Thursday, June 9, 2011 | Edited by Daniel Moores

Discount/Reward Programs Become More Appealing to Gas Customers Over the past few months consumers have shifted from brand and quality as a reason to purchase gas in favor of discount/rebate/reward programs, according to recent motor fuels research by The NPD Group, a leading market research company. Based on NPD's Motor Fuels Index, which continually tracks consumer motor fuel purchasing behaviors and attitudes, in the third quarter of 2010, 7 percent of consumers surveyed cited discounts/rebate/reward programs as the reason for purchasing gas, the percentage rose to 8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2010 and to 9 percent in the first quarter of 2011. "Big box chains like supermarkets have long used fuel discounts to drive consumer traffic both at the pump and in store. Now we're seeing traditional fuel retailers getting in on this trend including alliances with big box partners," says David Portalatin, motor fuels analyst with The NPD Group. "Marketers who differentiate their offer around a quality fuels message are still relevant, but now loyalty-based rewards are creating an even more competitive environment." (Source: The NPD Group, 06/01/11)