NEW YORK, February 10, 2021 — Yotpo, the leading SaaS-based eCommerce marketing platform that helps retail brands accelerate online revenue growth and bolster customer loyalty, today released its annual brand loyalty study examining the impact a brand’s socio-political values, customer service, and product quality have on customer loyalty.
Yotpo’s survey of nearly 4,000 adults 18+ across the globe conducted in the tail-end of 2020 suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic pushed consumers to be even more brand loyal compared to previous years, and that customers are more likely to take action as a result of their loyalty to brands. For example, those willing to spend more on a specific brand despite cheaper options jumped from 34.5% in 2019 to 56% in 2020. Additionally, nearly 68% of 2020 survey respondents said they would join the brand’s loyalty program versus under 60% in 2019.
“Our data shows that the COVID-19 pandemic was an opportunity for brands to create meaningful, human connections with their customers. Companies that were mindful of keeping employees safe and employed, and supported charities and frontline workers, earned the trust and loyalty of shoppers,” said Tracy Strauss, VP Marketing at Yotpo. “We believe that loyalty should be rewarded by giving customers VIP-quality experiences. People are looking for feel-good moments and brands are in a great position to provide them.”
Overall Loyalty Stays Strong, While the Most Loyal Double-Down on Their Brands
Consistent with previous years, nearly 9 out of 10 consumers consider themselves equally or more brand loyal. However, 45% of respondents have purposefully become more loyal to brands they love during COVID-19, with 28% dedicated to helping their brands during this difficult time, and 17% not wanting to take risks with new brands that they are not familiar with.
However, it’s worth pointing out that being more loyal to brands during the past year is not consistent from region to region. Both in the US and in the UK, the trend toward being more loyal this year increased by nearly 4 and nearly 3 percentage points respectively. Australia notably leaned less loyal.
HOW BRAND LOYAL ARE YOU COMPARED TO A YEAR AGO?
SOURCE: Yotpo, The State of Brand Loyalty 2021
More Brands Are Benefiting From Loyal Customers
During the pandemic, the number of brands people were loyal to grew. Those who are only loyal to 1-5 brands dropped by 6 percentage points (61% in 2019 to 55% in 2020). This year 31% of consumers are loyal to 6-10 brands (up 5 points from last year) and 8% are loyal to 11-20 brands, an increase of 2 points from 2019.
Customer Loyalty Death March
Unfortunately, customer loyalty doesn’t always last forever. The top three events that would prompt consumers to drop loyalty to a brand are a decline in product quality (71%), poor customer service (66%), and if the brand’s values did not align with their own (46%).
Brand Values Matter
Gone are the days of brands remaining silent when it comes to taking a stand on timely issues. A whopping 84% of consumers are more likely to buy from a brand whose values are aligned with their own. Four out of 10 customers also say they won’t buy from a brand that expressed an opinion on a political, cultural, or social issue different from their own.
So, What About Amazon?
Amazon continues to attract a great number of shoppers for its ease and convenience, but not all consumers are sold. The number one reason consumers (54%) say they wouldn’t shop on Amazon is because they are unsure of product quality, with 23% concerned that Amazon reviews are fake. Additionally, 24% say they are uncomfortable making expensive purchases on Amazon.
When it comes to buying from brands they are loyal to, 48% prefer to buy directly from the brand’s own web site while only 22% would buy them off of Amazon.
It’s All Generational
Yotpo’s study also revealed a range of compelling insights regarding brand loyalty across the generations – Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and early and late Boomers – that identify emotional connections, the value of paying more for a beloved brand, and how brand loyalty has the power to be an Amazon “killer.”
Read more about Yotpo’s 2021 Brand Loyalty study here.
Methodology
Yotpo’s 2021 State of Consumer Loyalty presents findings from a survey of 3,800 respondents age 18+ across the U.S., UK, and Australia conducted via Pollfish in November 2020.
About Yotpo
Yotpo, the leading eCommerce marketing platform, helps thousands of forward-thinking brands like Patagonia, MVMT, Moroccanoil, and Steve Madden accelerate direct-to-consumer growth. Yotpo’s single-platform approach integrates data-driven solutions for reviews, loyalty, SMS marketing, and more, empowering brands to create smarter experiences that spark and sustain customer relationships. Yotpo integrates with the tools brands use every day, including Google, Instagram, and is available on all major eCommerce platforms, including Shopify, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Adobe Magento Commerce, and BigCommerce. Yotpo is a Forbes Cloud 100 company with offices worldwide including New York, London, Tel Aviv and Sofia. www.yotpo.com
Contact: press@yotpo.com
