ECRS Releases CATAPULT Loyalty Points™- A Flexible and Affordable Loyalty Solution for SMB Retailers

BOONE, N.C., May 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its expanding Customer Relationship Management suite, ECR Software Corporation (ECRS) today announces the release of CATAPULT Loyalty Points™.  This accrual-based loyalty application joins existing customer marketing and management solutions including discount price level via customer association, CATAPULT™ membership management, self-hosted gift card, Repeat Rewards integration and house charge management. The Customer Relationship Management suite is part of ECRS' comprehensive enterprise automation product line built to increase efficiencies and bottom-line growth for SMB retailers.

CATAPULT Loyalty Points lets customers automatically accrue points or dollars based on purchases. Accrued rewards are redeemable at the point of sale for store purchases, merchandise discounts, or charitable donation. For both single and multi store enterprises, benefits are tracked in real-time through the CATAPULT system enabling instant accrual or redemption and preventing double dipping.  Earned point or dollar totals are clearly printed on the customer's receipt after each loyalty-associated transaction. This instant rewards feedback encourages customers to participate by helping them keep track of loyalty benefits without the effort required to visit a website or the tedium of waiting for a mailed promotion.

Because CATAPULT Loyalty Points is a self-hosted program, there are no contracts or monthly fees. Retailers also maintain complete control over branding and management of their program. Accrual point amounts can be set by customer, item, or department and changed by authorized personnel to fit certain promotions or date ranges. Retailers can also choose to restrict point redemption on inventory that offers a low profit margin or on regulated and/or managed items such tobacco products, alcohol, and certain medications or supplements.

"Walter Stewart's uses CATAPULT Loyalty to manage our T-Bill Rewards™ program, originally started by my uncle over 30 years ago," said Doug Stewart, VP/Sales and Marketing Director of Walter Stewart's Market located in New Canaan, CT.  "Our customers earn dollars based on a percentage of their purchases which can be redeemed for discounted or free products. We also give back to our community by having fund raisers in which customers donate their earned loyalty dollars to a charity or organization and Walter Stewart's matches their donations. CATAPULT helps us manage and effectively track donations, as well as, all of our customer loyalty activity through precise reporting.  Customers today have a lot of shopping options so it is important for us to extend additional value and service through our loyalty program to keep customers coming back."

"CATAPULT Loyalty Points is a flexible, commonsense, and affordable loyalty solution for retailers," said ECRS President and CEO Peter Catoe. "Loyalty programs are growing in popularity because of their positive impact on customer retention and sales growth. ECRS developed this product to afford such opportunities to all retailers whether they have a single location or 500 locations."

About ECRS

ECRS is a leading provider of complete enterprise automation solutions to retailers across North America. The ECRS product suite delivers business growth by managing inventory and margins, streamlining operations, reducing loss, maximizing resources, and improving customer service in single-store and chain retail establishments. Solutions include: point-of-sale, self-checkout, kiosk, inventory management, back office, supply chain, warehousing, EDI supplier integration, loyalty, gift card, membership management, fresh foods management, customer billboard advertising, fuel pump integration, DVR, Rx system integration, and retail consulting. To learn more visit www.ecrs.com.  

SOURCE ECRS