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Loyalty360 Customer Loyalty Statistics Database

Based on feedback from our Loyalty360 community and members, as the association for customer loyalty, Loyalty360 is excited to help our audience stay up to date on the latest in customer loyalty and customer experience with the latest and most relevant topics, trends, and data points through the Loyalty360 Customer Loyalty Statistics Database.

For our Customer Loyalty Statistics Database, we collect relevant information from our own research, member research and reports, as well as industry statistics that are listed below, in one place, to help inform our audience.

As new data points are released, we will do our best to keep a running list of the latest and greatest research available here.

As mentioned, these statistics have been aggregated from a vareity of sources and there is a link provided with each one that may take you to another page on Loyalty360, to one of our members, or to an outside source.

If you would like to see a stat were missing or if you have suggestions for inclusion, please reach out to us at info@loyalty360.org

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STATS: 2024 Global Customer Engagement Review

February 28, 2024 | Braze

This year’s report uncovered key trends, including:Marketers are embracing AI, but can use it to more effectively bridge the gap between creativity and ROI:Nearly all surveyed marketers (99%) are using AI in some capacity and are interested in further exploring its full potential. However...

This year’s report uncovered key trends, including:

Marketers are embracing AI, but can use it to more effectively bridge the gap between creativity and ROI:

  • Nearly all surveyed marketers (99%) are using AI in some capacity and are interested in further exploring its full potential. However, research found that marketers are also struggling with many areas where AI can help, particularly when it comes to creativity and strategy.
  • Separately, a majority of marketers—98% to be exact—reported issues that prevent them from being more creative and strategic, with 41% of respondents claiming they lack the appropriate technology to execute creative ideas, and 40% citing difficulties demonstrating the ROI impact of creativity.
  • The primary obstacles cited are spending excessive time on routine execution and tasks (42%) and an overemphasis on KPIs which restricts a focus on creativity (42%).
  • Promising to see, many marketers recognize the promise of AI—79% of respondents applaud AI’s ability to automate routine tasks and free up time for creative thinking. Bridging the gap between creativity and ROI with AI can help marketers push boundaries while gaining a clearer view of their campaigns’ impact.

Creating personalized experiences requires a unified customer view and first-party data agility:

  • While new technologies have opened up engagement opportunities, many brands lack a strategy that truly grasps who their customers are by leveraging first-party data for personalization. Only 24% are mapping customer behavior and sentiment and even fewer brands (6%) apply customer insights to their product and brand approach.
  • However, there are signs that marketers are beginning to improve the way first-party data is leveraged to better understand customer behavior and use data to drive business outcomes, as 54% of marketers aim to boost both upstream and downstream (e.g. retention, monetization) metrics.
  • With personalization more important than ever in driving customer loyalty, marketers must have the necessary tools to immediately access rich first-party data, understand where customers are in their journey, and then quickly act on that data to craft truly meaningful experiences at scale.

Consistent cross-channel messaging is the key to long-term loyalty and retention

  • The rapid global expansion of new channels also means marketers have a big opportunity to focus on experience consistency and cohesion. Only 37% of respondents say their brands have made consistency a top priority, and 33% rely on multiple, isolated point solutions to manually piece together a multi-channel experience rather than a seamless cross-channel experience.
  • Today's most successful brands are diversifying their channel investments and prioritizing personalized, consistent messaging as a way to build retention. By transitioning to cross-channel customer journeys, brands can see a 6.5X uplift in purchases per user compared to solely in-product messages (such as in-app messages), according to Braze customer data.

The 2024 Global Customer Engagement Review also shares findings across five different industries—financial services, health and wellness, media and entertainment, QSR and delivery, and retail and e-commerce—and case studies featuring e.l.f. Cosmetics, Joe & the Juice, Second Dinner, Sonder, and Wealthsimple. Each industry breakdown also features insights and tactics for how marketers can uplevel their customer engagement strategy to drive retention and business value.

Notable industry findings include:

  • Top-performing financial services brands are 20% more likely to sync across teams at least once a week and 25% more likely to use multiple data sources to shape user campaigns. That puts them at the forefront when it comes to collaboration and data agility and contributes to overall performance in the financial services sector, which was 25% more likely than other industries to greatly exceed revenue goals last year.
  • Retail and eCommerce brands rank highest in multiple channel usage, relying especially on out-of-product channels like email and SMS. These brands will have more resources for growth and innovation in 2024 as retail and eCommerce brands are 75% more likely to have their marketing budgets increase significantly this year (the highest of any industry).

STATS: 2024 BDR Appreciation Week Report and Benchmark

February 27, 2024 | 6sense

2024 State of the BDR Survey The fourth-annual survey conducted by 6sense asked BDRs about their roles, overall use of AI-powered solutions, related training, and sentiments. According to those polled, AI tools have seen widespread adoption among BDR teams, with 39% of respondents reporting...

2024 State of the BDR Survey
The fourth-annual survey conducted by 6sense asked BDRs about their roles, overall use of AI-powered solutions, related training, and sentiments.
According to those polled, AI tools have seen widespread adoption among BDR teams, with 39% of respondents reporting that they use at least one, such as call coaching, conversational email, email writing assistants, and call assistants. In addition, notable findings include:
  • BDRs that use at least one AI tool report that they have largely had a minimal (33.0%) or moderate (38.5%) amount of training on AI tools.
  • Of those, 83% of BDRs indicated that they have received at least minimal training on AI tools to help them accomplish their goals.
  • A mere 9% feel AI tools are a threat to the future of the role.
  • The majority (75%) of BDR organizations have either grown or maintained their size. 
  • Most BDRs (76%) report to the sales department, while the remaining report to Marketing. 
  • 85% of BDRs primarily or exclusively focus on outbound activities. 
  • While most companies maintained their quotas, a larger percentage (39%) raised them this year compared to last year’s 29%. 
  • Despite slightly higher quotas for 2024 compared to 2023, BDRs maintained their performance, achieving approximately 81% to 90% of their quota, similar to last year’s figures. 
  • BDRs engage in multithreading, with 83% reporting that they reach out to an average of 6.7 contacts for outbound prospecting and 4.8 contacts for inbound. 
  • There is no correlation between deal size and the number of contact attempts by BDRs, presenting an efficiency opportunity for organizations targeting smaller deals. 
  • 75% of BDRs indicate making the same or more attempts to engage with multithreaded contacts. 
  • BDRs typically make about 17 attempts per contact, with relatively equal distribution among social touches, calls, and emails. 
  • When BDRs have completed their work with a sales-ready prospect, approximately 69% are handing it over as an Opportunity to sales rather than a Lead or Account. 
  • BDRs’ reported sense of feeling supported has declined over the years, from 76% in 2022, 64% in 2023, to 58% in 2024. 
  • For the third consecutive year, BDRs who feel supported achieve higher quotas than those who do not. 
  • BDRs express a need for more encouragement from leadership and request contact and intent data to feel equipped to meet expectations. 
  • Among BDRs using AI, call transcription and email writing tools are the most utilized. 
  • A majority of BDRs (71.5%) receive minimal to moderate training on the AI tools they use. 
  • BDRs generally view AI tools positively, with 65% believing they enhance productivity, while less than 9% perceive them as a threat to their role’s future. 

STATS: 2024 Home Decor Ecommerce Market Research Report

February 27, 2024 | 2 Visions

Shoppers are more open to purchasing online than expected. Despite common beliefs, a vast majority of 82.46% express willingness to buy home decor items online soon, which may challenge assumptions about the necessity of physical retail spaces.In-store shopping retains a strong foothold...

  • Shoppers are more open to purchasing online than expected. Despite common beliefs, a vast majority of 82.46% express willingness to buy home decor items online soon, which may challenge assumptions about the necessity of physical retail spaces.

  • In-store shopping retains a strong foothold. Contrary to the narrative of e-commerce dominance, more than half of consumers (55.92%) still engage with in-store shopping, underscoring the enduring value of physical retail experiences.

  • Online pricing advantages might be overestimated. While it’s generally believed that online always offers better deals, the data indicates a substantial 33.18% still find in-store pricing competitive, suggesting that online retailers may need to reassess their pricing strategies.

  • Excessive options online could be counterproductive. A notable 42.65% of consumers find too many choices overwhelming, challenging the e-commerce trend of offering extensive catalogs without adequate curation.

  • The local store experience is more appreciated than leaders may assume. Despite the online shopping convenience, a significant 88.63% of consumers have access to home decor within a 30-minute radius, yet only 67.38% are satisfied, revealing a gap in the quality of local shopping experiences.

  • Generational shopping preferences might not align with stereotypes. While it’s often thought that younger consumers are driving home decor shopping, Baby Boomers still show a considerable recent purchase rate (75%), potentially indicating a missed opportunity in targeting older demographics with online offerings.

  • Sales and discounts are not the only drivers. While 48.82% are influenced by promotions, a significant portion is also swayed by loyalty factors like shopping experience and customer service, which account for 31.75% and 25.12% respectively, suggesting that emotional connections and service quality are just as critical as pricing strategies.

  • The Influence of Warranty Policies May Be Overlooked. Business leaders might assume price and selection trump all, yet the study reveals a substantial 17.54% of consumers are highly influenced by warranty policies when making home decor purchases with another 30.33% somewhat influenced. This suggests that warranty policies are more important to consumers than some leaders might expect and should be a more prominent part of product offerings and marketing messages.

 

Hybrid Shopping Preferences: Navigating the Online-In-Store Divide

Merging Online and Offline: Retail’s Evolving Future

  • Hybrid shopping is the dominant preference across demographics. Over half (55.92%) of all participants prefer buying both online and in-store.

  • Millennials show the highest tendency towards hybrid shopping. 29% of Millennials purchase both online and in-store, challenging the digital-only stereotype.

  • Baby Boomers are more inclined to shop online than expected. 83% of Baby Boomers prefer online purchases, suggesting a digital shift in older consumers.

  • Higher income does not necessarily lead to more online shopping. Only 9.52% of those with HHI $100k+ prefer online, indicating diverse shopping preferences across income levels.

  • Regional differences influence shopping preferences. The South shows the highest preference for hybrid shopping at 64.38%, suggesting regional strategies may be effective.

Online Shopping Dynamics: The Digital Shift and Consumer Preferences

Navigating Modern Consumer Preferences: Shaping Ecommerce

  • Gen Z leans more towards online shopping than other generations. They make 44.89% of their purchases online, the highest among generational segments.

  • Renters are not as engaged in online shopping as might be assumed. Despite mobility, they make only 36.63% of purchases online, less than homeowners.

  • Higher income does not equate to more online spending. Those with HHI $100k+ make 41.19% of purchases online, similar to lower-income brackets.

  • The Northeast region is embracing online shopping. With 43.16% of purchases made online, it has the highest online shopping percentage among regions.

  • Gender is not a significant differentiator in online shopping. Females make 42.48% and males 38.65% of their purchases online, which challenges gender-based marketing strategies.

  • The majority perceive a wider selection online for home decor and home goods. 25% of all participants feel they have more options online.

  • Gen Z’s preference towards online shopping underscores their comfort with digital platforms. 75% of Gen Z believe they find more options online, highlighting the importance of online presence to engage younger consumers.

  • Higher income individuals prioritize online shopping for variety. 19% of those with HHI $100k+ believe online shopping provides more options, suggesting online stores should cater to this demographic with a diverse range of products.

  • There’s a noticeable difference in shopping preference based on housing status. While 70.15% of homeowners find more options online, a significant portion of renters (40%) still value in-store shopping, perhaps indicating differing lifestyles or space considerations.

  • Female shoppers particularly value the breadth of online shopping. 23% of females report finding more options online, indicating that online retailers should ensure their offerings and marketing strategies are inclusive and appealing to female shoppers.

  • A digital-first approach is signified by Gen Z’s strong preference for online shopping. 75% of Gen Z participants prefer shopping online, indicating retailers must prioritize digital engagement.

  • Consumers with higher incomes tend towards a preference for online shopping. 19% of those with HHI $100k+ prefer online, suggesting luxury and premium brands could see significant benefits from enhancing their online presence.

  • Homeowners show a notable preference for in-store shopping compared to renters. 30% of homeowners prefer in-store, possibly due to considerations like space and storage.

  • The Northeast region shows a strong preference for online shopping. 51% prefer online, suggesting regional strategies should consider the Northeast’s digital affinity.

  • Targeted marketing strategies must consider gender preferences in online shopping. Approximately 70.64% of female consumers show a preference for online shopping, emphasizing the need for gender-specific marketing approaches.

Consumer Choice Overload: The Paradox of Plenty

Simplifying Choice: The Need for Curated Shopping Experiences

  • Gen Z is overwhelmed by too many options. They lead with 55.56% feeling a store can have too many choices, the highest among all generations.

  • High earners desire a curated selection. Those with HHI $100k+ significantly feel the excess of options (61.90%), demanding more streamlined choices.

  • Lower income shoppers embrace variety. Only 26.53% of those with HHI $50k to $100k find there can be too many options, suggesting they value a wider selection.

  • Renters are more likely to feel option overload. At 45.00%, renters are more prone to feel there are too many choices than homeowners.

  • The assumption that more choices are always better is challenged. Over 42% of all participants believe that there can be too many options, implying that more is not always more.

Local Shopping Access and Satisfaction: The Value of Proximity

Proximity vs. Satisfaction: Closing the Local Retail Gap

  • Proximity to home decor varies significantly for Baby Boomers. Only 75% of Baby Boomers report having local access to home decor within 30 minutes.

  • Wealthy consumers enjoy plentiful local shopping options. In the HHI $100k+ segment, 95.24% have convenient access to home decor goods nearby.

  • Homeownership boosts local shopping access for home goods. A notable 95.52% of homeowners can find home decor items within a 30-minute radius.

  • The Northeast region excels in local home decor accessibility. An impressive 93.88% of Northeastern consumers report easy access to home decor shopping locally.

  • Gender does not largely impact local shopping access for home decor. Both 90.83% of females and 86.27% of males have convenient local access to these items.

  • Baby Boomers are most satisfied with local home decor options. 78% of Baby Boomers report having great options nearby for home decor.

  • Affluent households rarely report dissatisfaction with local availability. None of the consumers with HHI $100k+ report their local home decor options as not great.

  • Renters report higher satisfaction than might be expected. 76% of renters feel they have great options nearby for home decor purchases.

  • The South has room for improvement in home decor retail. Only 61.54% of consumers in the South report having great options nearby, the lowest among regions.

  • Satisfaction with home decor options shows no major gender disparity. Both 65.66% of females and 69.32% of males report satisfaction with local home decor shopping options.

The Online Shopping Value Proposition

Online Shopping Dynamics: Unpacking Price, Convenience, and Selection

  • Price is a leading factor in online purchasing. Over half of the consumers (55.45%) cite price as a reason for buying home decor online.

  • The convenience of saving time motivates online shoppers. 54.03% of participants value time-saving and convenience when shopping for home goods online.

  • A substantial number of consumers prefer online for deals and sales. Nearly half (48.82%) are influenced by online deals and promotions in their purchasing decisions.

  • Selection diversity attracts online buyers. A significant segment of consumers (37.91%) is driven by the wide selection available online.

  • Research and comparison capabilities are key online benefits. Over 41% of shoppers emphasize the importance of being able to research and compare products online.

The In-Store Experience Advantage

In-Store Shopping: Seeking Tangibility and Immediate Gratification

  • Gen X values in-person product experience the most. They lead with 55.56% prioritizing seeing items first-hand in-store.

  • Baby Boomers demand same-day availability. Almost half (45.83%) of this demographic shops in-store for immediate product access.

  • Millennials are not just digital shoppers. Over half (51.43%) appreciate in-store browsing, countering the online-only trend assumption.

  • Higher income does not deter from physical store preference. Notably, 52.38% of those earning $100k+ still prefer to experience items in-person.

  • Supporting local businesses is a strong motivator across incomes. Even among higher earners (HHI $100k+), 19.05% shop in-store to support local ventures.

Loyalty Factors: Beyond Price and Promotions

Building Brand Loyalty: The Emotional Connection

  • Baby Boomers prioritize price above all in loyalty decisions. They have the highest response rate at 79.17% for price as a loyalty factor.

  • Gen Z values local businesses when considering loyalty. This segment has the highest percentage (16.67%) favoring locally owned establishments for loyalty.

  • Millennials emphasize a quality shopping experience. They lead the generational segments with 37.14% citing shopping experience as a key loyalty driver.

  • High-income consumers are selective in their loyalty. Among those earning $100k+, 52.38% indicate selection as a critical loyalty factor.

  • Convenience is more significant for Baby Boomers. They have the highest percentage within generational segments at 37.50% who value convenience.

In-Store vs. Online Quality Perceptions: A Question of Value

Quality Perception: Bridging the Gap Between In-Store and Online

  • Across demographics, most consumers perceive in-store options as higher quality. 62% of all participants believe in-store purchases offer higher quality options.

  • Confidence in in-store purchase quality peaks among Baby Boomers. 17% of Baby Boomers perceive in-store options as being of higher quality, indicating a significant preference for traditional shopping experiences.

  • Gen Z is more open to finding quality options online than other generations. 89% of Gen Z participants believe they find higher quality options online, the highest percentage among generational segments.

  • Homeowners are more inclined to trust the quality of in-store purchases. 66% of homeowners perceive in-store purchases to offer higher quality, slightly less than the overall average but still indicative of a preference for physical retail.

  • The South region shows a strong preference for in-store quality. 97% of participants from the South believe in-store purchases provide higher quality options, the highest among all regions.

STATS: 2024 State of Business Communication

February 21, 2024 | Grammarly x Harris Poll,AI’s potential to turn overload into impact

Every aspect of communication is on the rise Most professionals agree that in the past twelve months, they have seen increases in both the frequency (78%) and variety of channels (73%) for workplace communication. Knowledge workers, specifically, now spend an astounding 88% of their workweek...

Every aspect of communication is on the rise

Most professionals agree that in the past twelve months, they have seen increases in both the frequency (78%) and variety of channels (73%) for workplace communication. Knowledge workers, specifically, now spend an astounding 88% of their workweek communicating across multiple channels.1 This uptick signals that, despite advancements, surging communication is increasing overall workloads.

In the past 12 months, professionals have seen increases in:
78% Communication frequency
73% Variety of communication channels

Knowledge workers spend of 88% of their workweek communicating across multiple channels.


Communication shapes business outcomes—for better or worse

Miscommunication remains a widespread problem, impacting everything from costs to morale. Over half of professionals (55%) spend excessive time crafting messages or deciphering others’ communications, while 54% find managing numerous work communications challenging, and for 53%, this is all compounded by anxiety over misinterpreting written messages.

Conversely, effective communication helps businesses promote strong employee experiences and customer satisfaction. Virtually all professionals have experienced benefits from improved communication, with knowledge workers citing increased job satisfaction (58%) and improved team relationships (58%).

Business leaders report effective communication leads to:
64%- Increased productivity
51%- Boosted customer satisfaction
49%- Raised employee confidence

Meanwhile, poor communication leads to:
40% Decreased productivity
37% Extended timelines
32% Increased costs

Gen AI will transform workplace communication for those who close knowledge gaps

Glaring AI-usage and AI-proficiency gaps exist between leaders and workers, with 89% of business leaders actively using gen AI for professional purposes, while only 53% of knowledge workers do. However, across all professionals using gen AI overall, 72% do so for writing tasks, emphasizing writing’s outsize role in business communication.

Along with using AI less than business leaders, 52% of knowledge workers say they don’t know how to use gen AI tools effectively. How leaders close the gap between AI adoption and literacy across their organizations will determine their business success in the coming years.

Using gen AI for communication could save up to $1.6 trillion in US productivity—but its potential is largely untapped

Professionals using gen AI for communication enjoy a significant productivity boost—saving approximately one day per workweek. This amounts to an annual average of $16,455 per worker, representing a potential national productivity gain of $1.6 trillion each year. However, this potential remains largely untapped, as many workers lack effective gen AI-usage skills, hindering organizations from unlocking the technology’s full value.

9 in 10 business leaders use gen AI for professional purposes
But only 5 in 10 knowledge workers do the same
Potential nationwide productivity savings when

$1.6T annually Potentially nationwide productivity savings when professionals use gen AI tools for communicating at work.

Organizations need an enterprise-wide approach to move from gen AI hype to impact Business leaders, optimistic about investing in modern communication strategies, tools, and technologies, prioritize operational efficiency (57%), margins (55%), and retention (54%) to navigate the evolving economic landscape. As eight in ten consider investments in communication, 82% of business leaders are also contemplating investments in AI-driven tools to boost employee productivity and effectiveness.

However, to fully leverage the benefits of AI investment, organizations must harness AI experimentation that is already happening across individuals and teams. Among professionals, 60% are already using AI for work, and 61% of knowledge workers are on teams that plan to implement gen AI within the next year for communication  tasks. It’s clear that gen AI is here to stay, and companies that take an enterprise-wide approach to embracing its potential will see massive gains in quality and efficiency.

Business leaders’ top priorities for the next year
57% Improving operational efficiency
55% Increasing revenue/profitability
54% Employee satisfaction and retention

AI usage now and looking ahead
60% of all professionals use gen AI for work
61% of knowledge workers say their team is currently planning to implement gen AI technology in the next 12 months
56% of knowledge workers say they cannot imagine doing their work tasks now without gen AI

Communication has saturated the workplace, creating an environment where staying connected is not just a norm but a necessity. Professionals (78%) report an increase in work communication over the past twelve months, pushing knowledge workers to spend a staggering 88% of their workweek just communicating. 

For some functions, the average time spent communicating now exceeds the conventional workweek, with knowledge workers in fields like HR (47 hours per week), with hybrid work setups (42 hours), or on large teams (42 hours) communicating with others the most each week.

This indicates an evolving work dynamic where heightened communication is extending working hours and, potentially, influencing job satisfaction. Unchecked, this could shape the future of work as younger knowledge workers, particularly millennials (40 hours per week) and Gen Z-ers (38 hours), dedicate more time to communication compared to their older colleagues, such as Gen X-ers (30 hours) and baby boomers (25 hours).

Communication is becoming synonymous with work and, in some instances, overwork. Organizational productivity, collaboration, and vitality will hinge on how businesses enable better, instead of more, communication.

We’re communicating in more places than ever before

As the rate of communication increases, so does its surface area. In fact, 84% of business leaders and 70% of knowledge workers say they have been communicating across more channels at work in the past twelve months.

The most common channels are email, virtual and in-person meetings, and text-based chat, accounting for half the time spent communicating each week. This includes over nine hours, or approximately 23% of the workweek, spent engaging with others through collaboration tools.

With each channel bringing its own set of notifications, rules of engagement, and context requirements, more than eight in ten professionals now face communication challenges like information overload. Over half of professionals (55%) say the constant flow of notifications makes it hard to concentrate on important tasks, and almost half (47%) feel unsure about choosing the right channel to communicate information.

While channel management and context switching appear to be the cost of doing business in the modern workplace, organizations will need to develop strategies to standardize communication across tech stacks and decrease the disruption employees experience simply navigating their suite of workplace apps.

Half our workweek is consumed by written communication

Knowledge workers dedicate nearly half their workweek—an average of 19 hours—to written communication. About half of this time is spent drafting communications or responding to messages from other people, most often via email. Moreover, these workers report an 11% increase in time spent reviewing or editing materials compared to the previous year. This indicates that while the pace of communication is going up, the quality of written communication is not, requiring knowledge workers to spend more time improving and making sense of communication.

Over half of professionals experience anxiety over misinterpretations in written communication, leading to a communication spiral as many knowledge workers dedicate excessive time to crafting or deciphering messages. This challenge is particularly acute for 59% of business leaders who experience miscommunication in written form once a week or more.

The toll on confidence is evident, with 31% of knowledge workers expressing a lack of confidence due to poor communication, marking a notable increase from 20% two years ago. There is a pressing need to unravel communication challenges to create work environments that drive better, not more, communication.

The worker/leader divide on effective communication
Business leaders express a more optimistic view of communication effectiveness than knowledge workers within their organizations. This contrast is highlighted by a substantial 24-percentage-point gap, where 87% of business leaders perceive their organization’s communication as “highly effective,” compared to 63% of knowledge workers.

Interestingly, knowledge workers encounter more challenges with ineffective communication from senior-level coworkers than business leaders do. Compared to the previous year, fewer knowledge workers are satisfied with their senior leadership’s communication. Compared to 90% of business leaders, just 64% of knowledge workers consider senior leadership communication effective, a notable 8% decrease. Similarly, knowledge workers (77%) rate the effectiveness of their direct manager’s communication lower than business leaders do (90%).

The year-over-year decline of 5% among knowledge workers, in contrast to no change among business leaders, signals a rising concern about the communication skills of higher-ups.

This perceptual gap contributes to a decline in faith among knowledge workers regarding effective communication from leadership, with only 70% expressing improved faith—a notable 9% decrease from the previous year. In contrast, a steadfast 90% of business leaders maintain the same sentiment.

The communication overload, combined with disparities in perceived effectiveness, poses challenges for effective workplace communication, potentially impacting employee morale and organizational outlook. Addressing these disparities is crucial to fostering a communication culture that aligns with the expectations of both knowledge workers and business leaders.

The impact of communication on business success has never been more apparent. About one in five business leaders say they have lost business or deals due to poor communication. On the other hand, twice as many business leaders (43%) say they have gained new business or deals because of effective communication, a 10% year-over-year increase.

The positives of effective communication extend across the enterprise, with business leaders citing increased productivity (64%), heightened customer satisfaction (51%), improved brand reputation (45%), successful business deals (43%), and cost reductions (33%) resulting from effective communication.

Externally, effective communication delivers the personalized and attentive support that customers desire. Business leaders note that effective communication has increased customer satisfaction by helping deliver timely support (64%), making customers feel heard (64%), delivering more personalized support (54%), and strengthening customer trust (53%). In this landscape, the significance of effective communication is undeniable, impacting not only the internal dynamics of a workforce but also shaping external interactions with customers and, ultimately, the bottom line.

In the past year, overall stress at work climbed 16%. Today, almost all knowledge workers (97%) experience stress at work, with 51% rating their stress as a 7 or higher on a scale of 1 to 10.1 Over half of knowledge workers (51%) report that they or their team have experienced increased stress at work due to poor communication.

Improved communication is proving to be a persistent stress reliever across the workplace, with knowledge workers reporting positive outcomes, including higher work satisfaction, enhanced relationships with colleagues, and increased productivity. Effective communication has been especially beneficial over the past year, helping knowledge workers meet project deadlines (38%, up 5%), receive raises or promotions (24%, up 4%), and even reduce some work stress (48%, up 8%).

As innovations like generative AI continue to gain momentum, professionals are facing an ever-growing need for advanced tools. Two-thirds (66%) of knowledge workers desire better tools to be more effective in their role—an 8% increase from the previous year. However, business leaders should not interpret this as a mere request for more tools but rather as a call for the right ones.

With the right tools, businesses can help their employees communicate better, not more, creating productive work environments that promote growth and innovation. In the long run, investing in advanced communication technology can result in cost savings, increased efficiency, and improved customer satisfaction.

AI experimentation is rampant in the workplace. Most professionals are using gen AI at work and do so at least weekly (92% leaders; 84% workers). Notably, younger professionals, especially millennials and Gen Z-ers, have embraced individual usage.

Knowledge workers, particularly those in IT, HR, and technology, have overwhelmingly embraced gen AI. They note it has transformed the way they communicate at work (71%) and improved how effective that communication is (68%), and they ultimately believe AI will enhance their work, not replace them (66%).

Gen AI experimentation appears to drive new interest, with 58% of knowledge workers wishing their organizations were more open to AI implementation, especially those in the IT (80%) and technology (76%) sectors, where the benefits could be substantial.

Gen AI significantly enhances the working experience for knowledge workers. For workers who use gen AI regularly, 77% say that it makes them better at their jobs. Four in five (80%) workers affirm that gen AI improves the overall quality of their work, and the same percentage share says they can get more done using gen AI. Moreover, three-quarters (73%) say using gen AI helps them avoid miscommunications at work, leading to tangible benefits like reduced stress, heightened productivity, lighter workloads, and job satisfaction.

Unsurprisingly, younger generations are more reliant on AI: 61% of Gen Z-ers assert they cannot imagine doing work tasks now without gen AI technology, compared to 56% of millennials, 53% of Gen X-ers, and 41% of baby boomers.

As organizations implement gen AI, we see one of the biggest gains for companies: Knowledge workers estimate saving an average of 7.75 hours of work per week, translating to 19% of their workweek.

Half of all business leaders (52%) note increased efficiency by using gen AI, highlighting the transformative role that gen AI plays in streamlining tasks. This improvement in efficiency translates directly to performance, with 50% of leaders reporting a boost in overall productivity. Positive performance extends to customer relationship management, where more than a third (37%) of leaders say gen AI has boosted customer engagement.

There are also tangible financial benefits, with 38% of business leaders reporting cost savings as a direct result of incorporating gen AI into their workflows. Like knowledge workers, business leaders at companies that use gen AI also have experienced notable time savings, estimating saving an average of 9.5 hours of work a week. This substantial gain equates to 24% of the workweek.

Fluency gaps also exist across generations, with 69% of baby boomer knowledge workers admitting they don’t
know how to use gen AI effectively, compared to 47% of millennials. These gaps influence trust levels. For example, younger knowledge workers are more confident than older generations that AI will enhance their work rather than replace them.

Workers who already use gen AI are seeing gains across industries. Leaders should learn from this group of power users, sharing their success stories and building on the ways that AI is already proving to be effective for them.

The reality is that for organizations that do not currently use gen AI, 61% of workers say their teams plan to
implement it in at least one new area in the next twelve months. Now is the time to invest in enterprise-wide AI training and education to reap the long-term benefits.

68%of knowledge workers believe generative AI can help them communicate more effectively at work

STATS: Understanding Personalization Efforts in the Hospitality and Retail Industries

February 19, 2024 | Medallia

For insights on what hospitality and retail brands are doing — or not doing — to personalize experiences, Medallia surveyed 1,749 hotel guests and 1,905 retail consumers about their recent retail transactions and hotel stays. For both hotel stays and retail interactions...

For insights on what hospitality and retail brands are doing — or not doing — to personalize experiences, Medallia surveyed 1,749 hotel guests and 1,905 retail consumers about their recent retail transactions and hotel stays.

For both hotel stays and retail interactions, personalization has a strong correlation with satisfaction. Customers who rate the level of personalization they received as a 9 or 10 on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 being the most personalized, are far more likely to also rate their overall satisfaction as very high. And vice versa, those who do not perceive their experience as being personalized are more likely to report lower satisfaction ratings. However, despite the power of personalization in both hotel and retail interactions, many consumers do not experience high levels of personalization. Roughly 3 in 4 say that their last interaction had a low to moderate level of personalization, while only about 25% report experiencing the highest levels of personalization.

Surprisingly, the greatest opportunity to maximize personalization for hotel guests is during the stay itself. Guests are less likely to recall personalization at this stage of the customer journey — only 46% do, compared with a higher share of customers reporting personalized experiences during other key moments, such as when interacting with customer service, post stay, and during the booking, check-in, and check-out processes.

Most / Least Noticed Personalization Elements
Hotel Customer Service* - They provided me the opportunity to give feedback about the service I received - 66%
Hotel Customer Service* - They followed up with additional communications informing me of resolution status, or confirming if I am now satisfied - 66%
Hotel Customer Service* - They gave me the choice on how I wanted the issue resolved (e.g. refund, complimentary upgrade, etc.) - 65%
Hotel Customer Service* - They already had my stay details or other information handy when the interaction started - 65%
Hotel Customer Service* - They gave me flexibility on how I wanted to interact with customer service (e.g. online, calling on phone, etc.) - 64%
Hotel Browsing / Booking - I saw the hotel supported causes (e.g. social, environmental, etc.) that I care about - 44%
Hotel Stay - They incorporated allergies or other dietary preferences at hotel restaurants (e.g. gluten free options, brand substitutions, etc.) - 43%
Hotel Check-Out - Options were given to pay over time vs. all at once - 43%
Hotel Stay - My name was on a welcome message on the TV screen - 42%
Hotel Stay - Music preferences (on / off, type of music to play) were available in the room - 41%

Consumer Personalization Wish List for Hotels
% Selecting, Top 5 Choices of 16 total
Reward me based on special statuses or history as a customer 26%
Allow more customizations for the rooms I pick / what I want in my stay 24%
If I qualify as an especially valuable customer, give me more benefits like dedicated customer service or exclusive benefits 23%
Ask for my feedback and ideas on how to improve future experiences 22%
Allow me to pick how I want to be served if I have an issue (e.g. online, phone, in-person, etc.) 21%
 

STATS: The Role of Loyalty Programs in the New Value Economy Loyalty Trends - The Tipping Point Series

February 06, 2024 | iSeatz

Defining Value the Simple Way: Saving Money Almost half of consumers cited saving money on travel as what they value the most from their loyalty programs. The number is even higher than last year (49% compared to 43% in 2022). Moreover, saving money and getting more value would encourage...

Defining Value the Simple Way: Saving Money

Almost half of consumers cited saving money on travel as what they value the most from their loyalty programs. The number is even higher than last year (49% compared to 43% in 2022). Moreover, saving money and getting more value would encourage consumers to spend more with their loyalty program and interact more frequently. Sixty-five percent of consumers would engage more with their loyalty programs if offered better discounts.
These findings indicate that “deals” and savings still dominate consumers’ thinking when considering how frequently to use their loyalty program, while value (as expressed through reward quality and the ability to use or earn points) drives their decision to spend more.
That said, younger generations are willing to spend more on travel products or services to gain or maintain loyalty status or earn extra points or perks than older generations. For example, 29% of Millennials would spend up to 5% more on travel to preserve their status or receive bonus benefits compared to just 8% of Silent Generation respondents and the 25% survey average. Similarly, 26% of Gen Zers would spend between 6% and 10% more, while only 15% of Boomers said the same.
This reflects not only the capacity to defer benefits that might be expected from younger buying cohorts, but also a longer-term perception of loyalty program value among Millennials and Gen Z members that hints at significant potential for increased lifetime value.

49% of consumers say saving money on travel is what they value most from their loyalty programs
65% of consumers would engage more with their loyalty programs if they were offered better discounts

Loyalty Programs Need to provide more value - and make sure their members know about it

Even if younger program members appreciate the lasting value of their loyalty relationships, when it comes to travel booking, consumers, in the aggregate, tend to overlook their loyalty programs in favor of more traditional booking channels. Most travelers book their flights or hotels directly on an airline’s (30%) or hotel’s (30%) website or through an OTA (30% for flights, 32% for hotels). Loyalty programs favored only about half as frequently.
This might seem at odds with the emphasis travel loyalty program members place on the ability to save on travel, something 49% of respondents say they value most about their programs. The reasons they tend not to book through their programs still center on savings and value; travelers want a better deal, and loyalty programs aren’t convincing them that they’ll find it on their platforms.

Travelers are not getting enough value for their money— or perceive that they will—than with the alternatives

Of the 30% of respondents who typically book their flights through an OTA, 34% said they did so because they believed it offered them the best price or value, compared to only 18% of those who typically book through their loyalty programs.
Loyalty programs have an untapped opportunity to increase engagement with their members and customers by leaning into their value advantage and communicating it to members more effectively. While consumers turn to their loyalty programs to save money, they would do so more frequently if the right offerings were available, accessible, and easily identified.

Evolving Brand Priorities

If consumers are overwhelmingly clear in their prioritization of extracting value from their loyalty program experiences, brands’ goals for their loyalty programs are less unanimously defined. Moreover, their priorities have shifted somewhat since our 2022 survey; as brands have become more accountable for revenue in this economic climate, their loyalty programs’ ability to contribute to topline spending has become more important.

Last year, brands placed membership participation and involvement at the top of their priority lists, with 59% saying they were focused on increasing membership and 59% reporting that their top goal was boosting engagement. In 2023, their goals are more varied, but most are related to providing the customer experience that will drive retention and engagement. The performance measurement criteria cited most in our survey focus on retention, revenue, and membership growth, all closely related to experience.

Brands prioritize customer experience as a way to drive membership engagement

While the goals across the two years seem different, how brands evaluate their loyalty programs’ effectiveness echoes last year’s results, adding a stronger focus on revenue. Customer retention (66%) was the top measurement goal again this year, while 50% of companies selected membership growth as a KPI of their program’s success. However, “impact on revenue,” the second-most cited goal at 65%, reflects a stronger focus on delivering financial results.

With similar percentages of respondents measuring their loyalty programs’ performance on customer retention and revenue impact, brands must listen to their consumer base to create better member experiences and close the expectation gap, which will drive engagement and spending. The good news is that brands have identified loyalty program engagement as a tool for creating value and a critical metric to help them achieve their loyalty program goals.

The good news is that brands have identified loyalty program engagement as a tool for creating value and a critical metric to help them achieve their loyalty program goals. According to our survey, almost half of all companies have prioritized engagement in their investment plans: 48% plan to invest more in engagement capabilities over the next 6-12 months.

A new view of the ideal customer

Brands are refining their ideal target markets even as they prioritize engagement–or perhaps because of it. Companies are identifying (and targeting) higher-value bookers, members, and purchasers, moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach. This is having an impact on loyalty programs’ promotional strategies and inventory choices.

