The big data Jedi

Nielsen’s SVP consumer and shopper insights Todd Hale points to Kroger’s loyalty card as one of the best examples of consumer data aggregation. “Not only do you save money when you use their loyalty card, but you [also] save money no matter where you shop,” he said of Kroger’s 1-2-3 Rewards Visa Card, which is linked to its loyalty program.

That catapults actionable shopper data to an entirely new level — Kroger knows what its best customers are buying from other retailers.

“If you think about the digital world, we’re going to know where you browse; we’re going to know what you watch; we’re going to know where you are,” Michael Donnelly, Kroger SVP merchandising, recently told analysts. Donnelly outlined a future where personalization becomes so fine-tuned that a customer can walk into the supermarket with a prepopulated shopping list generated by a retailer.