The Payments Industry & Merchant Credit Card Program Experts
The Payments Industry & Merchant Credit Card Program Experts
PLANO, Texas and SAN FRANCISCO, /PRNewswire/ -- Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE: ADS), a leading global provider of data-driven marketing and loyalty solutions, today announced its Columbus, Ohio-based card services business, a premier provider of branded private label, co-brand and commercial credit programs, has signed a new multi-year agreement to provide private label and co-brand credit card services for Williams-Sonoma (www.williams-sonoma.com), a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE: WSM) portfolio of brands. San Francisco-based Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is one of the largest U.S. e-commerce retailers, and is comprised of some of the best known brands in home and kitchen furnishings, including Williams-Sonoma, Williams-Sonoma Home, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, PBteen, West Elm, Rejuvenation and Mark and Graham, marketed through e-commerce sites, direct mail catalogs and 624 stores. Alliance Data also manages the credit card programs for Pottery Barn and West Elm.
"Williams-Sonoma has always embraced innovative customer engagement strategies. We look forward to working with Alliance Data to build a comprehensive credit card program that bolsters our ongoing efforts to foster strong, long-term relationships with our customers and provide meaningful rewards as they pursue their home and culinary aspirations," said Janet Hayes, president of Williams-Sonoma. "Leveraging Alliance Data's loyalty and marketing expertise, paired with our high standard of customer service, we're confident our new credit card program will provide a value proposition that is unparalleled in the home and lifestyle category."
Alliance Data will employ in-store, online and mobile acquisition tools to target highly qualified customers for whom the program's robust value proposition would be advantageous. Williams-Sonoma plans to benefit from Alliance Data's proprietary My Loyalty App capabilities, which will be customized to provide a brand-immersive experience, giving Williams-Sonoma shoppers the ability to apply, earn and connect at home or on-the-go.
In addition, Alliance Data will leverage its industry-leading, innovative credit marketing tools and predictive modeling to build programs that motivate card members to increase purchase and frequency of visits across multiple channels. Utilizing retail and lifecycle marketing expertise to create customized communications, Alliance Data will ensure the new credit program motivates card members to continue to shop at Williams-Sonoma as they celebrate milestones like graduations and weddings and as they move through life's many stages.
Alliance Data has signed an agreement to acquire the existing Williams-Sonoma co-brand credit card portfolio. Alliance Data believes that the performance of the Williams-Sonoma credit card portfolio will be consistent with its overall co-brand credit card portfolio, and all new co-brand and private label credit card accounts will be consistent with Alliance Data's credit quality standards. The portfolio acquisition is expected to be completed by the end of Q3 2016.
Alliance Data's Epsilon® and Conversant® businesses also provide services to Williams-Sonoma and the entire Williams-Sonoma, Inc. portfolio of brands. Epsilon has provided marketing data services for the past 20 years, enhancing Williams-Sonoma, Inc.'s in-house modeling and analytics efforts. Conversant delivers a personalized digital messaging strategy to increase online and in-store customer sales.
"Williams-Sonoma is an iconic brand and one of the most recognizable portfolio of brands in the United States. It is synonymous with outstanding service, high-quality cookware, tools and other artisan crafted items," said Melisa Miller, president of Alliance Data's card services business. "Drawing on our deep retail heritage, our unique data-driven insights and our experience working on behalf of sister brands like Pottery Barn and West Elm, Alliance Data is positioned to deliver an even deeper customer engagement program for Williams-Sonoma."