In today’s crowded retail aisles, its not only about customer experience, but customer engagement is crucial, as capturing a consumer’s attention requires more than just eye-catching packaging. Research shows that consumers typically need to see a product 5-7 times before it stands out enough for them to consider picking it up or making a purchase. Add to that the fact that in today’s customer journey, most shoppers are trying to get in and out of the store as quickly as possible, and it’s clear that grabbing attention is no easy feat. This challenge is even more pronounced in the highly competitive vitamin and supplement category, where the sheer number of options makes standing out in the aisle not just desirable, but essential for success. To tackle this, Nestlé, in partnership with Shopkick, has developed a dynamic strategy that transforms a routine shopping trip into an engaging and memorable experience for the brand and for customer retention, building customer relationships in the aisle even before engaging with the products.
Engaging Consumers in the Aisle
Brands have a massive opportunity to capitalize on the critical moment of in-store experiences at the shelf. With an average of $250 spent per consumer on top-of-funnel advertising across a mix of offline and digital channels, getting your product into the store is just the start of developing brand loyalty. Now, the real challenge begins guiding shoppers to the right aisle, capturing their attention, and convincing them to pick up your product and add it to their basket. In fact, studies show that up to 70% of purchase decisions are made in-store, underscoring the importance of effective shelf presence, retail customer engagement, and in-the-moment marketing.
A key differentiator for Shopkick is the ability to reward at the point of the shelf. The customer engagement strategy works by rewarding consumers with “kicks” for scanning UPC codes in-store via their mobile app, where then Shopkick can incentivize consumers to explore a brand. This is exactly the approach the NhS (Nestle Health Science) takes. By using in-aisle scans, they are engaging customers to pick up their products and engage deeply, offering a seamless blend of education and engagement. This interactive approach not only keeps consumers in the aisle longer but also gives them immediate reasons to engage—vital in a health-conscious category where information is key.
As Meara O’Neill, Shopper Marketing Manager, from Nestlé, explains, “It’s imperative to create both awareness and conversion at the moment when a consumer is in the store, especially in the VMS category; you have to create a way to incentive them, but also get them to come back and purchase again. <Shopkick> is a huge program for us and we’ve just seen amazing, amazing success.” This gamified experience is particularly effective in categories like health and wellness, where consumers often require more detailed product knowledge. By rewarding interaction with instant rewards, Nestlé ensures its products stand out, encouraging both engagement and purchase.
Educating Consumers with Real-Time Insights
Once you get a consumer to put your product in their basket, the next step is to create a sense of loyalty to get them to purchase again. One way to do that is to lean into education. Nestlé is a great example of educating consumers on how to integrate products into their daily lives. For instance, demonstrating how collagen dissolves into coffee helps consumers understand the product’s real-world application. They use platforms like Shopkick to deliver these messages through lookbooks and practical demonstrations that build awareness while moving shoppers closer to purchase.
What sets this approach apart is the real-time interaction. Consumers scan products, receive kicks, and learn as they go, making the process both informative and rewarding. With the ability to personalize content based on shopper preferences, Nestlé tailors its messaging to ensure that consumers get the most relevant and impactful information.
Broadening Reach and Engaging New Customers
So, you’ve now got a consumer in the store, you got them to engage with your product in the aisle, you are feeding them education to get them to come back for more – what’s next? Consumers have a lot of choice, even after you’ve convinced them that they need your product, they’ll be hit with at least 7 different ads within the next 14 days. So, staying top of mind is critical during this initial time of creating an emotional connections. Brands can use SMS and push notifications, custom surveys, branded lookbooks, custom emails, and more to improve the user experience, creating these connections and follow-ups with individual customers.
Additionally, interactive experiences can be a great way to stay top-of-mind and continue to engage consumers. Within Shopkick a brand can offer rewards for in-store visits, deliver personalized offers based on shopper behavior, and create interest before the consumer leaves their couch in order to engage consumers deeply, and capture valuable customer data that helps brands refine its marketing approach. The combination of attracting new customers and keeping existing ones engaged through instant rewards and tailored content creates a more loyal, diverse customer base.
Boosting Sales Through Product Bundles
The final step in the journey is not to continue driving sales and driving largest basket size. Nestlé has capitalized on this by catering to its customer needs, such as providing incentives for bundling products—such as pairing collagen with coffee—Nestlé not only boosts immediate sales but also encourages customers to form habits around its products. For example, like in a loyalty program, customers who purchase both salted caramel collagen and coffee receive additional pricing kicks, as well as a recipe suggestion to combine them, making the purchase more enticing and valuable, increasing customer satisfaction and conversion rates at the same time.
The ability to track purchasing history and behavior across physical stores and online, helps Nestlé refine its bundling strategies, optimizing product recommendations and combinations based on consumer preferences. This tactic not only increases sales of existing products, but new products too, fostering customer loyalty, as consumers are incentivized to return for future promotions.
A Stronger Presence in Natural Retail Channels
Through a partnership with Shopkick, brands, like Nestlé, can successfully expand their omnichannel retail reach within different marketing campaigns and channels such as offline, interactive, e-commerce, social media and various other touchpoints, expand category dominance, enhance the personalized experience for customers and ultimately move units for better profitability. The combination of real-time data, personalized content, and effective bundling has proven highly successful, allowing Nestlé to adapt quickly and meet the needs of today’s savvy shoppers throughout their shopping journey. As consumer behavior continues to evolve, this customer data-driven approach ensures that brands stay ahead of the curve. By leveraging these insights, Nestlé not only strengthens its brand presence but also builds deeper, more meaningful connections with its loyal customers.
