Thorntons Extends Use of APT Software to Evaluate, Refine

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Thorntons Inc. renewed its license of Applied Predictive Technologies' (APT) Test & Learn for Sites, Test & Learn for Customers and Market Basket Analyzer software.

This software allows retailers to design and analyze in-market business experiments and helps them understand if a new program works, where it works best and where there are opportunities to tailor it to maximize profitability.

"We have used APT's Test & Learn for Sites software to evaluate and refine a range of initiatives, including our fuel pricing strategy, remodels, foodservice offering, alternative fuel introductions and more," said Thorntons President Tony Harris. "Since we initially licensed Test & Learn in 2012, it has touched nearly every facet of our business, and we continue to use test results to guide multi-million dollar investments across marketing, merchandising, labor, and capital expenditure projects."

Thorntons has also leveraged Test & Learn for Customers to optimize its Refreshing Rewards program by analyzing loyalty initiatives and gaining a better understanding of which products to offer to which guests at what time, Harris said. Additionally, aggregating learnings in the software's loyalty dashboard gave Thorntons a more holistic picture of how Refreshing Rewards is performing while fostering a rapid, high-volume testing culture.

Alongside Test & Learn, the Market Basket Analyzer software has provided Thorntons with transaction-level data that produces a variety of insights to help target marketing and merchandising decisions at strategic and tactical levels.

"Having the ability to link Market Basket Analyzer to Test & Learn analyzes gives us a deeper understanding of test results," Harris added. "For example, we can understand what else people are buying with promoted items, which types of guests are redeeming each offer and more."

Thorntons Inc. operates 181 convenience stores in Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Florida and Tennessee.