STRATACACHE Acquisitions Starting To Get Blended To Round Out Products

August 2, 2018 by Dave Haynes

STRATACACHE is starting to mash up some of its acquisitions to create more well-rounded and attractive products and services – notably an update to its convenience store checkout network that uses the analytics platform of a company brought into the “family” in 2017.

The shopper marketing company PRN, acquired by STRATACACHE in 2015, has updated its in-store LIFT Network to include real-time shopper analytics, driven by Walkbase’s platform. That Finnish company was acquired by STRATACACHE about a year ago.

The update gives c-store operators better insights into customer behavior and buying habits.

“C-store operators encounter a different set of challenges unique to their business. Conversions take place strictly in-store — making it difficult to gather valuable customer insights — and overall store sales are affected by the performance of cashiers and associates, typically high turnover roles,” says Kevin Carbone, CEO of PRN. “The new LIFT solution is a proven upsell tool that not only prompts customers with relevant offers based on present and past purchase behavior, it helps improve employee performance, overall sales and customer service. We’re experiencing incredible interest based on the results our customers have experienced. The new platform integrates easily with c-store systems and immediately begins generating larger average basket sizes and higher store sales.”

The LIFT platform is built around a customer-facing touchscreen display that integrates with existing POS system and loyalty programs. The pitch is that sales are lifted by as much as 25 points, with promotions triggered on the screens as products are scanned at checkout. Shoppers can accept and add promoted products at that big buying moment.

LIFT also says its platform drives loyalty programs, and helps train, cue and encourage counter staff.

I like this on a couple of levels.

Driving incremental sales of stuff actually sold in a store makes exponentially more sense than the endless parade of digital OOH networks that have tried to make a go of 3rd party advertising in c-stores.

It’s also clever how this provides shopper insights and cues store employees to do things like ask shoppers if they want to buy related products as those shoppers get their orders rung up.

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