Loyalty in 2026

Finding 1

Loyalty programs make customers repeat purchase

Loyalty programs have a vital impact on purchasing decisions in 2026.

Shoppers choose brands with loyalty programs

• 90% say being a member of a loyalty program influences them to repeatedly purchase from the same brand.
• 59% are more likely to sign up to one today than 12 months ago.
• Consumers are now members of 3 loyalty programs on average, compared to 2.8 in 2025.

Want to differentiate? Let’s discuss how.

When things are uncertain, people go for what they’re familiar with, and go where they have existing relationships.

Loyalty programs boost shopper engagement

• Loyalty members log into their favorite program 10 times per month on average.
• Younger shoppers feel more emotionally connected to a brand if they are a loyalty member: 70% of Gen Z agree, compared to 41% of Boomers.
• Over half (54%) view the points balance for their favourite program at least once a week (11% every day).

Is your loyalty strategy really driving growth?

Find out by completing this worksheet based on the research.

Add up your score, and take action.

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Rewards differentiate your brand

When consumers are making purchasing decisions, your program helps you stand out:

• 60% are more likely to visit stores where they have loyalty points and rewards to redeem.
• Two-thirds (62%) are more likely to redeem loyalty points and rewards over BFCM or a similar sales period than at other times.
• Over half (53%) say they are more likely to sign up to a loyalty program when there is economic uncertainty.

Stand out when it matters. Why not:

• Schedule a points multiplier event ahead of a product launch
• Offer personalized birthday bundles proven to convert
• Give early BFCM access to top-tier members

Want more retention revenue from peak moments? Let’s chat.

Finding 2

Consumers want rewards wherever they shop

Online-only loyalty programs are missing out.

Consumers now expect to earn points and redeem rewards everywhere they shop.

Reward loyalty across the multichannel

• 85% say in-store loyalty program access is important, 82% on websites, 78% when buying your brand from another retailer, 77% in apps, and 62% in digital wallets.
• Millennials were the most likely generation to think loyalty was important in apps (84%), digital wallets (75%), and at other retailers (83%).

Want to master multichannel loyalty? We’re here to help you.

Localization creates loyalty

• 82% say being able to view a loyalty program in their own language is important.
• 59% are likely to stop participating in a loyalty program if it is not shown in their local language

Integrate your loyalty program into all channels:

• Use a mobile app platform integrated with LoyaltyLion
• Deploy our Shopify POS integration or easily pull data into a headless store
• Reward purchases made at retailers where you’re stocked

Want a multi-channel loyalty program? Let’s chat.

Finding 3

Experiences convert better than discounts

Discounts are less compelling than ever.

Exclusive experiences and behind-the-scenes access increasingly drive repeat purchases.

Discounts have less impact

• 54% say regular sales or discount events make them repeat purchase
• Almost half (46%) say fast delivery times make them repeat purchase
• Only 2 in 3 (67%) consumers joined their last loyalty program to get discounts on future purchases

Ready to diversify your rewards to maximize growth through retention? Let’s chat.

Status used to be communicated through material goods, but now anyone can buy these through sites like Vinted. Experiences are harder to fake, making them a better way to communicate identity and status.

Unique experiences drive conversion

Younger generations increasingly value experiential perks.

• Two-thirds (66%) of consumers say early access to new products is important in a loyalty program. 55% say exclusive in-store events, and 72% priority customer support.
• Gen Z is 4x more likely (56%) than Boomers (16%) to say founder interactions are an important part of a loyalty program, and twice as likely as Gen X (31%).
• 59% of all consumers say loyalty programs offer better experience-based perks than they used to.

Loyalty programs help you collect data and UGC

Giving customers more ways to engage fuels faster growth.

• In exchange for points, almost three quarters (72%) would complete a quiz (72%). They’d also sign up for a newsletter (65%) or leave a written review (61%).
• Gen Z is 3x more likely (64% and 59%, respectively) than Boomers (22% and 20%) to give a photo or video review.
• Over half (52%) would stop participating in a program if there aren’t enough ways to earn points besides purchasing.
• More than half (51%) check for additional ways to earn points from their favourite loyalty programs at least once a week.

