DISCUSSION

Are Nike’s Member Days loyalty’s future?

January 3, 2022Written by Tom Ryan

Nike in November set member engagement records with the launch of its first globally coordinated Member Days event. The event, started in 2019, offers loyalty members special access, offers and rewards over five themed days. “From member exclusive product offerings to our first livestreamed member events from our Nike Town London and Passeig de Gracia Store in Barcelona, we created a distinct member experience and set a record for weekly active users on the Nike App in North America,” Matthew Friend, Nike EVP and CFO, said on the company’s second-quarter investor call last month. The U.S. event in November included:

Nov. 9 – Member Exclusive Footwear & Running Apparel: Exclusive access to new cold weather running apparel as well as the re-release of the 1979 running shoe, Daybreak, updated in retro colors.
Nov. 10 – Celebrating PeacePlayers: Members earned an Achievement Badge in the Nike Run Club app by running a 5K or partaking in other activities to raise awareness for PeacePlayers, an organization that uses basketball to unite youth in divided communities.
Nov. 11 – Save Up To 50% On Select Styles: A flash sale offered discounts of up to 50 percent on various styles.
Nov. 12 – Exclusive Nike By You Kyrie 7: Members earned a chance to customize the new Kyrie 7 footwear style through Nike By You.
Nov. 13 – Exclusive Air Force 1: Members gained access to the latest Air Force 1 in colors inspired by World Kindness Day.

Nike attributes its strong member engagement to the options it gives customers to connect digitally. Forty percent of Nike’s online sales this year came from the brand’s mobile apps. “Not every brand in our industry or other industries is able to have that direct connection with consumers,” said John Donahoe, Nike’s president and CEO. “That's why we're putting so much focus on our full consumer funnel, bringing new members into the top of the funnel, engaging the mid-funnel and then obviously, translating that into strong and deep relationships.” Most member events from other retailers appear largely tied to sales, including Amazon Prime Day, early access to major sales events such as Nordstrom’s Half Year Sale, and Friends & Family days from Macy’s, Gap and others.

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