Last year, 44% of surveyed brands reported targeting the general population; in 2023, that number has dropped to only 23%. The percentage of brands targeting luxury audiences increased from 12% to 23%, bringing the total percentage of respondents targeting “luxury” and “high net worth” to 33%, about a third of all companies surveyed. The trend of companies shifting away from a “general public” strategy and realizing the opportunity and value of courting higher-value segments could suggest an increase in higherpriced inventory options. Loyalty program managers must recognize this trend as they forge partnerships with third-party suppliers, develop personalization strategies, and plan discount rewards and benefits. To do this, many brands will need expert help.

A growing awareness of the need for loyalty expertise

In 2023, we saw brands moving away from developing their own loyalty programs in-house–that number dropped from 67% in 2022 to 37% this year. Similarly, the percentage of companies contracting with an external provider rose from 22% to 33%, indicating a greater recognition of the need for a good loyalty partner that can help them maximize return on the program through better tech and an improved strategy.

The brands that sought assistance with developing their loyalty platform or strategy used different vendors, with travel technology solution providers (48%), loyalty platform solution providers (45%), and travel loyalty platform providers (36%) leading the way, suggesting that specific expertise in both travel and loyalty are paramount qualities for technology partners.

This is reflected in the features and capabilities that brands plan to invest in over the next 6-12 months, including engagement features (48%), AI and machine learning (36%), and earning and redemption capabilities (35%). Few brands have the in-house resources necessary to develop their own AI strategies, for example, while only experts in loyalty can deliver technology solutions to improve earning and redemption.

Members’ first choice when booking travel

This is a crucial metric for travel loyalty programs, as the decision to book on the program’s platform impacts per-member spending, engagement, and retention. While consumer opinion holds steady from 2022 (51% of consumers say they go to their loyalty program for travel booking first), 76% of brands think they are their members’ first choice for booking travel.

Unfortunately, this disconnect is growing. Even though the 51% figure is consistent year over year, the other survey responses are growing less favorable for loyalty programs. Comparatively, few consumers said they check their loyalty site after going somewhere else first (27%), and a worryingly significant percentage said they rarely use their loyalty program to book travel (13%).

User experience is still a disconnect

Making a cause-and-effect assumption about a loyalty program being a consumer’s first choice when booking travel and their overall experience with that program is impossible, but inferences can be drawn. Sixty-two percent of consumers cited user experience-related issues as the most frustrating part of booking travel through their loyalty program. While this is an improvement over 2022, 84% said this, there is still a massive disconnect because only 15% of brands see user experience as their biggest challenge.

Furthermore, only 25% of brands see outdated user experience as a critical travel-related challenge, and only 30% think that UX is an improvement that should be made on their platform. Brands are on the pathway to bridging this gap but will need flexible, feature-rich loyalty technology platforms to get there.

92% of providers said their loyalty program effectively meets their members’ needs
52% of consumers believe their loyalty program delivers what they value most
34% of consumers rated their programs a 5 or 6 (out of 10) for being effective at delivering what they value most
39% of consumers rated their programs a 7 or 8 (on a scale of 10) for being effective at delivering what they value most

A new disconnect: the importance of saving money
In the current economic climate, it’s perhaps unsurprising that a value-related disconnect would emerge. This disconnect is neatly encapsulated in two survey findings: 49% of consumers say saving money on travel is what they value most in their loyalty program. Yet only 14% of providers say their biggest challenge is providing rewards that customers find valuable. As consumers prioritize value, this is the most critical disconnect for loyalty program providers to address.

Sustainability: aligning the brand with customers’ values

Brands are in sync with consumers on the importance of sustainability in the travel loyalty experience. Survey data shows that brands have increased their sustainability offerings, with 62% offering bonuses and incentives for booking sustainable options and 60% planning to invest more in sustainable redemption options–both significant increases over 2022. Consumers likewise favor sustainability, with 55% saying they would choose one loyalty program over another if it prioritized sustainability. More than half (53%) of consumers say that the importance of sustainability has increased significantly or somewhat over the past three years.

As a result, 60% of brands saw reduced churn and increased retention after implementing sustainability initiatives.

This shows that sustainability–which has long been considered a nice-to-have offering–has a real and measurable impact not only on the loyalty program experience from the member’s perspective but also on loyalty program performance—considering how big a factor sustainability is for younger generations (65% of Millennials and 69% of Gen Zers said the importance of sustainability has increased “a lot” or “somewhat” in the last three years, compared to the 54% survey average), the ability to offer sustainable rewards is a vitally important capability for loyalty programs to invest in.

Lifestyle rewards: strengthen the customer-brand relationship
Just as sustainable rewards demonstrate a brand’s alignment with members’ values, lifestyle rewards enable loyalty programs to deepen customer relationships in and out of the travel experience. This is why 75% of companies said lifestyle rewards represent 11%- 30% of all redemptions.

Consumers prefer lifestyle rewards that enhance their travel experience, like dining, tours, and activities, though a wider variety of lifestyle rewards that can offer value at home are becoming available. According to our survey, loyalty programs provide a more robust mix of rewards related to eating in rather than dining out, like food delivery (52%) and grocery rewards (44%), perhaps reflecting economic conditions.

Looking to the future, brands are listening to their consumers and investing in destination activities and other rewards that complement the travel experience. A plurality of companies (36%) are planning to invest in tours and activities over the next 6-12 months (compared to 15% in 2022), and 30% plan to invest in dining reward options, up from 18% in the prior year, as well as live events (22%, up from 14% in 2022).

Personalization: creating the exact experience the customer wants

Consumers want personalized offers and believe they will benefit from them, with 75% of respondents (including 87% of Gen Z and 83% of Millennials) saying that receiving more personalized offers would help them save money. Exactly half—50%—of respondents feel that receiving personalized offers is extremely or very important, indicating that more widely integrated personalization can be a growth driver for loyalty programs.

75% of U.S. consumers think receiving more personalized offers will help them save money

But brands need the technological capabilities to enable and improve personalization–in the booking path, retargeting, and post-booking marketing. By and large, brands still aren’t offering dynamically personalized content within the booking experience or tailoring options presented to users based on historical booking/browsing behaviors or preferences. As 57% of consumers report planning travel between 2 and 6 months in advance, loyalty programs can boost revenue by leveraging the time between booking and travel dates to deliver personalized offers to their members.

Fintech tools and payment options: making travel more attainable

This is another area where brands and consumers are well-aligned. Consistent with the new economic and inflation reality, most consumers favor fintech tools that make their trip more affordable or take the risk out of purchasing travel, and loyalty programs are delivering them. Top fintech options identified by consumers includecancel for any reason (34%), price alerts (30%), price-drop guarantees (26%) and Buy Now, Pay Later (25%). Almost three-quarters (73%) of consumers say the availability of more fintech tools would increase the likelihood of booking travel with their loyalty program (up from 70% last year).

In response to these trends, brands are investing in many payment methods, such as digital wallet acceptance and account-to-account payments, as well as the popular fintech tools with consumers. For example, in 2022, 19% of companies planned to invest in price/fare freezing tools; in 2023, 28% of companies plan to invest.

 

STATS: 9 out of 10 CIOs Will Increase AI Tool Spending in 2024

February 01, 2024 | Canva

A new survey from Canva reveals why they’re making AI their top priority94% plan to increase their investment in AI84% say there are too many AI tools in the market72% are concerned about application sprawl, adding to their complexity and security risks64% say they don’t have enough...

A new survey from Canva reveals why they’re making AI their top priority

  • 94% plan to increase their investment in AI
  • 84% say there are too many AI tools in the market
  • 72% are concerned about application sprawl, adding to their complexity and security risks
  • 64% say they don’t have enough IT staff to train employees

The top global findings include:

  • More apps are entering the workplace, but consolidation and reducing complexity are top of mind. CIOs report the pace of new apps in the market is rising globally, with 71% expecting to adopt between 30-60 new apps in 2024. With the rise in the number of new applications, application sprawl (the growth in individual applications used in a workplace) is a challenge for 72% of CIOs, with 30% being very concerned with increasing complexity, but they plan to reduce it. 51% are planning on some level of consolidation, with 24% planning for significant levels.
  • IT teams are overwhelmed, making simplicity and user-friendly tools more important than ever. The need to consolidate is being driven by stretched IT teams who are facing a rapid increase in the number of apps to manage. Nearly two-thirds (64%) report that they don’t have enough staff to train employees on new apps, including safe and proper use. Forty-four percent say their teams spend more than half of their time educating employees about new technologies, leaving less time for planning, innovation and other business-critical work.
  • AI is dominating the mindshare of CIOs but identifying the right tools is a challenge. Despite concerns about application sprawl, nearly all CIOs (94%) plan to increase their budget to make investments in AI apps, with two-fifths planning budget rises of more than 50%. IT leaders recognize the benefits of adopting AI, such as saving time on creative or strategic tasks (52%), helping consolidate apps (50%), and offering greater insights to guide business decisions (50%). Identifying the right solution is a challenge, with 84% saying that there are already too many AI tools available, causing confusion and overlap for employees.
  • Integrating AI is high on the agenda. Nearly all CIOs (90%) agree that AI tools can dramatically improve both their role and their employees' experience, but cite integrating AI (37%), access to IT talent (33%), and data security (27%) as the most common challenges. Most seem ready to leverage the technology, with 70% saying they have firm guardrails in place to ensure safe and responsible use.
 

Methodology

Canva commissioned Harris Poll to survey 1,369 CIOS. These individuals are decision-makers for purchasing software in their company. Specifically, Canva surveyed 152 CIOs in the United States, 154 in the United Kingdom, 150 in Spain, 150 in Germany, 154 in France, 151 in Brazil, 151 in Mexico, 152 in India, and 155 in Australia.

STATS: engagement to empowerment WINNING IN TODAY’S EXPERIENCE ECONOMY

January 30, 2024 | Merkle

This research provides reported consumer preferences about their brand experiences — not conjecture. Concurrently, we also examined brand leaders’ perceptions and actions and assessed whether they align with consumer opinions and values. We grouped brand leaders into cohorts based on...

This research provides reported consumer preferences about their brand experiences — not conjecture. Concurrently, we also examined brand leaders’ perceptions and actions and assessed whether they align with consumer opinions and values.

We grouped brand leaders into cohorts based on the maturity of their CX strategies, commitment to customer centricity, customer retention, and organizational approaches to CX technology, all of which are fundamental to delivering customer value.

For this paper, which is the first of many to come based on this study, we’ll take a look at the consumer side of the research.

Our consumer study reveals six critical imperatives for CX professionals:
1. Understand CX fundamentals from the customer’s point of view.
2. Use customer data for the customer’s benefit.
3. Use ethical AI to create convenience and build trust.
4. Meet the customer’s need for real live human interaction
5. Focus on the post-purchase experience
6. Assess emerging technologies to empower customers in new ways.

Consumers want cost effectiveness, convenience, and consistency from their brand experiences. Think of them as the “3 Cs” of customer experience – the bare minimum that brands must deliver for their customers. There are some nuances across categories, of course, but generally, these three factors rose to the top:
01 Cost Effectiveness
02 Convenience
03 Consistency

CX leaders...
... have a customer-first culture where all functions and departments are united around delivering an exceptional customer experience.
... regularly and rigorously evaluate the customer experience from the customer’s point of view, with a focus on eliminating friction and delivering added value above and beyond the core product or service.

Consumers are mostly comfortable trusting brands with their personal data. This says a lot about the state of CX, and how it has improved over time. It also probably reflects a younger consumer base maturing into adulthood, and a growing share of digital natives fueling the economy. That said, consumers share their data with the expectation of fair value in return: brands must provide cost effectiveness, convenience, and consistency in exchange. And it’s noteworthy that despite their overall sense of trust, consumers are less confident that brands are interested in using this data to improve their customer experience – to the tune of a 10-point variance (the third bar vs. the first bar on the prior page).

It’s worth remembering that younger generations have the highest expectations for seamless, personalized customer experiences — so don’t mistake consumer complacency for consumer trust. The bar for brands will only continue to rise over time. To maintain trust and goodwill, brands need to commit to delivering tangible benefits to customers when leveraging their data.

CX leaders...
… have a data strategy that transcends organizational departments and functions.
…organize customer data in a way that allows them to recognize unique customers, seamlessly connect experiences, and measure customer lifetime value. 

With generative AI poised to upend the limits of content production and scalability, consumers see room for brands to improve experiences with AI-powered technology. As brands rush headlong into this new, automated future, security and surveillance are consumers’ top concerns. For all the value AI promises to unlock, it would be shortsighted to brush aside these significant (and valid) concerns. It’s up to brands to provide reassurance and transparency around how AI is used, within a technical and ethical framework that ensures security and accountability. We’ve been outspoken proponents of ethical AI for over two years now, and with the explosion of interest in generative AI, the urgency has never been greater. AI can, without proper oversight, produce unintended consequences that ruin the consumer experience and destroy brand trust. We explored some of these examples in last year’s Imperatives, including how unintended biases can exclude or alienate valuable audiences. Practicing ethical AI is a critical step in mitigating consumer concerns about security and surveillance. It’s also the right thing to do. Embracing an ethical approach to AI from the start will set you up to quickly deploy future innovations in a way that enhances customer experience and builds trust.

CX leaders...
… are rapidly deploying AI-powered technologies, within the context of a customer-centric strategy.
… have frameworks in place to ensure AI is deployed in a secure, unbiased, transparent, and permission-based manner.

Our research found that brands overestimate consumers’ preference for digital experiences at every stage of the journey. Despite the ubiquity and rapid evolution of digital technologies, there is still a strong need – and desire – for human interaction, especially when it comes to complex purchase processes and customer service. In a nutshell, consumers are generally looking for digital payments but in-person support. And perhaps surprisingly, our research shows that consumers prefer to make purchases in person across many verticals. It’s worth noting that physical and digital channels are increasingly intertwined, and consumers typically don’t perceive a hard distinction between the two. It’s likely that even the hundred-year-old bookstore in your town has a website with digital payment options. Nonetheless, the convenience of digital channels and spaces doesn’t preclude the consumer’s desire for human connection and support. It’s also important to recognize that technology can enhance human interactions. For example, technology can help a customer service agent quickly understand a caller’s history, making the interaction more efficient and more personal. Digital technology and human representatives should work in harmony to deliver experiences that make the customer feel recognized and valued. When they don’t, personalized experiences unravel, becoming awkward and repetitive at best, disjointed and frustrating at worst.

CX leaders...
… work together to deliver complete, connected customer experiences.
… empower all employees, especially front-line associates and representatives, with digital tools, technology, and training to help them deliver seamless, personalized service.

Consumers rely heavily on word of mouth when making purchase decisions, which is one reason why the postpurchase experience is so important — and probably more valuable — than all the upper funnel marketing stages where marketers spend most of their time

The bulk of the experience, and often the most meaningful part, happens after the purchase

Most marketers focus on the upper funnel progression from awareness to purchase; but when asked where brands could improve their experiences, consumers strongly emphasize the later, post-purchase stages of their journeys. This is an important reminder that the total customer experience extends far beyond conversion – and offers plenty of room for improvement and the creation of new value. If the goal is customer retention and lifetime value – and when is it not? – then product usage, customization, repair, and customer service and support all play an outsized role. In the experience economy, people buy entire experiences – not just products and services. The bulk of the experience, and often the most meaningful part, happens after the purchase. In other words, you can’t rest on your laurels just because you made the cash register ring.

As consumers, we’ve all had experiences that degrade over time: being spammed relentlessly by a brand once you’ve bought something from them; being retargeted by an ad for a product you already bought (maybe in a different color); being solicited for donations by your alma mater right after graduating with student loan debt. This recalls the importance of consistency in CX – if you’re providing care and attention to the touchpoints before the sale, the same consideration must be paid after.

Loyalty programs alone can’t fully solve the problem of customer churn.
A loyal customer will evangelize your brand to friends and family, and maybe even recommend you in an online forum or in a social media post. A tepid – or annoyed – customer won’t. And an angry customer will send your customers straight to your competitors. For all these reasons, loyalty programs alone can’t fully solve the problem of customer churn. While they certainly play a role in fostering and growing relationships, they’re best suited to amplify what customers already like about a brand. As one Merkler put it, “I’m loyal to Tylenol because it takes my headache away, not because they gave me a pen.” Loyalty programs are part of the overall post-purchase experience, but they can’t carry the entire load, or compensate for subpar service, support, or a bad product.

CX leaders...
… look to create and capture value above and beyond the moment of purchase.
… measure the success of their CX programs through customer lifetime value and not just by short-term metrics like clicks or conversions.

Many emerging technologies promise to deliver entirely new forms of customer engagement, sometimes in thrilling ways. But our data shows that a rigorous, data-driven approach to evaluating the future potential of emerging tech is essential when planning your CX investment strategy

To the consumer, not all emerging tech is created equal.
Some dominant brand tactics rank low in their reported ability to impact the customer experience. In our survey, we asked consumers to rank the impact and perceived use of popular emerging technology and discovered some clear groupings.

Low impact emerging tech:
The upper left quadrant shows frequently experienced emerging tech that consumers deem least impactful. Selfservice checkout/payment systems and personalized emails/messages occupy this space. The lower left quadrant includes lesser experienced/ low impact tech, including chatbots/virtual assistants, personalized ads, and video chat platforms. This may surprise readers who are actively employing this tech, so it’s worth emphasizing that consumers may not be taking notice or engaging with them.

A few of the lower impact options (e.g., chatbots, video chat platforms, personalized ads) may conjure feelings of annoyance or creepiness. We expect these technologies to improve over time, especially as they’re made “smarter” by additional data processing, better algorithms, and more thoughtful creative and design.

High impact emerging tech: Frequently experienced and high impact technology include apps, loyalty programs, and personalized product recommendations. These are plotted in the upper right quadrant. As one might expect, brand investment in these areas is already significant and likely to hold steady. Last – but certainly not least – are infrequently experienced but most impactful types of emerging tech, charted in the lower right quadrant. Smart devices, voice commerce, NLP platforms, and virtual/augmented reality meet these attributes. These are the innovations to which brands should pay the most attention, as they have already demonstrated impact with early adopters. Perhaps not surprisingly, convenience underpins all four – when done correctly and in appropriate settings, they bring ease of discovery, research, and/or purchase to a consumer’s immediate environment.
Consider this data directional rather than prescriptive; not every brand benefits from putting products in the Metaverse, for example. When approaching emerging tech, the objective should be to solve real, identified customer problems. If the tech doesn’t meet that requirement, it should be reconsidered or retooled.
Wherever possible, examine and measure the behaviors of early adopters to place informed bets on which new technologies might be ready for the mainstream. Consider running controlled experiments to determine whether specific technology innovations are truly making a positive impact on overall customer experience. Innovations that pass the test can be scaled up and industrialized to reach and empower a broader audience.

CX leaders...
… experiment with emerging technologies that have the potential to solve customer problems in new ways.
… have a data architecture in place that makes it easy to measure the adoption and impact of new technologies across audiences.

Methodology
Primary research comprised online surveys of N=820 CX professionals with decisionmaking influence on customer experience at their organizations and N=2,100 consumers who had a qualifying consumer interaction with one or more brand categories in the past 3 months. Surveys were administered in six languages to professionals and consumers based in 18 countries across North America, Europe, and the AsiaPacific region. Survey fieldwork conducted October-November 2023.
 

STATS: 2024 Global Consumer Trends Index

January 26, 2024 | Marigold Engage + by Marigold

For the 2024 Global iteration, Marigold, in conjunction with Econsultancy, surveyed a total of 10,394 consumers from the following regions: Australia and New Zealand, the Benelux Region, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The value of brand...

For the 2024 Global iteration, Marigold, in conjunction with Econsultancy, surveyed a total of 10,394 consumers from the following regions: Australia and New Zealand, the Benelux Region, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The value of brand loyalty, for example, is considerable. Despite a turbulent global economy, 63% of consumers will pay more to shop with the brands they're loyal to.

50% of consumers have made a purchase from an email in the last year, compared to 48% for social media advertisements, 43% for social media posts, 24% for SMS/MMS messages, and 21% for banner advertisements.

50% of consumers feel pessimistic about the economic outlook. Nonetheless, sizable numbers of consumers rank product/service quality (69%), convenience (59%) and excellent customer service (45%) as factors more important than price when it comes to making a purchase decision.

63% of consumers will pay more to shop with the brands they’re loyal to. More than 70% of consumers cite the following as either important or critically important to maintaining their loyalty: customer service/support, offers/promotions, data privacy policies, product/service quality, options and availability.

85% of consumer say their favorite brand treats them like an individual.
84% of consumers think personalized birthday offers are “cool,” while 80% think the same about product recommendations based on past purchases.
78% of consumers cite they are likely to engage with a personalized offer tailored to their interests.

39% of consumers are more likely to engage in a loyalty program this year compared to last, while only 8% are less likely to engage.

When it comes to sharing their data in exchange for something, a majority of consumers find value in loyalty points/rewards (89%), discounts/coupons (91%), early/exclusive access to offers (83%), a chance to win something (81%), unlocking content (60%) and brand community (55%).

61% of consumers find ads based on indirect tracking tools, like third-party cookies, to be a “creepy” marketing tactic.

63% of consumers don’t trust the advertising they see on social media.

55% of consumers are engaging with social media less for the sake of their mental health.

While broad economic considerations have certainly impacted consumer behavior, the news isn’t all doom and gloom. For savvy brands who know where to shift their attention, there is an abundance of opportunities to win with consumers. Well over half of consumers cite product or service quality (69%) and convenience (59%) as more important than price when making a purchase decision. And a considerable number (45%) place excellent customer service over price as well. Yes, price is important. But it isn’t the end-all-be-all for adaptable brands.

In the last year, more consumers have made a purchase from an email (50%) than from a social media advertisement (48%) or post (43%), SMS/MMS message (24%), or a banner ad (21%).

It’s 2024. The need for mobile optimization is a given at this point, which can be easier said than done depending on the capabilities of your organization. Just in case you still need convincing, here’s the rundown. Remember those 50% of consumers who’ve made a purchase from an email in the last year? Make it an email viewed via mobile and that number only falls to 36%. For perspective, of all people who’ve bought something from an email, nearly three-quarters have bought from an email they viewed in a mobile format. All the more reason to view every email as it will be seen on a mobile device before scheduling the send.

Right now, you’re probably within reach from your own mobile device – and potentially reading this report from a tablet or phone. Since our mobile devices are on us everywhere we go, mobile unsurprisingly plays a significant role in on-the-fly in-store research as well. Just shy of half (49%) of consumers have used their phone in-store to research or otherwise help with purchase decisions.

It’s no secret optimized messaging is the core of any intelligent marketing strategy. And yet, messaging frustrations – namely a lack of personalization – persist among consumers. Over half have been frustrated by irrelevant content or offers in just the past six months, while over 40% have similarly been frustrated by messages that failed to reflect their wants and needs.

Brand purpose-related activities in particular are highly situational – just among age groups, there are clear differences between younger and older consumers. 64% and 66% of Gen Zers and Millennials respectively are likely to interact with brand purpose-related activities, sliding to 60% for Gen Xers and falling to 46% for Baby Boomers. The relative Boomer apathy towards brand purpose (and other social-themed brand activities) is a recurring theme in our 2024 data, where they consistently poll the lowest among all age groups.

Brands unable to secure loyalty are at risk. Even when a brand has a suitable product or service that commands more than just one-off purchases, loyalty isn’t a given. A whopping 68% of consumers say there are examples where they frequently buy from the same brand, but don’t actually feel loyal. This delicate purchasing behavior reinforces the critical importance of a dedicated loyalty strategy.

My favorite brand...
Provides a consistent experience, regardless of where I interact with it - 92%
Rewards me for my loyalty - 88%
Uses my data in a way that makes me feel comfortable - 88%
Treats me like an individual - 85%
Strives to develop a relationship 82%
Surprises me with rewards I don't expect - 77%
Makes me feel special, like a VIP - 75%
Influences my life beyond the products and services that it provides - 71%

In another testament to the value of a loyal customer base, 65% of consumers cite that if their favorite brand’s nearest location closed, they would go out of their way to continue shopping with them even if it meant a longer trip. Only 21% wouldn’t continue shopping with the previously favored brand – lowest for Gen Z and highest for Boomers. Interestingly, 14% of consumers cite their favorite brand doesn’t have a physical location at all – a reminder that some brands can thrive in a fully remote environment.

The impact of inflation resurfaces here, where more attractive discounts or coupon codes rise above the other strategies when it comes to most effectively winning back customers. But the effectiveness of financial incentives when pocketbooks tighten isn’t exactly a secret – finding the right way to increase the visibility of your offers is critical. As consumer inboxes become filled to the brim with 15% off this and 20% off that, the responsibility falls upon the shoulders of marketers to craft offers that really resonate with their audiences.

Big L Loyalty If you aren’t currently leveraging a dedicated loyalty program, you’re likely missing out on revenue opportunities. Nearly four in ten consumers are more likely to engage in a loyalty program this year compared to last, while only 8% are less likely to engage (roughly half will be keeping their loyalty program participation constant).

Only 14% of consumers overall are interested in the ability to connect with other people who like the brand, but this desire for a sense of community rises to a more considerable 23% for Gen Z consumers.

What are consumers actually doing on an individual level to protect their data privacy? Perhaps most interestingly, in the last year, more than half have deleted unused mobile apps and browser extensions, while more than a third have tightened the privacy settings on their online accounts and have decided to share less about themselves online.

The allure of saving money makes financial incentives arise as a key contender. Nine in ten consumers say they find discounts/coupons to be a valuable exchange for their personal data, with loyalty points/rewards trailing closely behind.

When customers feel like they’re part of a community, they feel more willing – perhaps even compelled – to provide their input, opinions and perspectives. 55% of consumers find community (like connecting with other people who like the brand) as a valuable exchange for their personal data. This number correlates closely with age generations – Gen Z are the most enthusiastic at 68% and Boomers the least at 38%.

Two-thirds of consumers cite they are more likely to complete a survey if it’s easy to take. This is simple enough to address – make the instructions clear, ensure the interface is intuitive, and test the survey via mobile to ensure it’s mobile-optimized.

But consumers tend to be more receptive to shorter surveys – 55% say they’re more likely to complete a survey if it has fewer than ten questions. Try sticking to just a handful of questions – this will reduce fatigue and make customers more open to participating in future surveys because they know the survey won’t be a behemoth.

Roughly half of consumers do not trust social media platforms with their data, while even greater numbers feel they have been manipulated by algorithms (61%), don’t trust the advertising they see (63%), see a lot of content that doesn’t interest them (69%), and don’t believe these platforms do enough to delete harmful content (72%).

Over half of consumers say they're actively engaging with social media less for the sake of their mental health and over a third have closed or stopped using an account in the last year in response to posts they’ve seen.
 

STATS: New research from Antavo finds 9 out of 10 businesses will revamp loyalty programmes by 2027

January 17, 2024 | Antavo

89% of businesses are planning to invest in new customer loyalty technology and approaches to improve their customers' experience in 2024, following a turbulent year for customer retention as brands battled to retain customers amidst a spending crunch. Loyalty marketing technology will form...

89% of businesses are planning to invest in new customer loyalty technology and approaches to improve their customers' experience in 2024, following a turbulent year for customer retention as brands battled to retain customers amidst a spending crunch.

Loyalty marketing technology will form a key part of plans to retain and grow customer spend, with 9in 10 companies planning to revamp their existing loyalty programmes within the next three years. Almost half - 44% - said that they were not happy with their current loyalty programme.

Meanwhile, two thirds (65%) of businesses are looking to replatform their loyalty technology as part of their investment plans.


Among its key findings are:
  • 81% of businesses said their loyalty programmes helped them navigate rising inflation and other economic concerns in 2023
  • 60% of loyalty programme owners have made significant changes to their programmes in the last two years
  • 90% of businesses with a loyalty programme report a positive return on investment - the average ROI is 4.8 greater than their investment.
"It's a myth that loyalty programs are a cost centre. Our report proves this: nine out of 10 companies have measured a positive ROI. Even better, the average ROI for them is 4.8 times their investment. Focusing on your most loyal customers is worth it, so it's not surprising that twice as many companies want to invest in retention instead of acquisition. 
"With around 81% saying that their loyalty programmes had helped them navigate the rise in inflation and economic concerns in 2023, it's clear to see that investing in customer relations by way of refreshing loyalty technology is a highly strategic step for 2024," she added.

"A renewed focus on customer loyalty requires investment in technology," added Zsuzsa. There is a huge amount of potential today for hyper-personalised loyalty programmes, considering that the number of members who redeem personalised rewards is 4.3 times greater than those who redeem non-personalised rewards. Almost seven in 10 (67%) said that microtargeting, which is the process of targeting small segments of customers with tailored messages, content and loyalty offers, delivers a greater financial benefit than it costs to perform.

STATS: The State of AI in 2023: Research-Backed Findings for Marketers

December 20, 2023 | Hubspot

Business growth potential: A staggering 68% of marketing leaders at the director level and above believe that fully implementing AI and automation in their company would result in impressive and noticeable business growth.Generative AI usage: The top four applications of generative AI among...

  • Business growth potential: A staggering 68% of marketing leaders at the director level and above believe that fully implementing AI and automation in their company would result in impressive and noticeable business growth.

  • Generative AI usage: The top four applications of generative AI among marketers are creating content (48%), analyzing/reporting on data (45%), learning how to do things (45%), and conducting research (32%).

  • Time Savings metrics: AI tools give marketing teams 12.5 hours back per week. This translates to 25-26 additional working days in a year.

  • SEO and keyword research: AI significantly impacts SEO strategy, with 82% of marketers stating it informs their content creation process. It also has proven to be invaluable for time-consuming tasks like long-tail keyword mapping, internal link building, and SERP comparisons.

 

Leaders are already seeing the power of AI technology for business growth. Our latest survey data revealed that 68% of marketing leaders at the director level and above say that if AI and automation were fully implemented in their company, the business would see unprecedented growth. And 62% of business leaders say their company has already invested in AI and automation tools for their employees to leverage: Of those, 71% report positive ROI, and 72% say AI and automation make their employees more productive.

AI technology is evolving quickly, and there’s much to learn. Experience with AI tools and advanced prompt engineering (structuring AI requests strategically) are rapidly becoming in-demand marketing skills, and AI is opening up new dedicated roles. By learning to chat with an AI tool, marketers unlock a whole world of insights, ideas, and enormous time savings.

Download the report to explore the trends in AI for marketing, along with insights from leaders in tech on what these trends mean for business growth.

STATS: New Poll: Americans Of All Incomes Reliant on Credit Card Rewards During Holidays

December 20, 2023 | Morning Consult

MOST AMERICAN ADULTS CURRENTLY HAVE A CREDIT CARD WITH A REWARDS PROGRAMAmong those who have a credit card, 84% have a card that offers a rewards program; 75% among those whose household income is less than $50K.Cash back is the most common reward. 66% of cardholders have a card that offers cash...

MOST AMERICAN ADULTS CURRENTLY HAVE A CREDIT CARD WITH A REWARDS PROGRAM

  • Among those who have a credit card, 84% have a card that offers a rewards program; 75% among those whose household income is less than $50K.
  • Cash back is the most common reward. 66% of cardholders have a card that offers cash back.

USING CASH BACK TO PURCHASE GIFTS IS POPULAR THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

  • Half of Americans who have a credit card with rewards plan to use their cash back to purchase gifts this year.
  • 79% plan to use their rewards in some way (gifts, travel, accumulate rewards) this holiday season. ∙ Among all income groups, using cash back to purchase gifts is most popular (50-52%).
  • Among those whose household income is less than $50K, 76% plan to use their credit card rewards this holiday season.

THE ELIMINATION OF REWARDS COULD HURT HOLIDAY SPENDING, ESPECIALLY TRAVEL

  • 29% of adults with credit card rewards say they would travel less this holiday season if they didn’t have credit card rewards. 26% and 24% respectively would purchase gifts and host friends and family less often this holiday season if they didn’t have credit card rewards.
  • Among those whose household income is less than $50k, 34% would travel less, 30% would purchase gifts less, and 27% would host friends or family less if they didn't have credit card rewards this holiday season.

STATS: Consumers Loyal to Brands That Offer Events in Exchange for Rewards Points

December 20, 2023 | TFL

New research from The Harris Poll on behalf of TFL surveyed 2,001 American full-time employees ages 18+ to understand why the demand for live events is so high and how brands can capitalize on it. The survey found that most Americans attending live events want more than just a night...

New research from The Harris Poll on behalf of TFL surveyed 2,001 American full-time employees ages 18+ to understand why the demand for live events is so high and how brands can capitalize on it.
The survey found that most Americans attending live events want more than just a night out – four in five (82%) Americans agree that they experience at least one benefit from attending live events.

-       56% say it gives them something to look forward to.
-       52% say it helps them live in the moment.
-       51% agree that live events give them a break from their day-to-day routine.
-       40% agree it relieves their stress.
-       32% say it makes them feel connected to others.
-       23% of respondents agree that it gives them excitement from sharing on social media – including 37% of Millennials.

The majority of Americans (64%) even say they want to attend more live events in the next year, with the average American wanting to attend 11 more – the biggest reason being they feel a greater need to unwind/release stress (55%).

Despite the high interest in attending more events, seven in 10 (68%) Americans say they've missed seeing their favorite artist/sports team before because of the ticket's high price, with 63% agreeing that they can't afford to see as many live events as they'd like to. Another 67% say scoring tickets for live events is an exhausting maze to navigate.

That leaves brands with a major opportunity.

Brands' Benefits
If consumers were allowed to use a brand's loyalty or rewards points to pay for live event tickets, three in four (74%) Americans say they would attend more live events, with the average American attending nine more if they could use loyalty or rewards points.

Consumers aren't the only ones benefiting from filling the hole. If a brand allowed customers to use their loyalty points for live event ticket purchases:

-       64% of Americans would recommend that brand to others.
-       63% would use that brand instead of a competitor.
-       62% would spend more money with that brand.
-       61% would think more highly of that brand.

Live Events > Other Rewards

While there are other options to reward loyal customers, nothing compares to live events for most Americans.
Three in four (72%) agree that "the memories I have from live events outlast the memories I have from things I bought" and that "live events make me feel like I'm living my best life." These sentiments are especially true among Millennials (81% and 82%, respectively).

STATS: 2023 LOYALTY PROGRAMS DATA STUDY

December 15, 2023 | Ebbo

To better understand the impact of loyalty programs and how consumers feel about them, we surveyed 2,500 consumers about the factors that drive their engagement with brands. 81% of consumers agree that holding a loyalty program membership to a brand influences their likelihood of making a...

To better understand the impact of loyalty programs and how consumers feel about them, we surveyed 2,500 consumers about the factors that drive their engagement with brands.

81% of consumers agree that holding a loyalty program membership to a brand influences their likelihood of making a purchase from that brand.
90% of consumers agree that in general, when it comes to being personalized to their preferences, most 90% loyalty programs have room for improvement.
91% of consumers agree that many loyalty programs feel similar and are not that differentiated from 91% other programs.
No. 1 reason consumers don’t sign up for a brand’s loyalty program: It requires too much effort/it’s time-consuming.
74% of consumers agree that they would engage more with brands that offered different tiers in their loyalty programs based on how much they spend per year.

Consider that 81% of consumers agree that holding a loyalty program membership to a brand influences their likelihood of making a purchase from that brand.
81% of consumers agree that holding a loyalty program membership to a brand influences their likelihood of making a purchase from that brand.

78% of consumers are likely to shop with a brand whose loyalty program they belong to versus one of their competitors even if the competitor is more convenient.

Most (83%) of consumers belong to between one and six loyalty programs, but the engagement piece is notable: 72% of consumers use 50% or less of their traditional loyalty program memberships. Also, 31% of consumers use only 25%, which means roughly one-third of consumers are only using a quarter of their loyalty program memberships.

It’s becoming more challenging for brands to earn customer loyalty. Consider that 73% of consumers agree that their loyalty is more difficult for a retailer to maintain than ever before. And that figure is up from 68% in 2022.

Most (83%) of consumers belong to between one and six loyalty programs, but 72% of consumers use 50% or less of their loyalty program memberships.

90% of consumers agree that in general, when it comes to being personalized to their preferences, most loyalty programs have room for improvement. And 91% of consumers agree that many loyalty programs feel similar and are not that differentiated from others.

The No. 1 reason consumers don’t sign up for loyalty programs is it requires too much effort/it’s time-consuming.

The No. 1 reason consumers don’t sign up for loyalty programs is it requires too much effort/it’s time-consuming (42%). The second reason is because the program benefits/rewards aren’t interesting (41%).

1 It requires too much effort/it’s time-consuming 42%
2 The benefits/rewards aren’t interesting to me 41%
3 I don’t like to share my personal information 31%
4 It’s inconvenient 27%
5 It feels bothersome or annoying when an in-store associate asks me at checkout 23%
6 The brands I engage with most often don’t offer loyalty programs 22%
7 I am generally unaware of brands’ loyalty programs 15%
8 I don’t understand how signing up will benefit me 9%

And here’s an eye-opening stat that screams major opportunity: Nearly a quarter of consumers (22%) say their favorite brands simply don’t offer loyalty programs.

According to our 2023 Loyalty Amplifiers Data Study, 74% of consumers agree that loyalty program rewards often feel unattainable, they require making too many purchases or require too many points and take too long to earn.
This has a direct impact on engagement.
Consider nearly 90% of consumers said they engage with loyalty programs less often if they feel it takes too long to earn rewards.
Nearly 70% of consumers are likely to redeem smaller amounts of loyalty program points in exchange for rewards like the chance to win a prize, a customized digital product or a donation to a charity, instead of having to “save up” points for larger ticket rewards like free products or merchandise.

