Loyalty Without Loyalty Cards: How Trader Joe’s Built a Tribe
A friend of mine recently moved from the Upper West Side of Manhattan to Washington Heights, a neighborhood about 5 miles uptown. Her favorite grocery store, Trader Joe’s, was now a 30-minute subway ride away. But the distance wouldn’t stop her from frequenting the nautically-themed healthy food establishment. As a loyal member of the Trader Joe’s tribe, she makes the trip at least once a week to get her TJ’s fix.
Trader Joe’s offers no sales, no coupons, and no loyalty programs, yet it has successfully developed a cult-like following of customers who can’t get enough of their affordable, healthy, private-label goods. So how does Trader Joe’s do it?
A Personal Touch
Trader Joe’s is a national supermarket chain with over 500 stores across the US. But shopping at Trader Joe’s feels like a local, personal experience — and it’s an experience that keeps shoppers coming back.
Human connection is an integral part of the Trader Joe’s shopping experience. The company hires friendly employees, and instructs them to make conversation with customers. Employees specifically stock shelves during store hours, in order to create more interaction between shoppers and employees in the aisles. And if a customer asks where a certain item is located, the employee will walk the customer to the right spot, chatting along the way. The personal touch goes a long way to keep shoppers satisfied, and turn them into recurring customers.
Fun Shopping Experience
Trader Joe’s doesn’t take itself too seriously, and loyal customers love it. The products have fun, punny names. Signage across the store is hand-drawn and lighthearted. Employees wear Hawaiian shirts. There’s a plastic lobster hidden in every store, just because.
Trader Joes makes shopping fun. And when something’s fun to do, people want to keep doing it.
Quality Products at Good Prices
In the end, no amount of fun branding or quality customer service can make up for bad products. Luckily for Trader Joe’s, their products are loved by many.
Their private-label strategy means they sell what are essentially brand-name products for generic prices. And with a wide selection of healthy, quality fare at very reasonable prices, what’s not to love?
Among their offerings are selections from international cuisines, products you wouldn’t necessarily find anywhere else. It’s great for shoppers who want to try new and interesting foods and expand their palates. But don’t worry, they’ve got all the classics, too. In fact, as my aforementioned friend pointed out, they’ve even got toilet paper.
The Experience is the Brand
Trader Joe’s marketing strategy is simple: offer a great product and a great experience. No ad campaigns, loyalty programs, or sales are necessary. If you can provide a great product, customers will love it, and they’ll keep coming back. It’s working pretty great so far.
