Sears/Rite Aid Offer Gas Incentives to Boost Sales
Thanks to sky-high gas prices and a tight economy, retailers are using free gasoline as incentives to boost sales.
Sears Holdings Corp. is offering $75 Shell gas cards to customers who spend $100 or more on Men’s Dockers merchandise through June 15. The effort is part of the Men’s Dockers Father’s Day promotion.
“We wanted to honor Dads this year with something that they may really need and having an in-store promotion, such as the Men’s Dockers Father’s Day allows customers to get great gifts with an added bonus,” spokesperson Tim Danser said in a statement.
Sears is also running a sweepstakes offering a Toyota Prius as the top prize. Visitors can fill out an entry form in-store or download one from http://www.206inc.com/dockersgascard2008 through June 28 for a chance to win.
In addition to the free gas offer, customers who send in their receipt and entry form will receive a $10 Sears gift card by mail.
Online marketing and in-store posters support the promotion. 206 Inc. is administering the sweepstakes for Sears.
Separately, Rite Aid is running a sweepstakes with free gas as the prize to entice customers to transfer their prescriptions to the pharmacy. People participate by using the “Fill Up & Fuel Up” coupon from weekly circulars to receive a $30 gift card and be eligible for weekly drawings for a year’s worth of free gas. Every prescription transferred with a coupon gives people another chance to win.
In all, 31 prize winners from a weekly drawing will receive a $2,600 gas gift card. Circulars, in-store signage and online marketing support the effort, which runs through Jan. 10.
Rental car companies are also jumping in. People who rent an economy or mid-sized car from Hertz for three days by June 30 will receive a free tank of fuel. Details are available at Hertz.com.
