Ace Hardware is bringing a text messaging coupon service tied to weather activity to 12 Missouri and Illinois-based stores.

Aisle411?s Helpful Hints allows Ace Hardware to create mobile marketing campaigns tied to weather activity. Aisle411 will send text messages to Ace customers to alert them to coming storms or good weather days, and include Ace Hardware coupons and special offers for weather-related items.

?Aisle 411?s Ace Helpful Hints allows us to extend our helpful strategy by allowing us to inform customers of key purchase opportunities based on weather or special events,? said Rick Baalmann, president of Ace Hardware, St. Louis.

With this new technology, Ace Hardware can remind customers that they need to prepare for a weather emergency like freezing rain or extreme heat while at the same time giving them an instantly redeemable coupon on their phone to save them money on that product. 

?Just think how cool it is that when I am getting ready to go home from work and I get a text telling me there will be an ice storm tonight and I need to prepare for it by getting my driveway ice melt or windshield de-icier, plus save a few bucks in the meantime,? Mr. Baalmann said.

?We can also communicate local promotions like our customer appreciation sale and other special events, stuff that is really current. I believe that today?s customer will really appreciate this service," he said. "I know I will.?

If the weather service issues a warning for freezing rain, that will trigger the system to alert Ace Hardware?s customers and offer them coupons for items like Ice Melt or salt for the sidewalk.

Or if it is December and the forecast is for an unusually nice weather weekend, the system may alert customers and offer coupons for outdoor holiday decorating.

Aisle411 can also create pre-programmed seasonal campaigns for Ace, either tied into Ace?s national marketing initiatives or based on localized events, such as texted coupons for tailgating items the weekend of a big game or to remind customers to change their batteries when they change their clocks in the spring and fall. 

Ace and Aisle411 will be marketing the new service through in-store signage and hand-outs, and through direct mail and email communications with Ace customers.

Initial Ace stores with the service will immediately send a $5 off a $25 purchase coupon via text message to customers who sign up for the service, and these customers will also be entered to win a $300 shopping spree.

Offers vary by store and ZIP code, which is part of Aisle411?s offering that provides localized and custom mobile marketing systems for retailers.

As per Nathan Pettyjohn, chairman/CEO of Aisle411, Helpful Hints is designed primarily to drive customer foot traffic into the store by offering customers helpful hints related to weather activity, local events and national promotions. 

Helpful Hints can work independently from Aisle411?s product location assistance service, which is a voice-activated service launched earlier this year in Ace.

It allows customers to call 1-877-AISLE-411, ask for a product and get the aisle location via voice and text message. 

Many Ace locations are utilizing both Helpful Hints to drive foot-traffic and Aisle411 PLA (Product location Assistance) to build attachment rates in the store. 

?Ace and Aisle411 strive to use mobile communications that provide value to consumers beyond traditional sale information,? Mr. Pettyjohn said. ?We anticipate this leading to higher customer response rates and a higher ROI for both Ace and the product vendors that are marketing on the Aisle411 systems.? 

Aisle411 has planned mobile messaging with multiple product category leaders within Ace.

These brands plan to offer relevant mobile coupons, rebate offers and weather-related hints to Ace customers through text messaging.

?This service is really designed to remind customers of what they will most likely need and therefore save them time and money,? Mr. Baalmann said. ?Once in the store we can feature those products to make their shopping experience easier.

?If they have a problem finding an item they can get help from a teammate or use our  Aisle 411 Product Location Assistance, which allows our customers to use world class, leading edge technology to find the product they are looking for,? he said.

?If at any time a guest has an issue we like the fact that the 411PLA service will connect them to the store and help us identify a potential missed opportunity and transform it into a sale and a happy customer.?