In the face of evolving consumer behaviour and economic instability, traditional department stores such as Sincere, a well-established name since 1900, are required to modernize. Recently, Sincere demonstrated that not only is digital transformation viable for heritage retailers, but it can also be highly lucrative.
To achieve this, Sincere collaborated with Sanuker, a WhatsApp business solution provider, and Linkage, a retail solution expert, to launch a comprehensive WhatsApp reactivation campaign. This campaign aimed to re-engage inactive customers and increase visitor numbers in physical stores. The results were exceptional, with a 72 per cent coupon redemption rate, a 25 per cent click-through rate, and an incredible 290X return on ad spend – achievements that have since been hailed as a success story.
The strategy behind the “Sincere Crazy Sale” campaign involved using WhatsApp for message broadcasting and real-time coupon redemption through POS. The campaign harnessed Sincere’s previous customer purchase activity data to distribute highly personalized digital coupons via WhatsApp, which could be redeemed in-store through a QR code system validated by Linkage’s POS. This approach developed a seamless and trackable online-to-offline (O2O) experience, successfully increasing foot traffic back to physical stores.
David Li, Marketing Manager at Sincere, stated, “We succeeded in effectively re-engaging our inactive and VIP customers. The execution of this campaign significantly improved store visitor numbers and yielded results that greatly surpassed our expectations.”
Despite its potential, many retailers are still running their business messaging in isolation from their POS or CRM systems, which limits scalability and personalization. In contrast, the solution provided by Sanuker and Linkage enables programmatic audience targeting, campaign automation, and performance feedback loops, transforming WhatsApp into a valuable engagement tool rather than a one-time messaging platform.
Sanuker and Linkage combined their expertise to offer a fully integrated, scalable solution specifically for Hong Kong retailers. With over three decades of experience in retail systems, Linkage ensures the synchronization of POS and CRM data and campaign logic. This enables precision in programmatic marketing, such as targeting customers who have previously purchased specific product categories, setting up tier-based offers for high-spending members, and providing real-time insights on response rates, redemptions, and even post-campaign purchasing behaviour.
WhatsApp has proven to be an effective channel for re-engaging inactive customers and reaching high-value segments due to its extensive reach and immediacy. It offers better open rates than other channels such as email or SMS.
In an era where customer loyalty is increasingly hard to secure, providing personalized, timely, and trackable promotions is crucial. Sincere’s campaign has not only proven beneficial for the brand, but it also serves as a template for how traditional retailers can thrive in a digital-first world, placing WhatsApp at the heart of a broader customer strategy.
What is the significance of Sincere’s recent campaign?
The campaign demonstrates how traditional retailers can successfully transform digitally without losing their heritage, offering a blueprint for others to follow.
How does the solution provided by Sanuker and Linkage work?
By integrating with a retailer’s existing POS and CRM systems, the solution allows businesses to target audiences programmatically, automate campaigns, and receive real-time performance feedback.
Why is WhatsApp an effective channel for re-engaging customers?
WhatsApp offers unmatched reach and immediacy, with open rates often surpassing those of email and SMS, making it an effective tool for reconnecting with lapsed customers and activating high-value segments.
