Catalina Marketing Services announced that it is expanding its nationwide point-of-sale (POS) media network into convenience stores at the National Association of Convenience Stores Show in Chicago. The expansion follows a successful pilot program with technology partner Outsite Networks.
The Catalina Network is a targeted consumer communication system, currently located at checkouts in more than 26,000 retail, grocery, drug and mass retail outlets throughout the United States.
Catalina has been piloting convenience store brand-building programs during the past year in nearly 500 stores using a system that was specially designed for the channel, the company says. It features a consumer-facing printer that can issue relevant promotional messages and coupon offers directly to consumers based on their individual purchase behavior.
Consumers have proven to be highly responsive to relevant marketing programs in this new channel, Catalina says. Brands have been achieving exceptional results in generating trial for new products and volume growth for established ones, it adds. In addition, retailers are seeing increased trips and sales driven by the promotion programs sourced and designed by Catalina’s team of brand consultants, according to the company.
"The Catalina Network will offer customers added value during their shopping experience and is a great tool to meet the marketing goals of both retailers and CPG manufacturers,” said Joe Vonder Haar, managing partner of at iSee Store Innovations, in a statement. “The Catalina Network is a plug and play system that is fully compatible with all scanner-based [convenience]-store POS systems.”
“The convenience channel is an ideal growth area for Catalina and we look forward to a very successful rollout,” said Ed Kuehnel, president of Catalina Marketing Services, in a statement. “We will improve our strategic value by now being able to support our clients’ key initiatives in the channel."
Catalina also has partnered with Outsite Networks to provide additional loyalty and mobile capabilities to convenience store retailers through the CouponNetwork.
