Shoppers Kick-Back in American Express Lounge
American Express has treated more than 5,000 of its cardmembers to cool perks in an exclusive lounge in a New Jersey mall.
The 3,400 square-foot Members Lounge is located in the Mall at Short Hills and features a seating area with couches, refreshments, private restrooms, free gift-wrap services, phone and iPod charging stations and an e-mail station for cardmembers.
While in the lounge, AmEx customers enrolled in the company’s Membership Rewards loyalty program can access a hotline to shop for items using their rewards points. Shoppers can also purchase American Express gift cards for use at its retail partners such as William Sonoma and Nieman Marcus. Consumers not holding an American Express Card can apply onsite for the card to gain access to the lounge.
“This is the only one of its kind in the country,” said Ralph Andretta, senior VP-membership rewards and partnerships for American Express. “We want to consistently provide an invitation for cardmembers to see why membership with American Express makes a difference.”
So far, the buzz the lounge has generated cannot be attributed to traditional promotional methods, Andretta said.
Instead, “[the initiative] has truly been an example of viral marketing,” Andretta said. “I hear cardmembers in the lounge on their phones inviting their friends and neighbors to come on over.”
In addition to the area, the financial institution is providing seating for 60 shoppers in the Mall’s atrium. There, four AmEx ambassadors direct shoppers to the lounge. On select days, retail partners such as Nieman Marcus will provide demonstrations on subjects such as make-up application or cooking for the holidays.
The lounge will be open through Dec. 31 and the weekends of Jan. 6-7 and Jan. 13-14.
If the lounge proves successful, “I can imagine us doing this in a mall in New York City” or other areas with a heavy cardmember base, Andretta said.