Start offering the experiences customers really want:

• Early sale access and priority back-in-stock notifications
• Free gifts and mystery bundles in exchange for points
• Exclusive events for top-tier members

Can’t wait to get started? Let’s chat.

The research in full

There are over 150 NEW stats about ecommerce loyalty in 2026 below. Check them out!

Consumers want to shop with brands that have loyalty programs

• Excluding travel/utility/coffee shop/restaurants, the mean number of programs shoppers are members of has increased from 2.84 to 3.05 in 12 months
• 79% of consumers surveyed are members of 1-4 programs in 2026 vs 70% in 2025
• 90% say being a member of a loyalty program influences decision to repeatedly purchase from the same ecommerce brand (vs 85% in 2024)
• 59% say they are more likely to sign up to a loyalty program today than 12 months ago This is particularly true for younger generations such as Gen Z (74%) and Millennials (70%) vs Gen X (57%) and Boomers (43%)
• 53% say they are more likely to sign up to a loyalty program when there is economic uncertainty This is particularly true for younger generations such as Gen Z (64%) and Millennials (64%) vs Gen X (52%) and Boomers (36%)
• 70% say they’re more likely to shop with a brand if they have a loyalty program

Loyalty program participation is on the rise

• In 2026, 100% of consumers surveyed actively engage with or participate in loyalty programs they are members of vs 91% in 2025. 83% of consumers actively participate in 1-4 loyalty programs, vs 72% in 2025.
• On average, members surveyed log into their favourite program 10 times per month
• 13% of loyalty program members surveyed log into their favourite program every day This is highest among Gen Z (18%) and Millennials (17%) vs Gen X (11% and Boomers (7%)
• 58% of loyalty program members surveyed log into their favourite loyalty program at least once a week This is highest among Gen Z (74%) and Millennials (71%) vs Gen X (56% and Boomers (40%)
• Just 9% say they only log in when they’re thinking about making a purchase
• 54% view the points balance for their favourite program at least once a week (11% every day)
• 53% check the available rewards for their favourite program at least once a week (11% every day)
• 51% check to see if there are any additional ways to earn points from their favourite loyalty programs at least once a week

Consumers are seeing increased value from loyalty programs

• 58% say loyalty programs are more financially rewarding than they used to be This is felt most by Gen Z (69%) and Millennials (67%) vs Gen X (58%) and Boomers (44%)
• 59% say loyalty programs offer better experience-based perks than they used to This is felt most by Gen Z (68%) and Millennials (70%) vs Gen X (58%) and Boomers (46%)
• 56% say they feel more emotionally connected to a brand if they are a loyalty program member This is felt most by Gen Z (70%) and Millennials (64%) vs Gen X (55%) and Boomers (41%)
• 71% say loyalty programs make them feel like a valued customer This is true across all generations – 75% of Gen Z, 76% of Millennials, 70% of Gen X and 64% of Boomers
• 52% say loyalty programs make them feel like part of a community This is more true for Gen Z (64%) and Millennials (63%) vs Gen X (49%) and Boomers 37%)
• 60% say they receive a more personalized experience as a loyalty program member
• 56% say the loyalty emails they receive are personalized

Good customer experiences make shoppers more likely to repeat purchase

• 66% say that loyalty program will make them want to repeat purchase from the same brand multiple times This is lowest for Gen Z at 53% and highest for Gen X at 71%, with millennials in the middle at 65%
• Good customer service will make 55% of shoppers want to repeat purchase This is the highest for Baby Boomers at 60% vs 50% for Gen Z and 53% for Millennials

