PLANO, Texas, Jan. 9, 2018 /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
business credit card programs, has signed a new agreement to
provide branded credit card services in the United States for IKEA Group
(www.ikea.com), the world's largest furniture retailer. The IKEA
Group operates 47 stores in the U.S. and a total of 362 in 29
countries around the world. IKEA aims to offer consumers home
furnishing solutions of good design and function at affordable
prices.
Alliance Data will create a loyalty-driven credit card program
that combines customer insights and industry benchmarking to
develop a customized rewards and benefits package tailored for the
unique IKEA customer base. The co-branded rewards card can be used
for both IKEA purchases and for everyday spending needs such as
gas, groceries and utilities. The card will incorporate custom
program perks designed to recognize customers for their loyalty. In
order to make the card as affordable and rewarding as possible,
IKEA Group in the U.S. has designed the card without an annual fee,
and will reinvest resources from the card to offer customers more
generous rewards. Alliance Data will leverage its digital and
mobile expertise throughout the customer's shopping journey,
including its Frictionless Mobile CreditSM, which
provides a seamless application experience–throughout the store or
online–and puts customers in control of how and where they want to
initiate the experience.
In addition, the new IKEA Projekt Card in the U.S. will function
as a store-branded financing solution for qualified customers doing
major home decorating and renovation projects, such as a dream
kitchen. It will provide special financing options, allowing
customers to pay for larger purchases over time.
"Making life better and easier for the many people drives
everything we do at IKEA, and we were looking for a like-minded
credit marketing partner that is passionate about the same values,"
said Jacqueline DeChamps, chief
operating officer at IKEA U.S. "Alliance Data really understands
our company and will deliver meaningful credit and loyalty
programs, while constantly innovating based on our customer needs.
Leveraging Alliance Data's skillset in loyalty and marketing, we
are excited about how this new partnership will enhance our
customers' shopping experience across channels with added
convenience and benefits."
"Alliance Data and IKEA share a common culture focused on doing
what is right for customers, the community, and the environment,"
said Melisa Miller, president of
Alliance Data's card services business. "We are thrilled to embark
on this exciting new partnership to provide an unparalleled
customer experience through our credit programs. We are confident
that our lifecycle marketing approach will attract existing and new
IKEA customers as lifelong cardmembers, motivated by a credit and
loyalty experience that reflects the deliberately different
approach that has earned IKEA its leadership position in the
industry."
IKEA U.S. utilized the services of the International Law Firm of
Alston & Bird to consummate the transaction.
About IKEA
Since its 1943 founding in Sweden,
IKEA has offered home furnishings of good design and function at
low prices. The IKEA Group operates 362 IKEA stores in 29
countries, including 47 in the U.S. IKEA incorporates
sustainability into day-to-day business and supports initiatives
that benefit children and the environment. For more information see
IKEA-USA.com, @IKEAUSANews, @IKEAUSA or IKEAUSA on Facebook,
YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest.
About Alliance Data's card services business
Alliance
Data's card services business is a leading provider of tailored
marketing and loyalty solutions, delivered through branded credit
programs that drive more profitable relationships between our brand
partners and their cardmembers. We offer private label, co-brand,
and business card products to many of the world's most recognizable
brands across a multitude of channels.
We uphold our Know more. Sell more.® promise by
leveraging unmatched customer insights, advanced analytics, and
broad-reaching innovative capabilities. It's how we deliver
increased sales to our partners, build enduring loyalty to their
brands, and provide more value to our cardmembers. Alliance Data's
card services business is a proud part of the Alliance Data
enterprise. To learn more, visit www.KnowMoreSellMore.com or follow
us on Twitter @Know_SellMore.
About Alliance Data
Alliance Data® (NYSE:
ADS) is a leading global provider of data-driven marketing and
loyalty solutions serving large, consumer-based industries. The
Company creates and deploys customized solutions, enhancing the
critical customer marketing experience; the result is measurably
changing consumer behavior while driving business growth and
profitability for some of today's most recognizable brands.
Alliance Data helps its clients create and increase customer
loyalty through solutions that engage millions of customers each
day across multiple touch points using traditional, digital, mobile
and emerging technologies. An S&P 500 and Fortune 500 company
headquartered in Plano, Texas,
Alliance Data consists of three businesses that together employ
more than 17,000 associates at approximately 100 locations
worldwide.
Alliance Data's card services business is a leading provider of
marketing-driven branded credit card programs. Epsilon®
is a leading provider of multichannel, data-driven technologies and
marketing services, and also includes Conversant®, a
leader in personalized digital marketing. LoyaltyOne®
owns and operates the AIR MILES® Reward Program,
Canada's premier coalition loyalty
program, and Netherlands-based
BrandLoyalty, a global provider of tailor-made loyalty programs for
grocers.
Investor information about Alliance Data's businesses may be
found here.
Follow Alliance Data on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and
YouTube.
Forward Looking Statements
This release contains
forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements give our expectations or
forecasts of future events and can generally be identified by the
use of words such as "believe," "expect,\" "anticipate,"
"estimate," "intend," "project," "plan," "likely," "may," "should"
or other words or phrases of similar import. Similarly, statements
that describe our business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans,
intentions or goals also are forward-looking statements.
We believe that our expectations are based on reasonable
assumptions. Forward-looking statements, however, are subject to a
number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results
to differ materially from the projections, anticipated results or
other expectations expressed in this release, and no assurances can
be given that our expectations will prove to have been correct.
These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to,
factors set forth in the Risk Factors section in our Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year, which may be
updated in Item 1A of, or elsewhere in, our Quarterly Reports on
Form 10-Q filed for periods subsequent to such Form 10-K.
Our forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made,
and we undertake no obligation, other than as required by
applicable law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, subsequent events,
anticipated or unanticipated circumstances or otherwise.
Media
Contacts:
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Alliance
Data
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IKEA U.S., Press
Office
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Tiffany Louder –
Investor Relations
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1-866-329-4532
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214-494-3048
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press.us@ikea.com
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tiffany.louder@alliancedata.com
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Steve
Balet
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FTI
Consulting
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212-850-5721
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alliancedata@fticonsulting.com
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Shelley Whiddon –
Media
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214-494-3811
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shelley.whiddon@alliancedata.com
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SOURCE Alliance Data Systems Corporation