The V.I.P. Dollar $tore Reward program, conceptualized by Karl Kramer and Co., is a new way for storeowners to build a loyal customer base, according to Karl Kramer, president. This vacation rewards program “makes a store a destination,” he remarks, because it gives customers something special. “Customers come in and receive a customized V.I.P. vacation reward card with the store name and address,” Kramer explains. “Storeowners use a unique security punch to punch out the dollar amount of the customer’s purchase on the card. When customers spend a certain amount over a given time period, we recommend $200 over six months, they receive a three day, two night vacation at one of more than 40 spots across the U.S.” Accommodations are for four people at Holiday Inn or Ramada hotels, at numerous locations within driving distance so people don’t have to buy airline tickets. Destinations include popular vacation spots such as Atlantic City, NJ, Orlando, FL, Dallas, TX, San Diego, CA, and Gatlinburg, TN.
“The retail value of the hotel certificate is $400, but it only costs the store a small percentage of that,” Kramer continues. “In reality, it only costs the storeowner about $10 to take in $200. That’s a great return.” It’s a triple win, Kramer stresses. “Customers win because they shop and are rewarded with a great vacation, stores win because they are getting more sales, and hotels win because people will eat and drink there.” Hotel management is also hoping that participants will review the hotels through social media like Trip Advisor and Facebook, he adds.
Not only does the program build loyalty, the V.I.P Dollar $tore Reward program eliminates the need for costly direct mail, advertising and couponing as a type of billboard. The card also features a Double Dollar Rewards section, whereby stores can offer double dollar rewards on slow moving and seasonal items.
Feedback Attests to Program Benefits
The V.I.P. Dollar $tore Reward Program is a hot topic today, since stores across America are trying to figure out a way to increase their daily sales. J.W. Imports and Dollar Store Services, the largest dollar store builder in North America says, “Never before have we seen a sales promotion that drives both customer traffic and daily sales through the roof. This program is giving us the edge over our competition, and so much more. With this promotion, our registers are ringing sales like never before, and that’s the bottom line.”
The program also is having a remarkable impact on Christine and Matt Masi, who own The Dollar Store in Seaford, NY. “Within 24 hours of launching this program, folks that got the card on December 11 came back into the store to buy more items to get their cards punched,” Kramer shares. “To date, the Masis have given out 25,000 to 30,000 cards, and their business has increased about 40 percent. They’ve taken in several hundred thousand dollars because of our V.I.P program.” The V.I.P. Dollar $tore Reward program was a new concept to Matt, but not to Christine Masi. Kramer developed the same program for Jaguar, Cadillac, Infiniti and BMW, and Christine, a service advisor in these dealerships before getting into the dollar store business, was familiar with the program’s ability to increase sales.
Storeowners across the country, in large and small cities alike, are utilizing the program, Kramer points out. “We have a lady named Mary who has a dollar store in Central City, a small town in Iowa,” he goes on. “It’s pretty amazing that she is operating this program in a town of 1,300 people. She’s using the program to bring people into her store, as opposed to having them go to stores like Walmart in a nearby large city. She’s using our program to increase her daily sales.”
And if building business and eliminating costly direct mail and couponing activities isn’t enough, Kramer is making the deal even sweeter. Right now, through November 1, new program participants will receive one year of advertising on Superpages.com Yellow Pages for free. Kramer says he expects to have several hundred stores in the V.I.P. Dollar $tore Reward program before the March 2013 ASD show. “For the ASD, we’ll have super show specials, as well as storeowners at our exhibit to talk about the program with other storeowners. This is an incredible way for dollar store owners to grow their businesses.” To find out more about the V.I.P. Dollar $tore Reward program, retailers are invited to contact Karl Kramer and the Masi’s, and to visit www.dollarstorereward.com.
For more information:
Karl Kramer
Tel.: 516-359-0930
Christine and Matt Masi
Tel.: 516-809-9660