Loyalty programs work for every industry

• 55% of consumers say they would be likely to join a beauty loyalty program 64% of females, but also 40% of males
• Gen Z (68%) and Millenials (70%) most likely vs Gen X (54%) and Boomers (34%)
• 61% of consumers say they would be likely to join a fashion and apparel loyalty program 54% of males and 66% of females
• Gen Z (77%) and Millenials (75%) most likely vs Gen X (60%) and Boomers (42%)
• 64% of consumers say they would be likely to join a health loyalty program Gen Z (75%) and M illenials (76%) most likely vs Gen X (61%) and Boomers (48%)
• 42% of consumers say they would be likely to join a sport loyalty program 57% of males vs 32% of females
• Gen Z (62%) and Millenials (58%) most likely vs Gen X (37%) and Boomers (21%)
• 56% of consumers say they would be likely to join a pets loyalty program Boomers are least likely at 38% vs Gen Z (63%), Millennials (68%) and Gen X *57%)
• 83% of consumers say they would be likely to join a food and drink loyalty program Strong across all age groups from Gen Z (88%) to Millennial (89%) to Gen X (83%) to Boomers (75%)
• 55% of consumers say they would be likely to join a home and garden loyalty program Strong across all age groups from Gen Z (57%) to Millennial (63%) to Gen X (52%) to Boomers (48%)

Shoppers want you to meet them everywhere

• 85% say being able to use a loyalty program in-store is important
• 82% say being able to use a loyalty program on the website is important
• 77% say being able to use a loyalty program within an app is important Most important to Gen Z (81%), Millennials (84%) and Gen X (80%) vs Boomers (64%)
• 62% say being able to add a loyalty program to their digital wallet is important Most important to Gen Z (74%), Millennials (75%) and Gen X (63%) vs Boomers (42%)
• 78% say being able to collect points or rewards when they buy a brand from another retailer is important Most important to Gen Z (82%), Millennials (83%) and Gen X (81%) vs Boomers (69%)
• 82% say being able to view a loyalty program in their own language is important

Shoppers want instant gratification

• 46% say fast delivery times make them repeat purchase This becomes more important in older generations – 50% of Gen Z say fast delivery makes them repeat purchase vs 53% of Millennials, 55% of Gen X and 60% of Boomers
• 64% are likely to stop participating in a program if it takes too long to earn a reward

What consumers want from loyalty programs – financial incentives are important but younger generations value experiences

• 54% say regular sales or discount events make them repeat purchase More prevalent in the US than the UK (64% of US respondents vs 45% of US)
• Gen Z are least interested in sales and discount events (43% say they make them repeat purchase vs 50% of Millennials, 57% of Gen X and 60% of Boomers
• 67% of consumers joined their last loyalty program to get discounts on future purchases (Q5) Particularly older age groups. 74% of Boomers and 72% of Gen X vs 59% of Millennials and 53% of Gen Z
• 42% joined their last loyalty program to get early access to sales or special offers and 24% to support a brand they liked (Q5)
• Experiential rewards are much more important to emerging generations so should be a key part of future loyalty strategies

Financial rewards are most valued, but experiential benefits are closer behind than expected

• Discounts are the most valued loyalty benefit at 88%, but experiential and access-based benefits are not far behind, with member-only pricing (78%), bonus points on specific collections (77%), birthday rewards (76%) and early access to sales (75%) all rated important by three-quarters of shoppers.
• Benefits often treated as secondary perform strongly too, including priority customer support (69%), priority back-in-stock access (68%) and early access to new products (66%).
• Experiential perks hold meaningful appeal in their own right, with exclusive online events and content valued by 60% of shoppers, exclusive in-store event invites by 55%, and points on secondhand items by 52%.
• Brands offering both financial and experiential rewards therefore have a broader toolkit for retention than those leaning on discounts alone.

Younger generations expect more from loyalty programs than older ones

• Younger shoppers are open to a far wider range of loyalty benefits than older ones, particularly experiential, community-driven and values-led rewards.
• The widest generational gaps sit in newer benefit types: founder interactions (Gen Z 56% vs. Boomers 16%), styling or skin consultations (54% vs. 15%) and focus group participation (56% vs. 18%).
• Values-led rewards follow the same pattern, with charitable giving valued by 60% of Gen Z vs. 26% of Boomers, and points on secondhand items by 67% of Gen Z and 65% of Millennials vs. 32% of Boomers.
• Even established loyalty benefits skew younger: queue jump (Gen Z 60% vs. Boomers 34%), exclusive online events (Millennials 69% vs. Boomers 48%) and priority back-in-stock access (Gen Z 76% and Millennials 75% vs. Boomers 56%).