74% of consumers agree that they would engage more with brands that offered different tiers in their loyalty programs based on how much they spend per year.

More than half (56%) of consumers plan to join additional premium loyalty programs in the next 12 months.

This is especially true if they already belong to a brand’s free points program. In fact, 74% of consumers are likely to invest in a retailer’s premium loyalty program if they already belong to that retailer’s traditional loyalty program.

Older consumers want instant benefits (58%) more than younger ones (48%).Meanwhile, younger consumers want free giveaways (53%) more than older consumers (41%).
Younger shoppers (21%) want exclusive, in-store experiences while older shoppers (7%) don’t care as much about them. It’s important to design your benefits based on your audience.

Premium loyalty program popularity continues to rise. It’s been a steady progression since 58% of consumers belonged to a premium loyalty program in 2019, 66% in 2020, 70% in 2021, 72% in 2022 and 77% this year. While premium and traditional loyalty programs can stand on their own, here’s why it’s powerful when they work together:

Seventy-seven percent of consumers would still want to remain a member of a brand’s free loyalty program if they’re thinking of canceling their premium loyalty membership because they’re not getting enough value out of it.

In exchange for an incentive, 88% of consumers are likely to join your loyalty program. And 78% of consumers would refer a brand’s loyalty program to friends and/or family in exchange for an incentive.

 

STATS: Q4 2023 DIGITAL TRUST & SAFETY INDEX Dispute data, consumer insights, and emerging trends

December 14, 2023 | Sift

The current state of disputesAmid multiple global crises, stubborn inflation, and still-high interest rates, global economic growth remains slow at a projected 3% in 2023, down from 3.5% in 2022. In flagging economic times, many businesses turn their focus to profitability&mdash...

The current state of disputes

Amid multiple global crises, stubborn inflation, and still-high interest rates, global economic growth remains slow at a projected 3% in 2023, down from 3.5% in 2022. In flagging economic times, many businesses turn their focus to profitability—searching for ways to keep costs low and prevent losses. At the same time, economic stressors have a direct impact on fraud, driving up abuse rates for many merchants.

Fraudulent transactions and the resulting chargebacks are some of the most common forms of online fraud no matter the economic climate, but can be exacerbated when markets face uncertainty. Disputes are a universal source of frustration for businesses looking to control profit loss, as they’re difficult to predict and easy for anyone to exploit.

Merchants estimate that credit card chargebacks will cost them $100 billion by the close of 2023, an expected outcome after the average cost of a dispute rose 16% last year. And with average transaction amounts trending upward by 67% during Q1-Q3 2023 vs. Q1-Q3 2022 across the Sift network, this could spell more expensive chargebacks in 2024.

44% of U.S. consumers contested a purchase because it was fraudulently made by someone else using their payment information.

26% of consumers who filed a dispute despite receiving the item and being satisfied with the purchase did so because they wanted the money back and knew their credit card company would cover the cost.

Across the Sift network, dispute rates rose a moderate 6% YoY in Q1 2023 vs. Q1 2022—the three months following the holiday spending rush known as chargeback season. Several key verticals saw massive jumps in chargeback rates, including in the ticketing industry. Reselling is pervasive in this industry, with both consumers and fraudsters trying to make a profit off highly sought-after tickets in short supply.

 

Industries with highest increase in chargeback rates

6% increase in average chargeback rate in Q1 2023 vs. Q1 2022.
 

TICKETING 622%

LOYALTY 189%

REMITTANCES 128%

MARKETPLACES 109%

FOOD ORDERING & DELIVERY 31%

The average chargeback value in Q1 2023 was $388.70, up slightly from $384.60 in Q1 2022 across the Sift network. However, some industries saw much more dramatic increases. Transportation, for example, experienced a significant 367% spike in chargeback values YoY in Q1 2023. This could largely be attributed to the surge in post-pandemic travel and rising airline prices, coupled with rampant delays and cancellations due to weather during the holidays last year, leading to more expensive disputes.

$388.70 = the average chargeback value in Q1 2023, up slightly from $384.60 in Q1 2022.

 

Select verticals see rising chargeback values

TRANSPORTATION 367%

DIGITAL WALLETS 29%

DIGITAL GOODS & SERVICES 17%

 

27% clothing and accessories Retail items purchased online have a higher rate of consumer dissatisfaction, delivery issues, and first-party fraud. Luxury or higher-priced items are also easy to resell for profit.


23% of consumers who filed a dispute with a business due to fraud were subsequently the victim of additional online fraud, including:
  • 62% additional payment fraud
  • 21% account takeover
  • 17% increased spam/scam messages
Nearly one out of four (23%) consumers faced additional fraudulent activity after dealing with a fraudulent charge and the process of filing a dispute.

More than two out of five (41%) consumers would permanently stop shopping with a brand if someone made an unauthorized transaction using their credit card or other payment information.

41% would permanently stop shopping with a business if someone made a fraudulent purchase with their credit card or payment information.

Cardholders commonly file chargeback claims 2-3 months after the initial charges were made, meaning holiday purchases typically lead to disputes being filed between January and March—also known as the universal chargeback season. And with 2023 global online Black Friday sales stronger than expected at an 8% uptick coming in at $70.9 billion, many merchants may face an increasing volume and value of disputes in the new year.

 

STATS: The Creator Economy Opportunity: Where Authenticity Meets Impact

December 12, 2023 | IAB

Advertisers take creators seriously. Some 44% of advertisers plan to increase investment in creator content in 2024, with an average increase of 25%, according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau’s (IAB’s) recent Creator Economy Opportunity: Where Authenticity Meets Impact report. ...

Advertisers take creators seriously. Some 44% of advertisers plan to increase investment in creator content in 2024, with an average increase of 25%, according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau’s (IAB’s) recent Creator Economy Opportunity: Where Authenticity Meets Impact report.

More than 90% of advertisers consider creator content a high-quality ad channel. We project 82.7% of US marketers will use influencer marketing (which overlaps with creator marketing) next year.
 
The creator economy, valued at $250 billion this year by Goldman Sachs, is expected to nearly double to $480 billion by 2027. Savvy marketers know that they need to reach their customers in content that resonates with them,” said David Cohen, CEO of the IAB, in a statement. “There is no doubt—creator content is now a vital part of the mix.”

STATS: The Optimove 2024 Consumer Perspectives on AI-Driven Brand Marketing

December 06, 2023 | Optimove

Results • Over half of consumers (55%) hold positive feelings toward companies employing AI in marketing. • 26% of respondents have "very positive" feelings, appreciating AI's tailored marketing. • Nearly two-thirds (63%) believe they can identify AI-driven...

Results
• Over half of consumers (55%) hold positive feelings toward companies employing AI in marketing.
• 26% of respondents have "very positive" feelings, appreciating AI's tailored marketing.
• Nearly two-thirds (63%) believe they can identify AI-driven marketing technology.
• AI personalization in marketing is viewed positively by 51% of respondents, with 27% describing it as "very positive."
• 24% find AI personalization "somewhat positive" but acknowledge occasional inaccuracies.
• Trust in brands using AI in marketing is observed in 49% of consumers, with 27% "strongly trusting" such brands.
• 46% report making purchases influenced by AI recommendations, while 34% are uncertain about AI's impact on their buying decisions.
• Data privacy is the top concern for 34% of respondents, with 19% feeling recommendations are "over-personalized." Fifteen (15%) of respondents express no concerns about AI in marketing.

Overall, more than half of consumers (55%) have positive feelings about companies that market to them using AI. Twenty-six percent (26%) responded that they have “very positive” feelings and believe that AI-driven marketing is more tailored to their needs. Those 27% who feel “somewhat positive” see that AI marketing can be somewhat beneficial, but they do have reservations.

Of the 28% that have negative feelings towards AI-driven marketing, sixteen percent (16%) noted that they were “somewhat negative” and that AI can feel intrusive or impersonal. Twelve percent (12%) had “very negative” feelings and noted a distrust of AI-driven marketing. The remaining 19% were neutral.

Among respondents, almost two-thirds (63%) said that they can tell if a company is using AI-driven marketing technology.

AI Use in Personalized Marketing
Respondents' feelings about brands using AI to personalize marketing messages were in line with their overall feelings about AI marketing. Fifty-one percent (51%) had overall positive feelings, with 27% saying it was "very positive" and enhanced the shopping experience. Twenty-four percent (24%) saw AI personalization in marketing as "somewhat positive," explaining it can be helpful but does not always get it right.
Almost a quarter of respondents (24%) had negative feelings. Thirteen percent (13%) said that it feels intrusive and not always relevant. At the same time, eleven percent (11%) preferred that brands not use AI to market to them. The remaining 25% were neutral.

Trusting Brands That Use AI in Marketing
Forty-nine percent (49%) of consumers said they have trust in a brand that uses AI in marketing, with 27% noting they "strongly trust" those brands. These respondents believe that AI can provide better recommendations and improve their experience.
Twenty-two percent (22%) trust a brand using AI in marketing "to some extent," saying it can be good but depends on how the brand uses it.
Twenty-six percent (26%) of respondents had less trust in brands using AI in marketing, with thirteen percent (13%) skeptical about brands using it in marketing, and ten percent (10%) "strongly distrusting" brands, noting they are very wary of these marketers. The remaining 28% were neutral.

Purchasing from Brands That Make Personalized Recommendations Through AI
Forty-six percent of consumers say they have made purchases through AI recommendations, with a quarter (25%) saying they have done so many times. Twenty-one percent (21%) have made purchases via AI recommendations, noting that at times they are spot on.
Just 14% have never responded to AI recommendations, saying they do not trust them, while 6% say they have not purchased but have considered it, finding some of the recommendations interesting.
It is worth noting that 34% of respondents say that they may have bought due to AI recommendations but are not sure.

Concerns About AI in Marketing
The top concern among consumers is data privacy, according to 34% of respondents. Another 19% noted that some recommendations are "over-personalized" and make them feel like they are being watched. Eighteen percent (18%) responded that they feel AI loses the human touch, while 14% believed that AI has delivered inaccurate and wrong recommendations.
Fifteen percent (15%) have no concerns about AI in marketing.

Optimove is the first Customer-Led Marketing Platform. Its solutions ensure that marketing always starts with the customer instead of a campaign or product. Customer-led marketing has been proven to deliver brands an average increase of 33% in customer lifetime value.

STATS: Restaurant Gift Card Report: 2023

December 06, 2023 | Paytronix

2022 Gift Card Sales Trends: By the Numbers Change in Total Gift Card Revenue: +6% Change in Total Gift Cards Sold: -2% Change in Average Dollars Loaded per Gift Card: +8% More Commonly Purchased Card Values $50 and $100 Year Over Year Change in Digital Cards Purchased +6% Less...

2022 Gift Card Sales Trends: By the Numbers
Change in Total Gift Card Revenue: +6%
Change in Total Gift Cards Sold: -2%
Change in Average Dollars Loaded per Gift Card: +8%
More Commonly Purchased Card Values $50 and $100
Year Over Year Change in Digital Cards Purchased +6%
Less Commonly Purchased Card Values $10 and $25
Average Greater Value of a Digital Gift Card vs. a Physical Gift Card at a Fine-Dining Concept: $82
Year Over Year Change in Total Gift Cards Sold During the Holiday Period: -5%
Day which Gift Card Retailers Should Hope for Good Weather: Dec 23

Full-service restaurants, which encompass the categories of fine, family, and casual-concept restaurants, saw revenue from gift card sales in 2022 rise by 12% over 2021 and 1% over 2019. On the other hand, quick-service restaurants, the concept that best weathered the pandemic, saw a 5% decrease in revenue from gift cards since 2021 and an 8% decrease in revenue since 2019. In particular, the fine-dining category saw a notable increase in both revenue and number of cards sold

Quick-service gift cards accounted for over 70% of all restaurant gift cards sold during 2020 (as well as nearly half the revenue), so as the proportion of quick-service gift cards sold returns to the historical average, this may simply be a result of guests rediscovering their favorite full-service locations after favoring quick-service restaurants for several years.

From the worst of the pandemic, gift card sales at full-service restaurants have seen a remarkable recovery. Year over year, both revenue from gift card sales and total cards sold at full-service restaurants increased, by 12% and 10%

As in previous years, sales were not evenly distributed across channels. The number of cards sold through in-store sales fell 9% year over year, while the number of cards sold through third-party retail channels increased by approximately 4%, and the number of digital cards sold rose 6% to its best year on record. When revenue is considered, thirdparty sales had a particularly banner year, with third-party total sales coming within 3% of 2019’s number.

Digital gift card sales leapt as a percentage of card sales in 2020 as consumer expectations adjusted to become more internet focused. From pre-pandemic levels of just over 10%, since 2020, e-gift cards consistently made up 15-17% of gift card sales. Digital card sales also showed steady growth, with the number of cards increasing by between 6-15% year over year since 2019.

Digital card value per card is also significantly higher than physical cards, regardless of concept. Of particular note are fine-dining cards, which had 74% higher loads for digital versus physical cards, and casual cards, which had 50% higher loads for digital cards.

Digital makes it better In 2022 Duffy’s Sports Grill expanded the program bonuses while including e-gift cards in the promotion. The results speak for themselves: In addition to a year-over-year increase of revenue from physical gift cards of 10%, e-gift card sales accounted for an additional 10% increase as well.

A Great Concept That Gets Better with Age
31% of total gift card sales occured on flash days
10% lift in year-over-year physical gift card sales
21% overall year-over-year lift thanks to the addition of e-gift The key to success?
The urgency/excitement of flash sale days

Total gift card sales ran approximately 2% behind 2021. Sales of gift cards spiked in May and June, and January, March, May, and June saw decreases from 2021

Gift cards sold in 2021 were redeemed at a lower rate as compared to 2020 and 2019. Moreover, the redemption rate was slightly higher for cards purchased during the holiday period (57%) than those purchased during the non-holiday period (54%).

The data shows that e-gift cards were more likely to be redeemed in the five days immediately following purchase. After the sixth day, physical gift cards had higher redemption rates. Overall, physical cards were redeemed more often (56%) than digital gift cards (50%) in 2021.

While gift card redemptions decreased overall in 2021, fine dining was the one concept that bucked the trend. Fine-dining gift cards were redeemed at their highest rate in 2021, with guests flocking to these establishments as the pandemic waned. Redemptions of fine-dining cards were up about 2% from 2021, whereas those for QSRs were down 10%.

Those two months, referred to as the holiday period for the remainder of this report, provided 45% of 2022’s sales, in line with previous years.

While the proportion of cards sold in the holiday period held steady, the total value of cards sold is up approximately 1.4% year over year. However, the number of gift cards sold in 2022 dropped by 5.1% versus 2019 and by 10.7% from 2021. Between Black Friday and Christmas Eve 2022, the value of physical gift cards is down nearly a fifth (22%) versus 2019 and down 7.9% since 2021. Digital gift cards, on the other hand, have seen the value of sales increase by a whopping 77% since 2019 for the same time period, while the value of digital gift cards sold also increased 4.6% since 2021.

Holiday Gift Card Trends: Digital
Cyber Monday continued to see the largest sales of digital gift cards of the holiday period, accounting for 17.2% of holiday sales and acting as a bellwether for the holiday season as a whole. E-gift card sales on Cyber Monday hit a high in terms of spend for the years analyzed in this report, as well as a high for number of cards sold. Overall, e-gift card sales for the holiday season have increased over 70% since 2019, although they still represent a mere 12% of the cards sold during the period between Black Friday and Christmas Eve.

 

STATS: Shoppers are Banking on Deals this Holiday Season, but Still Plan to Splurge, TD Survey Finds

November 21, 2023 | Company Name

New data reveals that 80% of shoppers are seeking out sales or price reductions to make their seasonal purchases, but 96% anticipate they will overdo it.TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank® , today announced the results of its 2023 Merry Money Survey, revealing that shoppers...

New data reveals that 80% of shoppers are seeking out sales or price reductions to make their seasonal purchases, but 96% anticipate they will overdo it.

TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank® , today announced the results of its 2023 Merry Money Survey, revealing that shoppers are staying on top of their holiday budgets. In fact, 70% of respondents are planning to make a budget before they deck the halls in December. Despite their budgeting savvy, nearly all shoppers (96%) expect to overspend on gifts this holiday season.

TD polled 2,000+ U.S. consumers regarding their shopping and overall money management habits during the holiday season. The survey found that budget-conscious shoppers are becoming slightly more optimistic about the overall economy, with 68% of respondents citing concerns around inflation’s impact on their holiday shopping needs, down from 75% in 2022.
 

Sales are Singing, Bells are Ringing

With budgets at the top of the priority list, shoppers are digging for deals this holiday season as eight-in-ten (80%) indicated that they actively seek out price reductions or special offers to make their holiday purchases. Before they trim the tree though, shoppers are also trimming their other unnecessary spending with two-thirds (66%) of respondents revealing that they plan to spend less in other areas in anticipation of the holiday season. Further, three-quarters (75%) do most of their holiday shopping around annual sales or shopping related holidays. Top holidays or events for spending include Black Friday (51%), Amazon Prime Day (33%) and Cyber Monday (30%).

Despite expecting to overspend, thankfully, many respondents are taking the steps to stay on track, with nearly half (47%) indicating that this holiday season they plan to review their spending every time they make a purchase. Ninety percent of shoppers who have overspent during past holidays also cited that they will consider ways to curb overspending such as spending less on gifts, saving extra money in advance of the holidays, and keeping a closer eye on their budget and credit card statements.

 

We Wish you a Merry Card-mas

This year, Americans are prioritizing cards over cash, with more than three-quarters (78%) sharing that they use credit or debit cards as their primary payment method. A debit card is the primary payment method for 43% of respondents, revealing that many shoppers will be missing out on the rewards and savings that many credit cards offer. In addition to credit and debit cards, 18% indicated that they use cash/check most often, 2% use Store financing (Buy Now Pay Later, financing options) and 1% indicated they plan to utilize personal loans for their holiday shopping payment method.

Though roughly four-in-five (79%) of respondents indicated that they have a rewards credit card, a mere 37% will be using their rewards for holiday spending. Of those who do plan to use the rewards, the majority (78%) will use them for cash back offerings, while 23% plan to use them for dining out, 22% for travel, 17% for experiences, and 9% for other purposes. One in five are planning to apply for a new credit card this holiday season to take advantage of signup bonuses.

 

Gen Z Sleighs the Holiday

Gen Zers are among the best budgeters of all this holiday season with more than four-in-five (81%) revealing that they are considering making a holiday budget this year to keep track of their finances, compared to 77% of Millennials and just 59% of Baby Boomers. Gen-Z is also the most likely to plan for their season of giving, with two-thirds (66%) citing that they set aside money year-round in anticipation of increased holiday spending.

Gen Zers are stretching their dollars:

  • Sign Me Up: Though just 20% of shoppers indicated they were planning to sign up for a new credit card to take advantage of sign on bonuses, more than one-third (37%) of Gen-Z revealed that they plan to do so.
  • Make the Yuletide Pay: Among credit card users, Gen-Z is on par with their older counterparts with nearly three-in-five (58%) sharing that they will pay 100% of their outstanding card balance to set them off on the right foot to kick off the year, the same as the general population.

Spending Seasons’ Greetings

Ahead of the holiday season, shoppers are also sharing their seasonal secrets such as:

  • Not Home for the Holidays: Nearly one-third (32%) of shoppers plan to take a vacation instead of visiting family or friends this year during the holiday season. Men are more likely to travel elsewhere, with 38% of them planning a trip compared to 27% of women.
  • Rein-it-in-Deer: Over two-fifths (43%) of respondents believe that their family members spend the least on their holiday gifts.
  • Givers with Gusto: Fifty-seven percent shared that they never return gifts during the holiday season.

STATS: More Than Half of US Brands and Retailers Will Increase Investment in Immersive Experiences Over the Next Three Years, According to New Study

November 10, 2023 | Coresight Research

NEW YORK,, Oct. 24, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Fifty-five percent of US brands and retailers across categories say they will "definitely" increase their investment in immersive experiences over the next three years, according to a new executive research study by Coresight...

NEW YORK,, Oct. 24, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Fifty-five percent of US brands and retailers across categories say they will "definitely" increase their investment in immersive experiences over the next three years, according to a new executive research study by Coresight Research and leading experiential e-commerce platform Obsess.

In order of investment priority in the next 12 months, the following immersive experiences rank top of mind for brands and retailers:

  • Data/AI-enabled content for personalization
  • VR/AR-enabled virtual try-on
  • Virtual stores
  • Virtual events/fashion shows
  • Social shopping
  • Livestreaming
  • Gamified shopping experiences

All respondents in the survey stated that their companies are considering increasing their investment in immersive experiences over the next 10 years—with a significant 86% stating that they "definitely" will.

"In today's fast-changing retail landscape, brands and retailers have a unique opportunity to harness the power of immersive experiences to redefine customer engagement," said Neha Singh, CEO and Founder of Obsess. "The accelerated adoption of immersive experiences, particularly virtual stores, which we found increased total sales for 88% of brands surveyed, have now reached scale with a proven impact on conversion and sales. The emphasis on personalized content also suggests that brands and retailers recognize the urgency and importance of tailoring immersive experiences to individual preferences."

Additional key findings:

Virtual Stores

  • 61% of all surveyed companies have invested in virtual stores
  • 88% of brands and retailers that have invested in virtual stores have seen significant or moderate increases in total sales as a result
  • 77% of surveyed companies that have invested in virtual stores have seen an increase in click-through rates
  • 67% of brands and retailers that have invested in virtual stores have seen an increase in new customers

Data/AI-Enabled Content for Personalization

  • 71% of surveyed brands and retailers have invested in data/AI-enabled content for personalization
  • More than three-quarters (77%) of companies that have invested in data/AI-enabled content for personalization reported significant or moderate increases in online sales

Gamified Experiences

  • 40% of surveyed companies have invested in gamified shopping experiences
  • 77% of brands and retailers that have invested in gamified shopping experiences have seen significant or moderate increases in online sales as a result

Social Shopping

  • 65% of all surveyed companies have invested in social shopping
  • 78% of brands and retailers that have invested in social shopping have seen significant or moderate increases in online sales as a result

STATS: 59 Subscription-based Loyalty Statistics You Need to Know

November 03, 2023 | Company Name

New Stats Show the Rise of Subscription Loyalty Solutions 93% of consumers have embraced the subscription model, with 68% belonging to multiple subscriptions.  On average, 77% of consumers spend up to $499 annually on subscriptions. 60% of consumers will likely join a brand...

New Stats Show the Rise of Subscription Loyalty Solutions 

  • 93% of consumers have embraced the subscription model, with 68% belonging to multiple subscriptions.  
  • On average, 77% of consumers spend up to $499 annually on subscriptions. 
  • 60% of consumers will likely join a brand’s free loyalty program if they can take advantage of paid enrollment offers valuable to them. 
  • 71% of consumers will recommend subscription products to friends and family if they are excited by them. 
  • 41% of consumers said they intend to add more subscriptions in the next year.
 

Here is how much U.S. consumers spend on subscriptions annually: 

  • No spend (7%) 
  • $0-$99 (25%) 
  • $100-$199 (29%) 
  • $200-$499 (23%) 
  • $500-$999 (11%) 
  • $1,000+ (5%) 

Read more about the rise of subscription loyalty programs

 

How Subscription Loyalty Amplifiers Encourage Engagement 

paid enrollment is a type of subscription loyalty amplifier that allows your customers to receive exciting, limited-time benefits or offers in exchange for a fee.  

  • 50% of consumers experience FOMO from limited offers. 
  • 56% of consumers agree that a limited-time offer encourages them to act, showing that FOMO is a powerful driver. 

Statistically, here’s how paid enrollment offers impact consumers psychologically and create a sense of FOMO: 

  • 56% of consumers are encouraged to act on limited offers. 
  • 35% of consumers worry more about missing a good deal or discount. 
  • 25% of consumers worry more about limited time or quantity. 
  • 56% of consumers agree that a limited-time offer encourages them to act, showing that FOMO is a powerful driver. 

Value is a critical piece of any loyalty program and certainly is for paid enrollment offers as well. Along with this, consumers will likely participate in a paid enrollment if it includes discounts on purchases or if a friend or family member recommended it. 

  • 54% of consumers expressed their willingness to participate in a subscription-based paid enrollment program if the benefits were deemed valuable. These benefits include exclusive members-only discounts on purchases for a month, access to exclusive VIP events, entry into an exciting sweepstakes, free gifts or a spot in line to pre-order a new product before it is released to the general market.  
  • 60% of consumers said they were more likely to join a brand’s free loyalty program if it gave them a chance to take advantage of paid enrollments. 
  • 64% of existing loyalty members would be willing to sign up for a paid enrollment if doing so gave them more valuable rewards or benefits in their program beyond what the average member or customer receives. 
  • 71% of consumers are likely to recommend subscription products that they are excited about to friends and family, while 68% of consumers are likely to join a paid enrollment program for a brand they like if a trusted friend or family member recommended it to them. 
  • 70% of consumers are interested in discounts on purchases when it comes to paid enrollment offers. 
 

How consumers value paid enrollments: 

  • 54% of consumers are willing to join a subscription-based paid enrollment if the benefits are valuable. 
  • 60% of consumers are interested in free loyalty programs with paid enrollment benefits. 
  • 64% of existing loyalty program members would sign up for a valuable paid enrollment. 
  • 68% of consumers are likely to join a paid enrollment if recommended by friends or family.
  • 71% of consumers will likely recommend subscription products they’re excited about to friends and family. 

Subscription-based Loyalty Amplifiers in Action 

A great example of a paid enrollment offer is Taco Bell’s Lover’s Pass. 

To celebrate National Taco Day in 2022, Taco Bell’s Taco Lover’s Pass allowed participants to receive one taco each day for 30 days. The price for the Taco Lover’s Pass varied from $5 to $10, depending on the customer’s location.   

Since the pass was exclusive to Taco Bell Rewards members, this paid enrollment gave current members an exciting, limited-time offer and encouraged member signups.  

Read more about the power of paid enrollment

Subscription Loyalty Offers Through the Eyes of Consumers  

  • 72% of consumers aren’t currently participating in any paid enrollment offers. 
  • 78% of consumers who aren’t participating in any said they’re likely to opt in if the paid enrollment offer was exciting or valuable. 

Most consumers are not participating in paid enrollment offers, but, as the stats show, they would if they were valuable and included key benefits. What intrigues consumers about paid enrollment offers?  

 

What are the most important paid enrollment benefits to consumers? 

  • 70% said discounts, coupons and cash-back on purchases
  • 68% said free or discounted shipping
  • 28% said members-only experiences (early access, members-only sales, express checkout instore, VIP customer service, community events)
  • 24% said surprise rewards
  • 20% said chances to win a prize
  • 11% said branded merchandise/swag
  • 10% said customizable digital rewards
 

So what is preventing consumers from signing up for paid enrollment offers? 

The stats below explain why consumers haven’t signed up for subscription-based paid enrollments. 

  • 25% don’t want to share personal information
  • 29% say they are time-consuming/requires too much effort
  • 21% say they are inconvenient
  • 21% felt it’s bothersome or annoying to be asked at instore checkout
  • 40% say the benefits/rewards weren’t interesting
  • 28% preferred brands don’t offer paid enrollments
  • 20% are unaware of brands’ paid enrollment offers
  • 12% don’t understand how it will personally benefit them 

When asked about the most enticing incentives and categories for paid enrollments, 74% of consumers said that discounts on products would be an incentive to sign up. 

 

What do consumers want from paid enrollment offers? 

  • Memberships that give discounts on products (i.e., a restaurant subscription that gives free drinks or discounted menu items) 74%
  • A guaranteed spot in line to order a new product not on the market yet (i.e., a smartphone or vehicle) 30% 
  • Access to daily instant-win games for the chance to win big prizes 28% 
  • Exclusive access to VIP events 21% 
  • Access to VIP customer service 18% 

As far as which categories consumers want paid enrollment offers from, 57% want them for groceries, 45% for gas and 44% for food and beverages. Below are the top 10 categories in which consumers would most likely sign up for a paid enrollment. 

 

What are the top 10 categories consumers would most likely sign up for a paid enrollment? 

  • Groceries 57% 
  • Gas 45% 
  • Food and beverage (including restaurants) 44% 
  • Entertainment 31% 
  • Health and beauty 28% 
  • Apparel 26% 
  • Household products 20% 
  • Travel and tourism 20% 
  • Electronics 19% 
  • Lodging 16% 

Besides the need for value, consumers are also drawn to convenience. When you can combine value and convenience, most consumers will participate in a paid enrollment offer in common verticals like gas and food that they use regularly. 

As shown in our stats, offering your customers discounts on products and VIP customer service and VIP events attracts them to subscription-based loyalty programs. 

Giving your customers easier access through a subscription-based loyalty program helps you retain them as loyal members. 

Read more about how subscription loyalty and paid enrollment offers can boost your loyalty strategy

Download the 2023 Subscription Loyalty Paid Enrollment Data Study here.

STATS: Matter’s 2024 Marketing Outlook Survey Reveals Most Marketers Plan to Increase Investments to Build Their Brands

November 03, 2023 | Company Name

Matter Communications — a Brand Elevation Agency that integrates PR, marketing and creative services — today released findings from its 2024 Marketing Outlook Survey. The survey of CMOs and marketing/communications decision-makers uncovered many plans to increase budgets...

Matter Communications — a Brand Elevation Agency that integrates PR, marketing and creative services — today released findings from its 2024 Marketing Outlook Survey. The survey of CMOs and marketing/communications decision-makers uncovered many plans to increase budgets, incorporate AI tools and build their brands next year. The survey found that most (84%) marketers are planning to increase their marketing investments for 2024, with more than 40% planning to do so substantially.
 

Similar to Matter’s 2023 Marketing Survey findings, CMOs and marketing/communications decision-makers overwhelmingly plan to increase budgets again in 2024, despite an uncertain global macroeconomic environment. When asked to select the top three areas where they’re planning to prioritize 2024 marketing/communications budgets, the respondents chose:

  • Social media (52%)
    • Increased nearly 20% YOY, moving from third to first
  • Content marketing (38%)
  • Brand building (35%)
    • Increased 40% YOY, moving from fifth to third

Of note, when asked to describe their PR/marketing agency relationships and plans for 2024, 78% of respondents who currently work with an agency plan to either increase or maintain their budgets with them.

 

When asked the biggest challenge facing CMOs and marketing/communications decision-makers’ programs for 2024, incorporating new AI tools (26%) was the number one answer, followed by:

  • Driving qualified leads/sales (23%)
  • "Doing more with less" (20%)
  • Measuring marketing performance (17%)
  • Proving marketing’s value to leadership (14%)

Despite expected challenges from implementing AI into marketing/communications programs:

  • 79% plan to invest in AI in 2024
  • 60% of those investing in AI plan to allocate more than 10% of their marketing budget

Of those already using AI, the most used tools are:

  • ChatGPT (48%)
  • Grammarly (19%)
  • Brandwatch (13%)
  • Howler (11%)
  • Jasper.ai (5%)
  • Drift (4%)

The top three areas where marketing/communications programs using AI are seeing the greatest benefits are:

  • Content development/ideation (26%)
  • Programmatic advertising and media buying (21%)
  • Predictive analytics for customer insights (19%)

STATS: New Survey Finds 65% of Consumers Are Reliant On Loyalty Programs Amid Economic Pressures This Holiday Season

November 01, 2023 | Company Name

A YouGov survey commissioned by commercetools, the global leader in composable commerce, has shed light on the increasingly frugal tendencies of this year's holiday shoppers. The study, surveying over 4,000 consumers across the two regions, focuses on the use of loyalty programs...

A YouGov survey commissioned by commercetools, the global leader in composable commerce, has shed light on the increasingly frugal tendencies of this year's holiday shoppers. The study, surveying over 4,000 consumers across the two regions, focuses on the use of loyalty programs, regional comparative consumer behavior, and shopping habits.

Additional findings include:

  • Millennial consumers (ages 35-44) are most likely (71%) to embrace loyalty programs to save money, while consumers ages 55 and up are least likely to use their rewards accounts.
  • Women are more likely (71%) to use their loyalty programs to save money than men (58%), which could be attributed to men being less likely to have a rewards account (18%) compared to women (12%).
  • UK shoppers are slightly more likely to use loyalty programs than US shoppers (66% vs 63%).
  • Consumers in the US are twice as likely to say that they won't be shopping during the holiday season compared to UK shoppers (7.10% vs 3.55%).
  • US consumers who live in the Mid-West are least likely (60%) to use loyalty programs this holiday season compared to any other region.
  • While over half plan to use their rewards to get better discounts,15% of consumers said they don't have any loyalty programs.

STATS: FROM PERSONALIZATION TO CUSTOMIZATION: HARNESSING DATA AND ANALYTICS TO FOSTER BRAND LOVE

October 31, 2023 | Retail TouchPoints

Research shows that 78% of consumers want to be delighted by great personalized experiences, but only 18% say retail companies are currently meeting these expectations. We believe that fitting technology, or FitTech, is a powerful tool for retailers to meet the growing demand for personalized...

Research shows that 78% of consumers want to be delighted by great personalized experiences, but only 18% say retail companies are currently meeting these expectations. We believe that fitting technology, or FitTech, is a powerful tool for retailers to meet the growing demand for personalized, customized consumer experiences.

With over 45 million foot scans collected, we've amassed the world's largest collection of such data. Retailers can deploy their data across in-store, omnichannel and ecommerce operations. This accessibility empowers retailers to provide a tailored experience to each individual customer by suggesting the most suitable footwear models and sizes based on the insights we've gathered.

In physical stores, our scanners prompt users to opt in by providing their email address, and remarkably, our email capture rate averages 71%, and for the highest performing retailers, it exceeds 90%. When retailers demonstrate their ability to streamline the buying process, customers are more than willing to reciprocate with their trust and engagement.

In the future, retailers could combine all this foot scan data to get a handle on what all their customers' feet look like, which could seriously improve how they manage their inventory. They might realize, "Hey, we thought we needed only 13% of size 9 1⁄2 for this shoe, but it turns out we need 20%." So they can tweak inventory based on these scans instead of using historical sales numbers only, which don’t really capture missed sales opportunities.

And with all this data in hand, retailers can have better conversations with their manufacturers. If they see that a lot of people are into different widths of shoes, they could suggest something like, "Instead of making yet another color for your sixth- or seventh-best performing shoe, why not offer more widths for your most popular styles?" It's almost like personalization in reverse — we're making the store's inventory match what customers' feet are really like.

At the end of the day, customization is about bringing retailers and buyers closer together. When we use deep data in the right way, we can help retailers deliver those fantastic experiences that shoppers want from them.

For Volumental, which provides footwear fit technology based on scans of customers’ feet, that data-for-value exchange is clearly delineated. “The hardest thing to get out of a customer [in a store environment] is their email address,” said Brent Hollowell, CMO at Volumental in an interview with Retail TouchPoints. “But when you show someone a cool scan and ask if you can email it to them, 95 out of 100 will agree, and that gets them into the [retailer’s] loyalty matrix. We’ve seen people go back to [that scan] five or six times over a six-month period.”

Personalization can be a competitive differentiator for small- and mid-size retailers: Loop Neighborhood, a 120-store convenience chain in California, used the Algonomy platform to engage customers in real time with contextually relevant messages based on their behavior and transaction history. The retailer can promote weekly offers, embed a customer’s savings dashboard, distribute personalized newsletters and offer curated bundles to appeal to each individual.

Customization is a powerful personalization accelerant: Online bridal brand Azazie uses a madeto-order business model that aligns well with current consumer expectations. “One of the key things we do at Azazie, and a big industrywide push, is more customization and personalization,” said Ranu Coleman, CMO of Azazie in an earlier interview with Retail TouchPoints. “Modern brides don’t always want to feel the pressure of a salesperson telling them what they should buy, so what we have done is design this whole process to be more on her terms.” Azazie makes its dresses available in sizes from zero to 30 and offers 70+ fabric colors and 500+ styles, allowing for near-infinite customizations — and it can deliver the finished dress in three to four weeks, much more quickly than the three to five months typically needed for made-to-order dresses.

Imagine effortlessly finding shoes that fit you perfectly, every time. That’s what we do at Volumental. With our market-leading fitting technology - FitTech for short - we combine computer vision hardware and AI software to provide seamless fitting experiences for every foot. Since launching in 2012, we’ve scanned more than 45 million feet. Our 3D foot scanners are available in more than 3000 stores across 50+ countries. We also offer a mobile-first solution that brings the power of in-store scanning to footwear ecommerce. New Balance, ECCO, and Red Wing Shoes are just some of the global brands that trust us to fit their customers. With our technology, retailers see an average 20% increase in footwear sales. Get the right fit with Volumental

STATS: Financial Pressures Influence Gift Buying Decisions for Over Half of UK Respondents

October 25, 2023 | TK Maxx

New Research by TK Maxx Reveals the Emotional Impact of Gifting on Special OccasionsNearly half (46%) of respondents said they associate a special event in their life with a specific gift they received57% of people said financial pressures have forced them to think more carefully about their gift...

New Research by TK Maxx Reveals the Emotional Impact of Gifting on Special Occasions
  • Nearly half (46%) of respondents said they associate a special event in their life with a specific gift they received
  • 57% of people said financial pressures have forced them to think more carefully about their gift buying decisions
  • Belfast was the UK city where locals were most likely to say they’d think twice about gifting due to the cost-of-living crisis
  • 27% of males said they were most likely to give gift cards or cash, compared to 18% of females
New research from TK Maxx surveyed over 2,000 individuals across the UK (aged 16 and above) to examine how the nation feels about giving and receiving gifts on landmark occasions.

