There are several noteworthy examples of successful desktop and browser widgets created and distributed by loyalty marketers to increase customer retention.

My wife and I have been using Upromise’s TurboSaver browser widget for about a year now and have generated $276.67 and counting towards our daughter’s future college education. Through this desktop widget, Upromise’s merchants have become our first stop for all of our online purchases. And it’s not just us. According to Upromise, who is owned by Sallie Mae, Inc., “Members who install TurboSaver (formerly the Upromise Toolbar) save an average of five times more than members who don’t. Five Times!” This kind of online loyalty program is called a “coalition loyalty program.” Other coalition loyalty programs, like MyPoints, have had similar success with browser toolbars. The Upromise TurboSaver widget has been significantly more successful than the typical online mall concept used by most loyalty marketers in the finance, travel, and retail e-commerce categories today.  

One travel company who has taken advantage of the power of a having a widely distributed desktop widget is Southwest Airlines. Southwest introduced their DING desktop widget in 2005. Now, whenever discount fares are offered, their program emits the familiar ringing sound of the in-flight seatbelt. These discounts are only accessible via this application. Within the first two years, about 2 million consumers had downloaded DING, and it generated more than $150 million in ticket sales. Industry sources estimate that 45% of DING users come back to book again compared to a 27% repeat rate.

There are also several examples of desktop and browser widgets used not to just earn more for the customers, but to also donate more. Examples include browser toolbars from FreeCause, GoodSearch, and others.

Rob Weber, Vice President of Business Development and Co-Founder, W3i, LLC
Rob is an Internet marketing pioneer with over eight, profitable years evolving W3i (owner of Freeze.com) in the Integrated Interactive Media industry.