A loyalty program can fill a variety of roles. It can fill in areas where a company is lacking, encourage customers to shop a certain way, identify valuable customers and reward accordingly, or even a combination of all three. At GameStop, however, the PowerUp Rewards program has a clear purpose: accentuate the advantages of brick-and-mortar video game retail, while rewarding customers for participating in the brand’s “buy, sell, trade” business model.
 
At the 2016 Loyalty Expo, presented by Loyalty360, GameStop will join three other organizations for the “Loyalty Awards eXChange, Loyalty or Reward Program Category: Meet the Finalists” panel, during which they’ll deliver a presentation regarding what sets their PowerUp Rewards program apart from the competition.
 
For years, PowerUp Rewards has delivered added value and, perhaps more importantly, a sense of community for GameStop shoppers. The program is built around GameStop’s model of pre-owned trades: when customers finish their games, they trade the discs in for store credit or cash, earning PowerUp Reward points along the way. The program is clearly targeted at showing the customer that they can get what they want for less through trades and PowerUp Rewards.
 
“Gaming is where we laid the foundation for the PowerUp Rewards program, but as we evolve it’s becoming this bigger question of how we can improve the customer experience for all of our shoppers,” Darin Smith, GameStop’s Director of PowerUp Rewards, told Loyalty360. “In short, we’re staying true to the gaming identity we’ve built for ourselves, while laying the groundwork for expansion into things like mobile technology and collectibles.”
 
The company isn’t content resting on its laurels; GameStop is constantly seeking ways to innovate and build on the program. In addition to adding mobile capabilities to PowerUp Rewards, the brand is leveraging new partnerships to alter its rewards mix.
 
“Another changing trend we’ve noticed is that where our customers used to be very response to these huge sweepstakes, we’re now seeing increased interest in much smaller giveaways,” said Smith. “By leveraging our partnership with [collectibles retailer] ThinkGeek, we look forward to being able to offer exclusive items to PowerUp members.”
 
Hear from GameStop, along with other top brands in loyalty, at the 2016 Loyalty Expo May 24-26 at the Universal DoubleTree in Orlando, Florida.