The cost of giving
With the cost of living increasing, 57% of people said financial pressures have forced them to think more carefully about their gift buying decisions – and only 6% said they’d given the financial landscape no consideration at all.

As these money constraints rise, many individuals have turned to online shopping, with 41% of people saying they prefer shopping online to find better deals and discounts.

Across UK cities, there are intriguing regional disparities when it comes to individuals who have adjusted their gift-buying habits in response to the ongoing cost-of-living challenges.

In Belfast, a huge 67% of respondents said they’d think twice about gifting due to the cost-of-living crisis, the highest of any UK city. Comparatively, only 36% of respondents in Plymouth felt the same way.

Gifting for occasions

While gifting is popular for a variety of occasions, this survey highlighted that not all special events are given equal thought. In fact, when asked to select the most important events for gift giving, respondents selected birthdays (67%), Christmas (61%), and weddings (32%). 

Although birthdays remain special, not everyone prioritises celebrating. The research found that 74% of females view birthdays as the most important occasion for giving or receiving gifts, whereas only 59% of males share this sentiment.

In the same vein, not all gift givers (or recipients) feel excited at the mention of wedding bells. Among 25–34-year-olds, just 27% considered 'weddings' the most significant occasion, in contrast to 38% of those aged over 55.

Gifting and special moments

TK Maxx’s survey paints a picture of a nation that highly values gifting. Almost half (46%) of respondents said they associate a special event in their life with a specific item they received. This rose to 50% among females compared to 40% of males.

Throughout the UK gifting is valued, with respondents in Northern Ireland (62%), Greater London (56%) and Scotland (50%) having the largest association between special events and specific presents.

Among younger age groups, 25-34 years olds had the highest association with gifts and special events, at 65%. This was closely followed by 16–24-year-olds, as 59% had an association with an event and a specific gift they received.

The ideal gift

A quarter of females (25%) said they tend to give personalised gifts, while 21% of males said the same. To add to this, 27% of males said they were most likely to give gift cards or cash, compared to just 18% of females.

According to the survey, there are also generational differences when it comes to gifting. 42% of respondents indicated that they perceive older generations as placing greater importance on traditional or tangible gifts, whereas 30% agreed that younger generations tend to prioritise experiences over physical presents

A nation that values gifting

Almost a quarter of those we polled are also self-proclaimed gift-givers, showering their family members and friends with presents frequently. To add to this, a significant 53% of respondents are occasional gift-givers, proving that spreading joy and love isn't just reserved for special occasions—it's a frequent (or at least occasional) affair.
 

STATS: Connected Shoppers Report

October 06, 2023 | Salesforce

Sixty percent of shoppers say they have used their mobile device in a store. Associates spend 74% of their time on activities unrelated to checkout. Sixty percent of retailers are in the strategy or execution phase of their unified shopper engagement platform journey. Seventy-four percent of...

Sixty percent of shoppers say they have used their mobile device in a store.

Associates spend 74% of their time on activities unrelated to checkout.

Sixty percent of retailers are in the strategy or execution phase of their unified shopper engagement platform journey.

Seventy-four percent of shoppers say it takes no more than three bad experiences for them to abandon a brand.

Fifty-seven percent of retailers cite customer retention as a top loyalty program goal.

74% of shoppers say it takes no more than three bad experiences to abandon a brand.

While shoppers split their purchases nearly evenly between stores and online in 2023, in two years, shoppers expect they’ll complete only 44% of transactions in the store.

Today, this journey often starts on social media, where 50% of shoppers say they discover new products. In a major shift, the share of shoppers who actually buy on social media has nearly quadrupled in only two years.

59% of shoppers say they have completed a transaction on social media, up from 15% in 2021.

Completing purchases over messaging apps — like WeChat and Facebook Messenger — also skyrocketed. Thirty-six percent of shoppers said they’d bought this way, up from 11% in 2021 — an increase of 227%.

17% of shoppers say they’ve used generative AI to get inspiration for product purchases.

92% of retailers say they are investing in AI more than ever to improve shopping experiences.

Although it’s not yet clear if retailers are actually implementing generative AI in their workflows, or still experimenting, 59% of retailers say they are already using it to help store associates make product recommendations to shoppers. And when it comes to online experiences, 55% are exploring or using it to create a conversational digital assistant to help online shoppers find products.

Retail store associates spend 74% of their time on activities unrelated to checkout.

Today, an estimated 32% of store associates use a mobile device for their job, a share expected to grow to 41% in three years.

Shoppers are using stores as fulfillment centers. Fifty-seven percent purchased a product online to pick up in-store and 53% went to a store to return a product. The number of shoppers who returned a product in a store grew by 13% since 2021.

Retailers are responding: In 2023, 64% of retailers offer in-store returns of online purchases and 58% offer buy online, pick up in-store.

To break through the noise — where one-size-fits-all communications aren’t enough to attract attention — 93% of retailers say they are investing in personalization more than ever before.

Retailers have made significant strides in this area. In two years, the percentage of retailers that claim a full ability to use customer data to personalize shopper engagement has nearly doubled from 32% in 2021 to 57% in 2023.

In fact, 60% of respondents are in the strategy or execution phase of their initiatives, while another 11% are already realizing the benefits. Some retailers still have work to do, however: 59% of respondents say that marketing, ecommerce, and service functions are managed through separate systems or applications.

83% of shoppers are more loyal to companies that deliver consistent interactions across departments.

Great customer service is a hallmark of shoppers’ favorite brands and a top reason why they prefer shopping at a given retailer. Nothing sours shoppers on a retailer like bad service: 53% of shoppers say poor customer service is the worst retail experience of all. Even more alarming: Another 74% say they’ll abandon a brand after three (or fewer) bad experiences.

One-third of retailers cite improved customer service as a top opportunity.

The bright side is that great customer service turns shoppers into loyal brand advocates. In fact, 94% of shoppers say good customer service makes them more likely to buy again.

88% of retailers plan to implement stricter returns policies for this holiday season.

Shoppers increasingly turn to digital channels when they have a question or a complaint. In fact, 57% of shoppers prefer to engage companies digitally.* Email, chat, social media, and text are particularly popular among retailers.

While email has eclipsed voice as the most used channel, service professionals prefer the phone when an issue is especially complex: 81% say the phone is the preferred channel when a shopper has a complicated question.

To do this, service organizations are increasingly turning to AI: 88% of service decision makers say their use of AI has increased.

The challenge is that simply offering a loyalty program may not be enough to inspire shoppers to join: In 2023, shoppers belong to 3.4 loyalty programs, on average. Nevertheless, for retailers, loyalty programs are often worth the effort: 58% of shoppers say a loyalty program makes them more likely to buy from a brand or retailer.

The number of loyalty programs shoppers belong to has decreased by 21% since 2021.

75% of retailers already offer a loyalty program, with another 22% planning to introduce one in the next 24 months.

Not only are 54% of retailers already invested in media networks, another 40% plan to offer it in the next two years.

STATS: Loyalty Report: 2023

September 26, 2023 | Paytronix,Guest Engagement Matures

Overall Rise in Loyalty Members: 19% 16% FSRs 24% QSRs 19% C-Stores FSRs 17.8% Increase in loyalty spend per visit since January 2021 5% Difference between loyalty customer and non-loyalty customer spend in 2022 Thursday Most popular day to use a loyalty reward QSRs 42% QSR loyalty...

Overall Rise in Loyalty Members: 19%
16% FSRs
24% QSRs
19% C-Stores

FSRs
17.8% Increase in loyalty spend per visit since January 2021
5% Difference between loyalty customer and non-loyalty customer spend in 2022
Thursday Most popular day to use a loyalty reward

QSRs
42% QSR loyalty members who order online 9 times out of 10
27% QSR visits that occur 11 am to 1 pm on weekdays
Monday Most popular day to use a loyalty reward

C-Stores
14.3% Increase in average number of visits by c-store customers
12% Difference between loyalty customer and non-loyalty customer spend in 2022
36-45 Age group with the highest percentage of loyalty members

The total number of active loyalty members constantly increased between January of 2021 and June of 2023, with FSRs seeing a 16% increase, c-stores seeing a 19% increase, and QSRs seeing a 24% increase.

In 2022, QSR and FSR active loyalty members boasted 5%+ increases in check size as compared to non-loyalty members, and convenience store loyalty members boasted a 12% increase in check size as compared to non-loyalty members.

The top 10% of active loyalty members are responsible for nearly half of all loyalty visits across concepts.

Overall numbers of loyalty members rose 19% between January 2021 and June 2023, about 6% per year.

While every category saw increases in loyalty members, QSRs saw the highest rise: 24%. And FSRs saw the lowest, rise: 16%.

18-30% lift Newly-joined loyalty members are valuable. Paytronix analysis carefully controls for self-selection and has found that when that bias is removed, loyalty programs are responsible for an 18–30% increase in spend and visit frequency.

Overall, loyalty members outspent non-loyalty members by approximately 5% month after month, and even when broken down by business segment this trend continued with few exceptions

Paytronix results have consistently found that the top 10% of loyalty customers make up large percentages and, in some cases, majorities of loyalty revenue and often spend two to three times more than the average customer.

This group:
Makes up 44% of QSR loyalty visits and 50% of QSR loyalty spend.
Makes up 44% of FSR loyalty visits and 48% of FSR loyalty spend.
Makes up 56% of all c-store loyalty visits and 59% of all in-store c-store loyalty purchases.
Spends about 33% per visit at QSRs and FSRs; about 14% more per visit in-store at c-stores than other loyalty members.

While the average redemption rate of birthday rewards is around 12%, this conceals a bifurcation in the rate. Redemption rates for most brands tend to be in either the 1-8% range or the 30-40% range, with relatively few in the middle.

38% of FSR guests order online for 90% of their orders or more, up 2% from 2021.
An FSR loyalty guest that is email-eligible visits approximately 25% more often.

FSRs saw a 5% rise in check sizes when loyalty checks were compared to non-loyalty checks.
FSRs also have the highest spend per visit, which rose 17.8%, while their loyalty members visited approximately 5% more.

FSR loyalty guests prefer evenings, with 40% of all check open times occurring between the hours of 5 and 8 p.m.Moreover, 13% of all FSR loyalty orders, about one in eight, occur on Friday and Saturday evening.

FSR loyalty guests who provide email details demonstrate this, with visit frequencies 25% higher than those who do not.

FSR loyalty guests are also particular about their ordering habits. In 2022 55% ordered in-person nearly all of the time, while 31% ordered digitally nearly all of the time.

As inflation ate away at guest’s ability to visit, QSR loyalty members visited around 2% more often, the smallest increase of any concept. This occurred despite the fact that average spend per visit for QSRs increased over 17% - as much as FSRs!

Nearly 50% of QSR loyalty members order online at least 90% of the time, while less than one in eight QSR loyalty members order both in-person and online.

QSR loyalty guest check sizes were consistently 6% higher than those of QSR non-loyalty guests.
Moreover, QSR guests continue to visit more often than FSR members, and the number of visits by loyalty members and rise in spend per visit both rose since January 2021, by 1.9% and 17.27%, respectively.
These are strong indicators that QSR loyalty programs are continuing to deliver value.

While it’s uncertain if merely the act of giving email improves loyalty response, the effect is clear: QSR visit frequency occurs nearly 50% more when customers are willing to receive emails from a brand.
In addition, 42% of QSR guests order online more than 90% of the time, while only 35% typically order in-store.

Convenience store in-person shoppers are the only category in which 36–45 year olds, not 56+ year olds, lead in terms of spend.

Convenience store loyalty programs provide the highest lift in check sizes of any segment, with loyalty member checks on average 12% higher than non-loyalty checks.

Email-eligible convenience store loyalty members are 100% more likely to visit than customers who do not give their email addresses.

C-Store Guests - Truckers make up about:
1% of visits
1% of in store spend
6% of gallons purchased

 

STATS: The ultimate guide to B2B promotions and loyalty programs

September 22, 2023 | Talon.One

81% of top-performing B2B companies offer non-cash reward programs to their clients. 73% of B2B buyers say they want personalized customer experiences similar to B2C interactions. However, only 22% of B2B customers say they’ve encountered a fully personalized online experience. Using...

81% of top-performing B2B companies offer non-cash reward programs to their clients.

73% of B2B buyers say they want personalized customer experiences similar to B2C interactions.

However, only 22% of B2B customers say they’ve encountered a fully personalized online experience. Using promotions and loyalty rewards is a great way to personalize your interactions with your customers’.

84% of B2B purchases begin with a referral.

And thanks to Talon.One's automation and ease of use, the Danish brewing giant saw a 90% decrease in promotion-related support tickets.

Talon.One has helped drive an average 196% MoM growth in B2B orders since launch, with coupons and discounts contributing significantly to this surge.

SiteOne Landscape Supply is the largest wholesale distributor of landscaping products in the U.S. and Canada. The company recently worked with Talon.One to revamp its nationwide loyalty program – leading to a 600x increase in program enrolment, and massively reduced customer support costs.

Talon.One - the leading loyalty & promotion platform
100% uptime in the last 24 months
19 GCP regions utilized by Talon.One clients with single tenant infrastructure
40 ms – 60 ms average response time
Global reach 24/7 business and support coverage
200+ Enterprise clients
7 min average response time for customer support and incidents in 2021
155 M API calls for a single client on Black Friday
1.4 B customers profiles in DB for one of our customers
55.9 B coupon codes in our databases
 

STATS: How to Increase Acquisition, Engagement & Revenue with Paid Enrollment

September 22, 2023 | Ebbo

93% of consumers belong to at least one subscription, making it clear that the subscription economy is here to stay. 60% of consumers will likely join a brand's free loyalty program if they could take advantage of paid enrollment offers valuable to them. 71% of consumers will...

93% of consumers belong to at least one subscription, making it clear that the subscription economy is here to stay.

60% of consumers will likely join a brand's free loyalty program if they could take advantage of paid enrollment offers valuable to them.

71% of consumers will recommend subscription products to friends and family if they were excited by them.

56% of consumers agree that a limited time offer encourages them to act, showing that FOMO is a powerful driver.

70% of consumers are interested in discounts on purchases when it comes to paid enrollment offers.

93% of consumers have embraced the subscription model, with 68% of that group belonging to multiple subscriptions.

Despite the wild popularity of the subscription model, the financial commitment varies greatly—but on average 77% of consumers spend up to $499 annually on subscriptions.

Annual Spend on Subscriptions:
No Spend - 7%
$0-99 - 25%
$100-199 - 29%
$200-499 - 23%
$500–999 - 11%
$1000+ - 5%

These spending habits show no sign of waning as 41% of consumers expressed intent to add more subscriptions in the next year.

50% of subscribers admit to experiencing FOMO, particularly in response to limited-time or limitedquantity offers. This psychological driver shouldn’t be ignored, as 56% of consumers agreed that a limited offer encourages them to act.

Psychological Impacts of FOMO on Consumers:
56% - Are encouraged to act on limited offers
50% - Experience FOMO from limited offers
35% - Worry more about missing a good deal or discount
25% - Worry more about limited time or quantity

54% of consumers expressed their willingness to participate in a subscription-based paid enrollment program if the benefits were deemed valuable.

60% of consumers indicated that they were more likely to join a brand’s free loyalty program if it gave them the chance to take advantage of paid enrollments.

64% of existing loyalty members would be willing to sign up for a paid enrollment if doing so gave them more valuable rewards or benefits in their program beyond what the average member or customer receives.

71% of consumers are likely to recommend subscription products that they are excited about to friends and family, while 68% of consumers are likely to join a paid enrollment program for a brand they like if a trusted friend or family member recommended it to them.

54% of Consumers willing to join a subscription-based enrollment if deemed valuable.
60% of Consumers interested in free loyalty programs with paid enrollment benefits.
64% of Existing loyalty members that would sign up for a valuable paid enrollment.
68% of Consumers likely to join a paid enrollment if recommended by friends or family.
71% of Consumers likely to recommend subscription products they’re exited about to friends and family.

72% of consumers were not currently participating in any paid enrollment offers. 

78% of consumers who aren’t participating in any said they’re likely to opt in in if the paid enrollment offer was exciting or valuable.

Considering consumers responded overwhelmingly that discounts on purchases and shipping were most important (at 70% and 68%, respectively), the prospect of saving money takes the lead when it comes to enticing customers.

However, 28% of consumers placed value on members-only experiences, 24% were enticed by surprise rewards and 20% were drawn to prize-winning opportunities, showing that elements of exclusivity and delight hold aggregate value within a paid enrollment program.

Most Important Paid Enrollment Benefits to Consumers
70% Discounts, coupons and/or cash-back on purchases
68% Free or discounted shipping
28% Members-only experiences (early access, members-only sales, express checkout instore, VIP customer service, community events, etc.)
24% Surprise rewards
20% Chances to win a prize
11% Branded merchandise/swag
10% Customizable digital rewards (custom wine labels, branded social media photo frames, etc.)

When it comes to conversion, our data showed convenience and understanding customer needs were significant roadblocks, with 40% reporting uninteresting benefits and a cumulative 71% reporting effort, inconvenience and annoyance would prevent them from signing up for a paid enrollment.

Biggest Reasons Consumers Haven’t Signed Up to a Subscription-Based Paid Enrollment
25% Don’t want to share personal information
29% Time consuming/requires too much effort
21% Inconvenient
21% Felt bothersome or annoying to be asked at instore checkout
40% The benefits/rewards weren’t interesting
28% Preferred brands don’t offer paid enrollments
20% Unaware of brands’ paid enrollment offers
12% Don’t understand how it will personally benefit

74% of respondents indicated that discounts on products would be an incentive to sign up for a paid enrollment, 57%, 45% and 44% would be persuaded by paid enrollments on groceries, gas, and food and beverage, respectively.

74% Memberships that give discounts on products (I.e., a restaurant subscription that gives free drinks or discounted menu items)
30% A guaranteed spot in line to order a new product not on the market yet (I.e., a smart phone or vehicle)
28% Access to daily instant-win games for the chance to win big prizes
21% Exclusive access to VIP events
18% Access to VIP customer service

Top 10 Categories Consumers Would Most Likely for Sign Up for A Paid Enrollment
1 Groceries 57%
2 Gas 45%
3 Food and beverage (including restaurants) 44%
4 Entertainment 31%
5 Health and beauty 28%
6 Apparel 26%
7 Household products 20%
8 Travel and tourism 20%
9 Electronics 19%
10 Lodging 16%
 

STATS: Mid-Year Gift Card Report: 2023

July 26, 2023 | Paytronix

The bump in gift card sales observed around key first and second-quarter holidays, as well as trends around Mother’s Day and Father’s Day with regard to physical vs. e-gift cards.  Gift card sales for the first half of 2023 were in line with 2022, but continued to lag behind 2019...

  • The bump in gift card sales observed around key first and second-quarter holidays, as well as trends around Mother’s Day and Father’s Day with regard to physical vs. e-gift cards.  
  • Gift card sales for the first half of 2023 were in line with 2022, but continued to lag behind 2019.
  • Redemption rates at 180 days for cards sold in 2022 were 57%, approximately 2% below 2020 and 6% below 2019. However, that was mainly driven by QSR gift card redemptions: Redemption rates for fine-dining cards hit a new high in 2022.
  • Encouragingly, the number of cards sold increased by over 3% in 2023. While this means the number of cards sold has yet to equal 2019, a rebound is in progress.
  • hile overall gift card redemptions held steady, fine-dining redemptions hit their second new high in a row. Fine-dining gift card redemptions rose nearly 5% over the last year and are up 8% over their 2019 rate.

STATS: 54 Loyalty Program Statistics You Need to Know in 2023

July 24, 2023 | Ebbo

81% of consumers agree that holding a loyalty program membership to a brand influences their likelihood of making a purchase from that brand.78% of consumers are likely to shop with a brand whose loyalty program they belong to versus one of their competitors even if the competitor is more...

  • 81% of consumers agree that holding a loyalty program membership to a brand influences their likelihood of making a purchase from that brand.
  • 78% of consumers are likely to shop with a brand whose loyalty program they belong to versus one of their competitors even if the competitor is more convenient.
  • Most (83%) of consumers belong to between one and six loyalty programs.
  • 72% of consumers use 50% or less of their loyalty program memberships.
  • 31% of consumers use only 25% of their loyalty program memberships.
  • 73% of consumers agree that their loyalty is more difficult for a retailer to maintain than ever before, up from 68% in 2022.
Top 5 things consumers would love to see from brand loyalty programs to offer a great member experience:
  • 64% said more attainable rewards (for example, being able to redeem smaller quantities of points for smaller rewards versus having to save up large quantities of points for bigger rewards).
  • 47% said more personalization (more of the features, benefits and/or products that you are most interested in versus being shown the same content that everyone else sees).
  • 40% said more options on how to spend points (i.e., the ability to donate points to charities or share points with friends and family versus only being able to redeem points for discounts or products).
  • 35% said better communication (the right amount of communication at the right time from the brand in your preferred channel(s) like email versus SMS.)
  • 34% said multiple tiers that better align with their shopping habits (i.e., tiers that offer different rewards based on your yearly spending with the brand, or a premium tier that offers the best benefits in exchange for a membership fee like Amazon Prime).

STATS: New Research Shows Over Half of Companies Lack a Cohesive Generative AI Strategy, Despite Proven Business Impact

July 24, 2023 | businesswire

Businesses are rushing to deploy generative AI to drive transformation. The study finds organizations are turning to the technology to address challenges like improving writing quality (47%), increasing revenue (46%), and speeding up execution (42%)—and 43% are moving more quickly than in...

  • Businesses are rushing to deploy generative AI to drive transformation. The study finds organizations are turning to the technology to address challenges like improving writing quality (47%), increasing revenue (46%), and speeding up execution (42%)—and 43% are moving more quickly than in the past with other innovations. Still, companies lag behind employees on adoption, and only 45% have an enterprise-wide strategy to ensure secure, aligned deployment a
  • Generative AI is a critical or important priority for 89% of respondents’ companies, and by 2025, nearly all (97%) will be using the technology to support communication.
  • 74% of respondents using generative AI say it’s already improving their ability to increase revenue, and the average daily time savings from generative AI is 33%—the equivalent of 2.5 hours every workday or 13 hours each workweek.
  • Companies’ top concern with not using generative AI is falling behind competitors (35%)—but hurdles like security concerns (32%), lack of a cohesive AI strategy (30%), and lack of internal policies to govern generative AI (27%) prevent adoption.
  • The findings reinforce that generative AI will change how work gets done: 62% of respondents expect it to transform workflows across their entire company within a year. And it’s not just saving time and increasing revenue—those who’ve adopted the technology say it’s already having a transformational or large impact on their ability to increase customer satisfaction (77%), enhance the employee experience (79%), reduce operational costs (75%), and improve privacy compliance (77%) and data security (73%
  • Respondents say their companies need a solution that can be used across their organization (90%) and that understands the context of many different scenarios (89%).

STATS: SymphonyAI Research Reveals Dramatic Changes in Online and In-Store Shopper Behavior, Indicating Need for Retailer Agility Based on Real-Time Customer Insights

July 18, 2023 | businesswire

The analysis of more than 58 million shopper baskets of actual purchase data across the U.S. and Europe found that more than half (52%) of e-commerce grocery shoppers left the online channel over the last year.Further analysis of those lapsed customers reveals that while 60% are reverting to the...

  • The analysis of more than 58 million shopper baskets of actual purchase data across the U.S. and Europe found that more than half (52%) of e-commerce grocery shoppers left the online channel over the last year.
  • Further analysis of those lapsed customers reveals that while 60% are reverting to the retailer’s brick-and-mortar location, 40% have left the retailer altogether.
  • While total online revenue growth only dipped by 1% in Q1 2023 compared to Q1 2022, buffered in part by inflation, the study showed a 14% net decline in the total number of online shoppers (departing shoppers offset by new shoppers).
  • More than 71% of online households in Q1 2023 were considered omnichannel households, and they are actively growing sales for the retailer.
  •  Customers who formerly shopped only in-store, and who subsequently became omnichannel shoppers delivered 15-18% in incremental sales over the last three years for retailers and purchase a basket size that is 9% higher than that of strictly in-store shoppers.
  • Predictive models and AI can help retailers identify potential omnichannel customers, and the research finds converting just 5.5% of those in-store shoppers identified as top prospects into omnichannel users could lead to an additional 1% growth in retailer revenue.
  • The research identifies massive opportunities for retailers to increase digital engagement, drive incremental growth and build customer loyalty. For example, the number of households seeking private label products online deliver revenue growth of more than 10%, with 35% of households in the study buying own brands online.

STATS: 2023 Customer Loyalty and Personalization Benchmark Survey: Inflation Hinders Acquisition and Retention Efforts

July 10, 2023 | Retail TouchPoints

37% of retailers cited losing customers due to product price increases as a significant customer loyalty challenge, while 25% identified higher customer charges for formerly free or low-cost services such as shipping and return fees.Retailers are making progress in addressing other key loyalty...

  • 37% of retailers cited losing customers due to product price increases as a significant customer loyalty challenge, while 25% identified higher customer charges for formerly free or low-cost services such as shipping and return fees.
  • Retailers are making progress in addressing other key loyalty issues. For this sixth annual Benchmark Report, based on a survey of 103 retail executives conducted in May and June 2023, just 18% said the lack of an optimized mobile site or app was an issue, down from 24% in the 2022 survey.
  • Retailers also are adapting to looming restrictions on tracking “cookies” and other consumer privacy regulations: 15% said these presented a challenge in 2022, but that number dropped to 12% this year.
  • More troubling for customer loyalty efforts are retailers’ challenges related to online retail: one in three said their ecommerce sites were not optimized for personalization, and nearly as many (31%) reported they are unable to align ecommerce and in-store touch points — the latter figure up from 23% in 2022.
  • For the most part, retailers are relying on proven tools for customer acquisition. As it has for several years, email outreach tops the list at 65%. Use of traditional media, while down from the 51% it garnered in 2022, remains strong at 46% this year.
  • 18% of retailers used metaverse stores and offerings as customer acquisition tools in 2023.
  • While some industry observers have noted a decline in the use of influencers and affiliate marketing, they remain a popular choice among survey respondents, chosen by 41% this year. This may be an additive effect, since influencers and affiliate marketing were separate choices in 2022, with each being chosen by 17% of that year’s respondents.
  • As with acquisition, retailers relied on familiar tools to accomplish the critical task of retaining customers. The top four responses remain the same as in 2022: purchase discounts (77%), loyalty program points (61%), in-store relationship-building (56%) and free shipping (53%).
  • A growing number of retailers are making better use of customer data as part of their retention strategies: In 2022, just 32% provided personalized website experiences based on shoppers’ prior visits and purchases, but that figure rose to 44% in 2023.
  • More than half (53%) of retailers now showcase the recycled or recyclable nature of their products, with 52% trumpeting their environmental sustainability and 49% talking about fair treatment of their workers.
  • Last year, among respondents offering a loyalty program, 13% were able to turn more than half their new shoppers into repeat buyers, but this year only 7% accomplished this feat. In fact, only the 21% to 30% range saw a significant increase between 2022 and 2023, rising from 23% to 30%. The other ranges were essentially flat.
  • As they have in previous years, poor data management and subpar use of analytics insights remain major stumbling blocks: 38% of retailers cited noncentralized customer data, 33% said customer data was not easily available to those needing it, and 32% reported that a lack of/incorrect customer data complicated their retargeting efforts (the last figure up from 25% in 2022).
  • The percentage of retailers with less than 10% of their customer base in their loyalty program rose from 6% in 2022 to 16% in 2023, while those with more than 50% of shoppers enrolled declined from 21% to 11%.
  • Retailers garnering less than 10% of their revenues from loyalty program members rose from 5% in 2022 to 20% in 2023. At the other end of the spectrum, 19% of retailers reaped more than 50% of their revenue from loyalty program members in 2022, but that figure dropped to 11% in 2023
  • One in three brands offer premium loyalty program members referral/advocacy bonuses, and one in four provide entertainment subscriptions.
  • More than one-quarter (27%) of retailers already use generative AI/machine learning to support their personalization efforts, with another 13% saying they plan to implement these solutions within the next 12 months. Interactive chatbots, which often are powered by AI, are another popular personalization tool, used by just under half (49%) of respondents.
  • : 62% of respondents identified consumer privacy concerns as a key challenge, up slightly from the 58% that did so last year. However, just 41% said complying with privacy regulations that are already on the books, such as CCPA and GDPR, was a challenge, down from 51% in 2022. Retailers also seem slightly less concerned about the deprecation of cookies and related consumer tracking restrictions, which dropped from 32% in 2022 to 27% in 2023
  • Personalization’s ability to increase customer traffic also appears to be less potent this year: while 55% said it had increased in-store traffic in 2022, that number dropped to 30% in 2023. Personalization boosted online traffic for 52% of respondents last year but just 36% this year.
  • Just 27% of retailers send location-based communications/offers, so leveraging geolocation to alert consumers about a promotion at a nearby store — particularly one for a product they have browsed for or placed on a wish list — could create the winwin of increasing store traffic and improving customer satisfaction.

STATS: Q2 2023 DIGITAL TRUST & SAFETY INDEX

July 06, 2023 | Sift

. In the last six months, 68% of consumers noticed an increase in the frequency of spam and scams, likely driven by the surge in AI-generated content. And Sift data shows a 40% increase in the average rate of fraudulent content blocked from the network in Q1 2023 vs. the entirety of 2022.78% ...

  • . In the last six months, 68% of consumers noticed an increase in the frequency of spam and scams, likely driven by the surge in AI-generated content. And Sift data shows a 40% increase in the average rate of fraudulent content blocked from the network in Q1 2023 vs. the entirety of 2022.
  • 78% of consumers are concerned about AI being used to defraud them
  • The rate of blocked account takeovers jumped 427% in Q1 2023 vs. all of 2022
  • 66% increase in blocked content and blocked payments from the same fraudster Q4 2022–Q1 2023 vs. Q2–Q3 2022
  • Although nearly 80% of consumers feel confident they could identify a scam generated by AI, the reality is that ongoing advancements in this technology are making it increasingly difficult to do so.
  • 49% of consumers say it’s become harder to identify scams in the last 6 months
  • 21% of consumers don’t feel confident they could identify a scam created by AI
  • Last year alone, bad bot traffic rose 102% YoY, even as legitimate human traffic declined.
  • 19% of consumers indicate that they’ve been successfully phished in the last 6 months
  • 17% of consumers have been a victim of ATO or payment fraud in the last 6 months
  • 30% of consumers believe someone has tried to defraud them using a deep fake
  • 54% of consumers believe they shouldn’t be held responsible if they were scammed into providing their payment information and it was then used to make an unauthorized purchase
  • 30% believe their bank or financial institution should be responsible for preventing the fraudulent transaction, while 24% believe it should be on the business where the attempted purchase was made

STATS: Keep Your Loyal Customers Closer: 5 Holiday Shopping Predictions

July 05, 2023 | Salesforce

More than a third (37%) are making fewer purchases than they were six months ago, compared to 18% who are buying more.  Pricing and value are still important — 82% of shoppers search for coupon codes before making a purchase – but personalized experiences are critical as...

  • More than a third (37%) are making fewer purchases than they were six months ago, compared to 18% who are buying more. 
  •  Pricing and value are still important — 82% of shoppers search for coupon codes before making a purchase – but personalized experiences are critical as well. In fact, 66% of people expect companies to understand (and meet) their unique needs and expectations.
  • According to Q1 Shopping Index data, the share of orders from repeat buyers grew 5% year over year.
  • According to our research, 17% of consumers have used GPT for product research and inspiration, and 10% will likely use it to help build their holiday shopping lists. 
  • During last year’s holiday shopping season, there was a significant 12% increase in returns.
  • 41% of shoppers are more likely than a year ago to buy after they browse online for inventory available in physical locations. 
  • In the first quarter of 2023, traffic referrals from social media platforms grew 27% year over year — even as the shopping journey became more complex and fragmented across an average of nine channels. 
  • 50% of shoppers are more likely to visit a brand or retailer’s website after seeing a social media ad, compared to 39% of shoppers who receive a promotional email. 
  • Our prediction: 17% of gifts this holiday season will be a resold item, saving 32 billion pounds of additional waste in landfills.

STATS: Optimove Survey Reports Increased Brand Loyalty and Spending for 2023 Back-to-School Season

July 05, 2023 | Optimove

A resounding 88% of consumers plan to stick to their favorite brands for their back-to-school shopping, according to the 2023 Back-to-School Survey by Optimove. Furthermore, the survey found that 86% of the 214 respondents intend to repeat purchases from the same brands as last year...

  • A resounding 88% of consumers plan to stick to their favorite brands for their back-to-school shopping, according to the 2023 Back-to-School Survey by Optimove. Furthermore, the survey found that 86% of the 214 respondents intend to repeat purchases from the same brands as last year.
  • Approximately half of those surveyed (48%) plan to spend more on school supplies in 2023, representing a significant increase compared to other shopping periods such as holidayssummer, and Mother's Day.
  • Over 70% of consumers continue to prioritize price and quality, aligning with trends observed in Optimove's previous surveys. 
  • Customer-led marketing has been proven to deliver brands an average increase of 33% in customer lifetime value.

STATS: 45+ Texting & SMS Marketing Statistics to Know in 2023

June 29, 2023 | SimpleTexting

80.5% of consumers check their text notifications within five minutes of receiving a text.47% of Gen Zers check their text messages once every 10–30 minutes.On an average day, consumers check their text messages more than any other app on their phones, even more...

  • 80.5% of consumers check their text notifications within five minutes of receiving a text.
  • 47% of Gen Zers check their text messages once every 10–30 minutes.
  • On an average day, consumers check their text messages more than any other app on their phones, even more than social media.
  • 71% of consumers have subscribed to receive texts from businesses in the past year. 
  • 53% of consumers want the capability to text a business back via two-way messaging.
  • Healthcare (55%), banking/finance (46%), and e-commerce/retail (46%) are the top three industries for consumer SMS opt-ins.
  • 86% of businesses have used SMS marketing to text their customers in the past year––a 56% increase in SMS adoption from the previous year. 
  • 67% of businesses have increased their SMS marketing budgets in 2023. Only 4.75% say they’re not open to investing in SMS marketing in the future.
  • 83% of businesses that text their customers have incorporated AI into their SMS marketing strategy. 
  • 81% have used ChatGPT or other AI tools to help write SMS marketing messages to their customers.
  • Over 30% of consumers check their text notifications within 60 seconds of receiving a text, and 80.5% of consumers check their text notifications within just five minutes of hearing their phone buzz.
  • Around 13% of consumers check their text notifications within 15–30 minutes of receiving a text. 
  • large share of consumers (45%) reply to a text message within 5–10 minutes, followed by 32% of consumers who reply within 1–2 minutes.
  • to reply to an email within the same timeframe.
  • We found that 32% of consumers check their text messages 6–10 times per day while 46% check their email 1–5 times per day
  • As many companies wish to target younger generational cohorts, we found that 44% of both millennials and Gen Zers are highly active in checking their text messages, surpassing the 10 times per day mark. What’s more, 17% of millennials take their text message checking to the next level, exceeding 20 times per day.
  • 78% of consumers state that checking, sending, and responding to text messages is the activity that they’re most engaged with throughout the day. It surpasses other popular activities like social media (66%), news or entertainment (51%), emails (50%), and even listening to music or podcasts (50%).
  • A strong majority of consumers (71%) opted in to receive texts from at least one business in the past year. An impressive 75% of Gen Xers (individuals aged 41-56 years old) have opted in to receive texts from businesses, showcasing their active engagement in this communication channel. 76% of women have subscribed to receive texts in the past year, while 65% of men have done the same.
  • 53% of consumers want the capability to text a business back
  • Most consumers (53%) who subscribe to SMS marketing want to receive texts from businesses once every other week, followed by 36% who want to receive them once a week.
  • Consumers are most likely to receive texts in the healthcare space (55%), followed by banking/finance (46%), and e-commerce/retail (45.9%).
  • In 2022healthcare accounted for 49% of SMS opt-ins, indicating a 13% growth in healthcare-related opt-ins year over year.
  • In general, the largest share of consumers (46%) don’t care if they interact with an SMS chatbot or a live agent for customer service inquiries, so long as their issue is resolved quickly and efficiently.
  • One in three consumers (33%) prefer to text a business when they have questions or inquiries, as text messaging is perceived as a quick, easy, and straightforward communication channel.
  • In the past year, 45% of consumers have purchased from a brand/business after receiving a text from them with a special offer or promo code.
  • In 202255% of businesses texted their customers using a text messaging service. In 2023, 86% of business owners and marketing managers have used SMS marketing to text their customers in the past year, indicating a 56% increase in SMS marketing adoption, year over year.
  • 91% of participants say they see higher conversion rates with integrated marketing campaigns that include SMS.
  • A majority of businesses (60%) say they use text marketing because of high engagement levels from customers.
  • 81% have used ChatGPT or other AI tools to help write SMS marketing messages to their customers.

STATS: 2023 Consumer Trends Index

June 29, 2023 | Marigold Engage + by Marigold

Email remains the most effective channel for driving sales among Gen X consumers, with 64% having made a purchase from an email in the last 12 months — a 12% year-on-year increase.Only 26% of Gen X consumers have purchased from a banner ad in the last 12 months — a year-on-year...