What harms customer loyalty

• 64% are likely to stop participating in a program if it takes too long to earn a reward
• 52% are likely to stop participating in a program if there aren’t enough ways to earn points besides purchasing
• 64% are likely to stop participating in a program if the rewards are not valuable enough
• 37% are likely to stop participating in a loyalty program if there are no VIP experiences
• 59% are likely to stop participating in a loyalty program if it is not shown in their local language
• 64% are likely to stop participating in a loyalty program if it isn’t clear how to earn points
• 64% are likely to stop participating in a loyalty program if it isn’t clear what rewards are available
• 63% are likely to stop participating in a loyalty program if isn’t clear how to use rewards
• 49% are likely to stop using a loyalty program if it’s shown in a pop up and not on a webpage
• 62% are likely to stop using a loyalty program if they can’t easily add rewards in the checkout
• 58% are likely to stop participating in a loyalty program if they don’t trust that their data will be used responsibly
• 39% are likely to stop participating in a loyalty program if there are no VIP tiers to progress through
• 61% are likely to stop participating in a loyalty program if there are no specific subscriber perks or benefits

Shoppers are open to participating in loyalty programs in many ways, creating key opportunities for brands

• The most popular ways to earn loyalty points are low-effort, transactional actions, including creating an account (73%), completing a quiz or profile (72%), downloading an app (68%) and signing up to a newsletter (65%).
• Content and advocacy-based actions also see strong engagement, with shoppers willing to earn points by recycling products or packaging (64%), leaving a written review (61%), referring others (58%) and following on social (57%).
• Even higher-effort actions hold meaningful appeal, including signing up to SMS (57%), subscribing to a product (50%), leaving a photo review (46%), posting about a brand on social (45%) and leaving a video review (41%).
• This breadth of willingness gives brands multiple levers beyond purchases to drive engagement, gather feedback, generate user content and build long-term loyalty.

Younger generations are willing to engage in far more ways, shaping where loyalty programs need to head next

• The widest generational gaps sit in content-driven actions, where Gen Z and Millennials’ growing spending power will increasingly set the bar: video reviews (Gen Z 59% vs. Boomers 20%), photo reviews (64% vs. 22%) and posting about a brand on social (59% vs. 25%).
• Advocacy and social actions follow the same pattern, with referring others valued by 73% of Gen Z vs. 43% of Boomers, and following on social by 72% of Gen Z and 71% of Millennials vs. 36% of Boomers.
• Even lower-effort actions skew younger: downloading an app (Millennials 78% vs. Boomers 51%), subscribing to a product (Millennials 64% vs. Boomers 33%) and recycling products or packaging (Millennials 71% vs. Boomers 54%).

Consumers are likely to be loyal during sales periods

• 44% say they are likely to try and find new brands over BFCM or a similar sales period
• 60% say they are likely to purchase from brands they know and have shopped with before Particularly true for Gen Z (66%) and Millennials (66%) vs Gen X (59%) and Boomers (51)
• 54% are more likely to join a loyalty program during BFCM or a similar sales period Particularly true for Gen Z (65%) and Millennials (64%) vs Gen X (53%) and Boomers (39%)
• 60% are more likely to visit stores where they have loyalty points and rewards to redeem Particularly true for Gen Z (69%) and Millennials (67%) vs Gen X (59%) and Boomers (48%)
• 62% are more likely to redeem loyalty points and rewards over BFCM or a similar sales period than at other times Particularly true for Gen Z (68%) and Millennials (69%) vs Gen X (61%) and Boomers (51%)
• 55% are more likely to purchase products before they need or have run out of them over BFCM
• 52% are more likely to open emails from retail brands over BFCM
• 43% are more likely to purchase products they wouldn’t usually buy over BFCM