Virgin Megastores Continue Commitment to Music Retail by Unveiling New Customer Loyalty Program

Virgin Megastores Continue Commitment to Music Retail by Unveiling New Customer Loyalty Program

Virgin Megastores Launch V.I.P. Program Which Will Offer Unique Rewards to Customers Such as Concert Tickets, Backstage Passes, Collective Memorabilia and Deep Discounts

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- While many critics are doubting the future of music retail, Virgin Megastores continue to invest in the brand's primary priority: its customers. This month Virgin Megastores, nationwide, will unveil the brand's new V.I.P. (Virgin Important Person) Loyalty Program. The program, which is free to join, will offer customers a unique point/reward program, special discounts and entertainment incentives -- such as backstage passes, concert tickets, and instant prizes, all with just a swipe of their V.I.P. loyalty card.

"We know that the market for loyalty programs is competitive and we also know there's no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to these types of programs," explains Dee Mc Laughlin, senior director of marketing, Virgin Entertainment Group, North America. "However, we are confident that our V.I.P. program will offer unique premiums that will motivate and reward our most loyal customers. We've built our reputation on giving customers what they truly want. We've done the research and will continue to do more to identify Virgin customers' preferences, and we will tailor our offer accordingly."

Slated to kick off in early October, the program will be based on the revolutionary GraphiCard(TM) technology and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system from Visible Results USA. With the patented Visible Results technology, the super-slim Virgin V.I.P. members' cards are inserted into a freestanding counter-top unit at the point-of-sale terminal during each sales transaction. A cutting-edge thermo-chromic process enables the front of the card to display points garnered through the most recent purchase, along with other personalized data designed to pique consumers' interest. Such data, which is customized for each client, can include highly targeted offers, details of special promotions and sales, advertising messages, particulars of instant win games, and loyalty point balances. A re-writeable magnetic strip incorporated into the back of the card stores specific data about transactions as they occur. It also enables the back of the card to be re-written every time it is presented, turning it into a self-contained database that eliminates extensive, costly systems integration while encouraging repeated use and customer loyalty.

"According to expert analysts, retailers that get the most payback from loyalty programs are careful to measure vital metrics, like gross margin per customer and the lifetime value of a customer, as well as getting on-going feedback from their customers to provide rewards that customers feel are valuable," explains Simon Wright, CEO, Virgin Entertainment Group, North America. "That's exactly what we're doing with our unique V.I.P. program. We have researched the type of loyalty programs that work and we are confident that the Virgin V.I.P. program will add to our success as a music retailer."

Customers interested in signing up for the Virgin V.I.P. loyalty program will be asked to fill out a short application in store.

ABOUT VIRGIN ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

Virgin Entertainment Group is the world's leading multi-channel music and entertainment retailer, providing customers with a range of superior entertainment experiences through a family of integrated Virgin-branded businesses. The "category killer" Virgin Megastores and Virgin Megastore Online at www.virginmega.com are integral parts of a strategy to provide entertainment customers with what they want, how they want it, and when they want it. For more information, or to check out the location of the nearest Virgin retail, go to www.virginmegamagazine.com

ABOUT VISIBLE RESULTS

Headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, the Visible Results Group of Companies has, since its inception in 1997, emerged as one of the world's leading customer relationship firms, serving a growing client base across convenience, fast food, fuels, and the general retail industry. The company currently operates programs in fifteen countries globally, including the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Canada, Mexico, and parts of South America.

Source: Virgin Megastores

CONTACT: Krysty O'Quinn of SJ Communications, +1-818-881-3889,
Krysty@sjcommunications.com, for Virgin Megastores; or George Stevens of
Visible Results PR, +1-913-383-3400, gstevens@visibleresults.com, for Virgin
Megastores

Web site: http://www.virginmegamagazine.com/

Web site: http://www.virginmega.com/

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