Loyalty Programs, Brand Values, & Data Transparency in the U.S.

The influence of loyalty programs on U.S. shoppers

When asked what they would do for a brand to which they are loyal, 73.3% of U.S. respondents said they would sign up for a loyalty program — close to 4% growth YoY. This number becomes even more significant compared to the 67.6% of global respondents who answered the same way.

Since American consumers are so keen to join loyalty programs, what perks or rewards would they want to see? Other than discounts, most U.S. shoppers prefer programs to offer gifts or swag, early access to sales, and free shipping. And, most Americans (72.4%) want to engage with loyalty programs using their mobile devices while shopping online.

If brands can nail their program’s experience, U.S. shoppers will drive repeat business through the roof. Over 86% of U.S. respondents said that a loyalty program influences them to buy again from a brand. Digging deeper into this shopper sentiment, almost 44% of U.S. consumers said a loyalty program “highly influences” their purchasing decision.

While some brands may think a loyalty program doesn’t suit their industry, U.S. shoppers disagree. Across the board, respondents showed support for reward programs in most verticals.

Brand Values

Whether brands champion sustainability, social justice, ethical labor movements, local sourcing, or another corporate mission, U.S. shoppers want to hear about it — and support it. Over 86% of U.S. respondents said they are more inclined to be loyal to a brand whose values align with their own.

Brands with a younger target demographic should pay special attention to marketing their brand values. Why? Over 94% of U.S. Gen Z said they were likely to be loyal to a brand that’s values align with their own.

Data Transparency & Zero-Party Data

Data usage and privacy laws have become increasingly important topics in the U.S., making it no surprise that 82.7% of U.S. respondents are concerned with how brands are using their data and to what end. But, with the right incentive — loyalty perks — over 72% of U.S. respondents were willing to share their data with their favorite brands.