Disloyalty Programs

Welcome to Wednesday, futurists! 

Muses in Miami Beach. This is a bit shorter today because we’re hard at work planning our third annual eCommerce event at Art Basel. If you’re in Retail or eCom, or you’re interested in the future of commerce, join us for three days in Miami Beach. December 6-8 — register your interest right over here.

Disloyalty Programs. We’ll have much more to say on Friday, but we’ve often opined that loyalty programs are whack. Some of the oldest retailers in the world — grocery stores — discovered long ago that one way to share your customers with your rivals is to honor their coupons. 

Now your local Piggly Wiggly isn’t alone. Add to that list coffee shops. Peet’s coffee is doing just that — they’re honoring the earned rewards of their closest competitors (Dunkin’, Starbucks, et al) when you join their program. All it takes is a simple screenshot. They’re calling it a disloyalty program. Brilliant.

For more on our perspective on (dis)loyalty, listen to this week’s podcast with Phillip and Brian, Episode 322: “Frequent Flier Free Agency”. 

P.S.  The Discount and the Divine. Miami nights, overpriced champagne, and a businessman with a bulldog. This week in our recurring series, Lovers and Outlaws, guest writer Melissa Henderson explains how a move from NYC to Miami reshaped both her social circle (and what they buy), and her spirituality. Read it now.