SkiEssentials double their customer spend with their engaging loyalty program

Challenge

Based in Stowe, Vermont, SkiEssentials had a highly passionate audience of skiing enthusiasts. However, they were transitioning from a brick-and-mortar store to an online operation and needed innovative ways to engage customers through this change.

The goal was to replicate the personal, informative, and community-focused experience that customers enjoyed in-store within the online space. This meant they needed to build trust with their audience while maintaining a strong advisory role.

Solution

To meet these challenges, SkiEssentials launched a loyalty program designed to build on the passionate community vibe and further enhance their customer engagement. The program awards points for a variety of activities, including YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook follows, as well as referrals. This encourages their customers to actively participate and share their experiences, building a sense of community with their brand and increasing their enthusiasm for connecting with them.

SkiEssentials really understands the importance of trust, so offered additional points for customers who could provide photo and video reviews. This strategy not only helps to encourage more authentic customer testimonials, but also attracts new members who value real-life feedback from fellow skiers. This approach reinforces the brand’s reputation as trusted advisors in the skiing community.

The program also makes it incredibly easy for members to redeem points at checkout, significantly increasing redemption rates. Members who redeem their points typically exhibit the highest customer lifetime value, highlighting the program’s effectiveness in driving customer loyalty and repeat business.

SkiEssentials have also made sure that their loyalty program extends the brick-and-mortar experience to their online shoppers. They introduced ‘Mid-level’ and ‘Summit’ tier rewards, offering benefits such as online concierge customer service, exclusive access to in-store events, and free binding checks. These rewards are great for incentivizing higher engagement, as well as providing a seamless and personalized experience that mirrors the in-store service customers knew and loved.

Results

SkiEssentials’s loyalty program has been pretty impressive so far. Redeeming loyalty program members spend twice as much as non-members, demonstrating the significant impact of the program on customer spending. These members also purchase twice as often as non-members, indicating a high level of engagement and satisfaction.

The loyalty program has successfully bridged the gap between SkiEssentials’ physical store and online presence, creating a passionate and engaged community of skiers who trust and rely on the brand for their skiing needs.