Survey: Brand loyalty hits all-time high, but can be shook

Retailers should not take widespread consumer brand loyalties for granted. 

According to a recent survey of about 1,000 U.S. consumers from online deals platform Savings.com, 97% of respondents indicate that they hold loyalty to at least one brand in 2021, up from nearly 90% in 2019.

Despite these historically high levels of brand loyalty, 31% of respondents have stopped shopping at one of their favorite stores over the past year because the store doesn’t have an online storefront. And 27% have stopped because the store’s online user experience was poor.

In addition, 46% of respondents indicated they have stopped shopping at one or more of their favorite stores over the past year because it closed down. Meanwhile, 40% have stopped shopping at one of their favorite stores during the same span because they could no longer afford it.

According to the survey, respondents feel most connected to food and beverage brands: 62% pledged their allegiance to a specific one. Fifty-seven percent of respondents favorited a specific fashion or apparel brand as well. Respondents were less rigid when it came to home & garden and home improvement brands – fewer than 30% reported loyalty to certain ones.

The survey also recorded the percentage of respondents who have increased their online purchases for specific product categories in the past year of the pandemic:

•    Fashion/apparel 51% (nearly 60% of female respondents)
•    Food/beverage 42%
•    Health and wellness 39%
•    Personal electronics 27%
•    Pet care 26%
•    Home and garden 25%
•    Home improvement 22%
•    Sporting goods 21%
•    Crafts/hobbies 20%
•    Music and video 18%
•    Child/infant 16%
•    Furniture and appliances 11%