J.Crew has launched its first rewards program in a bid to lure back shoppers.
According to Fortune, the retailer’s new loyalty program offers standard perks such as a $5 store credit for each $200 spent, as well as free standard shipping to people who sign up for the program — which is open to all customers, regardless of how they pay.
The plan is the first major initiative led by President and Chief Experience Officer Adam Brotman, who was hired five months ago and serves as CEO James Brett’s second-in-command.
Brotman joined J.Crew after the company announced in December that it will be relying on mostly online shopping channels to boost sales and reestablish itself with its customer base.
“Adam’s experience with global field operations and cutting-edge consumer-facing digital platforms makes him an invaluable partner in shaping and driving J. Crew Group’s strategic initiatives to the next level,” Brett said.
While the J.Crew Rewards perks are not as innovative as those at some other store chains, the idea, Brotman said, was to get the program rolling and eventually offer its shoppers in the near future personalized promotions and better targeted ads instead of sending everyone the same deals.
“Before we can do those things on an advanced level, we wanted to get this foundational element in place, which is the J.Crew loyalty program,” Brotman told Fortune.
“There’s a real emphasis now at J.Crew on personalized engagement versus just site-wide promotion,” he added. “This is laying the groundwork for that.”
The chain, which has reported 13 straight quarters of sharp comparable sales declines, is hoping the program will attract shoppers who have been abandoning J.Crew in droves.
With that in mind, the retailer has been thinking outside the box to gain exposure. Earlier this year, for example, it partnered with WeWork for a panel discussion series where it could sell items from its spring collection at several of the co-working company’s locations across the U.S. The events and shops aim to help J.Crew gain visibility.