Shoppers Want Healthy Ideas & Recipes In-Store; Grocers Rewarded with Increased Sales & Loyalty

Independent research at Martin’s Super Markets shows that the Healthnotes “Fresh Ideas” program increases shopper satisfaction and drives incremental sales storewide

 

PORTLAND, Ore.—February 6, 2008—Healthnotes®, the leader in wellness-driven shopper marketing for food and drug retailers, today announced results of an in-store test conducted by an independent firm showing that their “Fresh Ideas” program drives incremental sales and shopper satisfaction. The test, conducted at Martin’s Super Markets based in South Bend, Indiana, showed that nearly 70 percent of shoppers made an immediate purchase as a result of using the Healthnotes Fresh Ideas center and over half the user respondents agreed that the kiosk itself was a reason to shop at Martin’s.

The Healthnotes “Fresh Ideas” program is a kiosk-centered marketing program that provides shoppers with recipes from great publications such as EatingWell magazine, plus seasonally relevant health, wellness and lifestyle information for key departments—including meat & seafood, produce, wine, pharmacy, and nutrition. The Fresh Ideas kiosk helps make the connection between health and food for shoppers, facilitating purchases by allowing users to create shopping lists and print recipes while in the store. Links within the program make it easy to access suggested wine pairings for each recipe, as well as food preparation and healthy eating tips.

“The main thing is that we are providing a valuable service to our customers. The fact that Healthnotes also helps us take advantage of the growth in health & wellness and drives basket size is a bonus,” stated Amy Simeri McClellan, market research supervisor for Martin’s Super Markets. “We truly believe our shoppers leave the store feeling better about shopping at Martin’s, which is clearly a big win for us.” 

The In-Store Test and Results
Wisner Marketing Group, Inc. (WMG), a research firm specializing in consumer and retail trends, conducted the study in 3 Martin’s Super Markets during the 4th quarter of 2007. WMG interviewed a total of 257 shoppers, including previous kiosk users, first-time users, and non-users. At the conclusion of the interview, shoppers were given a cash coupon which was used to match their purchases to their Martin’s Advantage Card history. A total of 15 Martin’s store employees representing various positions and departments were also interviewed.

Key findings include:

  • Dramatic incremental sales gains throughout the store
    • Two-thirds of customers reported that they had purchased items as a result of the information they found on the Healthnotes kiosk (66.5%). Studies in 2005 reported purchase rates of 41%. This new study both confirms that there is a high incremental purchase rate for Healthnotes kiosk users, and indicates even better performance from the launch of the “Fresh Ideas” version in 2007.
    • Shoppers accessing the kiosk made total purchases averaging 39% higher than non-users.
    • Incremental purchases occurred in nearly every department of the store.
  • Strong positive impacts on customer service and loyalty
    • Among users, 97.3% said they had or would recommend the kiosk to others.
    • Over half of users agreed that the “Fresh Ideas” kiosk was itself a reason to shop at Martin’s.
    • 73% of interviewed employees said the program helps save them time while providing customer service.
    • 87% of employees believe that having Healthnotes is a competitive advantage for Martin’s.

 

“The results of this study build on a solid foundation of evidence that well designed, interactive shopper marketing programs work, especially when coupled with the powerful trends in wellness. We are thrilled to help retailers like Martin’s capitalize on these converging trends with a proven, flexible program that not only drives sales, but enhances the shopping experience leading to increased loyalty,” stated Dr. Skye Lininger, Healthnotes president and CEO.

Martin’s Super Market and Healthnotes Present Study Results at NGA Show
McClellan along with Jeff Seacrist, vice president marketing for Healthnotes, will jointly present at the NGA Supermarket Synergy Showcase, being held this week in Las Vegas, in a session titled, “Health and Wellness: No Longer a Market Niche.” Scheduled for Thursday, February 7 at 8:00 a.m., Healthnotes will impart proven strategies for wellness marketing and Martin’s will share tactics they’re using to build their wellness brand, including the “Fresh Ideas” program and the results of this recent study. Attendees will receive a copy of the case study and the educational guide, “Healthy Profits: 5 Successful Strategies for Wellness Marketing.” The case study and guide are also available at the Healthnotes booth #615 or by contacting pr@healthnotes.com.

About Wisner Marketing Group
Wisner Marketing Group Inc. (WMG) conducts research for a wide range of clients interested in understanding the behavior of the self-care consumer in a retail environment. WMG also assists retailers, manufacturers, trade associations, and others in developing and implementing solutions to complex marketing issues. For more information, visit www.wisnermarketing.com.

About Healthnotes
Healthnotes Inc. is the leader in wellness-driven marketing programs for retailers, publishers, and manufacturers. Healthnotes helps marketers leverage the powerful health and wellness trend to connect with consumers at the point of decision—in-store and online. The Healthnotes network drives more than 50 million consumer visits annually across thousands of retail locations and websites worldwide, including nine of the top ten U.S. grocery retailers. Visit www.healthnotes.com for more information.

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Note to editors: HEALTHNOTES is a registered trademark of Healthnotes Inc.

For more information, contact
Bill Schneider
Aisle7
503.234.4092,