Athletic products and loyalty programs are a great match because, together, they have the potential to help customers develop a more active lifestyle. For instance, rewarding members for their use of a physical activity tracker may provide the motivation for some people to actually get out and work out regularly. In this article, we’ll analyze a reward system that follows this strategy: the Bergzeit loyalty program.
A Quest for a Loyalty Program That Caters to an Athletic-Minded Community
Bergzeit is a multichannel retailer in Germany selling mountaineering products. Strong in both online and in-store retail, with a variety of content in its online magazine, and over 130 guided tours in its outdoor academy, the company is a starting point for any alpine adventure.
Bergzeit was interested in launching a loyalty program that catered to its audience—those with an active lifestyle and love for the outdoors. So the company partnered with Antavo to put this idea into action, which led to a loyalty program that rewards customers for their active lifestyle as much as it rewards them for making repeat purchases.
Top Challenges: Differentiate & Increase Customer Lifetime Value
Dealing with hiking and sports equipment means that Bergzeit saw a relatively low purchase frequency. Often buyers would place one order and then disappear for a long time. In addition, the company sought to differentiate itself from its biggest competitors without relying too much on discounts. Lastly, Bergzeit wanted a customer retention solution that fit with its existing CRM and marketing providers.
As a result, these three main challenges were brought to Antavo:
- Get customers to the 2nd and 3rd purchases
- Differentiate the brand with a meaningful reward journey
- Integrate seamlessly with a variety of providers
Bergzeit Club: An Approachable, Customer-Friendly Reward Program
Bergzeit’s loyalty system — aptly named Bergzeit Club — is built upon the foundation of two distinct loyalty mechanisms: earn & burn and tiers. The resulting hybrid program is capable of delivering short-term reward experiences, as well as maintaining engagement in the long run, simultaneously catering to both new and old customers.
There are three tiers in total. Level 1 members are eligible for some benefits from the get-go (such as members-only sales, which incentivize new purchases), but the best rewards are kept for top-tier members.
Points can be earned reliably through transactions, but customers are offered other ways to gain loyalty currency:
- Members can earn points for writing reviews on products they’ve verifiably purchased
- Customers can earn a €10 coupon for inviting a friend who spends at least €100 in the shop
- Still, the most noteworthy non-transactional activity that gives members points is the Strava integration
How the Bergzeit Loyalty Program Created a New Norm for Athletic Loyalty Programs
A fundamental feature of the Bergzeit Club is the Strava integration. As the company’s primary target audience consists of hiking enthusiasts and fans of the active alpine lifestyle, the company wanted a loyalty program that would reward them not just for shopping, but also for living an athletic lifestyle.
Antavo responded to this challenge by integrating a tracker solution with Strava. This way members who use the app can earn points and then spend them on rewards. It works like this:
- Bergzeit has a dedicated section on the membership page, which customers can visit in order to connect their account
- After clicking on the button, members are asked to log into their Strava account
- Once customers have successfully identified themselves, Bergzeit Club unlocks a series of Strava-related activities and rewards
The connection between Strava and Antavo happens in real-time. Whenever a member completes a loyalty challenge, Strava calls out to Antavo’s back-end to save the event.
Get Your Climbing Gear Ready!
Naturally, mountaineering product retailers aren’t the only ones benefiting from having a loyalty program with a sports tracker integration. The footwear and fashion industries, in general, are also a great fit for next-gen loyalty solutions. Remember: satisfying customers both inside and outside the buying cycle is the key to long-term engagement!
For a more detailed look into Bergzeit’s loyalty program, download our case study. And, as always, we’re more than happy to start a conversation on how Antavo can help drive your KPIs.
Tamas is a Senior Loyalty Program Specialist at Antavo and a Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional - CLMP. Tamas is known for having a keen eye for loyalty and customer retention research and trends. Tamas is also a true gamer at heart and has an impressive collection of cyberpunk books.
