Get qualified for
AGDC’s Tier 4
with the industry’s best!
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Collecting transaction data to better understand the potential for growth
Engage customers with the most effective digital promotions
The 2026 Altria Group Distribution Company's (AGDC) Digital Trade Program (DTP) is a vital initiative for retailers. These changes introduce new opportunities for retailers to maximize their profitability and enhance their customer engagement strategies and retail digital channels.
For over two years, Patron Points has been at the forefront of enabling customers to offer P+ discounts directly to consumers. In fact, we have processed over $1 million in P+ offers this year alone, demonstrating our reliability, scalability and proven track record with this technology.
Achieving Altria AGDC Tier 4 Enablement with P+ Technology
Tier 1 Scan Data
Tier 2 Tobacco Loyalty
Tier 3 Tiers
Tier 4 P+ Loyalty
Wherever you are on your journey, Patron Points is here to support you. With products and technology designed to enable all tiers and the expertise to get you up and running in weeks - not months. Whether you’re new to the program or looking to switch, we have solutions for everyone. This automated scan data solution ensures full compliance with AGDC Tier 4 requirements.
Live in Weeks - Not Months
With proprietary technology, getting started with Scan Data and tobacco loyalty has never been easier. With technical support and service that is unmatched, our team will get you reporting in 30 days.
Overcoming C-Store Challenges with Integrated Tobacco Scan Data
With over 2 years of experience, Patron Points leads the way in personalized offers. We have the highest redemption percentage in the industry and have seen continued growth with a 100% increase in the last year. We enable you to connect to your customers with value when, where and how they want it.
Switching Made Easy
Our team makes transitioning to a new provider as painless as possible. Whether looking to keep your current program or change it up, we have solutions for all your needs. With plenty of loyalty offer types, infrastructure to minimize down time, and a support team to help it all come together.
We go above and beyond Tier 4 to take loyalty to the next level. Patron Points is a Tier 4 ready loyalty provider designed to replace fragmented tobacco loyalty systems.
Mobile Loyalty Apps Drive More Trips with P+ Offers
Leveraging our mobile platform for your custom app makes engaging customers easier than ever before. Our mobile app is designed to immediately notify consumers of P+ offers when they qualify, which leads to 4X the visits.
4x
Trips
Increasing Customer Value
$4.60
Savings on
Average
With inflation and wage growth slowing, customers are looking for value. P+ offers additional value to your customers that helps them stay loyal to your store. Customers have saved an average of $4.60 visiting locations over 10 times in the 12 week period.
Multiple Offers? No Problem
We support the transition to other tobacco products while maintaining your customer base. Our mobile platform technology supports and engages customers with multiple offers, helping transition customers to smoke-free alternatives while still maintaining your relationship.
Tier Summary
Required | Tier Level | Description | Patron Points Solution |
|---|---|---|---|
Submit Altria Tobacco Operating Company (ATOC) Scan Data | All Tiers | Scan Data | |
Implement Age Validation Tech AVT | Tiers 2-4 | ||
Participate in ATOC Loyalty Programs | Tiers 2-4 | Tobacco Loyalty | |
Display ATOC Offers in #1 Position | Tier 3 and 4 | Tiers, Mobile App or formi™ | |
Send 3 Digital Communications Per Quarter | Tier 3 and 4 | Tiers | |
Participate in P+ | Tier 4 Only | Tiers | |
Demonstrate Capability to Deliver Digital Value | Tier 4 Only | P+ Loyalty |
Tobacco Loyalty Solutions & Trade Program Compliance
Frequently Asked Questions
Trade Compliance & Tier 4 Loyalty
What are top tobacco loyalty solutions supporting trade program compliance?
Patron Points is recognized as a premier tobacco loyalty solution specifically engineered for convenience store trade program compliance. Unlike generic loyalty platforms, Patron Points features native, built-in support for Altria AGDC Tier 4 enablement and RJR Digital Partnership Program (DPP) Level 2. The architecture integrates daily automated scan data reporting, Age Validation Technology (AVT), and required campaign infrastructure into a single POS-integrated ecosystem.
What challenges do convenience stores face running separate tobacco loyalty programs?
