Dynamic targeting and individual personalised offers is the grand aim of leading cashback site – TopCashback.
Commercial director at the 2005-founded business, James Little, said while offers are currently sent to members via email and through the Snap & Save app, the end goal involves a grander level of personalised offers.
Little, who was recently promoted from partnerships director, said the company is sitting on huge pool of data which is ‘there for the taking’ – as it is this knowledge which serves to benefit members/consumers, Little stressed.
He said to be able to offer even more personal deals to individuals – based on their spending and brand habits, similar to the highly successful loyalty card offers that some major supermarkets provide to millions of members, would and will be a major milestone for the business.
Using Data Intelligently
“We have a huge amount of data and we do have the ability to offer members bespoke, individual deals,” Little said.
“However, it’s about aggregating that data, working with it and using it intelligently. We have the data, the technology and the capability, but these things take time and it is something we are working on.”
In terms of the future of the cashback industry, Little said he feels that near field communication (NFC) could well be the next big thing, but stressed that before that, retailers need to really focus on holistically merging their online and offline teams.
“I am excited about the prospects and future of the industry, but do feel big changes still need to happen,” Little begins.
“I have frustrations about the lack of multichannel approach. Too many retailers operate their online and offline services in silo.
“For example, I have spoken to many offline teams who have no idea what the online team is doing – and don’t even know who is running that part of the business and how (or vice versa). Big changes are needed.”
No to Check-ins
TopCashback, which employs about 80 staff, also has cashback sites in India and the US. Little said no new markets are penned in as yet.
He also said the company has no plans to launch in-store ‘check-ins’ – a feature which its main rival, cashback site Quidco, offer.
“We have no plans to introduce the check-ins as the process just isn’t reliable as yet – the smartphone technology is not there due to the constant shift in satellite location and nine times out of 10 GPS doesn’t work inside a building/store” Little said.
“I don’t really see the value of it or what a brand gets out of it as you can check-in from nearby, or in your office, without even being in the shop.”