“Boating Camping Fishing is BCFing fun” – but is the BCF My Club loyalty rewards program enough to reel you in? or is the program casting a wide net but coming up empty?

BCF and their My Club BCF program

BCF (Boating, Camping, Fishing) is a leading Australian retailer of outdoor adventure gear, catering to enthusiasts and professionals alike. The company was founded in 2005 and has since grown to become a go-to destination for outdoor enthusiasts across Australia, with over 100 stores nationwide. BCF offers a wide range of products, from camping equipment and fishing gear to boats and kayaks.

To reward their loyal customers, BCF offers the ‘My Club BCF’ rewards program, which is advertised as ‘The Power To Everyday Value’.

‘The BCFing fun’ program

My Club BCF utilises the members benefits framework for their loyalty program, offering several perks and benefits to customers who sign up to their program.

Customers can sign up online or in-store and receive the following benefits immediately:

• Club Exclusive Prices: Members receive Exclusive Club member-only pricing in-store and online across various ranges of product lines.
• Club Offers & Vouchers: Members receive exclusive offers and receive personalised vouchers.
• Exclusive Comps & Club Events: Members are regularly invited to competitions and local invite-only events.
• Receipt free warranty: Club BCF purchases are stored on the member account, removing the need to worry about receipts.
• Online Account: Online orders can be tracked via the members account, as well as the option to add dream items to a saved wish list under the account.

Additionally, as one of their club offers new Club members who join Club BCF and opt-in to BCF Marketing, receive a $20 voucher (valid on first transaction over $100 made in-store or online).

By opting-in to receive promotional material, members also receive all the perks directly to their inbox such as exclusive club deals, personalised vouchers, local invitations, sneak peak events and more.

Reel in the savings, Paddle your way to discounts

Whilst the program design is quite simple and basic, there are some very valuable features to incentivise BCF customers to sign up.

The most noticeable benefit of sufficient value is club member exclusive pricing. Member prices are available in-store and online across boating, camping, fishing, and all other ranges of products.

Whilst member prices are only available for select items, some of these savings are substantial discounts off their original price. For example, at the time of writing members can get a whopping 75% off XTM Nebula LED 224 Driving Lights whereby they can purchase these for $50 contrasted to $229 for non-members. These huge discounts become even more valuable for higher priced items. For example, members pay $199.99 (at the time of writing) for an XTM 4×4 Double Swag, contrasted to non-members paying $399.99.

With these discounts available across all ranges of products, members can save big – all just by easily signing up to be a member. By being a My Club BCF member, reeling in these discounts are an easy way for outdoor enthusiasts to save big.

Lure you in, leave you hanging?

Unfortunately, like boating, it’s not all smooth sailing. Whilst the valuable discounts, and other program benefits (such as the club vouchers and exclusive competitions/events), are certainly a great incentive for members to join and engage in the program, there’s various elements missing from the programs value proposition.

For instance, the benefits and incentives offered to actively participate in the My Club BCF program are quite limited. Unless the member pricing is cheaper than what they would pay at competitors (or pay being a non-member), then there is no genuine motivation to spend or even visit BCF unless members are already seeking a particular product or have some pre-existing affinity towards BCF (which would only be a sub-segment of the total customer base).

BCF heavily promotes some of the benefits of their loyalty program on their website such as exclusive competitions, event invitations, and receipt-free warranties, as well as the convenience of shopping with an online account. However, these benefits are basic and can be found in competitors’ loyalty programs, nor are they specifically unique to the BCF brand.

In essence, the program may initially attract members with their club only offers, but it does not provide sufficient incentives for incremental behaviour or long-term brand loyalty.

As loyalty consultants, we know that the most successful loyalty programs are those that harness long-term loyalty, which the BCF program is currently lacking.

Are You Reel-y Loyal?

The Expectancy Theory of Motivation proposes that people are motivated to engage with a loyalty program because they believe their efforts will lead to accessing a reward. Whilst BCF offer frequent member-only promotions (such as the April 2023 offer – Spend $200 and score a $20 voucher to spend in May), this framework offers little to the program operator in terms of consistent motivation to drive desired behaviour (spend).

The implementation of two-tiered pricing, without an accompanying incentive to motivate increased spending, fails to effectively cultivate brand loyalty and merely offers a reward for members to utilise member benefits at their own discretion.  

Hence, one may question whether BCF members are genuinely loyal to the brand. It can be argued that the program is not adequately fostering brand loyalty, unless members are persistently making impulsive (or conscious) purchases due to the member-only offers – which for a majority of members, is unlikely.

How To Catch More Fish

There is a vast pool of ‘fish’ of potential customers for BCF to cast their net at, attract and capture through its loyalty program. Main competitor Kathmandu have a more comprehensive and effective loyalty program with a points based program with additional benefits. However, BCF’s other main competitors, namely Anaconda, Macpac, and Camping World, offer similar loyalty programs to BCF that lack substance. This suggests there is an opportunity for BCF to stand out and capitalise on the weaknesses of its competitors’ programs.

Some potential ways to improve their reward program are:

• Implement a loyalty currencies framework: BCF could introduce a loyalty currency such as a points program that members earn and can redeem for vouchers. Currently, Kathmandu is one of the few companies in the industry to offer a currencies framework.
• Maintain and strengthen their member discounts: Despite the programs flaws, BCF’s exclusive member prices are working well, and they could strengthen them or personalise them based on members’ transaction history to encourage more spending.
• Gamification: Incorporating game-like elements such as badges, bonus point opportunities, and leaderboards to the loyalty program can make it more engaging and fun for members. This can encourage members to spend more and participate more frequently.
• Social responsibility: BCF could incorporate social responsibility initiatives, such as donations to environmental or community causes, into the loyalty program to enhance the brand’s image and appeal to members who prioritise ethical and sustainable practices. Given that the products sold by BCF are utilised in the environment, their impact can be significant, making it especially crucial for BCF to prioritise environmental responsibility.
• Additional benefits: There are many other benefits that, if implemented correctly, could be a valuable addition to their loyalty program. For example, a birthday reward could be effective to incentivise members to join and engage their program if the reward is personalised, relevant, valuable and easy to redeem.

The best way for BCF to incorporate these is through investing in loyalty consultants, who are consultants specialised in the loyalty field, offering expertise and taking the time and effort away from the brand.

Anchoring a loyalty revolution

There are untapped waters that BCF can navigate to improve their loyalty program. While the program shows potential, it’s quite basic and needs enhancements for the benefit of both the members and the business. Whilst the basic-ness of the program might work for their primary target audience, breaking camp to new horizons and exploring innovative ways to improve would greatly strengthen the appeal and functionality of the My Club BCF program.

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