  • Email remains the most effective channel for driving sales among Gen X consumers, with 64% having made a purchase from an email in the last 12 months — a 12% year-on-year increase.
  • Only 26% of Gen X consumers have purchased from a banner ad in the last 12 months — a year-on-year decrease of 38%.
  • Banner ads are increasingly being seen as intrusive and disruptive by Gen X consumers, resulting in the uptick in use of ad blockers. Nearly half (49%) have used an ad blocker in the last 12 months — a year-on-year increase of 20%
  • When asked to identify with a shopper-profile, the plurality (42%) of Gen X consumers cite that they’re looking for the best price when purchasing. A distant second place goes to the shopper profile that requires products to fit their style (21%), while convenience (20%) and brand responsibility (16%) round out the list.
  • For many Gen X consumers, mobile phones play an integral role in the research and purchase processes, with 65% researching while in-store, 58% making in-app purchases, and 48% buying digital content, via mobile.
  • The value of consistency and personalization is apparent, with a whopping 90% of Gen X consumers believing that their favorite brands provide a consistent user experience and treat them like individuals.
  • When tasked with choosing the best description of the relationship with their favorite brands, Gen X consumers are split — 39% describe the relationship as one in which the brand communicates only when necessary, while 31% cite VIP treatment and 23% cite a good relationship where the brand understands them
  • Gen X consumers indicate that they’ve been frustrated by multiple brand communications, including irrelevant content or offers (49%) and messages that failed to reflect their wants and needs (43%)
  • When asked about messaging frequency, over 70% of Gen X consumers “want more” or feel they get served the “right amount” of loyalty program information (74%), VIP offers (73%), discount codes/money off coupons (73%), and free delivery offers (71%).
  • Despite economic uncertainty and the rising cost of living, an overwhelming majority (73%) of Gen X consumers are willing to pay more to shop with their favorite brands.
  • Over a quarter (28%) of Gen X consumers have switched away or become less loyal to a previously favored brand in the last year
  • Over three-quarters (79%) of Gen X consumers who have switched away from or become less loyal to a previously favored brand in the last year say they can be won back
  • Over half of Gen X consumers (57%) are more likely to take part in a loyalty program this year compared to last, with a mere 2% being less likely
  • Marketers should tread lightly when it comes to the social aspect of loyalty programs — fewer than a fifth of Gen X consumers are interested in community (18%) and brand recognition (18%).
  • A majority of Gen X consumers consider the following to be “creepy”: adverts related to something they talked about near a smart device (56%), adverts from unknown companies based on location data (54%), and third-party tracking cookies (54%).
  • An astounding 97% of Gen X consumers are prepared to trade data for discounts or coupons, with similarly high numbers for loyalty points/rewards (93%) and early and/or exclusive access to offers (92%).
  • Nearly half (49%) of Gen X consumers have used ad blocking tech in the last year — a 20% year-on-year increase.
  • 42% are very pessimistic about both the economic outlook and the rising cost of living. However, sizable numbers of Gen X consumers do deviate from this pessimism, with 35% very optimistic about the economic outlook and 38% very optimistic about the rising cost of living.
  • Gen X consumers are becoming more restrained, with 45% making fewer impulsive purchase decisions, 48% doing more research, and 51% waiting more often for sales before buying. The value of loyalty programs also resurfaces, with 53% relying more on loyalty program benefits this year, compared to last.

STATS: 2023 Loyalty Programs Data Study: What Brands Can Do to Bridge the Engagement Gap

June 26, 2023 | Ebbo

81% of consumers agree that holding a loyalty program membership to a brand influences their likelihood of making a purchase from that brand78% of consumers are likely to shop with a brand whose loyalty program they belong to versus one of their competitors even if the competitor is more...

  • 81% of consumers agree that holding a loyalty program membership to a brand influences their likelihood of making a purchase from that brand
  • 78% of consumers are likely to shop with a brand whose loyalty program they belong to versus one of their competitors even if the competitor is more convenient.
  • Most (83%) of consumers belong to between one and six loyalty programs, but 72% of consumers use 50% or less of their loyalty program memberships.
  • 73% of consumers agree that their loyalty is more difficult for a retailer to maintain than ever before. And that figure is up from 68% in 2022.
  • 90% of consumers agree that in general, when it comes to being personalized to their preferences, most loyalty programs have room for improvement. And 91% of consumers agree that many loyalty programs feel similar and are not that differentiated from others.
  • The No. 1 reason consumers don’t sign up for loyalty programs is it requires too much effort/it’s time-consuming (42%). The second reason is because the program benefits/rewards aren’t interesting (41%).
  • Nearly a quarter of consumers (22%) say their favorite brands simply don’t offer loyalty programs.
  • 76% of consumers agree that family and friends represent the most trusted source for influencing loyalty.
  • 74% of consumers agree that loyalty program rewards often feel unattainable, they require making too many purchases or require too many points and take too long to earn.
  • Consider nearly 90% of consumers said they engage with loyalty programs less often if they feel it takes too long to earn rewards.
  • Nearly 70% of consumers are likely to redeem smaller amounts of loyalty program points in exchange for rewards like the chance to win a prize, a customized digital product or a donation to a charity, instead of having to “save up” points for larger ticket rewards like free products or merchandise.
  • 74% of consumers agree that they would engage more with brands that offered different tiers in their loyalty programs based on how much they spend per year.
  • Premium loyalty program popularity continues to rise. It’s been a steady progression since 58% of consumers belonged to a premium loyalty program in 2019, 66% in 2020, 70% in 2021, 72% in 2022 and 77% this year.
  • In exchange for an incentive, 88% of consumers are likely to join your loyalty program. And 78% of consumers would refer a brand’s loyalty program to friends and/or family in exchange for an incentive.

STATS: The State of Brand Loyalty in the U.S. in 2023

June 19, 2023 | Marigold Engage + by Marigold

Brand loyalty is on the rise with a staggering 72% of U.S. consumers prepared to pay more to purchase from a preferred brand.U.S. consumers are loyal by nature, with merely 18% reporting they are not loyal to any particular brands.Comprehensive loyalty programs that go beyond points-for-prizes...

  • Brand loyalty is on the rise with a staggering 72% of U.S. consumers prepared to pay more to purchase from a preferred brand.
  • U.S. consumers are loyal by nature, with merely 18% reporting they are not loyal to any particular brands.
  • Comprehensive loyalty programs that go beyond points-for-prizes are the key to turning occasional purchasers into retained customers, with 70% of U.S. consumers stating the loyalty program of their favorite brand is either important or critically important.
  • Loyalty program use is on the up, with over half of U.S. consumers (52%) more likely to engage in brand loyalty programs this year than last.
  • The modern consumer still values a discount for their loyalty, but there have been notable increases in U.S. consumers valuing all of the things that make your brand unique, and, in turn, makes them feel special — engaging interactive experiences, exclusive access to products, personalized recommendations, brand recognition, and to feel part of the brand’s community.
  • Over half of U.S. consumers (52%) intend to increase their participation in loyalty programs over the coming year, an astonishing 30% higher than consumers from the rest-of-the-world.
  • Merely 5% of U.S. consumers say they are less likely to participate in a loyalty program this year than last — a sizable 44% fewer than consumers from the rest-of-the-world.
  • Not only are 72% of U.S. consumers happy to pay more to purchase from their favored brands, but this number is a 31% jump when compared to consumers from the rest-of-the-world.
  • However the real story here is that over two-thirds (70%) of U.S. consumers say there are examples where they frequently buy from the same company, but don’t feel loyal to it — that’s a huge slice of the market that, given a little encouragement, could become repeat customers to your brand.
  • A third of U.S. consumers (33%) have switched away from a brand they previously liked to buy from, with many citing a competitor having a better online experience (27%), brand purpose (26%), loyalty program (25%) or more robust data privacy policies (26%).
  • U.S. consumers still value a discount for their loyalty (61%), or points to keep them coming back (58%), but there are other loyalty program components consumers value that make your brand unique.
  • Sizable numbers want early or exclusive product access (30%), personalized product recommendations based on their self-reported preferences (26%), communications to be on the channels they prefer (26%), interactive experiences (18%), to feel part of the brand’s community (16%) and brand recognition (14%).

STATS: TCN Consumer Survey Reveals Nearly Three-Quarters of Consumers Will Abandon a Brand After Just One Bad Customer Service Experience

June 13, 2023 | TCN

With nearly half (44%) of the survey respondents stating that they have posted an online review about a poor customer service experience, 75% of Gen Z (18-26) have posted an online review after a negative experience, while only 24% of baby boomers (59-77) have done the same. Over half of...

  • With nearly half (44%) of the survey respondents stating that they have posted an online review about a poor customer service experience, 75% of Gen Z (18-26) have posted an online review after a negative experience, while only 24% of baby boomers (59-77) have done the same. Over half of millennials (27-42) and Gen X (43-58) have also posted about a negative experience.
  • According to the survey, 73% of Americans are likely to abandon a brand after just one poor customer service experience. This is the second year in a row this number has increased as only 42% of respondents stated this in 2021, which jumped to 66% in 2022. With nearly three-quarters of consumers now willing to abandon a brand when customer service is poor, patience for poor customer service by consumers is running perilously thin.
  • When asked how likely or unlikely they were to make a repeat purchase with a brand after a positive customer service experience, 81% said they were either very likely or somewhat likely to do so.
  • Talking to a live agent by phone was the number one choice for the third year in a row, with 53% of people choosing this option – and up from 49% in 2022. In fact, the top three options have remained the same all three years, with email coming in at number two (52%) and online chat with a live agent at number three (45%). The preference for dealing with a live agent remains consistent; when asked what is most important when contacting a company's customer service department, 52% of Americans said the ease of getting through to a live agent.
  • Upgrade, Please: 69% are willing to pay more for brands with good customer service. This is especially true for the younger generations, where 87% of Gen Z and 86% of millennials said so.
  • I'm in Love and I Don't Care Who Knows It: More than half (51%) post online about positive customer service experiences. This is a substantial increase from 31% just two years ago.
  • I Know a Guy: Besides posting about good experiences, good customer service can also lead to additional business, as more than three-quarters (76%) said they would recommend a brand after one positive customer service experience.
  • Hurry Back: Expectations for customer service departments are increasing, especially regarding hold times. When asked how long they would be willing to wait on hold, 35% of respondents said 2-4 minutes; however, in 2022, 35% said 5-7 minutes, so consumers are increasingly less willing to wait on hold.
  • Bueller? Bueller?: One factor that may lead to consumers being less willing to wait on hold could be how long they feel they are having to wait. While most people are willing to wait between 2-7 minutes (58%), an overwhelming majority (90%) are not willing to wait longer than 10 minutes, yet 58% of respondents have said they have waited more than 10 minutes, with 16% waiting 31 minutes or longer!
  • It's a Match: When asked what they consider the top qualities of a customer service agent to be, the top three answers remained the same compared to 2022. "Ability to solve my issue" was the top choice, with 59% valuing this, followed by 54% picking "willingness to help" and 47% choosing "knowledge about the product or service."
  • Healthcare Gets an A: Consumer satisfaction with the customer service departments within healthcare organizations is high, 65% to be exact. This satisfaction level is up from 59% in 2022. However, this sentiment varies across generations, as only 50% of baby boomers expressed satisfaction with healthcare customer service, while 77% of millennials are satisfied.
  • Financial Institutions Excel: Banks and financial services continue to do very well regarding customer satisfaction, with 72% expressing so, up from 60% in 2022.
  • In Technology We Trust: Americans are learning to trust technology more when it comes to resolving customer service issues. When asked what action they were likely to take when there is a long wait time, the number one choice, chosen by 44%, was to be put in a queue and called back.
  • It’s Me, Hi, I’m the Problem (Solver), It’s Me: When it comes to resolving customer service issues, the younger generations are embracing self-service and technology options more than the older generations. When asked how satisfied they were with using self-service options, 68% of people overall were satisfied, but 91% of Gen Z and 85% of millennials expressed satisfaction. When explicitly asked about chatbots, the overall satisfaction was 58%, but 82% of millennials and 75% of Gen Z said they were satisfied using digital tools.
  • Can I Help You?: Directing calls to the right person within customer service is essential. Having to talk to several people to resolve an issue was the number two frustration for the third year in a row, with nearly half (49%) choosing this. Additionally, having to deal with someone who can't resolve a customer's issue remains a top frustration yet again, with 44% of people citing this. However, not getting through to anyone at all might be even worse as the top frustration for the second year in a row (50%) was waiting on hold for a long time and then being disconnected.
  • Taylor Swift While I Hold, Please: No one likes waiting on hold, but why not make it as enjoyable as possible? When asked about the top genre choices for on-hold music, pop music topped the chart, with 40% of Americans choosing this option. Following closely behind was country music with 34%, and rock and roll and classical came in at a tie, both with 29%.

STATS: HungerRush Data Shows Majority of Diners Believe the Restaurant Customer Experience is Declining Due to the Ongoing Labor Shortage

June 13, 2023 | businesswire

The majority of consumers (51%), feel that independent restaurants have been impacted the most by not having enough staff to take orders, cook food, and handle deliveries - followed by major chains (36%) and mid-sized regional restaurants (14%).With these shortages, friction points are increasing...

  • The majority of consumers (51%), feel that independent restaurants have been impacted the most by not having enough staff to take orders, cook food, and handle deliveries - followed by major chains (36%) and mid-sized regional restaurants (14%).
  • With these shortages, friction points are increasing in the dining experience with longer wait times to receive food (33%), diminished customer experience due to overstressed staff (32%), and longer wait times just to place an order (17%) being among the top three pain points.
  • 57% of consumers aren’t confident that a busy store will actually take their order correctly if they need to personalize or modify regular menu items. Moreover, 19% of consumers actively avoid making any order modifications if they can tell a restaurant is busy in the background. 
  • 72% of consumers said they would opt to use an automated phone bot to place an order depending on the situation.
  • The ebb and flow of seasonal staffing also creates more points of friction in the consumer experience when increased order inaccuracy (28%), longer times to order food (24%), and loss of personal connection with seasonal staff (12%) are felt most by consumers.

STATS: Q2 2023 Gift Card Gauge

June 07, 2023 | Fiserv

According to the Q2 2023 Gift Card Gauge, 71% of consumers are likely to spend more with a company whose cultural position aligns with their own. In fact, 59% say a company’s environmental, social and governance positioning (ESG), will influence their decision to use a gift card on the...

  • According to the Q2 2023 Gift Card Gauge, 71% of consumers are likely to spend more with a company whose cultural position aligns with their own. In fact, 59% say a company’s environmental, social and governance positioning (ESG), will influence their decision to use a gift card on the purchase of one of their products.
  • 67% feel that using ChatGPT/OpenAI to create a gift card message is a passing fad.
  • 54% would consider purchasing a gift card that features AI-designed artwork.
  • About 39% of consumers have already used loyalty rewards points to purchase a new gift card.
  • While nearly a third of consumers say they are buying fewer gift cards due to inflation, 47% say they have already taken advantage of a gift card promotion this year to help combat higher prices.
  • 36% of consumers say receiving a merchant gift card in exchange for points would keep them engaged in a loyalty program.
  • 57% of consumers wish there were more gift cards with multi-vendor options.

STATS: Q2 2023 Ecommerce Discounting & Promotions Report

June 06, 2023 | 2 Visions

62% of shoppers primarily delay clothing purchases until they can secure them at a discount.Of all respondents, 58% believed that BFCM and coupon codes provided great deals, while only 46% held a similar belief for subscribing to a brand’s email or text/SMS services.Males were found to...

  • 62% of shoppers primarily delay clothing purchases until they can secure them at a discount.
  • Of all respondents, 58% believed that BFCM and coupon codes provided great deals, while only 46% held a similar belief for subscribing to a brand’s email or text/SMS services.
  • Males were found to believe in the superior value of BFCM deals 15% more often than females.
  • The study indicated that 44% of shoppers leaned toward clothing from tried and true brands, with 22% preferring new, up and coming brands. The remaining 34% expressed no preference.
  • On average, Gen Z trusts coupon codes 54% more than Baby Boomers, with Millennials falling just 4.5% short of Gen Z’s trust level. Meanwhile, Gen X’s trust level is 7.8% higher than Baby Boomers’.
  •  When all other factors are equal, shoppers are approximately 2x more likely to purchase a product with a 20% discount over a product at average cost. This likelihood rises dramatically to 99% when the discount offered is 50% as opposed to 20%.
  • Given equal product properties, including price, shoppers are only 7.6% more likely to buy a product due to it selling out. However, if the selling out item is also discounted by 30%, shoppers are then 178% more likely to purchase.
  • In comparison to the factor of Uniqueness, Price & Promotion is 31 percentage points more crucial to shoppers.
  • A majority of shoppers, 93.6%, will wait for a discount at least occasionally when purchasing clothing, suggesting strong potential for promotional strategies.
  • About a third of the shoppers (31.6%) always wait to buy clothing until they can get some sort of discount, demonstrating the power of persistent discount strategies.
  • 44.9% of consumers show little to no strong preference for a specific type of brand.

STATS: Airship Finds Most Consumers Turn to Mobile Apps to Simplify Their Lives

May 24, 2023 | businesswire

Airship’s global survey of 11,000 consumers reveals “ease of use” (35%), “simplifies my life” (31%) and “saves me time” (27%) as the top three reasons why they continue to use apps from their favorite brands.When asked why they delete apps, “freeing...

  • Airship’s global survey of 11,000 consumers reveals “ease of use” (35%), “simplifies my life” (31%) and “saves me time” (27%) as the top three reasons why they continue to use apps from their favorite brands.
  • When asked why they delete apps, “freeing up phone storage” (32%) and “too many in-app ads” (30%) rose to the top. Alarmingly, “never used” (26%) was the third most common reason for deleting apps globally.
  • First and second impressions are everything for new app customers. Most consumers (57%) only use an app once or twice before deciding to delete it or not. Furthermore, within the first two weeks of downloading a new app, 73% of consumers will decide if they’ll delete it, a behavior consistent across all countries, household income levels and generations.

STATS: The Online Ordering Report: 2023

May 18, 2023 | Paytronix

Digital orders now consistently make up 25–30% of all orders, as opposed to less than 10% in late 2019. Moreover, those placing digital orders are increasingly members of that brand’s loyalty program.Brands that respond to a review see a 23% increase in orders and a 22% higher rating...

  • Digital orders now consistently make up 25–30% of all orders, as opposed to less than 10% in late 2019. Moreover, those placing digital orders are increasingly members of that brand’s loyalty program.
  • Brands that respond to a review see a 23% increase in orders and a 22% higher rating from guests.
  • Average increase in orders correlated to responding to a review - 22%
  • Rise in average digital order subtotal, 2021 to 2022 - 11.3%
  • Average percent difference between loyalty membership of first-party and third-party ordering - 35%
  • Difference between Gen Z and Baby Boomers by percentage of orders with tips - 36%
  • Consisting of less than 10% of orders pre-pandemic, digital orders now consistently make up more than 25% of all orders.
  • As the average item price rose approximately 15%, the average subtotal rose by approximately 13%, or about the same. As this indicated, guests are not decreasing order sizes to compensate for higher prices.
  • Loyalty guests are a powerful benefit to your brand. In addition to generating a consistent 18-30% lift in visits and spend across industries, brands, segments, and business models, loyalty programs provide other benefits.
  • According to a 2019 survey from the American Association of Advertising Agencies, a mere 4% of consumers trust ads, while 82% of customers trust reviews.

STATS: U.K. Shoppers Turn to Mobile Apps for Rewards and Personalised Offers to Navigate the Cost-of-Living Crisis

April 18, 2023 | businesswire

Faced with soaring inflation, which reached 10.4% in February, 80% of consumers in the U.K. now regularly use their smartphones to access stored loyalty cards and coupons while shopping in physical stores, compared to 79% for the U.S., 73% for France and 72% for Germany.Globally, among 10...

  • Faced with soaring inflation, which reached 10.4% in February, 80% of consumers in the U.K. now regularly use their smartphones to access stored loyalty cards and coupons while shopping in physical stores, compared to 79% for the U.S., 73% for France and 72% for Germany.
  • Globally, among 10 ways consumers use smartphones while shopping in physical stores, it was their use of the retailer’s app that saw the most year-over-year growth, going from 65% to 74% of respondents.
  • Three-quarters of British shoppers are likely to visit the retailer’s website while shopping in-store and 72% are likely to use the brand’s app — a narrow gap considering apps must first be downloaded to smartphones. 77% are also likely to compare prices on Amazon or Google before making an in-store purchase.
  • Nearly half of U.K. consumers (47%) say what motivates them most to opt in to receive brand communications on their smartphones are earning immediate discounts or loyalty points, and receiving personalised offers based on their browsing behaviours and past purchases — both of which increased +9pts compared to last year.

STATS: Digital Sales, Brand Loyalty, and Number of Items take a Hit in Q1 as Grocers and Shoppers Develop Strategies to Fight Soaring Inflation

April 13, 2023 | Cision PR Newswire

According to the latest Grocery Doppio report, 63% of grocery shoppers reported that they are now actively looking for deals when they shop.Digital grocery sales dipped to 13.9% of overall grocery sales in Q1 2023, down from 14.8% in Q1 2022. And...

  • According to the latest Grocery Doppio report, 63% of grocery shoppers reported that they are now actively looking for deals when they shop.
  • Digital grocery sales dipped to 13.9% of overall grocery sales in Q1 2023, down from 14.8% in Q1 2022. And despite a 13% increase in digital basket size from January to March 2023, the number of items per basket remained flat, reflecting that shoppers are struggling hard just to maintain parity.
  • Inflation is chipping away at brand loyalty
    • 73% of shoppers tried a private brand in 2023.
    • Shoppers each have only 4-5 national brands that they will not 'trade down.'
    • Only 17% are willing to pay more for a premium brand.
  • Grocers are implementing new strategies to keep customers
    • Pricing Optimization (83%), Member Only Pricing (77%), and Loyalty Points on new Categories (67%)
      are grocers' top-reported strategies for reducing the inflation pinch.
    • 31% of grocers now offer SNAP benefits online. Regional grocers lead the way, with 53% offering SNAP,
      as compared with just 15% of national grocers.
  • Marked digital differences have emerged between small and large grocers
    • Shoppers spend an average of $149.10/digital order at national grocers, compared to $75.20 (regional), $51.00 (local), and $34.90 (small) at other stores.
    • 15% of overall orders were digital at large grocers in Q1 2023, as compared to 0.8% at small grocers (down from 1.4% in Q1 2022).
    • 62.2% of digital orders were fulfilled by delivery (rather than pickup) at small grocers, while just 45.3% of digital orders used delivery as the fulfillment method at large grocers.

STATS: Over Half of Online Shoppers Who Use Chatbots Are More Likely to Shop From Brands Using Conversational AI

April 11, 2023 | Company Name

67% of ChatGPT users feel understood often or always, while only 25% of shoppers feel understood by current chatbot technologyOnly 17% of retail chatbot users have used a bot to search for products, and just 7% have used it to receive product recommendations. Capterra’s research...

  • 67% of ChatGPT users feel understood often or always, while only 25% of shoppers feel understood by current chatbot technology
  • Only 17% of retail chatbot users have used a bot to search for products, and just 7% have used it to receive product recommendations. 
  • Capterra’s research indicates untapped opportunity here: 56% of respondents who have used ChatGPT say they’re more likely to shop from a brand offering a similar tool.

STATS: New Genesys Report Confirms Customer Experience Drives Brand Loyalty with Nearly One-Third of Consumers Jumping Ship After a Poor Experience

April 06, 2023 | Cision PR Newswire

The majority of consumers (86%) believe a company is only as good as its service — a staggering 16-percentage points increase from 2021. But only 13% of businesses have the tools and technology in place to deliver the experiences people want today.Less than half (43%) of consumers have felt...

  • The majority of consumers (86%) believe a company is only as good as its service — a staggering 16-percentage points increase from 2021. But only 13% of businesses have the tools and technology in place to deliver the experiences people want today.
  • Less than half (43%) of consumers have felt highly valued after a call, while a quarter of consumers have lost their temper; some (12%) had experiences so bad that they were driven to tears.
  • These bad experiences are worse than frustrating — they're loyalty killers: 77% of consumers will switch brands after five or fewer negative interactions with a brand's customer service.
  • These generations are quick to stop doing business with a company after a poor customer experience: 34% of Gen Z consumers switched brands last year, compared to just 25% of baby boomers. But those younger consumers are even quicker to become brand ambassadors for companies that provide excellent customer service: 43% — an increase of 13 percentage points from 2021 — will recommend to their network, compared to less than 33% of baby boomers.
  • Marketing deals are less important to consumers (16%) than receiving a personalized experience for services when they need them on the channel they want (62%). Organizations that get it right have the potential to unlock new revenue opportunities: More than 80% of consumers say they would purchase additional items from companies that consistently personalize the customer service experience — an increase of 10 percentage points from 2017.
  • More than 50% of those surveyed ranked fast responses and having their issue solved during the first interaction as the most valuable elements of customer experience.
  • According to nearly half of CX leaders surveyed (47%), the No. 1 CX priority is investing in technology or connecting systems that improve the employee experience. 
  • Only 21% of consumers were highly satisfied with a chatbot, citing not being able to reach a live agent from a chatbot and having to repeat a conversation they had with a bot to an agent as their top frustrations. 
  • According to CX Leaders, the biggest challenge to delivering seamless experiences is the lack of carryover of customer context from one channel to another (44%). To resolve this, most organizations recognize they need stronger capabilities to coordinate every consumer touchpoint: the top two strategic priorities for organizations include implementing an integrated CX platform (71%) and connecting technology and data for omnichannel experiences (50%).
  • With digital channel use accelerating, email has overtaken voice for the first-time as the most common method to reach customer service (72% using email vs. 68% using voice).
  • Financial services – The financial services industry is trailing when it comes to omnichannel strategy. Only 26% offer multiple channels for customer interactions and have integrated technologies and connected data. Additionally, nearly half (46%) either have no plans or have yet to make meaningful plans in this space. However, nearly 60% cite implementing a customer experience platform that integrates systems as a priority initiative.
  • Public sector – The public sector sees the most potential in cloud infrastructure, rating its benefits higher overall than any other industry. The top three advantages included: better access to data across channels (57%); ability to add new capabilities, features and channels more quickly (56%); and enabling remote or hybrid working (52%). More than two-thirds (69%) indicate implementing a customer experience platform that integrates systems as a top priority.
  • Healthcare – To support their strategic priorities, more than two-thirds (69%) of healthcare organizations plan to implement a CX platform that integrates systems within the next one to two years. This effort will be aided by an average planned increase of 24% to their customer service budgets in 2023.
  • Retail – Retailers are the furthest along in their omnichannel strategy, with more than half (52%) offering multiple channels for customer interactions. Despite being technologically ahead of other industries, retailers have slipped in customer satisfaction by two percentage points in two years and project the highest annual employee turnover rate of 40%. Retailers appear to understand the opportunity to deliver stronger personalization and engagement, with 76% planning to implement a single experience platform that integrates systems within the next one to two years to support their strategic priorities.

STATS: The Optimove 2023 Consumer Summer Shopping Survey

April 04, 2023 | Optimove

While 56% of consumers plan to shop for summer items in May and June, consumers are ready to act on sales for summer items early.As almost seven in ten (68%) want to know about sales by April, respondents to our survey said they are willing to act and buy, as 51% said an early sale could &ldquo...

  • While 56% of consumers plan to shop for summer items in May and June, consumers are ready to act on sales for summer items early.
  • As almost seven in ten (68%) want to know about sales by April, respondents to our survey said they are willing to act and buy, as 51% said an early sale could “sometimes and often” motivate them to buy.
  • However, trust is paramount in brands getting consumers to take action, as 73% will unsubscribe if they think a brand misused their personal information.
  • As we noted in our 2023 survey on Marketing Fatigue, two-thirds of consumers (66%) want fewer marketing messages, and 27% feel they get bombarded by marketing messages. The top preference for communication by consumers is email.
  • The top items that respondents plan to buy are clothing (78%), swimwear (58%), home goods and beauty products, each at (50%).
  • Plus, seventy-nine percent (79%) of shoppers said that they check prices online when shopping in-store.
  • The motivators for consumer purchase are price 77% and quality 78%. A distant third is brand reputation at 28%.
  • Most consumers (72%) will budget the same or less for summer items compared to 2022. And just 22% will spend more than in 2022. And almost half of the respondents (47%) have less confidence in the economy for summer 2023 compared to 2022. Less than one quarter has more confidence in the economy.
  • Fifty-six percent of consumers plan to shop for summer items in May and June, twenty-one percent (21%) will start in March, and 11% already began as of January 2023.
  • The top items that respondents plan to buy are clothing (78%), swimwear (58%), and home goods and beauty products, each at (50%).
  • Soft goods: More than half of respondents (54%) who plan to buy soft goods like towels and clothes are inclined to shop both in-store and online, while 24% will shop only in-store, and 22% will only shop online.
  • Hard goods: When buying hard goods like patio furniture and grills, eighty-one percent (81%) want to see the products in person, as 41% will shop in-store and online, and 40% in-store only. Just 19% are willing to gamble by only shopping online.
  • Beauty, health, and cosmetics: Consumers want to touch and feel these products as more than three quarters of consumers (76%) want to shop in-store, with 47% saying they will shop in-store and online, and 29% in-store only. The remaining 24% of respondents plan to shop online only.
  • Travel: Not surprisingly, ninety-one percent (91%) of travel-related purchases will be online, with 68% online only— just 9% plan on buying travel in-store at a travel agency.
  • As a note, paying by credit card remains the overwhelming preferred way to pay by consumers, cited by 52% of respondents. A distant second was debit cards at 31%, and digital wallets such as PayPal and Venmo were at 14%.
  • Over 50% of consumers prefer to learn about sales and updates from the brands they follow via email. Mobile/web ads delivered to consumers are a distant second at 18%.
  • Almost eight in ten consumers (79%) said that a brand’s commitment to sustainability and caring about the environment is important. And 43% said it is very important.
  • When asked if the brand or the consumer controlled their personal information, forty-one percent (41%) said the brand and forty percent (40%) of respondents said they were in control. The remaining 19% responded neither was in control.
  • More than half (55%) of consumers said they were at least “somewhat likely to purchase” summer items from a new or unfamiliar merchant, with 28% saying they were at least “likely” to do so.
  • Most consumers, 78%, will budget the same or less for summer shopping comparing 2022 to 2023.
  • Customer-led marketing has been proven to deliver brands an average increase of 33% in customer lifetime value.

STATS: TCN and Prodigal Unite to Support Call Center Agents With Cloud and AI Technologies

March 30, 2023 | Cision PR Newswire

The Wall Street Journal recently cited McKinsey and Co.'s finding that by 2030, 25% of the work done in US jobs could be automated. TCN and Prodigal are leading the way by using technology to support - not replace - agents working in call centers through the collections process.

  • The Wall Street Journal recently cited McKinsey and Co.'s finding that by 2030, 25% of the work done in US jobs could be automated. TCN and Prodigal are leading the way by using technology to support - not replace - agents working in call centers through the collections process.

STATS: Global Survey Shows More Consumers Turn to Retailers' Mobile Apps to Streamline In-Store Shopping Experiences and Score Personalized Offers and Deals

March 29, 2023 | businesswire

Across 11,000 consumer respondents, 78% are using retailers’ mobile apps either more often or about the same as last year. This preference for retail apps extends across age groups and household income levels.Generationally, 81% of millennials and 79% of Gen X report using retail apps more...

  • Across 11,000 consumer respondents, 78% are using retailers’ mobile apps either more often or about the same as last year. This preference for retail apps extends across age groups and household income levels.
  • Generationally, 81% of millennials and 79% of Gen X report using retail apps more or about the same as last year, followed by 72% of both Gen Z and boomers.
  • High household incomes lead in regular use of retail apps at 82%, followed by 79% of medium and 75% of low income levels.
  • Globally, 74% of respondents said they are likely to use the brand’s app when shopping at its physical storefronts.

STATS: Customer Service Statistics 2023

March 27, 2023 | 123 Form Builder

30% of customers believe that customer support is the primary reason why they stick with a solutionCustomer support requests are up to 14% from last year.81% of people claim that receiving good customer service makes them more likely to make another purchase.70% of the...

  • 30% of customers believe that customer support is the primary reason why they stick with a solution
  • Customer support requests are up to 14% from last year.
  • 81% of people claim that receiving good customer service makes them more likely to make another purchase.
  • 70% of the buying experience is based on how the customer is treated.
  • More than 60% of customers now expect companies to meet all of their needs.
  • 61% of customers would leave for a competitor after just one negative experience.
  • 64% of businesses say they can notice sales growth due to good customer service.
  • 90% of customers are willing to spend more when companies provide personalized customer services.
  • According to Fortune Business Insights, the global customer experience management industry is worth $11.34 billion in 2022. The market is projected to grow from $11.34 billion in 2022 to $32.53 billion in 2029. 
  • Support requests, which range from technical problems to help in determining the correct shoe size, are up 14% from last year.
  • The relationship between a company’s success and customer satisfaction are closely related, with 73% of business leaders reporting a direct link.
  • An additional percentage of 89 will pay more for certain companies that offer solutions customers can find online without having to contact anyone over the phone.
  • Customer satisfaction drives sales growth. 64% of businesses say that they notice increased sales due to good customer service. Additionally, 74% of customers are willing to forgive mistakes as a result of excellent customer service.
  • As a result of good supervision, customer service representatives are 9.9x more likely not to feel overwhelmed by employing AI-powered tools and 8.3x more likely to be satisfied with the training frequency.
  • Consequently, 68% of them believe most businesses need to upgrade their customer service agent training.
  •  61% of customers would leave for a competitor after just one negative experience—a 22% increase over the previous year. Make it two bad experiences, and 76% of clients will permanently leave.
  • In 2021, approximately 40% of customer service representatives stated that their organizations considered customer service an expense rather than a growth opportunity, an increase of 8% from 2020.
  • A recent study, however, shows that 78% of companies believe that service agents play an essential role in the company’s overall growth.
  • Only 15% of agents are extremely content with their workloads, and less than 30% of employees feel empowered to perform their jobs properly.
  • When contacting a company, 76% expect to speak with someone right away.
  • Customers most definitely wish to avoid repeating themselves. 71% expect a business to share information, so they don’t have to repeat themselves. 92% will spend more money with companies who guarantee they will not have to repeat information.
  • According to the data, countries with the most multi-skilled teams (Nordics: 51%) have greater levels of CS when compared to other ways of constructing customer service center teams.
  • Unfortunately, 40% of businesses do not offer self-service, resulting in lower satisfaction levels.
  • By 2025, 40% of customer services will focus on value enhancement tools to measure overall success, up from 17% in 2021.
  • By 2025, modern privacy standards will protect the personal information of 75% of the world’s population.
  • 37% of customers will experiment with utilizing a digital assistant to interact with customer service on their behalf by 2025.
  • By 2025, 60% of clients will seek assistance from non-company-owned third-party information sources.
  • By 2025, 60% of service firms will use analytics tools to supplement traditional surveys with voice and text interactions from customers.

STATS: Gift Card Gauge

March 21, 2023 | Fiserv

According to the Q1 2023 Gift Card Gauge, 54% of consumers say today’s economic environment will change their views on gift cards while 51% denote that an item of need will drive them to use gift cards.71% of consumers would save a gift card with $.50 left on it to use on a future purchase...

  • According to the Q1 2023 Gift Card Gauge, 54% of consumers say today’s economic environment will change their views on gift cards while 51% denote that an item of need will drive them to use gift cards.
  • 71% of consumers would save a gift card with $.50 left on it to use on a future purchase.
  • Gift cards remain a go-to for consumers in early 2023, with 61% noting that they will turn to gift cards for milestone events.
  • I am using gift cards to: 
    • 27% - Purchase items of needs
    • 22% - Offset prices of everyday items
  • 42% - A sales/promotional event will drive them to spend a gift card.
  • Other than birthdays and winter holidays, what other milestones are consumers buying gift cards for:
    • 44% - Congratulations
    • 33% - Graduations
    • 30% - Thank Yous
  • 73% of consumers say they join loyalty programs.
  • 78% of consumers say they would use loyalty points to buy a gift card, including over 75% of those aged 18-44.
  • 41% aged 45 and up prefer purchasing from retailers that have multiple merchant gift cards.
  • 37% aged 18-44 say they prefer to purchase gift cards from merchant websites.

STATS: Driving Positive Impact – Supporting ESG Causes

March 02, 2023 | Antavo

50.8% of companies plan to reward responsible behaviors. 51.6% plan to reward the purchase of ethical products, 48.4% plan to reward charity, 38.7% plan to reward living healthily. (Antavo 2023)78% of US consumers say that a sustainable lifestyle is important to them. (McKinsey)45% ...

  • 50.8% of companies plan to reward responsible behaviors. 51.6% plan to reward the purchase of ethical products, 48.4% plan to reward charity, 38.7% plan to reward living healthily. (Antavo 2023)
  • 78% of US consumers say that a sustainable lifestyle is important to them. (McKinsey)
  • 45% of CMOs consider establishing long-term sustainability commitments their top priority. (Deloitte)
  • 66% of customers have stopped buying from companies whose values didn’t align with theirs — up from 62% in 2020. (Salesforce)
  • 90% of Gen Z shoppers say they are more willing to purchase products that they deem beneficial to society. (Deloitte)

STATS: Building Deeper Customer Relationships – Loyalty as a Lifeline

March 02, 2023 | Antavo

55.9% of companies view the role of customer loyalty as essential to overcome the inflation crisis and a potential recession. (Antavo)88.5% of respondents trust loyalty programs to help them overcome the inflation crisis and potential recession. (Antavo)78% of...

