Save Mart Launches BevAlc Digital Rebates
The Save Mart Companies (TSMC), which operates 200-some stores under grocery chains Save Mart, Lucky and FoodMaxx in California and Western Nevada, has expanded its relationship with retail technology provider Swiftly to pilot near-immediate digital rebates for alcohol purchases made on the chains' respective mobile apps.
TSMC shoppers can peruse available brand-funded BevAlc rebates, activate them digitally before purchase, and provide their loyalty ID at checkout. Swiftly's Alcohol Cashback program gives shoppers access to the rebate within hours via PayPal or Venmo, rather than them waiting weeks for it to arrive through the mail.
Swiftly unveiled the program in August, describing it as its way of redefining the “traditional” and manual rebate process, according to a media release, particularly for BevAlc brands which have historically faced greater marketing limits and challenges compared to other CPG categories due to complex regulatory laws.
Swiftly says its program aims to navigate the legal intricacies surrounding alcohol purchases, a market that garners $283 billion in annual sales and is expected to grow 5.6% annually by 2027, according to Swiftly. As a third-party intermediary, Swiftly allows alcohol brands to collaborate with retailers and tap into retail media networks, circumventing direct transactions and ensuring regulatory compliance, per the release.
While Save Mart’s banners are the first to pilot the offering (via mobile thus far), more retailers will adopt the feature as it can be integrated within retailers’ existing app and/or website, the release indicated.
"Swiftly's Alcohol Cashback Program unlocks a significant opportunity for TSMC shoppers to save even more while enabling our stores and alcohol brand partners to excel and profit within the complex and highly regulated adult beverage industry," Tamara Pattison, senior vice president and chief digital officer at TSMC, said in the release.
[Also Read: Save Mart Revamps Chain Websites With More Ad Opportunities]
Swiftly says the solution also provides advertisers with “comprehensive” measurement and reporting systems that detail consumer insights and data and aid their understanding of category share, basket analysis and buyer behavior.
According to a recent study from Swiftly, more than 70% of consumers confirmed that they would be more inclined to shop with a retailer, or purchase from a brand that provides alcohol rebates. Additionally, almost half (49%) of those surveyed indicated that simplifying the process would increase rebate use.
TSMC originally partnered with Swiftly in 2021 to get a piece of the retail media pie by enhancing the grocer’s digital experience. The collaboration gave brand partners access to dynamic ad placements, targeted content, sponsored searches and product recommendations as well as real-time insights and analytics. More recently, in May 2022, TSMC launched enhanced chain websites featuring more lucrative ad opportunities and retail media touchpoints again in partnership with Swiftly.