Survey: These factors more important than cost for building brand loyalty
Despite consumers’ concern over prices increasing, discounts are not the most important factor when it comes to driving brand loyalty.
According to a new survey of marketers from agentic personalization platform Bloomreach and Emarketer, today’s customers are less brand loyal than five years ago, with more than half of the study’s participants agreeing that marketing with an emotional message would resonate more than transactional or financial incentive-based marketing.
Respondents believe factors like customer experience (59%), trust and reliability (44%), and emotional connections (58%) will build loyalty. The vast majority (88%) of marketers say consumers consider lack of trust a dealbreaker for purchasing. Nearly seven-in-10 (69%) of respondents believe customers become more brand loyal when economically secure, while 49% believe many shoppers have switched to lower-cost brands.
[READ MORE: Survey: Bad experiences a 'deal breaker' for brands; customer service key on social media]
"Customer loyalty has never been about competitive pricing or rewards programs," said Amanda Cole, chief marketing officer at Bloomreach. "What truly drives lasting relationships is the emotional connection brands forge with consumers through personalized experiences, trustworthy data practices, and meaningful post-purchase engagement. Companies that invest in understanding and responding to their customers' emotional needs go beyond creating loyalty programs because it’s the thing to do – they're creating brand advocates."
Additional insights from the survey includes the following:
- Customer relationships extend beyond the sale, as 32% and 22% of respondents found that available customer support and free delivery, respectively, provide the best opportunity for customer retention.
- Personalization is a priority, as three-quarters (75%) of the marketers surveyed use personalized marketing in loyalty programs, and 85% find it effective for customer retention.
The report, titled The Power of Trust and Emotions in Building Customer Loyalty, featured a survey of 154 marketers. It was fielded in January 2025.
