Full Length ArticleThe impact of instant reward programs and bonus premiums on consumer purchase behavior

•IRPs stimulate the number of shopping trips.•Bonus premiums increase the brand share for the promoted product.•Bonus premiums make consumers more likely to purchase in the category.•IRPs and bonus premiums have a smaller effect for non-collecting consumers.

This study examines the impact of an instant reward program (IRP) with bonus premiums on consumer purchase behavior. An IRP is a rapidly growing form of short-term program that rewards consumers instantly with small premiums per fixed spending, where these premiums are part of a larger set of collectibles. A supplementary element in many IRPs promotes specific brands with an extra premium, labeled bonus premiums. Bonus premiums are the extra premiums consumers can earn by buying a specific promoted brand, which is a non-price promotion tied to the IRP. Therefore, consumers can earn premiums in two ways: based on total spending and on purchases of promoted brands. To test the effects of these marketing instruments, this study uses Dutch household panel data related to purchases of 23 product categories spanning four supermarket chains. We decompose consumer purchase behavior by modeling the number of shopping trips, category-level purchase incidence, brand choice, and purchase quantity. The results show that an IRP results in incremental shopping trips. Promoting a brand with a bonus premium and price discount compared to just a price discount results in higher choice probabilities for the promoted brand. Finally, the IRP and bonus premium are especially effective for households that collect the premiums, but we also find positive albeit smaller effects for non-collecting households.