  • 55.9% of companies view the role of customer loyalty as essential to overcome the inflation crisis and a potential recession. (Antavo)
  • 88.5% of respondents trust loyalty programs to help them overcome the inflation crisis and potential recession. (Antavo)
  • 78% of consumers say they will be more loyal to companies that help them through this difficult time, for example, by prioritizing purchasing products or services from that company over others. (Capgemini)
  • 74% of customers say communicating honestly and transparently is more important now than before the pandemic. (Salesforce)
  • 96% of surveyed consumers intend to adopt cost-saving behaviors over the next six months. (PwC)

STATS: What Keeps Shoppers Loyal? – Customer Loyalty Statistics

March 02, 2023 | Antavo

Price is key to customers, with 44% saying they stay loyal to brands that offer great value for money. (Fresh Relevance)42% of customers say they prefer shopping from brands they have previously shopped with but would switch to a different brand depending on the circumstances. 22% would...

  • Price is key to customers, with 44% saying they stay loyal to brands that offer great value for money. (Fresh Relevance)
  • 42% of customers say they prefer shopping from brands they have previously shopped with but would switch to a different brand depending on the circumstances. 22% would never switch. (Fresh Relevance)
  • 40% of shoppers would switch brands if a new brand offered a better price; 35% if they wanted to try something new; and 20% if the new brand was recommended by family and friends. (Fresh Relevance)
  • Price and quality were individually cited as top-three purchasing criteria anywhere between 61% and 86% of the time according to customers surveyed globally. (Deloitte)
  • 60% of the world’s population will use digital wallets by 2026. (Accenture)
  • 71% of consumers have switched brands at least once in the past year. (Salesforce)
  • 96% of customers say excellent customer service builds trust, and 82% have recommended a company based on excellent customer service. (Salesforce)
  • While 61% of executives believe customers are more loyal now than before the pandemic, only 20% of consumers agree. (PwC)

STATS: Survey: Consumers Concerned About How Brands Will Keep Their Data Secure in the Metaverse

March 02, 2023 | TELUS

According to a recent survey by TELUS International, a digital customer experience (CX) innovator, consumers are concerned about the safety and security of their personal data in the metaverse, with the majority of respondents (60%) citing privacy and data security concerns as a reason for...

  • According to a recent survey by TELUS International, a digital customer experience (CX) innovator, consumers are concerned about the safety and security of their personal data in the metaverse, with the majority of respondents (60%) citing privacy and data security concerns as a reason for why they’d be uncomfortable completing various tasks in this emerging digital world.
  • As the metaverse continues to gain traction among brands and consumers alike, more than one-third (34%) of respondents said their top concern was that their personal data will be compromised. Additionally, 56% believe that it will be easier for hackers to steal their identity or data in this new digital space.
  • For companies seeking to address consumers’ metaverse concerns, a quarter (25%) of respondents indicated that robust and transparent privacy and security guidelines would encourage them to interact with brands in this space.

STATS: The Present and Future Loyalty Landscape – Loyalty Program Statistics

March 02, 2023 | Antavo

56% of program owners are satisfied or very satisfied with their loyalty program, stating that their existing rewards program contributes to sales, delivers great ROI, and is popular among customers. (Antavo)78.6% of respondents with an existing loyalty program are likely to revamp...

  • 56% of program owners are satisfied or very satisfied with their loyalty program, stating that their existing rewards program contributes to sales, delivers great ROI, and is popular among customers. (Antavo)
  • 78.6% of respondents with an existing loyalty program are likely to revamp their loyalty program in the next three years. This is a seven percentage point increase over last year. (Antavo)
  • 67.3% of companies revamped their loyalty program in the past two years have involved external resources for technology changes/upgrades. (Antavo)
  • For respondents whose company will launch a loyalty program within the next two years, better customer engagement ranked highest on the list of reasons. (Antavo)
  • 91% of executives say their loyalty program should provide more rewards or benefits. (PwC)
  • 65.2% of companies that do not currently offer experiential rewards say that they plan to introduce this feature within the next three years. (Antavo)
  • 43% of customers prefer a loyalty program that has flexibility in rewards. (PwC)
  • 55% would use loyalty programs more if the rewards were personalized and better reflected their individual needs. 55% would use programs more if rewards applied to multiple brands. (Salesforce)

STATS: Growing and Retaining Loyal Customers – Loyalty Marketing Statistics

March 02, 2023 | Antavo

Loyalty program owners generally agree on the heightened role of loyalty programs. 66.4% say that when it comes to their company’s overall strategic decisions, customer loyalty and loyalty marketing have an important impact. (Antavo)84% of marketers say they adapt marketing...

  • Loyalty program owners generally agree on the heightened role of loyalty programs. 66.4% say that when it comes to their company’s overall strategic decisions, customer loyalty and loyalty marketing have an important impact. (Antavo)
  • 84% of marketers say they adapt marketing strategies and tactics based on customer interactions. (Salesforce)
  • 28.2% of organizations’ total marketing budget goes to customer loyalty program management and CRM—a 5.4% year-over-year increase. (Antavo)
  • 63% of executives say their company’s loyalty program budget increased in the latest planning cycle, and businesses think of loyalty as a growth engine just as much as a retention tool. (PwC)
  • 78% of marketers are interested in redoing, enhancing, or updating their customer loyalty offerings. (Loyalty360)

STATS: Transforming the Loyalty Market – AI and the Metaverse

March 02, 2023 | Antavo

60% of customers are open to the use of AI to improve their experiences. (Salesforce)The intelligent virtual assistant market size is expected to record a 37% increase in CAGR from 2020 to 2027. (BCG)41% of CMOs plan to support their advertising strategy with blockchain ...

  • 60% of customers are open to the use of AI to improve their experiences. (Salesforce)
  • The intelligent virtual assistant market size is expected to record a 37% increase in CAGR from 2020 to 2027. (BCG)
  • 41% of CMOs plan to support their advertising strategy with blockchain in the next 12 months. (Deloitte)
  • 73% of businesses say AI is critical to their success. (Deloitte)
  • 84% of large businesses already use AI to support customer services. (Acxiom)
  • 65.4% of loyalty professionals believe that earning crypto for offers, zero-party data, referrals, etc. will be a well-suited tactic in the future. (The Wise Marketer)
  • 56% of customers can think of an example of AI they use every day. (Salesforce)
  • 69% of customers are open to the use of AI to improve their experiences. (Salesforce)

STATS: The Power of Data – Business Statistics

March 02, 2023 | Antavo

78% of marketers say their customer engagement is data-driven. (Salesforce)57% of companies in Asia-Pacific say they are not effectively leveraging first-party data. (BCG)Only 30% of companies have created a single customer view across channels. (BCG)51% of high-growth...

  • 78% of marketers say their customer engagement is data-driven. (Salesforce)
  • 57% of companies in Asia-Pacific say they are not effectively leveraging first-party data. (BCG)
  • Only 30% of companies have created a single customer view across channels. (BCG)
  • 51% of high-growth brands are deploying first-party data in delivering personalized content via dynamic creative optimization; 49% use this data to serve leads to users via programmatic media. (Deloitte)
  • 75% of surveyed global executives said they will invest more in delivering hybrid experiences over the next 12 months. (Deloitte)
  • 43% of surveyed executives are investing in hybrid experiences to increase personalization and make their offerings more innovative; 38% plan to offer more inclusive experiences. (Deloitte)
  • 80% of marketers say customer experience is a key competitive differentiator. (Salesforce)
  • 72% of marketers say meeting customer expectations is more difficult now than it was a year ago. (Salesforce)
  • 61% of high-growth companies are shifting to a first-party data strategy. (Deloitte)
  • 87% of companies agree that using data and predictive analytics to improve customer experience will be a key source of customer advantage over the next five years. (Acxiom)
  • Focusing on branded experiences rather than traditional social media advertising has increased ROI by 70%. (Ogilvy)
  • With the end of third-party cookies on the horizon, 68% of marketers have a fully defined strategy to shift toward first-party data. (Salesforce)
  • Data privacy requirements and distrust have driven a shift away from third-party cookies; 72% of North American customers said they would stop buying from a company or using a service because of privacy concerns. (BCG)

STATS: Providing the Best – Customer Experience Statistics

March 02, 2023 | Antavo

85% of retailers consider personalized offers important or very important to customer experience. (Loyalty360)80% of customers say they are more likely to do business with a company if it offers personalized experiences. (BCG)68% of respondents say they find it helpful when...

  • 85% of retailers consider personalized offers important or very important to customer experience. (Loyalty360)
  • 80% of customers say they are more likely to do business with a company if it offers personalized experiences. (BCG)
  • 68% of respondents say they find it helpful when brands they regularly shop with provide alerts when items go on sale. (Deloitte)
  • 52% of customers expect offers to always be personalized. (Salesforce)
  • 63% of millennials are willing to share personal data to get personalized offers and discounts. (BCG)
  • 70% of shoppers want their online retail experiences tailored to their personal preferences. (Acxiom)
  • Gen Z are 1.6x more likely to prefer engaging through digital channels than Baby Boomers. (Salesforce)
  • 62% of customers feel an emotional connection to the brands they buy from the most. (Salesforce)
  • 79% of consumers say they’d be more likely to trust a company with their information if its use was clearly explained. (Salesforce)

STATS: 2023 GLOBAL CONSUMER TRENDS REPORT: The year businesses rediscover the human connection

February 28, 2023 | Qualtrics XM

Bad digital experiences result in an 8% loss in revenue38% of consumers switched brands during the last recession in 2008/0963% of consumers say companies need to do a better job of listening to feedback36% of consumers are unhappy with the empathy shown in their customer service interactionsWe...

  • Bad digital experiences result in an 8% loss in revenue
  • 38% of consumers switched brands during the last recession in 2008/09
  • 63% of consumers say companies need to do a better job of listening to feedback
  • 36% of consumers are unhappy with the empathy shown in their customer service interactions
  • We know that 80% of customers say they’ll switch brands as a result of bad customer experience (and 43% will churn after just a single negative interaction).5 We also know that, with pressure on discretionary spend over the next 12 months, customers are more open to switching brands than ever.

STATS: Customer Service Statistics 2023

February 27, 2023 | 123 Form Builder

Customers now have higher expectations than ever; more than 60% of customers say they now expect companies to meet all of their needs. Support requests, which range from technical problems to help in determining the correct shoe size, are up 14% from last year. The...

  • Customers now have higher expectations than ever; more than 60% of customers say they now expect companies to meet all of their needs. 
  • Support requests, which range from technical problems to help in determining the correct shoe size, are up 14% from last year
  • The relationship between a company’s success and customer satisfaction are closely related, with 73% of business leaders reporting a direct link.
  • Just like that, 90% of customers are willing to spend more with companies with personalized customer services
  • An additional percentage of 89 will pay more for certain companies that offer solutions customers can find online without having to contact anyone over the phone.
  • 81% of customers say that a positive customer service experience is what pushes them to make another purchase. 70% say they have made purchasing decisions based on customer service quality.
  • Customer satisfaction drives sales growth. 64% of businesses say that they notice increased sales due to good customer service. Additionally, 74% of customers are willing to forgive mistakes as a result of excellent customer service.
  • As a result of good supervision, customer service representatives are 9.9x more likely not to feel overwhelmed by employing AI-powered tools and 8.3x more likely to be satisfied with the training frequency.
  • 68% of customers believe most businesses need to upgrade their customer service agent training.
  • More precisely, 61% of customers would leave for a competitor after just one negative experience—a 22% increase over the previous year. Make it two bad experiences, and 76% of clients will permanently leave.
  • The percentage of customers that agree to switch to a competitor remains high worldwide. Brazil tops the list with 80%, France with 70%, and Spain with more than 60%
  • In 2021, approximately 40% of customer service representatives stated that their organizations considered customer service an expense rather than a growth opportunity, an increase of 8% from 2020.
  • A recent study, however, shows that 78% of companies believe that service agents play an essential role in the company’s overall growth.
  • ​Only 15% of agents are extremely content with their workloads, and less than 30% of employees feel empowered to perform their jobs properly.
  • When contacting a company, 76% expect to speak with someone right away. However, this depends on the channel.
  • Customers most definitely wish to avoid repeating themselves. 71% expect a business to share information, so they don’t have to repeat themselves. 92% will spend more money with companies who guarantee they will not have to repeat information.
  • 40% of businesses do not offer self-service, resulting in lower satisfaction levels.
  • Even though businesses appear to recognize the potential advantage of adequate supervision and investment in quality customer service, only 20% report viewing customer service data on a daily basis. 40% say they only look at data once a month or less.
  • 54% of businesses report having a three-year strategic plan for customer service, which indicates that 46% still do not.
  • By 2025, 40% of customer services will focus on value enhancement tools to measure overall success, up from 17% in 2021.
  • By 2025, modern privacy standards will protect the personal information of 75% of the world’s population.
  • 37% of customers will experiment with utilizing a digital assistant to interact with customer service on their behalf by 2025.
  • By 2025, 60% of clients will seek assistance from non-company-owned third-party information sources.
  • By 2025, 60% of service firms will use analytics tools to supplement traditional surveys with voice and text interactions from customers.

STATS: 66% of consumers want fewer marketing messages: Optimove 2023 Consumer Marketing Fatigue Survey

February 27, 2023 | Optimove

Almost eight in ten consumers (79%) unsubscribed from at least one retail brand in the past 90 days saying they were bombarded by marketing messages Two-thirds of consumers (66%) surveyed want fewer marketing messages, and 27% feel they are bombarded by marketing messages, according to ...

  • Almost eight in ten consumers (79%) unsubscribed from at least one retail brand in the past 90 days saying they were bombarded by marketing messages 
  • Two-thirds of consumers (66%) surveyed want fewer marketing messages, and 27% feel they are bombarded by marketing messages, according to The Optimove 2023 Consumer Marketing Fatigue Survey. Plus, almost eight in ten consumers (79%) say they unsubscribed from at least one retail brand in the past three months, caused by an overload of marketing messages. In addition, 61% of consumers responded that they have unsubscribed from three or more retail brands due to too many marketing messages. 
  • When asked if they would like to receive fewer marketing messages in 2023 versus 2022, 73% of respondents noted they wanted less. 
  • Ninety-six percent (96%) of consumers predetermine where to shop online. 
  • Almost three-fourths of respondents (72%) said that the relevancy of an offer is important, with 36% saying it is "extremely" or "very important."

STATS: Grammarly Business and Harris Poll Find Poor Workplace Communication Is Sinking Productivity and Performance

February 22, 2023 | Grammarly

Employees spent 18% more time year-over-year (YoY) communicating in writing, and both workers and leaders are using more asynchronous communication (communication that is not in real time or does not expect immediate responses). Yet, leaders report a 12% drop in the effectiveness of written...

  • Employees spent 18% more time year-over-year (YoY) communicating in writing, and both workers and leaders are using more asynchronous communication (communication that is not in real time or does not expect immediate responses). Yet, leaders report a 12% drop in the effectiveness of written communication over the same period—and “decreased productivity” as a result (+15% YoY).
  • Workers now spend over 70% of the workweek communicating on various channels, but most (58%) still wish they had better tools to be more effective—especially Gen Z (63%), Millennial (65%), Tech (68%), and ESL (71%) respondents.
  • Over 8 in 10 business leaders (84%) are feeling the downsides of poor communication, with lower productivity, missed deadlines, and increased costs ranking as the top three.
  • Workers report increased stress (+7% YoY) due to poor communication, and most leaders (60%) and nearly half (45%) of workers say personal connections have suffered in the hybrid workplace.
  • Effective communication drives higher internal and external performance, with increased productivity (72%) and customer satisfaction (63%) topping leaders’ list of outcomes. Of those reporting higher customer satisfaction, 69% say that the increase is 10% or more. Yet most leaders (68%) lost at least $10,000 or more in business in the past year due to poor communication—13% even report $50,000+ lost. One in five also say it eroded their brand credibility or reputation.
  • Leaders (72%) and workers (53%) alike are paying more attention to the tone of messages lately. Most workers (62%) say a positive tone drives a faster response, and Millennials and Gen Zers are especially likely to do higher-quality work based on a positive tone. But the rise in more written and asynchronous communication makes it harder to discern tone—and 63% of workers report spending too much time trying to convey messages in the right way.
  • Leaders prioritize investments in more processes and platforms instead of empowering teams to communicate better where they already work. They consider the platform of communication as “very important” (66%), but only 36% of workers say the same—ranking it last after aspects like content, tone, and empathy. While eight in 10 leaders are considering AI tools to augment employees to be more productive and effective, it’s not in their top three investment areas to improve communication—with better processes and strategies topping the list (88%).

STATS: Restaurant Gift Card Sales Report 2023 from Paytronix

February 21, 2023 | Paytronix

Full-service restaurants, which encompass the categories of fine, family, and casual-concept restaurants, saw revenue from gift card sales in 2022 rise by 12% over 2021 and 1% over 2019. On the other hand, quick-service restaurants, the concept that best weathered the pandemic, saw a 5% decrease...

  • Full-service restaurants, which encompass the categories of fine, family, and casual-concept restaurants, saw revenue from gift card sales in 2022 rise by 12% over 2021 and 1% over 2019. On the other hand, quick-service restaurants, the concept that best weathered the pandemic, saw a 5% decrease in revenue from gift cards since 2021 and an 8% decrease in revenue since 2019. In particular, the fine-dining category saw a notable increase in both revenue and number of cards sold
  • Quick-service gift cards accounted for over 70% of all restaurant gift cards sold during 2020 (as well as nearly half the revenue)
  • Year over year, both revenue from gift card sales and total cards sold at full-service restaurants increased, by 12% and 10%, respectively
  • The majority of card sales at full-service restaurants are for $20, $25, $50, and $100 cards. As compared to 2019, the percentage of $50 and $100 cards has risen, while the percentage of $20 and $25 cards has fallen
  • The number of cards sold through in-store sales fell 9% year over year, while the number of cards sold through third-party retail channels increased by approximately 4%, and the number of digital cards sold rose 6% to its best year on record. When revenue is considered, thirdparty sales had a particularly banner year, with third-party total sales coming within 3% of 2019’s number
  • From pre-pandemic levels of just over 10%, since 2020, e-gift cards consistently made up 15-17% of gift card sales. Digital card sales also showed steady growth, with the number of cards increasing by between 6-15% year over year since 2019
  • Of particular note are fine-dining cards, which had 74% higher loads for digital versus physical cards, and casual cards, which had 50% higher loads for digital cards
  • As detailed in our 2022 Mid-Year Gift Card Report, total gift card sales ran approximately 2% behind 2021. Sales of gift cards spiked in May and June, and January, March, May, and June saw decreases from 2021
  • Gift cards sold in 2021 were redeemed at a lower rate as compared to 2020 and 2019. Moreover, the redemption rate was slightly higher for cards purchased during the holiday period (57%) than those purchased during the non-holiday period (54%)
  • Overall, physical cards were redeemed more often (56%) than digital gift cards (50%) in 2021
  • Redemptions of fine-dining cards were up about 2% from 2021, whereas those for QSRs were down 10%
  • Gift cards sold in November and December traditionally account for nearly half of all gift card sales for the year. Those two months, referred to as the holiday period for the remainder of this report, provided 45% of 2022’s sales, in line with previous years
  • hile the proportion of cards sold in the holiday period held steady, the total value of cards sold is up approximately 1.4% year over year. However, the number of gift cards sold in 2022 dropped by 5.1% versus 2019 and by 10.7% from 2021. Between Black Friday and Christmas Eve 2022, the value of physical gift cards is down nearly a fifth (22%) versus 2019 and down 7.9% since 2021. Digital gift cards, on the other hand, have seen the value of sales increase by a whopping 77% since 2019 for the same time period, while the value of digital gift cards sold also increased 4.6% since 2021
  • Cyber Monday continued to see the largest sales of digital gift cards of the holiday period, accounting for 17.2% of holiday sales and acting as a bellwether for the holiday season as a whole. E-gift card sales on Cyber Monday hit a high in terms of spend for the years analyzed in this report, as well as a high for number of cards sold. Overall, e-gift card sales for the holiday season have increased over 70% since 2019, although they still represent a mere 12% of the cards sold during the period between Black Friday and Christmas Eve

STATS: Store Experience Study

February 08, 2023 | RIS

Retail sales in 2021 ended on a positive note, gaining 15.5% over 2020. But 2021 was a tough comparison, due to COVID-related lockdowns in 2020. Retail sales for 2022 are up 10.9% (through the third quarter). Retailers are expecting an average 7.2% sales growth for 2022, which is up significantly...

  • Retail sales in 2021 ended on a positive note, gaining 15.5% over 2020. But 2021 was a tough comparison, due to COVID-related lockdowns in 2020. Retail sales for 2022 are up 10.9% (through the third quarter). Retailers are expecting an average 7.2% sales growth for 2022, which is up significantly from last year. The 2023 forecast is for a slightly more subdued 6.9% growth.
  • Granted, online sales have increased in dollar terms and as a percentage of total retail sales (2021 full year was 14.6%, 2022 currently stands at 14.1%). But the number to focus on is the percentage of those dollars that have the store as a component of the transaction. Eighty-seven percent of all retail transactions still have a store component associated with them. The type of store component might change with time, but we don’t predict a radical departure from stores remaining at the center of retail.
  • Since we began addressing unified commerce in 2014, IT spend growth expectations for retailers have increased a cumulative 39.2% for the enterprise and 36.5% for the store. In other words, retailers have rejected the traditional practice of tying this year’s IT budgets to a percentage of last year’s sales.
  • Enterprise IT spend is expected to grow 4.3% (after last year’s 5.8% increase) and store IT spend is expected to grow 4.0% compared to 4.9% last year. While these numbers might be down a bit from last year, they still track well with a CAGR of 4.9% (enterprise) and 4.6% (store) over the past eight years. Inflation for six of those eight years averaged 1.5%, which means that retailers are serious about making the investments necessary to compete.
  • For both enterprise and store IT spend growth, convenience/gas retailers have the most aggressive intent going forward, as they expect an increase of 5.3% (enterprise) and 6.2% (store) for 2023.
  • Inventory Visibility was a close second at 52% of respondents (and has averaged 49% the past six years). The additional customer journeys and the current supply chain issues make Inventory Visibility all the more important. GMS retailers (whose inventory was inaccessible during COVID) clocked in above the norm at 60%, while Leaders were at 61%.
  • For the first time ever in this study, Contactless Payments leads in the up-to-date category at 36%, with COVID driving heavier usage since 2020. Another 18% plan a purchase in 2023.
  • Traditional POS Hardware is close behind at 32% current adoption, with another 26% planning to make a purchase decision in 2023. Tier I retailers are showing a 57% higher propensity to purchase POS Hardware in 2013 than all other retailers, but Leaders are well down the road in recognizing the importance of having up-to-date POS in place (only 6% plan to purchase POS hardware in 2023).
  • Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) have the distinction of being the technology with the highest percentage of respondents with no plans for adoption (54%). Still, they currently show 6% usage among all respondents, with another 11% expecting to make a purchase in 2023.
  • Traditional On-Prem POS software shows the highest current adoption of the four at 33%, with another 20% expecting to purchase in 2023. The 29% current adoption of Cloud-based POS is a bit lower than what we expected. That said, it means that for those who have plans for Cloud-based POS software, 37% have already adopted it, and by the end of 2023 nearly 2/3 of those with plans will have done so.
  • Softgoods (52%), Convenience/Gas (51%), and Food/Grocery (46%) are leading adopters of On-Prem POS software. Softgoods retailers are leading when it comes to On-Prem mPOS adoption, at 33%. Going forward, 36% of Food/Grocery retailers expect to make an On-Prem mPOS purchase decision in 2023.
  • Retailers predict 7.2% sales growth for 2022. The 2023 forecast is for a slightly more subdued 6.9% growth.

STATS: The Optimove 2022 Consumer Trust of Online Retailers Survey

February 08, 2023 | Optimove

Let’s start with the significant cost of mistrust of a brand -- more than three quarters (77%) of consumers unsubscribe from brands because they feel their information is being misused.More than half of respondents (55%) said they do not trust brands with their personal information, a...

  • Let’s start with the significant cost of mistrust of a brand -- more than three quarters (77%) of consumers unsubscribe from brands because they feel their information is being misused.
  • More than half of respondents (55%) said they do not trust brands with their personal information, a slight bump up from the 48% of respondents from our Holiday Shopping Survey of 514 consumers fielded in August 2022.
  • While this is the overall current state of trust, forty-one percent (41%) of respondents think the trust between consumers and brands is eroding (getting worse).
  • The most important actions brands can take to win consumer’s trust is to 1) have a policy that information will not be shared (56%), and 2) know that a brand “asks permission” before sharing suggestions for shopping (31%).
  • The Optimove 2022 Consumer Trust of Online Retailers Survey queried 406 U.S. citizens in the fourth quarter of 2022. Respondents were ages 18-plus, 49% male/51% female (no respondents were non-binary or declined to answer), and household incomes were $50,000-plus. Eighty percent (80%) of respondents will shop at brick-and mortar-retailers, and 96% plan to shop online.
  • Fifty-five percent (55%)of online U.S. shoppers surveyed responded they do not trust retailers with their personal information. At the same time, a total of 64% are loyal to, and shop at, brands they do not trust.
  • When asked what the "most important action" is in consumers trusting a brand, 56% responded, "having a policy that the marketer will not share personal information." Yet just 26% of consumers read every detail of a brand’s privacy policy.
  • Thirty-one percent (31%) of consumers said the second most important action a brand could take is to "ask my permission to offer suggestions.”
  • Seventy-seven percent (77%) said they unsubscribed from a retailer because they felt the brand misused their personal information. It underscores that trust is directly connected to a consumer’s loyalty to a brand.
  • When sharing personal information, 49% of consumers' greatest worry is that "their financial information will be stolen," while 33% worry most that their actual "identity will be stolen."
  • Email is the marketing channel that consumers trust most, chosen by 67% of respondents. In addition, email is the personal information consumers feel safest about sharing with brands, chosen by 53% of consumers in the survey.
  • Eighty-two percent (82%) of respondents said it is "extremely or very important" that they are "in control of the personal information they share with online brands." However, just 36% of respondents felt they were in control of their personal information
  • Most consumers trust a brand less if a product browsed for is “pushed to them.” Thirty-nine percent (39%) trust the brand less, versus just 23% who trust the brand more.
  • At the same time, excessive/irrelevant offers can damage trust between consumers and a brand, as almost half of respondents (46%) trust a brand less when bombarded with useless promotions
  • Virtually everyone shops on Amazon. Ninety-eight percent (98%) of respondents said so, and trust Amazon the most over other brands with their personal information, selected by 48% of respondents. The second most trusted brand with consumers’ personal information was Apple at 25%.
  • Although Amazon is universally used, just 53% consider Amazon a trusted advisor when they shop. Thirty-seven percent (37%) neither trust nor distrust Amazon, and 10% do not trust it
  • More than half of consumers (53%) trust family-owned and privately-owned businesses more than large publicly owned businesses.
  • It underscores that management of large businesses are not connected to consumers. This was also verified by a separate report from PwC in 2022 that revealed a trust gap between business leaders and consumers. The result revealed that (87%) of business executives think consumers have a high level of trust in their business. But only 30% of consumers say they do
  • With 77% of respondents saying they have unsubscribed from a retailer because they felt the brand misused their personal information, it underscores the importance of trust and its direct connection regarding loyalty to a given brand.
  • An independent December 2022 analysis of the total impact of Optimove by Forrester revealed the following measurable benefits to marketers:
    • Marketing improvements: • 578% return on investment (ROI) • 88% campaign efficiency improvement – campaigns are created faster • 50% improved reporting efficiency – reporting is done faster and more in depth • Payback period after implementation is less than six months
    • Business improvements: • 10% Improvement in customer retention rates • 15% Improvement in customer order value • $182,000 cost reduction over 3 years by phasing out existing point solutions – reduced Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

STATS: 2023 Customer Engagement Data Study: How Incentives Motivate Consumer Behavior

February 06, 2023 | Ebbo

Last year alone, 91% of consumers shared that they’re likely to choose a brand whose premium loyalty offerings they’re satisfied with over another brand offering a lower price.More than half of consumers (57%) have made a first-time purchase with a brand as a result of participating...

  • Last year alone, 91% of consumers shared that they’re likely to choose a brand whose premium loyalty offerings they’re satisfied with over another brand offering a lower price.
  • More than half of consumers (57%) have made a first-time purchase with a brand as a result of participating in an incentivized engagement.
  • Following a negative experience with a brand after participating in an incentivized engagement, 65% of consumers are unlikely to continue engaging with the brand. In addition, over half of consumers (59%) have switched from a brand they regularly purchase from to a different brand that offered better incentivized engagements.
  • When looking at the top reasons among those who have participated in incentivized engagements in the past 12 months, baseline considerations like convenience and guaranteed wins outweigh emotional motivators like “I like supporting my favorite brands“ (20%) and “there’s a community and a sense of camaraderie” (14%).
  • If consumers win a $1,000 prize through a brand’s incentivized engagement, 58% would like the reward gifted in cash, 23% in a payment via Venmo/PayPal/Zello and 12% through an Amex/ Visa gift card. Just 7% of folks have bought into cryptocurrency prizes.
  • Consumers who participated in a brand’s incentivized engagement in the past 12 months were most likely to have done so via a brand’s website (52%), email (51%) or a brand’s mobile app (41%).
  • Looking at consumers who haven’t engaged recently, another barrier emerges. “The brands I engage with most often don’t offer them” is this group’s No. 2 reason for non-participation. This is likely a major reason why just 52% of customers have participated in incentivized engagements in the past 12 months, despite 90% sharing an interest in this type of engagement.

STATS: Consumer Preferences in the Digital-First Economy

February 02, 2023 | Mirakl

Value is playing a bigger role than ever in commerce, with 89% of consumers saying inflation has made them look for better valueConsumers globally conduct 46% of their online shopping (on average) through marketplaces, a 10% increase year-over-year from 2021Inflation is the leading concern of...

  • Value is playing a bigger role than ever in commerce, with 89% of consumers saying inflation has made them look for better value
  • Consumers globally conduct 46% of their online shopping (on average) through marketplaces, a 10% increase year-over-year from 2021
  • Inflation is the leading concern of consumers when shopping today, cited by 47% of respondents
  • When a product consumers typically purchase in store is out of stock, 76% of respondents look for the same product online
  • More than four in 10 (43%) survey respondents stopped shopping with a specific retailer as a result of rising prices
  • The impact of inflation is already having an impact on consumer behaviors across the commerce landscape. Beyond seeking deals, nearly three-quarters (72%) of respondents to this year’s survey held off on making a purchase in the last 12 months due to higher prices. They’re increasingly turning to eCommerce to find the best value on the purchases that they do need to make, with nearly half (49%) of consumers saying they are more likely to shop online during times of high inflation
  • Just 17% of respondents continue to shop with the brands they trust, regardless of price
  • 54% of consumers find better value online than in-store
  • 51% expect to do the majority of their shopping online in 2023
  • 55% of products have been out of stock more frequently in stores
  • 75% of shoppers will shop products online the next time they need them
  • Consumers globally conduct an average of 46% of their online shopping through marketplaces, +10% year-over-year
  • 77% of consumers continue to believe marketplaces are the most convenient way to shop online, a 10% increase year-over-year
  • When asked what they would like to see in “marketplaces of the future,” consumers identified a range of features, but unsurprisingly, the top feature is driven by value. Among the most popular responses: loyalty and membership programs (41%); in-store pop-ups that show marketplace products in person (28%); purchasing integration with the latest social media apps (20%); and a handpicked selection from influencers they follow (19%)

STATS: Millennials and Gen Z Are Wildly Susceptible to Social Media Marketing: 2023 Report

January 31, 2023 | Real Estate Witch

More than 4 in 5 Americans ages 18 to 41 (81%) have bought a product or service because they saw an ad for it on social media platforms such as TikTok or Instagram.In fact, nearly 3 in 5 Gen Z Americans (58%) have bought a product recommended by an online influencer — 4x the...

  • More than 4 in 5 Americans ages 18 to 41 (81%) have bought a product or service because they saw an ad for it on social media platforms such as TikTok or Instagram.
  • In fact, nearly 3 in 5 Gen Z Americans (58%) have bought a product recommended by an online influencer — 4x the share of baby boomers who have done the same (13%), according to a new Real Estate Witch survey of 1,000 American adults’ shopping habits and attitudes toward marketing.
  • 83% of millennials and 79% of Gen Zers have purchased a product or service because of an advertisement on social media, compared with just 48% of baby boomers. 
  • Millennials are most likely to buy after seeing ads on Facebook (53%), while Gen Zers are most likely to buy because of ads on Instagram (43%). 
  • Gen Z Americans are 3x more likely than baby boomers to interact with social media ads that use video (52% vs. 18%).
  • 64% of Gen Z visits YouTube at least once per day — more than TikTok or any other social media platform. 
  • 58% of Gen Zers and 52% of millennials have bought a product recommended by an online influencer. 
  • Baby boomers (19%) are 3x more likely than millennials (7%) and Gen Zers (6%) to say they don’t look at reviews when shopping. 
  • Just 8% of Americans have a negative opinion of Google — and only 38% have a positive opinion of Twitter.
  • 54% of Americans don’t approve of the way Elon Musk has handled taking over Twitter, and 32% believe the platform will shut down within a year. 
  • 7 in 10 Americans (69%) look forward to Super Bowl commercials, and 33% of millennials who watch the game do so specifically for the commercials.
  • 5 in 6 Millennials Have Made a Purchase Because of a Social Media Ad
  • Despite the fact that 3 in 5 Americans (61%) find ads annoying, about 83% of millennials and 79% of Gen Zers say they’ve bought products or services because they saw them advertised on social media, compared to just 48% of baby boomers. 
  • Despite the fact that 3 in 5 Americans (61%) find ads annoying, about 83% of millennials and 79% of Gen Zers say they’ve bought products or services because they saw them advertised on social media, compared to just 48% of baby boomers. 
  • Millennials are 66% more likely than Gen Z to make a purchase because of a Facebook ad. And Gen Zers are 17% more likely than millennials to buy something because of an ad on TikTok.
  • Additionally, 58% of millennials and 59% of Gen Zers say they’ve made an unplanned/impulse purchase after seeing a social media ad, compared to just 35% of baby boomers.
  • Entertainment streaming options have diminished the influence of traditional TV over recent years, with just 53% of Americans saying they have a cable subscription
  • Baby boomers are the only generation we examined that remains most likely to buy a product or service because of TV advertising, with 36% saying they’ve made a purchase due to a TV ad in the past year.
  • Just 19% of baby boomers say a social media ad influenced them to make a purchase in the last year, compared to 63% of Gen Z and 57% of millennials.
  • For those tired of traditional TV, streaming services that pitch ad-free content remain fairly popular: Nearly half of Americans (49%) say they would pay extra for a premium service without ads, including 59% of millennials.
  • When asked which generation is most susceptible to social media ads, 71% of Gen Z respondents picked their own generation. Additionally, 2 in 3 Gen Z respondents (66%) say their own generation is the most irresponsible with money — more than the 52% of Americans overall who identified Gen Z as the least financially savvy.
  • Gen Zers aren’t particularly thrilled with their habit of spending time and money on social media. That may be why a majority of Gen Z (51%) says social media has not been good for society, compared to 40% of millennials and 41% of baby boomers. 
  • Within the last year, 52% of Gen Zers have engaged with social media video ads, nearly 3x the share of baby boomers (18%). Gen Z (42%) and millennials (40%) are about twice as likely as baby boomers (20%) to say they’ve interacted with non-social media online video ads in the last year.
  • Baby boomers (39%) are about 3x more likely than Gen Z (12%) and 5x more likely than millennials (8%) to say they haven’t interacted with any type of online ad in the past year.
  • A breakdown of the data shows shocking ads are 125% more likely to resonate with Gen Z than with boomers, while millennials are 133% more likely to connect with a tear-jerking ad than baby boomers. 
  • Despite the popularity of funny ads, a message with a serious tone can work, too. Nearly 2 in 3 Americans (64%) say they are more likely to buy a product if the company supports a cause they believe in.
  • Nearly 2 in 3 Gen Zers (64%) visit YouTube at least once daily, while millennials’ social media usage reveals a slight preference for Facebook over YouTube (70% vs. 68%).
  • Conversely, about 11% of Americans say they have used Twitter in the past but have stopped, the most of any social media site. Just 3% of Americans say the same for YouTube, the least of any site.
  • About 45% of Americans have concerns about how TikTok uses peoples’ data, including 47% of Gen Z and 48% of millennials. Yet despite being owned by Facebook (now Meta), only about 38% of Americans are concerned with how Instagram uses data.
  • Overall, 88% of Americans say they’re concerned with maintaining their privacy on social media. However, Gen Z is about 50% more likely than millennials to say they don’t care about maintaining privacy on social media (15% vs. 10%).
  • Similarly, about 2 in 3 Americans (65%) say they find it creepy or annoying when certain ads follow them from site to site. These are often referred to as remarketing or behavioral retargeting ads. 
  • Younger generations, however, may be more desensitized to the phenomenon. That would explain why these ads bother just 64% of millennials and 65% of Gen Z, compared to 73% of boomers.
  • About 58% of Gen Zers and 52% of millennials say they have bought products or services recommended by an online influencer. Just 13% of baby boomers say the same. 
  • Additionally, when asked which types of product reviews they find most important, 13% of Gen Z respondents said reviews by influencers — the highest share of any generation.
    Nearly 1 in 5 Gen Zers (19%) say they would submit their information online to an unfamiliar brand if an influencer recommended they do so, compared to 13% of Americans overall
    About 94% of Gen Zers and 93% of millennials say they’re likely to look up reviews for a product before ordering it online. Among baby boomers, that number drops to 81%.
    Supporting the case that younger generations care more about reviews, nearly 3 in 4 millennials (73%) say they’ve posted a review online at some point, along with 58% of Gen Zers and 50% of baby boomers. 
    Additionally, 1 in 3 Americans (34%) say they’d be willing to submit their information online to a brand they’re unfamiliar with if the company had good reviews.
    Over recent years, online shopping has become a dominant part of the economy, as 76% of Americans say they’ve ordered an item online in the past month
    For high-end products such as electronics, consumers are especially loyal — 71% of Americans say they’d buy from an electronics brand they know and trust over a different one with a better price. There’s less loyalty for clothing, which 47% of Americans would be willing to purchase from an unfamiliar company for a better price.
     26% of Americans have a negative opinion of Twitter — the most of any company we asked about. 
    The finding is likely related to entrepreneur Elon Musk’s purchase of the platform and controversial leadership. About 54% of Americans surveyed say they don’t approve of the way Musk has handled taking over Twitter. A whopping 1 in 3 (32%) believe the platform will fold in 2023. 
    About 69% of Americans say they enjoy watching Super Bowl commercials, and 68% say the ads are more memorable than typical TV commercials. In fact, 29% of Super Bowl viewers watch the game specifically for the ads.
    Millennials are the generation most likely to watch the Super Bowl for the commercials, with 1 in 3 viewers saying they do so (33%).
    Although expensive upfront, Super Bowl ads may pay off in the long run. About 41% of Americans say they’re more likely to buy a product advertised during the Super Bowl.
     

