Survey: E-commerce loyalty programs spur repeat purchases
American consumers are big fans of online loyalty programs — which often result in repeat purchasing.
The average consumer now belongs to 3.16 e-commerce loyalty programs (excluding supermarkets, travel and coffee shops) and actively uses 2.77, according to a new survey from customer retention platform LoyaltyLion.
Overall, a strong majority (91%) of those surveyed said being a member of a loyalty program influences their decision to repeatedly purchase from the same e-commerce brand, which LoyaltyLion says reinforces loyalty’s role as a “commercial driver rather than a marketing add-on.”
Fifteen percent of consumers log in to their loyalty programs daily, while 12% check their points balance daily and 13% check rewards daily. Alongside this, 13% of those surveyed say they are actively looking for new ways to earn points every day.
Consumers increasingly expect loyalty programs to work seamlessly across every touchpoint, according to the survey. Nearly nine-in-10 (88%) consumers say being able to use a program in-store is important, while 86% expect access via a brand’s website and 81% want to collect points even when purchasing through third-party retailers.
[READ MORE: Study: Nine-in-10 consumers have used digital promotions to save]
While more than three-quarters (78%) say using loyalty within a mobile app is important, this rises among younger groups and falls to 70% among consumers over the age of 55. The gap is even more pronounced for mobile wallets, where 76% of 16–24 year olds see this as important compared to just under half (45%) of those 55 and up.
“Consumers love loyalty programs. They want to engage with them, they’re actively looking for ways to earn rewards, and they’re increasingly choosing brands based on how good that experience is,” said Charlie Casey, CEO of LoyaltyLion. “For retailers, that’s a real opportunity. If you get it right and deliver high-quality and rewarding experiences wherever your customers are shopping, you’ll see the impact in repeat purchases and long-term loyalty. If you don’t, customers will go elsewhere.”
London-based LoyaltyLion survey of 2,000 U.S. consumers for its report.
