced loyalty and digital marketing technology platform specifically for convenience store and foodservice retailers globally.

Retailers use our self-service dashboard to create and manage loyalty driven marketing campaigns that increase purchases with their existing customers, as well as effectively target and acquire new customers through partners or paid media channels.

One core component of live loyalty is gamification. We have gamified branding, loyalty and promotions. We believe this approach is essential in order to get customers’ attention and ultimately truly engage them with repeatable actions thereby winning their loyalty.

Check out some of our exciting/proven results here:

www.LiquidBarcodes.com

About Me:

Paula Thomas

Chief Content Officer, Liquid Barcodes and Independent Loyalty Consultant.

With over twenty-five years marketing experience, I specialise in loyalty marketing consulting, managing consumer loyalty propositions, strategy and operations. In addition to working with Liquid Barcodes, my clients have included Telefonica O2, Three Mobile, Electric Ireland, Allied Irish Bank and The Entertainer, as well as Avios – the global points currency for some of the world’s top airlines. I am also a judge for the Loyalty Magazine Awards. 

—————————————————————————————–


Blog post

Everyone Wins With App Games

Games reward customers for visiting an app and encourage them to visit the store. Customers love to feel appreciated, they love a good deal and they especially love winning.  Customers are excited when they get a good discount or coupon. And, they truly feel like winners after playing and winning a game. It is easy […]

Blog post

Liquid Barcodes Connects With Convenience Industry Leaders in Texas

The Liquid Barcodes team networks and learns at 2023 NAG Conference in Austin, Texas. Last week, Liquid Barcodes attended and exhibited at the US convenience industry conference held by the National Advisory Group (NAG). Among those present from the Liquid Barcodes team were Saurabh Swarup, General Manager of North America and Jose Santiago, Head of […]

Blog post

5 Cs of Summer: Cold Coffee, Clean Cars & Convenience

Subscription programs are a great way to secure long-term customer loyalty and revenue. Whether you are providing a subscription for beverages or car washes, securing recurring monthly revenue is imperative to stay competitive.   Summer is around the corner and retail marketers are crafting sunny campaigns to increase customer traffic to the store. Help those […]

Blog post

Circle K Makes a Splash With Car Wash Subscription Program in Europe

Circle K has extended its highly successful car wash subscription program to Norway after successful implementations in the United States, Canada, Denmark, Sweden and Estonia. Circle K’s vast global network of car washes has digitally transformed operations with its revolutionary car wash subscription program. First launched in Denmark and the U.S. in 2020, the program […]

Blog post

Newly Redesigned Brezelkönig App Accepts Payments and Rewards Loyalty

Swiss foodservice chain Brezelkönig releases app update which offers customers the convenience of earning rewards and paying for products with the app in stores.  The recently-updated Brezelkönig app allows pretzel-loving customers to enjoy recognition and rewards for their loyalty. Additionally, the Brezelkönig app accepts payments to make the customer experience even more convenient.  Brezelkönig is […]

Blog post

Sunshine Gasoline Introduces ACH-Only Mobile Payment for Fuel

Florida convenience retailer releases fuel payment app accepting only ACH payment, saving thousands in payment processing fees for the retailer. Sunshine Gasoline upgraded its Max Carwash App to Sunshine Brand featuring a special fuel pay program, powered by C-StorePay by Liquid Barcodes, which allows consumers to conveniently pay for fuel using the app. Customers simply […]

Blog post

2022: An Outstanding Year for Liquid Barcodes and Our Customers

In 2022, Liquid Barcodes witnessed a year of unprecedented growth with customers, products and team members. Every great business has an inspiring founding story and Liquid Barcodes’ 10-year journey is inspiring the future of loyalty. Beginning as a startup in Norway, the company opened its second office in the United States in early 2022 and […]

Blog post

What Is C-StorePay?

Liquid Barcodes’ proprietary C-StorePay makes paying for fuel, in-store merchandise, and subscription programs convenient for customers, reduces credit card fees for retailers, and integrates easily into existing loyalty programs Announced in October 2022, the revolutionary Liquid Barcodes C-StorePay product rose to the top of retailers’ 2022 wish lists at the NACS Show, even achieving a […]

Blog post

Polish Retail Leader Żabka Launches Coffee Subscription Program

Polish retail giant, Żabka introduces a monthly coffee subscription program across its vast store network. With its new coffee subscription program, Żabka Polska will certainly dominate the beverage category in Poland’s unique convenience market. In July 2022, Dr. Adam Manikowski, Managing Director of Żabka Polska, was featured on the popular Global Convenience Store Focus video […]

Blog post

Loyalty Apps Engage Customers

98% of loyalty app users love using a loyalty app and want more features from it. In September 2022, NACS published a report examining customer engagement with convenience loyalty programs. Unsurprisingly, customers feel most engaged, appreciated and valued by the stores to which they belong in a loyalty or membership program – nearly ¾ of […]

Blog post

Save Thousands in Credit Card Fees With ACH

Visa and Mastercard announced an increase in interchange fees earlier in the year and retailers are taking action and sending a message by migrating their customers to new solutions, including mobile app-based ACH payments, and in the process increasing profits by not only reducing credit card fees but also boosting loyalty via innovative app-based incentive […]

Blog post

Maxol Launches First-of-Its-Kind Loyalty App

Maxol, Ireland’s largest family-owned forecourt and convenience retailer, announced it has launched a new customer loyalty app with never-before-seen features in the Irish market. After more than a century serving Irish customers, Maxol’s 240+ stores and service stations are located throughout Ireland and have enjoyed global recognition for their best-in-class operations, store design and offers. […]

Blog post

Delivering Personalized Content With Machine Learning and Image Recognition

Build personalized customer connections, improve efficiency, and make intelligent, data-driven decisions using machine learning and image recognition.   It’s 7:15 in the morning and a customer – Amy – is on her way to work. She is on the hunt for coffee and breakfast and stops at a convenience store. She opens her store app […]

Blog post

Circle K’s Use of Beacon Technology to Activate Car Wash Subscription Program

Beacon Technology and Car Wash Subscription Programs Beacon technology used in tandem with a customer-facing car wash subscription program revolutionizes the customer experience by providing a quick, convenient experience. Innovation is the key to continued growth and ensuring a frictionless customer experience should be top of mind for any retailer. Circle K’s vast global network […]

Liquid Barcodes

Put a rocket under your loyalty program

With our loyalty platform, we help design and operate world-class, tailor-made subscription and reward programs that make sure your customers always come back.

Book a Demo →

We are trusted by global brands.

Convenience retailers all over the world have engaged and rewarded consumers with our tailor-made loyalty programs.

To our case studies →

Liquid Barcodes
Liquid Barcodes
Liquid Barcodes
Liquid Barcodes

Convenience retailers all over the world have engaged and rewarded consumers with our tailor-made loyalty programs.

To our case studies →

Liquid Barcodes
Liquid Barcodes
Liquid Barcodes
Liquid Barcodes