STATS: 2023 Predictions Report: 9 Experts Reveal Top Tech & Trends

January 30, 2023 | Retail TouchPoints

In 2022, livestreaming was a nearly $500 billion market in China while the U.S. market was a very small percentage of thisRetail media and data monetization is a...

  • In 2022, livestreaming was a nearly $500 billion market in China while the U.S. market was a very small percentage of this
  • Retail media and data monetization is a $100 billion growth opportunity, which makes it a key pillar for retalers moving forward. 

STATS: New Data: How to Increase Loyalty Program Engagement with Amplifiers

January 23, 2023 | Ebbo

Eighty-eight percent of consumers are likely to join your loyalty program if you offer them an incentive (e.g., the chance to win a prize, receive a discount or get bonus points). And nearly 80% of consumers who belong to a brand’s loyalty program would likely download that brand&rsquo...

  • Eighty-eight percent of consumers are likely to join your loyalty program if you offer them an incentive (e.g., the chance to win a prize, receive a discount or get bonus points). And nearly 80% of consumers who belong to a brand’s loyalty program would likely download that brand’s app in exchange for an incentive.
  • According to our 2022 Customer Loyalty Data Study, 76% of consumers say the opinions of family and friends influence their purchasing decisions significantly more than influencers. And this new data found that 78% of consumers would refer a brand’s loyalty program to friends and/or family in exchange for an incentive.
  • In exchange for an incentive, 66% of consumers are likely to provide brands with more personal information and preferences to better personalize their loyalty program experience. This includes data like name, gender, age, profession, location, email address, phone number and household income.
  • When asked which activities within a loyalty program would most excite consumers to learn about new products and/or loyalty program benefits:

    • 71% said polls and surveys
    • 49% said games (e.g., trivia, personality quizzes, customized games)
    • 38% said completing a profile
    • 33% said reading or watching educational content
    • 69% said product samples
    • 52% said product rebates
    • 49% said the chance to win a prize
    • 48% said bonus points
  • Nearly 80% of consumers are likely to purchase multiple specific products in exchange for a rebate.
  • To show the power of brand partnerships, nearly 80% of consumers said they are likely to make purchases with a brand in exchange for rewards and incentives that could also be used at other brands.
  • Seventy-four percent of consumers agree that loyalty program rewards often feel unattainable, they require making too many purchases, require too many points and take too long to earn. This has a direct impact on engagement. Consider nearly 90% of consumers said they engage with loyalty programs less often if they feel it takes too long to earn rewards.
  • Nearly 70% of consumers are likely to redeem smaller amounts of loyalty program points in exchange for rewards like the chance to win a prize, a customized digital product or a donation to a charity, instead of having to “save up” points for larger ticket rewards like free products or merchandise.
  • 66% of consumers said the main reason they haven’t engaged with a loyalty program they’ve belonged to for a long time is because it takes too long to earn rewards
  • 48% of consumers said the reason is it required too much effort and is time-consuming
  • 45% said the rewards aren’t valuable enough to them
  • 27% of consumers added that program benefits and earning potential is unclear.
  • So, what would get loyalty program members who haven’t engaged in a long time to re-engage?

    • 58% of consumers said receiving a coupon code or discount would be the main reason for them to re-engage
    • 51% said a chance to win a cash prize
    • 47% of consumers said a chance to win products from the brand would make them re-engage
    • 28% said a chance to win a big-ticket item like a car or television
  • 60% of consumers said coupon codes or discounts keep them most engaged in loyalty programs
  • 55% said a chance to win a cash prize
  • 50% said a chance to win products from the brand
  • 27% said a chance to win a big-ticket item like a car or television
  • Our data found that overall, 77% of consumers are likely to provide a brand/product testimonial or review if doing so rewarded them with an incentive (e.g., the chance to win a prize, receive a discount or get bonus points). And more than 1 out of 4 consumers is very likely to provide one.
  • When asked what would incentivize them to submit user-generated content (text, videos, images, reviews):

    • 53% of consumers said a chance to win a cash prize would be the main reason they would want to submit user-generated content
    • Nearly 50% said a coupon code or discount would incentivize them to submit user-generated content
    • 43% said they’d be incentivized by a chance to win products from the brand
    • 33% added they’d be incentivized by a chance to win a big-ticket item like a car or television
    • 27% said they’d be incentivized by a chance to win a trip/vacation
  • But only 11% of consumers said brands offer incentives to participate in user-generated content regularly. So, there is a huge opportunity for brands to engage more with consumers through incentives.

STATS: Connected Retail 2023

January 23, 2023 | RetailWire

In-person shopping averaged out at 52%, leaving online shopping with an average of 48%.Webrooming was selected 12% more often than showrooming among the list of activities participants had done in the last three months. The fact that webrooming is more common than showrooming sustains...

  • In-person shopping averaged out at 52%, leaving online shopping with an average of 48%.
  • Webrooming was selected 12% more often than showrooming among the list of activities participants had done in the last three months. The fact that webrooming is more common than showrooming sustains digital as a space more associated with research than brick and mortar.
  • In another question, respondents indicated they were almost 6x more likely to order an item online and have it delivered than pick it up via curbside or BOPIS.
  • As the most likely app use was at-home shopping, with a frequency of 50%, it was no surprise that 65% of respondents indicated using social media for browsing, with 43% of respondents using social media for buying.
  • Only 7% of survey participants said that in the last three months, they’d seen something on an influencer’s social media page and then bought it online (only 4% said they’d bought something in the last three months in stores after seeing it on an influencer’s page)
  • 81% of respondents told us they had not yet shopped in the metaverse, and 45% indicated that they could not see themselves ever shopping in it.
  • The data that most demonstrated a need to coax consumers into the metaverse correctly was 59% of respondents who said they clearly understood it.
  • 85% of respondents indicated that they believe retailers are collecting data on them and will use it to improve their shopping experience. However, a much lower 59% said they were excited (as opposed to uncomfortable) by the idea of a retailer using their preferences and shopping history to personalize the shopping experience. 
  • 56% chose “false” in response to the statement, “When I go into a physical store, I would like a sales associate there to know what I’ve been looking at on their website, app, or social media page.”

STATS: 46 SMS Marketing Statistics Your Customers Wish You Knew

January 18, 2023 | G2

Text marketing is incredibly effective, with SMS open rates as high as 98%.The top three reasons marketers say they like using SMS marketing are: a large existing mobile audience (52%), strong customer engagement (44%), and high open rates (43%).Curious to know when to send those coupon...

  • Text marketing is incredibly effective, with SMS open rates as high as 98%.

  • The top three reasons marketers say they like using SMS marketing are: a large existing mobile audience (52%), strong customer engagement (44%), and high open rates (43%).

  • Curious to know when to send those coupon codes out to your customers? SMS databases grow the most during the holiday shopping season, averaging  41%.

  • 62% of marketers surveyed say delivery speed is SMS marketing’s biggest benefit.
     

  • SMS marketing click-through rates for e-commerce brands can be as high as 36%.

  • While SMS marketing may not be a crowded field yet, it’s becoming competitive. 61% of marketers increased their text marketing budgets in 2020.

  • SMS messaging is one of the fastest ways to reach consumers directly. 60% of consumers say they read a text within 5 minutes of receiving it. 

  • Unlike most marketing channels, SMS marketing continues to be a best-kept secret. 61% of marketers still don’t use it.

  • 33% of SMS recipients react to CTAs in SMS marketing messages, and 47% of them end up making a purchase.

  • Marketers using three or more channels in their campaigns see a purchase and engagement rate 250% higher than marketers using single channels.

  • 68% of survey respondents spend 3-6 hours a day on mobile devices.

  • 15% of American adults access the internet solely through phones.

  • 7.5 billion people will have mobile phones by 2026.

     

  • 54.8% of global web traffic comes from phones.

  • 61% of people over 60 are likely to own a smartphone.

  • 60% of customers will read texts within 1-5 minutes of receiving them.

  • For 78% of buyers, checking, sending, and answering text messages is the primary way they use their phones.

  • 61% of people admit to spending more time texting daily since 2020.

  • Customers want to start a conversation with your business. 60% of consumers want to be able to respond to SMS messages they receive.

  • 83% of consumers would like to receive appointment reminders via text, but only 20% of businesses send them this way.

  • 60% of customers want to actively write back to businesses for customer support issues.

  • Customers don’t just want you to text them. 43% of consumers said they have proactively texted a business.

  • 54% of consumers would like to receive promotions via SMS, but only 11% of businesses send them this way.

  • One in three consumers have tried to text a business but never received a response.

     

  • When asked what’s most important when connecting with a business, 31% of consumers said they want options to communicate.

  • 66% of consumers would like to receive service notifications via text, but only 23% of businesses send them this way.

  • Only 13% of businesses allow customers to respond to their SMS marketing messages.

  • 18% of customers say a clean and easy opt-out method is most important when receiving SMS marketing messages.

  • 59% of consumers would prefer receiving direct communications from businesses rather than having to download a separate app on their phone.

  • The top three SMS text messaging customers say they like to receive updates on their shipping tracking for products (75%), receiving order status and confirmations (65%), and scheduling reminders (46%).

  • Does it matter to customers who (or what) is on the other side of the SMS message? Maybe. 74% of consumers said they still prefer to get help from a human rather than interacting solely with a chatbot.

  • When it comes to the best time to send SMS marketing messages, the early bird gets the worm. 75% of consumers say they check their phone within 30 minutes of waking up.

  • 50% of consumers say they would opt into an SMS loyalty program if they were offered flash sales, deals, or coupons in return.

     

  • The top three industries customers say they’re more likely to opt-in for text messages are e-commerce or retail (46%), healthcare (43%), and banking or financial institutions (41%).

  • 88% of respondents said they ignore phone calls from businesses and unknown numbers “often” or “very often”.

  • Easier shopping means more money for your business. 58% of people consider convenience alongside price when deciding where to shop.

  • 73% of marketers say email marketing is their best digital channel for return on investment (ROI).

  • SMS marketing click-through rates can be 10-15% higher than email marketing campaigns.

  • The size of a mobile database is typically between 2 and 10% of a retailer’s email database.

  • 86% of small business owners who utilize text messaging say texting offers higher engagement than email communication.

     

  • Consumers are 4.5x more likely to reply to an SMS marketing message than a marketing email.

  • 85% of consumers prefer to receive an SMS over a voice call or an email.

  • 66% of consumers either prefer mobile messaging or consider it their second communication choice when compared to phone and email.

  • Consumers are 134% more likely to respond to a text than an email, and 86% of businesses using SMS find it generates higher engagement than email.

  • 65% of customers say they have unsubscribed from a business text. 

  • The top two reasons customers unsubscribe from business texts are because they find the messages spammy (31%) and receive too many messages (30%).

STATS: Reimagining Loyalty: Why Building Trust is Now Essential to Nurturing Customer Relationships

January 17, 2023 | Retail TouchPoints

Mistrust has become widespread: the annual Edelman Trust Barometer 2022 reveals that nearly six in 10 consumers won’t trust something until they see evidence of its trustworthiness. The study, conducted in November 2022, reveals that businesses have a solid launching pad to fill this trust...

  • Mistrust has become widespread: the annual Edelman Trust Barometer 2022 reveals that nearly six in 10 consumers won’t trust something until they see evidence of its trustworthiness. The study, conducted in November 2022, reveals that businesses have a solid launching pad to fill this trust gap: at 61%, businesses are the most trusted institution, ahead of NGOs at 59%, government at 52% and the media at 50%.
  • Retailers that are considering offering metaverse experiences will have a nearly open field to play in: according to the 2022 Retail TouchPoints Customer Loyalty and Personalization survey, just 9% of responding retailers currently use livestreaming or virtual events as a customer acquisition tool.

STATS: 90% of Consumers Believe Technology Will Improve Their Overall Shopping Experience

January 16, 2023 | Shekel

 A consumer shopping survey sponsored by Shekel Scales (ASX: SBW), the leader in advanced weighing technology, revealed that 90 percent of consumers believe technology will significantly improve the overall shopping experience. While nearly 60 percent of consumers cited technology...

 

  • A consumer shopping survey sponsored by Shekel Scales (ASX: SBW), the leader in advanced weighing technology, revealed that 90 percent of consumers believe technology will significantly improve the overall shopping experience. While nearly 60 percent of consumers cited technology that speeds and simplifies the self-checkout process, more than 30 percent of respondents expressed a desire for technology that helps them get in and out of the store as fast and as easily as possible.

  • Nearly 80 percent of survey respondents were between the ages of 18-60 years old with 45 percent male and 55 percent female respondents.

  • 50 percent of consumers cited frequent overrides or cashier intervention as the top concern with the self-checkout experience; 25 percent of respondents reported difficulties entering produce items and baked good items.

  • In 93 percent of the responses, more accurate technology, system simplification for ease of use and improved user experience and eliminating the need to individually enter items were cited as reasons a consumer may be more likely to try self-checkout.

  • An overwhelming 90 percent of consumers said a self-checkout system that could automatically identify produce items would be helpful during the checkout process.

  • 50 percent of consumers said they were not familiar with the concept of a smart cart. When provided with the definition of “a shopping cart that automatically performs checkout when items are added to the cart,” 74 percent of respondents said they were very likely or somewhat likely to try a smart cart if the option was available to them.

  • The possibility of recording inaccurate transactions (60%) and potential technical difficulties with using a smart cart (40%) were cited together as the top barriers to smart cart adoption in a majority of responses.

  • Consumers cited limited product selection (51%), a lack of fresh products (39%), and no customer service (33%) as the top three frustrations associated with vending machines.

  • The inability to return items or purchase more than one item at a time also appeared in a combined 40 percent of responses.
     

STATS: How To Recession-Proof Your Marketing

January 16, 2023 | Dot Digital

During the 1981-82 recession, business that continued to invest in marketing and advertising grew by a staggering 256%.Following the recession in 2008 brands that maintained their marketing practices had 3.5 times better brand visibility than those that didn’t.All-in-one automation...

  • During the 1981-82 recession, business that continued to invest in marketing and advertising grew by a staggering 256%.
  • Following the recession in 2008 brands that maintained their marketing practices had 3.5 times better brand visibility than those that didn’t.
  • All-in-one automation platforms like Dotdigital connect data from disparate sources across your stack like your CRM and ecommerce platform. This streamlining of marketing process using intelligent automation tools can improve team efficiency by 95% and lead to annual cost savings of $21,000.
  • Dotdigital customers who fully utilize our powerful automation capabilities can experience and ROI of 406%.

STATS: Connected Retail 2023: Delivering the Ideal Connected Retail Experience

January 12, 2023 | RetailWire

In-person shopping averaged out at 52%, leaving online shopping with an average of 48%.Webrooming was selected 12% more often than showrooming among the list of activities participants had done in the last three months. As the most likely app use was at-home shopping, with a frequency...

  • In-person shopping averaged out at 52%, leaving online shopping with an average of 48%.

  • Webrooming was selected 12% more often than showrooming among the list of activities participants had done in the last three months. 

  • As the most likely app use was at-home shopping, with a frequency of 50%, it was no surprise that 65% of respondents indicated using social media for browsing, with 43% of respondents using social media for buying.

  • Only 7% of survey participants said that in the last three months, they’d seen something on an influencer’s social media page and then bought it online (only 4% said they’d bought something in the last three months in stores after seeing it on an influencer’s page).

  • 81% of respondents told us they had not yet shopped in the metaverse, and 45% indicated that they could not see themselves ever shopping in it.

  • 85% of respondents indicated that they believe retailers are collecting data on them and will use it to improve their shopping experience. However, a much lower 59% said they were excited (as opposed to uncomfortable) by the idea of a retailer using their preferences and shopping history to personalize the shopping experience. 

  • 56% chose “false” in response to the statement, “When I go into a physical store, I would like a sales associate there to know what I’ve been looking at on their website, app, or social media page.

STATS: New Study Reveals That Consumers Want Digital Interactions with Brands to Feel More Like Personal Conversations

January 12, 2023 | Data & Storage Asean

The report found that 60% of customers globally are “very satisfied” with friends and family communications, while 45% rate business/service provider communications as high. In APAC, 56% are “very satisfied” with friends and family communications, while only 45% rate...

  • The report found that 60% of customers globally are “very satisfied” with friends and family communications, while 45% rate business/service provider communications as high. In APAC, 56% are “very satisfied” with friends and family communications, while only 45% rate business/service provider communications highly.
  • Asia Pacific (APAC) consumers preferred using mobile phone calls (54%), messaging via non-SMS apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger (48%) and commenting on social media posts (44%) for contacting friends and family on a daily basis. Customers contact businesses less on a daily basis and on different platforms. In APAC, mobile phone calls (40%) are the most common method used by customers to communicate with businesses followed by phone calls via messaging apps (32%), messaging via non-SMS apps (31%), emails (31%) and commenting on social media posts (30%).
  • Surprisingly, globally, the respondents indicated that physical in-store remains the most-preferred purchase channel (45%), followed by ecommerce (39%), phone calls (38%), and email (36%).
  • In APAC, consumers preferred phone calls (54%), email (45%), and in-store visits (40%). In contrast, texting (34%) and video chats (19%) were least preferred channels. When it comes to research, APAC consumers’ most preferred channels include search engines (58%), friends/family (44%), the company’s website (44%), and third-party websites (41%). In contrast, only 32% would visit retail stores while 24% would call the company directly while doing research.

STATS: Go Beyond Black Friday: Data-Driven Tips, Strategies, and Solutions for the New Year

January 11, 2023 | Bluecore

42% of shoppers that addedd products to a cart weren't identified by brands70% of shoppers that viewed products weren't identified by brands63% of shoppers that searched for products weren't identified by brandsShoppers view 6 products, 12 times before buying46% of shoppers are...

  • 42% of shoppers that addedd products to a cart weren't identified by brands
  • 70% of shoppers that viewed products weren't identified by brands
  • 63% of shoppers that searched for products weren't identified by brands
  • Shoppers view 6 products, 12 times before buying
  • 46% of shoppers are shopping ahead
  • 54% of shoppers are buying on impulse
  • 5th-time and beyond buyers increased 17% over last year
  • 37% of a brand's Black Friday shoppers were first-time buyers
  • 31% of a brand's Black Friday shoppers were fifth-time buyers and beyond
  • 5% of a brand's first-time buyers this year came back on Black Friday

STATS: News: Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index Finds Seismic Changes in Loyalty Rankings

January 09, 2023 | Company Name

91% of Categories See Shifts in How Consumers View & Compare Brands95% of Brands See Massive Expectation Gaps Between Consumer Desires & Brand Delivery​Shifts in the order of product/service category loyalty drivers in nearly all (91%) of the 110 categories with 987 brands tracked have...

  • 91% of Categories See Shifts in How Consumers View & Compare Brands
  • 95% of Brands See Massive Expectation Gaps Between Consumer Desires & Brand Delivery
  • ​Shifts in the order of product/service category loyalty drivers in nearly all (91%) of the 110 categories with 987 brands tracked have fundamentally changed the face of brand loyalty, radically widening gap between customer desire and brand delivery, according to the 26th annual Customer Loyalty Engagement Index (CLEI), conducted by Brand Keys (brandkeys.com), the New York-based brand loyalty and customer engagement research consultancy.

STATS: Holiday Gift Card Update: Despite Positive Sales Trends, Winter Storm Freezes Out Gift Card Sales on Key Shopping Day

January 05, 2023 | Paytronix

The total dollar value of cards sold is up 2.2% versus 2019 and up 1.4% since 2021. 2022 was the best year for gift card sales in recent memory, with more dollars spent on gift cards between Black Friday and Christmas Eve than any year since 2019.For the holiday period from November to December...

  • The total dollar value of cards sold is up 2.2% versus 2019 and up 1.4% since 2021. 2022 was the best year for gift card sales in recent memory, with more dollars spent on gift cards between Black Friday and Christmas Eve than any year since 2019.
  • For the holiday period from November to December, numbers of gift cards sold dropped by 5.1% vs 2019 and by 10.7% from 2022. However, this trend has a notable exception: digital gift cards. Between Black Friday and Christmas Eve, the value of physical gift cards is down nearly a fifth (22%) vs 2019 and down 7.9% since 2021. Digital gift cards, on the other hand, have seen the value of sales increase by a whopping 77% since 2019 for the same time period, while the value of digital gift cards sold also increased 4.6% since 2021.
  • December 23 is typically the best day for gift card sales. While this still held true for 2022, gift card sales suffered significantly, with numbers of cards sold per day down 32.6% from 2019, down 23% since 2022, and down 10.9 percent since 2020 during the height of the pandemic. Value of cards sold was down by 19% since 2019 and down 14.3% from 2021. Physical gift card sales in particular suffered significantly due to the storm, with numbers of in-store cards sold down by 37% as compared to 2019. 
  • Inflation has also impacted the values of gift cards sold.  $5 and $10 cards were far more popular in 2019, representing 11.2% and 16.7% of gift cards sold that year, respectively. During 2022, the sales of those values of cards dropped approximately 3% each, with sales of each representing 8.8% and 14.1% of total gift cards sold, respectively. On the other hand, sales of higher value gift cards increased to match, with sales of $50 growing from 12.2% to 16.3% and $100 gift cards getting a boost from 6% to 7.8%.
  • Between Black Friday and Christmas Eve, the value of gift cards sold for QSRs dropped 3.2% compared to 2019 and 6.9% compared to 2021. But the value of cards for fine-dining restaurants has increased 9% compared to 2019 and by 3.7% as compared to 2021, indicating a building demand to revisit concepts with a sit-down model. Moreover, dollars spent per day for fine-dining gift cards during the holiday season is up 80% as compared to 2020’s holiday season, indicating the trends of the pandemic are receding.

STATS: Reimagining Loyalty: Why Building Trust is Now Essential to Nurturing Customer Relationships

January 03, 2023 | Retail TouchPoints

Mistrust has become widespread: the annual Edelman Trust Barometer 2022 reveals that nearly six in 10 consumers won’t trust something until they see evidence of its trustworthiness. The study, conducted in November 2022, reveals that businesses have a solid launching pad to fill this...

  • Mistrust has become widespread: the annual Edelman Trust Barometer 2022 reveals that nearly six in 10 consumers won’t trust something until they see evidence of its trustworthiness. 
  • The study, conducted in November 2022, reveals that businesses have a solid launching pad to fill this trust gap: at 61%, businesses are the most trusted institution, ahead of NGOs at 59%, government at 52% and the media at 50%.
  • Retailers that are considering offering metaverse experiences will have a nearly open field to play in: according to the 2022 Retail TouchPoints Customer Loyalty and Personalization survey, just 9% of responding retailers currently use livestreaming or virtual events as a customer acquisition tool.

STATS: 2022 Omnichannel and Fulfillment Benchmark Report: Stores Become Last Mile Staging Grounds as Retailers Pursue Convenience

December 23, 2022 | Retail TouchPoints

One of the major stories of the past several years is the rise of social commerce, where 60% of retailers have seen revenue rise somewhat or significantly. This isn’t coming at the expense of more traditional channels, either — 65% of companies reported growth through their own...

  • One of the major stories of the past several years is the rise of social commerce, where 60% of retailers have seen revenue rise somewhat or significantly. This isn’t coming at the expense of more traditional channels, either — 65% of companies reported growth through their own corporate sites.
  • Stores are continuing their role as important last mile staging points, but the share of retailers using distribution centers as the last location prior to delivery dropped to 31% from 49%
  • Loyalty programs and multiple fulfillment options were key omnichannel branding strategies, selected as being among the top differentiators by 43% and 42% of respondents, respectively.
  • Turning to marketplaces is a way for retailers to bolster their customers base — 49% of marketplace-using respondents noted that participating in one led to greater exposure for the brand
  • A majority of retailers, 58%, cited rising shipping costs as a key challenge, which has led to experimentation with a variety of solutions
  • Managing returns is a recurring challenge that can cut into omnichannel profits, and 58% of respondents noted that the costs associated with handling returns is top-of-mind
  • The inflationary environment also has made the bottom line a key concern, and maximizing the value of the brick-and-mortar store footprint (34%) is one way omnichannel operations can improve profitability. Retailers also are looking to build on their recent ecommerce growth (33%) and make their fulfillment services more cost-effective (29%)
  • Nearly half (47%) of respondents cited improved customer service as one of the most valuable ways that omnichannel has improved their business. The technology also has helped with benefits as varied as marketing effectiveness (37%) and inventory optimization (36%)
  • One-third (33%) of respondents saw increased customer engagement with their brands as a result of their omnichannel strategy, while 26% experienced improved loyalty and customer retention
  • Convenience also is a common theme, as seen in the number of retailers that cited free shipping (32%) and cross-channel inventory availability (31%). Some of the more cutting edge technologies in use include digital goods and skins (20%), gaming and metaverse experiences (14%) and livestreaming (12%)
  • Commitment to sustainable practices was among the top components of an omnichannel brand strategy at 31%, and there are a number of paths retailers can take to achieving this goal. The most common strategy was encouraging scheduled or consolidated deliveries (41%), which also makes sense given the current economic pressures — it carries the benefit of reducing overhead costs. Another 32% are utilizing batch processing to reduce the number of deliveries
  • 38% of respondents are investing in sustainable sourcing and product development. Third parties also are playing a role, with 29% of retailers turning to sustainable packaging services as a way to reduce their impact on the planet
  • 29% of respondents noted that their customers already seek them in these places. Marketplaces also offer new opportunities for retailers to gather data (28%) and help reduce some of the logistical effort of the last mile (28%)
  • McKinsey reported the following benefits from apparel retailers that implemented analytics applications:
    • Growth in sales (4%-5%);
    • Growth in digital sales through marketing and personalization (30%);
    • Decreased inventory costs (10%-15%); 
    • Decreased churn among high-performing staff (50%).
  • The most common solutions were hiring dedicated staff for product picking (65% use now, with 20% planning to add in the next 12 months) and setting aside dedicated space for order prep (60% use now, 24% plan to add). These are up slightly from 2021 levels, when 60% of retailers had dedicated staff and 53% had dedicated space.
  • Many retailers also use third-party picking services such as Instacart — 45% do so currently and 21% plan to add this capability. Usage of these companies was much higher than last year, when just 22% used them and 23% were planning to tap into their services in the future
  • Notably, many orders are being fulfilled in ways other than delivery. Only 25% of respondents said that 51% or more of their products were delivered to homes or offices (versus picked up or purchased in-store or at curbside). Nearly one quarter (23%) of retailers said they deliver less than 10% of purchases.
  • The most significant last mile challenge cited by retailers was rising shipping costs, at 58% — unsurprising given inflationary pressure but lower than the 68% that cited it in 2021. The management of delivery and fulfillment logistics also was a major concern at 46%, down from 64% last year
  • A full 40% of retailers cited customer expectations around free and low-cost shipping as one of their top challenges, and another 38% felt the same pressure around delivery times.
  • Third parties can help retailers alleviate some of these pressures. The most commonly used options were courier services such as FedEx (45%), thirdparty delivery partners such as DoorDash (29%) and drop shipping items directly from the supplier (26%).
  • The two biggest technology solutions selected by retailers were transportation management solutions (used by 41% of retailers, with 24% planning to adopt within 12 months) and route optimization systems (used by 40% of respondents, with 24% planning to adopt). Both of these technologies saw significant upticks from last year’s survey — usage of transportation management is up from 30% in 2021, and usage of route optimization is up from 20%.
  • Returns represent a growing challenge, but retailers are working to keep them to a minimum. More than half (51%) of respondents reported a return percentage under 10%, while 21% said they experienced return rates ranging from 10% to 20%, and another 21% saw 21% to 30% return rates
  • The costs of shipping and handling returns was the most common challenge cited by retailer respondents, at 58%, followed by the cost of inspecting returned items and reintegrating them into sellable inventory, at 53%, and the cost and logistics of providing refunds at 45%. The need to minimize fraudulent returns also represented a challenge for 46% of retailers.

STATS: How Retailers Can Optimize the Employee and Customer Experience with Inventory, Task Management and Clienteling Tools

December 21, 2022 | Retail TouchPoints

According to the Retail TouchPoints 2022 Benchmark Survey — Connectivity, Community and Collaboration: Inside the New Era of Store Design, 71% of the 150 retailers surveyed are focused on rethinking their front-of-house store technologies. Among respondents to the 2022 Retail...

  • According to the Retail TouchPoints 2022 Benchmark Survey — Connectivity, Community and Collaboration: Inside the New Era of Store Design, 71% of the 150 retailers surveyed are focused on rethinking their front-of-house store technologies. 
  • Among respondents to the 2022 Retail TouchPoints Store Operations Benchmark Survey, more than half said the time their associates spent fulfilling online orders had increased compared to 2021: 21% said it increased significantly and 32% said it increased somewhat.
  • According to the 2022 Retail Report by KPMG and Adyen, 65% of consumers in the U.S. choose physical stores, compared to a global average of 59%, with 67% believing that brick-and-mortar remains a valuable touch point, including among shoppers who engage with the same brands digitally.

STATS: 2023 Trends: Let the Loyalty and CRM Experts Help You Get Ahead of Consumer Expectations

December 19, 2022 | The Lacek Group

69% of Americans are worried about a possible recession by the end of 2023.87% of shoppers surveyed say knowing they got a good deal is important to them when deciding which brand or retailer to buy from.61% of online shoppers consider their smartphone “very important” to in-store...

  • 69% of Americans are worried about a possible recession by the end of 2023.
  • 87% of shoppers surveyed say knowing they got a good deal is important to them when deciding which brand or retailer to buy from.
  • 61% of online shoppers consider their smartphone “very important” to in-store shopping.
  • 84% of Americans are shopping at any given time and in up to 6 different categories.
  • 77% of Gen Z consumers look for brands that align with their values.
  • 50% of respondents say the importance of brand values has increased in recent years.
  • 47.8 million resignations in 2021
  • By 2023, modern privacy regulations will cover the personal data of 65% of the global population—up from just 10% in 2020.

STATS: App Life Report 2022

December 13, 2022 | Measure

TikTok dominates time spent on apps: Users aged 16-25 are spending 12.4 hours per week on TikTok, far outpacing runners-up YouTube (5.8 hours) and Instagram (3.8 hours). In addition, 24% of users rank it as their top-used app overall. Women are using gaming apps, a lot: Overall, women and...

  • TikTok dominates time spent on apps: Users aged 16-25 are spending 12.4 hours per week on TikTok, far outpacing runners-up YouTube (5.8 hours) and Instagram (3.8 hours). In addition, 24% of users rank it as their top-used app overall. 
  • Women are using gaming apps, a lot: Overall, women and men are using gaming apps the same amount of time per week on average, but women (4.7 hours per week) are spending quite a bit more time than men (3.3 hours) using Roblox specifically. They are also driving 31% of the total items purchased within the app. 
  • Notification settings are key indicators of engagement: Community based messaging and gaming apps receive the highest number of notifications per week, with Messages (199), Snapchat (149) and Discord (134) out front. These numbers can help brands understand and define “priority engagement” among audience members.
  • Online shopping and purchase behavior: Seventy-seven percent of individuals are using Amazon for purchases, with the 16-25 age group showing significant continued interest in Shein (28%). Top in-app spends were logged in gaming apps, with Cognosphere, developers of the Genshin Impact game, realizing the highest average spend per user of $14.10.

STATS: 86% of Consumers Still Shopping Online at or Above Pre-Pandemic Levels

December 13, 2022 | Retail TouchPoints

86% of shoppers plan to shop the same or more online than they did pre-pandemic.The top categories for digital shoppers this year are expected to be fashion apparel (50%), consumer tech (39%) and groceries (36%).In fact, 54% of shoppers said they’re likely to look at a...

  • 86% of shoppers plan to shop the same or more online than they did pre-pandemic.
  • The top categories for digital shoppers this year are expected to be fashion apparel (50%), consumer tech (39%) and groceries (36%).
  • In fact, 54% of shoppers said they’re likely to look at a product online but buy it in-store, and another 53% like to browse products online before making the actual purchase in-store.
  • 42% of shoppers will exit a site with limited options
  • 35% turned off by restrictive return policies
  • Millenials (58%), Gen Xers (67%), Baby Boomers (75%), and Silent Generation (77%) stay loyal to the brands they liked in 2021

STATS: Inflation and Loyalty Programs: Why Loyalty Guests Keep Spending in Tough Economies

December 13, 2022 | Paytronix

The Loyalty Report 2022 from Paytronix showed that 55% of restaurant loyalty customers increased their average check size by more than the cost of menu items, indicating that inflation increased loyalty member visits.Remarkably, loyalty customers’ check size stayed above the rise in price...

  • The Loyalty Report 2022 from Paytronix showed that 55% of restaurant loyalty customers increased their average check size by more than the cost of menu items, indicating that inflation increased loyalty member visits.
  • Remarkably, loyalty customers’ check size stayed above the rise in price throughout the pandemic until prices rose nearly 70%, at which point check sizes finally dropped below the price increase.
  •  Since January of 2020, both restaurants and convenience stores have seen their loyalty member check sizes rise almost perfectly in line with inflation.
  • In particular, convenience store in-store loyalty checks have eclipsed inflation, showing the value of an in-store loyalty program for convenience stores.
  • Restaurant loyalty check sizes have grown in lockstep with price inflation, indicating that loyalty programs mitigate the effects of rising prices for their members.
     

STATS: 2022 Global Customer Loyalty Report

December 07, 2022 | Antavo

88.5% of respondents trust loyalty programs to help them overcome the inflation crisis and potential recession67.7% of respondents plan to increase or significantly increase their investments in customer retention80.0% of companies that measure the ROI of their loyalty programs reported a...

  • 88.5% of respondents trust loyalty programs to help them overcome the inflation crisis and potential recession
  • 67.7% of respondents plan to increase or significantly increase their investments in customer retention
  • 80.0% of companies that measure the ROI of their loyalty programs reported a positive ROI with on average 4.9x more revenue than their expenses
  • 78.6% of respondents with an existing loyalty program are likely to revamp their program, a seven percentage point increase over last year
  • The average annual spend of members who redeem personalized offers is 4.5X higher than those who have never taken advantage of such offers
  • 60.5% of respondents increased the62.1% of respondents said their loyalty program helped to keep customers engaged during the Covid-19 crisis
  • 62.1% of respondents said their loyalty program helped to keep customers engaged during the Covid-19 crisis
  • Of the total respondents, 55.9% envision the role of customer loyalty as essential or very valuable to overcome the inflation crisis and a potential recession. The second largest segment, 32.6% of respondents, rated customer loyalty as somewhat important.
  • In total, it can be said that 88.5% of respondents trust customer loyalty initiatives to help them overcome the inflation crisis and potential recession.
  • The majority, 67.7%, plan to increase or significantly increase their investments in customer retention during the inflation crisis and potential recession. On the other hand, only 29.8% of total respondents plan to increase or significantly increase their investments in customer acquisition during the inflation crisis and potential recession.
  • When asked about plans to revamp their loyalty programs, 78.6% of respondents with an existing loyalty program reported that they are likely or very likely to revamp or make significant changes to their loyalty program in the next three years.
  • 55.8% of program owners are satisfied or very satisfied with their loyalty program, claiming that their existing rewards program contributes to sales, delivers great ROI, and is popular among customers. This number is significant, considering that last year, 56.0% of program owners said the same.
  • It was found that the average annual spend of members who redeem personalized offers is 4.5X higher than those who have never taken advantage of personalized offers
  • On average, 16.2 people are actively involved in loyalty program management
  • In Antavo’s Global Customer Loyalty Report 2022, companies offering a loyalty program reported allocating 22.8% of their total marketing budget to loyalty program management and CRM. According to this year’s survey, companies offering a loyalty program dedicate 28.2% of their total marketing budget to customer loyalty program management and CRM—a 5.4 percentage point year-over-year increase.
  • 67.7% of companies plan to increase or significantly increase their investments in customer retention over the inflation crisis and potential recession.