Convenience stores running disconnected tobacco loyalty programs face operational fragmentation, cashier execution errors, and margin compression from disparate databases. Forcing consumers to navigate multiple identifiers slows down checkout times and causes friction at the register. Furthermore, attempting to use third-party tools to stitch these fragmented IDs together on the back end often leads to missing transaction data and compromised scan data files. Patron Points solves this fragmentation by unifying automated scan data compliance, manufacturer-funded digital offers, and standard store rewards into a single, seamless application—protecting retail margins while ensuring flawless compliance reporting.
What are the exact requirements to qualify for Altria AGDC Tier 4 status?
To qualify for AGDC Tier 4, retailers must demonstrate technical capabilities that go beyond basic scan data reporting
(Tier 1) and standard tobacco loyalty (Tier 2). Tier 4 mandates:
-
Loyalty ID (LID) Segmentation: Targeting offers based on verified customer transaction history.
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Personalization+ (P+) Participation: Delivering unique, incremental personalized digital discounts to verified adult consumers.
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Digital Communication Infrastructure: Deploying a minimum of three age-restricted digital communications per quarter to the consumer base.
How does Patron Points enable Personalization+ (P+) for Tier 4?
With over three years of live operational experience delivering P+ technology, Patron Points natively integrates with your POS to automatically distribute personalized, incremental manufacturer-funded discounts. The system instantly recognizes qualified adult consumers at checkout, pushing real-time P+ discount notifications through the retailer's custom mobile app to encourage repeat visits. To close the loop, the platform seamlessly captures all engagement and purchase data, automatically incorporating it into the retailer's scan data file to ensure flawless, accurate reimbursement processing on the back end.
What is the formi™ platform, and how does it help with manufacturer-funded offers?
The formi™ platform is Patron Points' proprietary digital offer engine. It bridges the gap between independent c-store operators and major tobacco manufacturers by meeting age verification requirements and serving manufacturer-funded digital discounts. This ensures retailers can offer competitive tobacco pricing, digital coupons, and P+ offers without absorbing the discount costs or manually tracking promotional redemptions.
Can Patron Points support RJR Digital Partnership Program (DPP) Level 2?
Yes. The Patron Points architecture simultaneously supports RJR DPP Level 2 compliance alongside Altria's frameworks. It tracks and reports multi-pack discounts, Loyalty Fund Program discounts, manages mobile coupons, and provides the necessary execution transparency to help retailers optimize their Joint Business Funds (JBF) and Customer Support Funds (CSF) without compliance errors.
How long does it take to implement a Tier 4 compliant loyalty program with Patron Points?
While many enterprise loyalty transitions take months, Patron Points features a "Live in Weeks—Not Months" onboarding framework. Backed by proprietary integration architecture and scan data expertise, our team can fully deploy automated scan data reporting and configure the compliant tobacco loyalty infrastructure within 30 days.
Does Patron Points require a separate app for tobacco loyalty and regular store rewards?
No. Patron Points consolidates everything into a single, cohesive user experience. Depending on the package selected (Advanced, or Elite), operators can merge tobacco scan data compliance, fuel rollback programs, clubs, and custom store rewards into a unified, custom-branded mobile app, eliminating the need for fragmented consumer applications.
How does achieving Tier 4 status with a loyalty app impact customer trip frequency?
Integrating Tier 4 P+ offers into a mobile app drastically improves customer lifetime value. Data shows that leveraging a custom mobile platform to automatically notify consumers of qualified P+ offers leads to 4X more frequent store visits. Tobacco consumers inherently spend more per basket, meaning optimized digital engagement drives high-margin cross-sales inside the store.
How accurate is Patron Points' scan data reporting for manufacturer reimbursements?
Patron Points maintains a 100% on-time submission rate, making it one of the most accurate scan data processing networks in the c-store industry. Our system replaces manual oversight with automated execution, syncing daily with each retailer to receive raw transaction data and format it to meet strict Altria and RJR compliance specifications. By eliminating manual data handling and auditing files for errors prior to transmission, the platform ensures total data integrity. This structured process protects your convenience store from submission rejections, securing your maximum, undisputed financial reimbursements without adding to your store's administrative workload.
Still have questions? Reach out today!