STATS: 2023 Marketing Trends

December 01, 2022 | Meltwater

Despite some pessimism over pace, social commerce is here to stay, with sales projected to hit $1.2 trillion (accounting for 16.7% of all e-commerce sales) by 2025.A 2022 Business Disability Forum survey of disabled consumers found that 42% of respondents couldn’t complete an online...

  • Despite some pessimism over pace, social commerce is here
    to stay, with sales projected to hit $1.2 trillion (accounting
    for 16.7% of all e-commerce sales) by 2025.
  • A 2022 Business Disability Forum survey of disabled
    consumers found that 42% of respondents couldn’t complete
    an online purchase because of inaccessible websites or apps.
    Forty-seven percent were unable to find information about a
    product’s accessibility features.
  • Influencer marketing has been a trend for the past several
    years, and it was estimated that 72.5% of marketers
    planned to increase their budget for influencer marketing in
    2022.
  • One stat from Shopify.com indicates that 48% of consumers are
    actually starting to distrust influencers due to a sort of fatigue
    with the amount of branded content they see on social media.

STATS: Cyber Monday is the New Black Friday for Restaurant Gift Cards

November 30, 2022 | Paytronix

For the full holiday weekend, overall gift card sales were mixed, with the number of cards sold down nearly 6.8% from 2021, even as the average dollar amount loaded per card rose 8.4%. Overall dollar sales increased 1.1% year over year from 2021 to 2022.Cyber Monday, however, has assumed the...

  • For the full holiday weekend, overall gift card sales were mixed, with the number of cards sold down nearly 6.8% from 2021, even as the average dollar amount loaded per card rose 8.4%. Overall dollar sales increased 1.1% year over year from 2021 to 2022.
  • Cyber Monday, however, has assumed the mantle as the day of choice to purchase gift cards, with overall card sales up nearly 13.8% and a whopping 17.9% rise in overall dollar sales from 2021. eGift drove much of this gain, with a 31% increase over 2021 for an overall dollar sales increase of nearly 50%.
  • That doesn’t mean Black Friday is entirely done, as the average amount loaded per card that day increased 18.6% year over year. 
  • The number of eGift cards sold during the first holiday sales weekend of 2022 doubled since 2019, demonstrating that the major shift happened during the pandemic.

STATS: TCN Consumer Survey Reveals Significant Increases in Brands Being Abandoned for Poor Customer Service

November 29, 2022 | businesswire

When asked their top three preferred methods of communication with a company's customer service department, the most chosen answer again this year was "talking to a live agent by phone," with 49% of respondents listing this option. Not far behind this option at 45% was "online...

  • When asked their top three preferred methods of communication with a company's customer service department, the most chosen answer again this year was "talking to a live agent by phone," with 49% of respondents listing this option. Not far behind this option at 45% was "online chat with a live agent."
  • According to the survey, 66% of Americans are likely to abandon a brand after a poor customer service experience. This is a significant jump compared to only 42% in the 2021 survey. When asked how likely they were to abandon a brand after poor experiences, 27% said "very likely," up from 16% last year, and 39% said "somewhat likely," up from 25% last year. On the flip side, only 4% responded that they were very unlikely to abandon a brand this year, a significant drop from 20% in 2021.
  • 71% of Americans are likely to endorse a brand when they have a positive encounter. When asked how likely they are to recommend a brand after a great customer service experience, 35% said "very likely," and 36% said "somewhat likely." Conversely, only 7% said they are unlikely to recommend a brand after such an experience, so the chances of being advocated for are in favor of the brand.
  • According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the projected average growth rate for all occupations from 2020 - 2030 is 8%, but when looking at customer service specifically, the estimated growth is actually -1%. Even so, customer service does seem to be improving in the eyes of consumers. According to the survey, half of Americans believe the coronavirus pandemic has positively impacted customer service. When asked how they think the pandemic impacted customer service in general, 20% responded "it made it significantly better;" 30% said "it made it slightly better;" and only 25% believe it has gotten worse. 25% stated that they saw no effect.
  • When asked if they have ever posted an online review about a poor customer service experience with a company, 50% said “yes,” up from 42% in 2021. The responses remained consistent across all age groups.
  • On the other hand, 55% of consumers stated that they had posted an online review about a great customer service experience. Last year, only 33% said they had posted positive reviews.
  • No one likes waiting on hold, but how long is too long? The average hold time in the 2022 survey was 14.6 minutes, which was down 16% from last year's average of 17.4 minutes. When asked the longest they have been on hold when calling a company's customer service department, 26% said "6-10 minutes;" 25% said "11-15 minutes;" and only 11% said "31 minutes or longer" compared to 23% selecting this option last year.
  • When asked which companies offer the best customer service, the industry that was named the most often was cable & wireless, with 22% of respondents calling these brands out. This is a significant improvement from last year when only 7% of consumers chose companies in this industry.
  • 47% of respondents stated that they are likely to answer a call from an unknown number in this year's survey compared to only 42% last year. On the flip side, only 33% are unlikely to pick up the call, much less than the 50% in 2021 who would rather hit the side button.
  • When asked how satisfied or dissatisfied they are when using a self-service option, 65% said they are either "extremely satisfied" or "somewhat satisfied," while only 12% stated dissatisfaction.
  • 55% of consumers said they are satisfied when using online chatbots to resolve a customer service issue.
  • When asked how satisfied or dissatisfied they were when contacting healthcare organizations, 59% were satisfied, a 5% drop from 64% stating satisfaction in 2021. When asked how satisfied or dissatisfied they were when contacting financial institutions, 60% were satisfied compared to 68% last year.
  • An agent's ability to solve a customer's issue is critical, especially for the 52% of consumers who chose this as a top-three quality of a customer service agent. Equally important is getting the customer through to the right agent; when asked what is most important when contacting a company's customer service department, 48% chose "easy to get through to a live agent."
  • When asked what best describes the biggest frustration(s) when calling a company’s customer service department for the second year in a row, the most chosen answer was “waiting on hold for a long time and then getting disconnected and having to start all over again.” 50% of respondents chose this answer this year, a slight drop from 68% in 2021, but still the most common response.

STATS: Gen Z vs Millennials: Youth Metaverse & NFT Report

November 21, 2022 | Knit

American Zs are social and environmental idealists, glued to their screens, and have a collective estimated buying power of $150 Billion (and counting).The data was a bit eye-opening! 39% of all Gen Z and Millennial respondents spent more than a couple of hours a day gaming in the Metaverse,...

  • American Zs are social and environmental idealists, glued to their screens, and have a collective estimated buying power of $150 Billion (and counting).
  • The data was a bit eye-opening! 39% of all Gen Z and Millennial respondents spent more than a couple of hours a day gaming in the Metaverse, the most of any category. Gaming also had the highest daily usage (tied with Music and Fitness) at 24% of these populations.
  • A few spaces that were a little lagging? Healthcare and Real Estate. They each had the lowest rate of usage across both generations with 33% of respondents saying they “never” engage with those sectors of the Metaverse.
  • It is, of course, worth noting that the youngest of the groups (surprisingly, the group that’s most ingrained in the digital world) were the most skeptical of the Metaverse, with 24% saying they aren’t sure about the Metaverse’s impact on society and an additional 4% believing it will bring about a negative impact.
  • Overall, both Gen Z and Millennials believe that the future of the Metaverse will primarily become a space for self expression (75%) and a place to hang with friends and family (74%).
  • Each idea took precedence over potential futures of “adventure” (69%) and work (58%) through the digital world. And trailing right behind each of those is a world that’s being realized today, virtual shopping (55%).
  • However, we did notice that Millennials were significantly more receptive to brands entering the Metaverse at a whopping 98% rate – versus 92% of Zillennials and 86% of younger Gen Z’s.
  • Similarly to these generations’ use cases, brands with high entertainment values were most desired to been seen in the Metaverse. Industries like music (72%), sports (64%), and virtual events (63%) were among the top listed.

STATS: Building a Marketing & Personalization Tech Stack: Platforms and Tools Driving Acquisition and Retention

November 21, 2022 | Retail TouchPoints

By 2024, all major web browsers will have phased out third-party cookies. In fact, the U.S. ad industry has already lost “approximately 50% to 60% of the signal fidelity from third-party identifiers,” according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB).Nearly 50% of senior marketing...

  • By 2024, all major web browsers will have phased out third-party cookies. In fact, the U.S. ad industry has already lost “approximately 50% to 60% of the signal fidelity from third-party identifiers,” according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB).
  • Nearly 50% of senior marketing executives in a recent survey by Lytics said they anticipate a large financial impact on marketing ROI as a result of the end of third-party cookies, driven in large part by marketers’ over-reliance on the tracking tool. In fact, 86% of marketing decision makers surveyed by Lytics said their current digital marketing and advertising is reliant on third-party cookies, while 52% of retailers said they were completely reliant on them.
  • Taking this critical step to optimize your tech ecosystem can have a huge impact on business performance, said Zawacki: “On average our retail clients have about 15 ecosystem partners that make up their world, and they’re activating programs across about 14 different channels,” he said. “Think about the moving pieces of all that. 
  • Lytics’ survey found that 57% of C-level marketers expect they are going to have to use new systems or software as they move into the post-cookie future.
  • . Personalization technologies are one of the hottest areas of investment among brands and retailers, according to Forrester’s Retail Trailblazers report, driven in part by the fact that the majority of customers (52%) now expect offers to always be personalized, according to Salesforce.
  • An Advanis survey commissioned by Adobe found that organizations that personalize their messaging see an ROI of 20X for every dollar spent, and personalization has also been found to improve customer loyalty, retention and conversion rates.
  • “In Google within programmatic we’ve seen the cost of advertising year over year is up 75%, in Meta it’s up 61%, in TikTok it’s up 185%,” said Wilson.

STATS: How Self-Service Can Drive Down Costs and Improve Customer Experience

November 18, 2022 | CXDNA Update

Two-thirds of customers say valuing their time is the most important thing a company can do to provide good service. 94% of customers intend to repurchase after a low-effort interaction, compared to 4% of customers who will repurchase after a high-effort interaction.Live support channels...

  • Two-thirds of customers say valuing their time is the most important thing a company can do to provide good service. 
  • 94% of customers intend to repurchase after a low-effort interaction, compared to 4% of customers who will repurchase after a high-effort interaction.
  • Live support channels, such as phone, email, or live chat, cost an average of $8.01 per contact. But self-service channels cost $0.10 per contact.
  • Since 2019, chatbot usage has increased 92%, making it the fastest-growing customer service channel.
  • The chatbot has an 11% higher conversion rate for appointments compared to other booking channels.
  • The demand for resource libraries is growing—research from Forrester found that customers prefer knowledge bases over all other self-service channels. 92% of customers would use a knowledge base for self-service if it were available.
  • 83% of consumers say they would use an online community for self-service if it were available.

STATS: Email Marketing Best Practices: A Guide to Creating and Implementing Successful Email Campaigns

November 18, 2022 | Phaedon

With privacy changes and the limitation of third-party cookies, first-party data gains increasing importance for brands. Email has a high level of return on investment (ROI)—it generates $42 for every $1 spent1 —and is exceptionally agile since campaigns are quick to deploy and adopt...

  • With privacy changes and the limitation of third-party cookies, first-party data gains increasing importance for brands. Email has a high level of return on investment (ROI)—it generates $42 for every $1 spent1 —and is exceptionally agile since campaigns are quick to deploy and adopt.2 It’s no secret that email is a vital marketing tool that’s here to stay.
  • Global email volume rose by 82% from 2019 to 2021 as COVID-19 drove millions of traditionally offline consumers online.
  • In 2022, people watched online video content for an average of more than 2.5 hours per day, up from 1.5 hours on average in 2018.
  • Pay special attention to mobile design—41% of email views come from mobile devices, followed by 39% from desktop

STATS: The New World of Consumer Behavior: Retail 2022-2023

November 15, 2022 | RetailWire

The good news first. Consumers want to shop, and as they look towards the 2022 holiday season, they have no plans to hold back, even when compared to 2021. In fact, more than 75% of shoppers reported that they plan to spend at least the same amount in 2022 as they did in 2021, with 30% saying...

  • The good news first. Consumers want to shop, and as they look towards the 2022 holiday season, they have no plans to hold back, even when compared to 2021. In fact, more than 75% of shoppers reported that they plan to spend at least the same amount in 2022 as they did in 2021, with 30% saying they plan to spend even more
  • This is despite consumer fears about the economy, including recession, inflation, and other post-pandemic jitters. Only 14% of shoppers said that the state of the economy doesn’t concern them or affect their shopping plans.
  • Older shoppers (age > 60) do plan on cutting back a little more this year (24% plan on spending “a little less” or “a lot less”) when compared to the average. On the other hand, only 17% of younger shoppers (age 18-29) plan on cutting back. Interestingly, it is also older shoppers who are the least concerned about the economy, with 26% stating that the economy concerns them “not at all.”
  • Increasing economic uncertainty has led to shoppers who are more price sensitive and keen to review and try products first, but also more on the hunt for deals or alternative purchasing options, such as buy-now-pay-later (BNPL). In fact, 22% of shoppers reported using BNPL options to offset economic worries and jump on good deals and products.
  • 88% of shoppers reported that the internet played some role in the shopping experience, with the remaining 12% shopping exclusively in stores.
  • Only 19% of shoppers ignored brick-and-mortar stores, opting to exclusively shop for products online.
  • What remains is the vast majority of shoppers (69%) who combine the two channels in a myriad of different ways, and often not in a consistent manner. Although nearly 70% of shoppers find and shop for products online, 60% of shoppers also find and shop for products in stores. There is a clear overlap between the two.
  • 43% of shoppers said they’re motivated to go into a store because they simply enjoy the shopping experience.
  • With the exception of the move to online shopping, most shoppers report making only slight adjustments for Covid-19 when shopping in stores. About 40% of shoppers either use hand sanitizer, wear a mask, or do their shopping online as a result. 35% of shoppers plan for shorter in-store trips as well.
  • Shoppers in both the 45-60 and 60+ groups reported fewer deterrents to all kinds of shopping–both in-store and online. For example, only 34% of adults 60+ found shopping in stores stressful, compared to 57% of adults 18-29. They also reported making fewer adjustments due to Covid-19. In fact, 22% of respondents in that age group reported making no adjustments at all due to Covid-19, compared to 16% for the average.
  • 63% of shoppers reported that they visit stores more often when they are a part of that store’s loyalty program or credit card.
  • Shoppers report that apps are nice-to-have and not requirements, but that they are very nice to have. Even though 32% of shoppers reported that apps have no bearing on whether they shop at a store, more than 50% of shoppers prefer stores that do have apps. A small number of shoppers (14%) said they only shop at stores that have apps.
  • The exception to this trend falls along generational lines. Older shoppers were more likely to strongly disagree with the self-checkout experience being enjoyable (29%, compared to 12% on average). They were even more likely to strongly disagree with mobile checkout being enjoyable (43%, compared to 17% on average) and mobile checkout, and 59% said they don’t care at all for apps.
  • Consumers are looking towards the holiday season, and many shoppers want to shop early. As many as 30% of shoppers planned to start shopping before November 1, and 43% planned to start before Black Friday. The two biggest factors are consumers’ desire to have more time to find bargain deals, and concern over potential shipping delays.
  • Big box stores in particular look to benefit from this year’s holiday rush. Almost 70% of shoppers said they plan to do their holiday shopping at big box stores (such as Target, Walmart, Big W, and others). Also near the top for shoppers are warehouse stores (31%), shopping malls (38%), and department stores (39%). Although shoppers are looking for good deals, only a small percentage of shoppers say they will specifically go to discount stores to do their holiday shopping (20%) or outlet stores (25%).
  • Shoppers in Australia were less concerned with using coupons to find deals (31.8%), compared to the US (55%), due to a relatively greater focus on Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping in Australia.

STATS: Unleash the Power of Acquisition Email: Market Research

November 15, 2022 | Data Axle

77% of marketers believe that an acquisition campaign delivers higher ROI when it includes acquisition email.28% don’t use acquisition email because they are unsure if it’s compliant with consumer privacy laws and guidelines.58% of marketers would use acquisition email if...

  • 77% of marketers believe that an acquisition campaign delivers higher ROI when it includes acquisition email.
  • 28% don’t use acquisition email because they are unsure if it’s compliant with consumer privacy laws and guidelines.
  • 58% of marketers would use acquisition email if their vendor could prove the emails are privacy-compliant.
  • 90% of the marketers we surveyed noted acquisition as a priority within their efforts.
  • 94% of marketers say they’re using email marketing to engage with existing customers, with 28% saying it’s not working well. By comparison, 86% of marketers are using email tactics to acquire new customers—with a full third (32%) of marketers saying it’s not working well for them.
  • Only 59% of marketers say they are familiar with acquisition email as a way of emailing contacts who are not currently opted into their CRM system.
  • Only 36% of marketers say they’ve leveraged acquisition email for their campaigns within the last month; 28% say they’ve either never used acquisition email or haven’t used it in more than a year.
  • More than a quarter (28%) of marketers surveyed said they had not used acquisition email recently because they didn’t believe it was compliant.
  • According to our survey, a surprising 39% of marketers who are using acquisition email are employing it as the former—a tactic that exists on its own island vs. an integrated piece of a larger campaign that includes display, social media, paid search and other channels.
  • While marketers generally recognize email as one of the most cost-effective channels, 9% of marketers we surveyed said they hadn’t used acquisition email because it was too expensive.
  • According to our survey, 24% of marketers say that they have used acquisition email before but did not achieve good results.
  • For the 28% of marketers who haven’t used acquisition email recently due to compliance concerns, there’s good news: acquisition email is not spam. It’s not a black-hat tactic or a bad user experience. It is, in fact, 100% compliant with today’s privacy regulations, so long as marketers work with reputable partners who ensure that the contacts used for acquisition campaigns have opted-in to receive third-party solicitations.
  • According to Data Axle’s recent survey, more than three-quarters (77%) of marketers believe that an acquisition campaign delivers higher ROI when it includes acquisition email.
  • As we learned through our survey, compliance is of utmost importance to marketers when it comes to acquisition email. In fact, 58% of marketers said that they would be open to using acquisition email if their vendor could provide proof its data is compliant. Indeed, this should be table stakes for any email deployment.
  •  When it comes to email, it pays to look beyond basic off-the-shelf audience options—and marketers know it. According to our research, 50% of marketers would use acquisition email if their vendor could build targeted audiences for them.

STATS: OTT-based Conversational Commerce Spend to Surpass $25 Billion in 2023, as Retail & eCommerce Sectors Drive Usage

November 14, 2022 | Juniper Research

A new study by Juniper Research has found the global spend for conversational commerce over OTT channels, including WhatsApp or WeChat, will rise from $13.3 billion in 2022 to $25.1 billion in 2023.​This growth of 89% will be driven by verticals such as retail and eCommerce, which provide...

  • A new study by Juniper Research has found the global spend for conversational commerce over OTT channels, including WhatsApp or WeChat, will rise from $13.3 billion in 2022 to $25.1 billion in 2023.
  • ​This growth of 89% will be driven by verticals such as retail and eCommerce, which provide increased online presence and product availability as retailers refine their online customer experience.
  • The new research found eCommerce and retail will account for over 35% of spend via OTT conversational commerce channels in 2023; accounting for $9 billion of spend globally.

STATS: Perforce Research Finds 68% of Online Shoppers Have Felt Like Throwing Their Phone Against the Wall When a Shopping App Crashes

November 14, 2022 | Perforce Software

 Perforce Software, a provider of solutions to enterprise teams requiring productivity, visibility, and scale along the development cycle, released its Black Friday Consumer Report, revealing that 85% of consumers shop online or via a mobile app, with 59% using these digital channels as...

  •  Perforce Software, a provider of solutions to enterprise teams requiring productivity, visibility, and scale along the development cycle, released its Black Friday Consumer Report, revealing that 85% of consumers shop online or via a mobile app, with 59% using these digital channels as their primary holiday shopping channel. 
  • According to the findings, the top three reasons consumers shop online or on mobile apps are for convenience (79%), followed by shopping for the best deal (66%), and for the number of options available to them (54%). 
  • Over a quarter of consumers (78%) have thought about taking their business elsewhere if a shopping app crashes on them or is slow to load when navigating; and only six percent will stay loyal to a brand after a crash occurs. Further, 31% believe these channels should never crash, 15% expect crashes to be fixed within seconds, and 28% expect fixes within minutes to keep them shopping on the same app or site. The survey also found that 68% of consumers have even wanted to throw their phone against the wall when a shopping app crashes.
  • When asked about the top features consumers expect when shopping online or via a mobile app, respondents focused on several areas that impact the user experience:
    • 59%: Safe and secure checkouts.
    • 58%: Accurate stock and having cart items remain in stock.
    • 47%: Accurate coupon codes—a functional feature that could also impact a brand's bottom line if it's incorrectly higher than intended.
    • 47%: Page and image load time.
    • 45%: Consistency across devices, browsers and platforms.

STATS: Turn Today’s Shopping Trends Into Tomorrow’s Shopping Triumphs

November 11, 2022 | Retail TouchPoints

We predict online sales in November and December will reach $1.12 trillion worldwide and $265 billion in the U.S. While these are big numbers, they’re not an increase over 2021. Sales will dip 2% globally but increase 3% in the U.S. Online sales will remain well above pre-pandemic levels...

  • We predict online sales in November and December will reach $1.12 trillion worldwide and $265 billion in the U.S. While these are big numbers, they’re not an increase over 2021. Sales will dip 2% globally but increase 3% in the U.S. Online sales will remain well above pre-pandemic levels with a 55% global and 61% U.S. three-year sales increase compared to 2019. 
  •  Online prices worldwide will grow 7% compared to 2021 and 15% compared to 2020. As a result of rising prices, consumers will place 7% fewer orders compared to the 2021 holiday season (5% fewer in the U.S.). 
  • Our research shows that 10% (approximately $14T) of retailer profits are at risk because rising costs are outpacing what can realistically be passed on to consumers. In light of this, we predict that 22% more customer service sessions will be aided by bots as companies turn to automation to ease margin pressure.
  • Our research shows that 42% of holiday shoppers will start early due to rising prices. We predict 29% of those holiday sales will occur in November, three weeks before Cyber Week even begins (5% higher than 2021). 
  • Sustainability is winning over consumers as 60% say they will seek out sustainable products and shipping options this holiday season. However, only 23% of brands and retailers are ready to deliver.

STATS: Combining your EX and CX to fuel business growth

November 10, 2022 | Qualtrics XM

Happy customers spend 37% moreRecognized technicians are 9x more likely to resolve issues in a single visitBusinesses that have mature CX and EX realize +2x revenue growth

  • Happy customers spend 37% more
  • Recognized technicians are 9x more likely to resolve issues in a single visit
  • Businesses that have mature CX and EX realize +2x revenue growth

STATS: Retail’s 2022 Holiday Season Outlook

November 09, 2022 | RetailWire

At least 40% of retailers plan to hire seasonal store employees for the holidaysHOWEVER… 33% plan to scale back hiring for the remainder of the year, and 19% say when a full-time employee quits, they’re not replaced.More than a quarter say hiring freezes are likely (26%) and are...

  • At least 40% of retailers plan to hire seasonal store employees for the holidays
  • HOWEVER… 33% plan to scale back hiring for the remainder of the year, and 19% say when a full-time employee quits, they’re not replaced.
  • More than a quarter say hiring freezes are likely (26%) and are taking steps now to proactively reduce headcount in stores (26%).
  • 1 in 5 retailers say holiday sales will be slimmed down compared to last year due to inflation
  • 82% of retailers are concerned about the potential for burnout among store staff (A small decline from 88% in 2021)
  • 22% of retailers provide mental health resources to store employees
  • Although some agree “retail rage” declined in 2022, nearly a quarter (23%) have seen no change year over year and 13% think shopper behaviors have gotten worse.
  • The majority (82%) of retailers are concerned about understaffing in the upcoming season. The labor struggle is real, and retailers are questioning whether people even want to work in retail these days.
  • 63% of retailers agree: “People don’t want to work in retail anymore.” (An improvement from 73% in 2021)
  • 43% of retailers conversely said EXCESS INVENTORY is a top challenge today, and 28% said inventory levels are up year over year.
  • Almost all retailers (95%) expect stores will struggle with understaffing at least once a week and are braced for the weekends to be especially hard hit. Nearly 3 in 4 (72%) go so far as to say their staffing challenges will directly impact customer experience during peak season — and retailers with less than 500 employees are least optimistic (34% strongly agree vs. 23% of retailers with 500+ employees).
  • 36% of retailers say “Our stores altered business hours in 2022 due to insufficient staffing.
  • 30% OF RETAIL STORES will open on Thanksgiving Day, and 45% will offer in-store exclusive Black Friday deals to attract shoppers the day after
  • 88% OF RETAILERS EXPECT more holiday foot traffic in stores this year than last, while 85% predict an uptick on Black Friday
  • Fewer than 2 in 5 retailers (37%) use software technology to optimize labor in stores
  • ONLY 12% OF RETAILERS surveyed do not offer same-day delivery as 88% say it’s available in at least some locations
  • For the holiday season, 44% will recruit dedicated seasonal staff to pack and ship online orders from stores, while 32% say store associates might even deliver online orders themselves.
  • Almost all retailers (98%) allow customers to pick up online purchases in-store—at least at some locations, if not all. Two-thirds (67%) have rolled out a BOPIS* strategy across their entire retail footprint.
  • Availability of curbside continues to grow. After nearly doubling from 2019 to 2020, a record-high number of retailers now offer curbside pickup in time for the holiday season.
  • More than half of retailers (51%) will cross-skill store employees to handle multiple roles and take on any task.
  • ONLY 41% OF RETAILERS let store employees self-schedule and choose their own shifts
  • ONLY 30% OF RETAILERS give employees flexibility to work at more than one location or brand
  • ONLY 14% OF RETAILERS base staff schedules on employee availability and preferences
  • More than a third of retailers (36%) said goodbye to a store manager in August 2022, and 17% said managers quit at least once a week. We asked why, and retailers revealed store managers’ top reasons when quitting. (Surprise: pay isn’t a top factor!)

STATS: 2022 Holiday Travel Outlook

November 08, 2022 | Hopper

More than half of Americans plan to travel for one or both of the holidays this year, with 70% of travelers planning to visit friends and family. Though at least 30% of travelers plan to fly this holiday season, two thirds name finding good prices a primary consideration as they solidify...

  • More than half of Americans plan to travel for one or both of the holidays this year, with 70% of travelers planning to visit friends and family. 
  • Though at least 30% of travelers plan to fly this holiday season, two thirds name finding good prices a primary consideration as they solidify holiday plans.
  •  Travelers who start planning their holiday trips with Hopper early have historically saved as much as 18% off domestic airfare and 15% off international airfare for Thanksgiving and Christmas. With this years’ airfares higher than ever before, those savings could come to $60-$80 off domestic flights and $120-$195 off international flights.
  • Save as much as $300 off peak airfare by flying on less popular dates before and after each holiday week. 
  • This year Hopper expects most travelers will pay $350 per ticket for a good deal domestic Thanksgiving flight. Airfares will be 22% higher than in 2019, and 43% higher than last year. Fares for Thanksgiving peaked at over $400 in August, but have fallen ~9% into September as they do each year and will remain at the current level until mid to late October. 
  • International airfare is currently averaging $795 per ticket this Thanksgiving, up 25% compared to 2019 and up 41% compared to last year. 
  • Good deal airfare for Christmas this year is averaging $463 per ticket as of mid September. Airfares are currently averaging 31% higher than in 2019, and 39% higher than last year.  Fares for Christmas rose until they reached over $500 in August, but have fallen 3% - 5% into September as they do each year. 
  • International airfare has risen to $1,300 per ticket this year, an increase of 26% compared to 2019, and 20% compared to 2018.
  • Save 12% or $100 on average off peak airfare by flying the day before Thanksgiving (11/23) for international destinations.  Save 17% or $162 on average off airfare by returning on Cyber Monday following the holiday.
  • With Christmas falling over a weekend this year, the bookend days (Thursday, Friday, Monday) will be the most expensive to fly, with airfare averaging well over $500 per domestic ticket. For flexible travelers, savings of 25% or $120+ off peak airfare are possible by flying on Monday or Tuesday ahead of Christmas weekend.
  • ​Today, about half of all bookings made for Christmas are for domestic trips, while closer to 60% of Thanksgiving trips are for domestic destinations. Typically travelers will book international flights earlier than domestic flights, so we expect by the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas to see closer to 70% - 80% of travelers staying domestic compared to 25% traveling internationally.
  • The most expensive night over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend is Saturday, November 25 at $212 per night. Americans that stay over the entire holiday weekend can expect to pay an average of $567 for a three stay night and an average of $779 for a four night stay.
  • The average nightly rate for a hotel stay over the Christmas holiday is currently $218 per night, an increase of 32% from Christmas last year.
  • Hotel rates increase in the days leading up to Christmas Eve and remain above an average of $230 per night through the following week. Americans that decide to stay from Christmas Eve through New Year’s Eve can expect to pay an average of $2,177 for their hotel stay.
  • Currently, car rentals are averaging $60 per day for Thanksgiving, with most travelers looking for longer rentals of ~5 days. Over Christmas, most travelers searching for car rentals are planning 7 day trips, with prices averaging $53 per day. 
 

STATS: Bridging the Gap Between Sales & Marketing

November 04, 2022 | DemandScience

Only 8% of B2B companies today have been able to successfully align sales and marketing teams.Sales and Marketing misalignment can cost companies more than 10% of their annual revenue.While 59% of survey respondents say MQLs are more actionable, 41% say...

  • Only 8% of B2B companies today have been able to successfully align sales and marketing teams.
  • Sales and Marketing misalignment can cost companies more than 10% of their annual revenue.
  • While 59% of survey respondents say MQLs are more actionable, 41% say SQLs pack a bigger punch 
  • 98% of sales and marketing teams want to collaborate more to fight competition.
  • 79% agree that sales reps are best fit to follow up on a lead.
  • In a recent Gartner report, analysts found 60% of B2B organizations fail to calculate the true cost of their bad data. But experts predict those same organizations lose as much as $12.9M per year, all thanks to bad data quality.
  • 21% of B2B marketers agree—one of the most detrimental consequences of Sales and Marketing misalignment is giving customers a poor impression of their company.
  • 93% of B2B companies said employees’ sense of belonging is the most significant driver of organizational performance.

STATS: The State of Content Marketing 2022 Global Report

November 03, 2022 | Semrush

Average monthly searches for “content marketing agency” fell from 5,400 to 1,90022% more people asked the question: “What is content marketing?”Average monthly searches for “content marketing strategy” fell by 33%“How to create content for affiliate...

  • Average monthly searches for “content marketing agency” fell from 5,400 to 1,900
  • 22% more people asked the question: “What is content marketing?”
  • Average monthly searches for “content marketing strategy” fell by 33%
  • “How to create content for affiliate marketing” saw a 366% increase on the previous year
  • Headings with “Guide” in the title attract three times more organic traffic than others, and those containing "how to” outperform by 1.5 times
  • Articles with seven or fewer words in their H1 get 36% more average organic traffic than those with 14 or more words
  • 47% of articles that have an advanced headings structure (H2 + H3 + H4) belong to the highest-performing organic content group
  • 39% of articles with no H2 are low-performing
  • Articles with one or two lists per 500 words get 68% more traffic than those with no lists
  • Articles with more than seven images generate 116% more organic traffic than those with none
  • Articles with videos get 83% more traffic than those without
  • Articles with more than three videos generated 55% more backlinks than those with none
  • Articles over 3,000 words get 138% more traffic than those with fewer than 500 words
  • 78% of articles with fewer than 500 words have not been shared
  • Whether a target topic is fully covered or not is key

STATS: Relationship Marketing: Drive revenue, create personalized experiences, and deliver a unique value exchange across the entire customer lifecycle

November 03, 2022 | Marigold Engage + by Marigold

SMS is a solid complement to email programs with open rates reaching as high as 98%According to Gartner, real-time offers and content can be 10x more effective than traditional outbound campaigns31% of consumers felt frustration when they received messaging that didn’t recognize their...

  • SMS is a solid complement to email programs with open rates reaching as high as 98%
  • According to Gartner, real-time offers and content can be 10x more effective than traditional outbound campaigns
  • 31% of consumers felt frustration when they received messaging that didn’t recognize their shopping history
  • 80% of consumers have a favorite brand because that brand provides a consistent customer experience
  • 74% of consumers have a favorite brand because that brand uses data responsibly, which makes them feel comfortable.
  • 33% of Genius Brands deliver experiential Loyalty compared to 23% of other brands

STATS: 71% OF SHOPPERS SAY THEY DISCOVER NEW PRODUCTS AND BRANDS IN CONVENIENCE STORES, CREATING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS BRANDS

November 03, 2022 | NCSolutions

62% visit a convenience store at least once a week91% of Gen Z says c-stores provide a good shopping experience49% of Gen Z shoppers have used a delivery service for convenience store shopping70% of c-store shoppers more likely to purchase items they've seen promoted on c-store social...

  • 62% visit a convenience store at least once a week
  • 91% of Gen Z says c-stores provide a good shopping experience
  • 49% of Gen Z shoppers have used a delivery service for convenience store shopping
  • 70% of c-store shoppers more likely to purchase items they've seen promoted on c-store social media
  • Seventy-nine percent of shoppers say the stores offer a lot of product variety, while 77% say c-stores provide a good shopping experience. Sixty-three percent see c-stores as delivering good value for their budgets.
  • They're also more likely to use a delivery service for c-store items, with almost half (49%) reporting they have used a service such as 7-NOW, Instacart, DoorDash, Uber and others. This is 96% higher than all Americans who reported using a delivery service (25%) for c-store shopping.
  • Americans visit convenience stores for various reasons, but the location is number one, cited by 65% of American consumers. Fifty-nine percent say convenience stores meet their immediate needs, while 54% like that they can conduct transactions quickly and be on their way.
  • ​Nearly one-third (30%) say price brings them into the store, while 28% enjoy the variety of products c-stores have to offer. Additionally, thirty-four percent shop at c-stores because they are less crowded.
  • More than two-thirds (67%) of Americans feed their sweet tooth with candy purchases from convenience stores, and many rely on c-stores as a place to quench their thirst. Fifty-seven percent of consumers said they purchase on-the-go drinks like coffee, tea, or fountain beverages at c-stores, while 40% buy milk, juice, and other staples. In addition, 32% pick up packaged beverages and 23% buy beer.
  • Beyond beverages, almost a third (30%) pick up prepared foods while in the store. Thirty-seven percent purchase lottery tickets.

STATS: 2023 GLOBAL CONSUMER TRENDS REPORT: The year businesses rediscover the human connection

November 03, 2022 | Qualtrics XM

Customers that rate an experience 5/5 stars are more than twice as likely to purchase from that company than those who rated it 1 or 2 starsBad digital experiences result in an 8% loss in revenueSome 36% of consumers said they were not satisfied with the levels of customer service they’d...

  • Customers that rate an experience 5/5 stars are more than twice as likely to purchase from that company than those who rated it 1 or 2 stars
  • Bad digital experiences result in an 8% loss in revenue
  • Some 36% of consumers said they were not satisfied with the levels of customer service they’d received, while more than half reported that when they’d raised a customer service issue, it went unresolved.
  • We know that 80% of customers say they’ll switch brands as a result of bad customer experience (and 43% will churn after just a single negative interaction).
  • 38% of consumers switched brands during the last recession in 2008/09
  • 63% of consumers say companies need to do a better job of listening to feedback
  • 36% of consumers are unhappy with the empathy shown in their customer service interactions

STATS: The State of Content Marketing 2022 Global Report

November 03, 2022 | Semrush

Average monthly searches for “content marketing agency” fell from 5,400 to 1,90022% more people asked the question: “What is content marketing?”Average monthly searches for “content marketing strategy” fell by 33%“How to create content for affiliate...

  • Average monthly searches for “content marketing agency” fell from 5,400 to 1,900
  • 22% more people asked the question: “What is content marketing?”
  • Average monthly searches for “content marketing strategy” fell by 33%
  • “How to create content for affiliate marketing” saw a 366% increase on the previous yea
  • 78% of companies that believe their content marketing was very successful in 2021 have a documented content marketing strategy
  • 53% of companies that didn’t have much success with content marketing in 2021 spent less than 5% of their marketing budget on content
  • 46% of companies that had highly successful content marketing this year increased their paid content promo budget in 2021
  • 59% of companies whose content marketing was unsuccessful in 2021 had no dedicated content marketing team or specialist
  • 46% of companies whose content marketing was unsuccessful in 2021 never run content audits

STATS: AMERICA@WORK: 2022 Report on the American Workforce

November 03, 2022 | Jobcase

39% say their take-home pay isn't enough to meet basic needs60% of employees report not having paid sick leaveONLY 34% feel confident they will be able to save enough for retirementONLY 32% say they have been offered opportunities for promotion70% OF AMERICANS identify...

  • 39% say their take-home pay isn't enough to meet basic needs
  • 60% of employees report not having paid sick leave
  • ONLY 34% feel confident they will be able to save enough for retirement
  • ONLY 32% say they have been offered opportunities for promotion
  • 70% OF AMERICANS identify inflation as the top problem America is facing
  • CEO salaries increased 15% MORE than the typical worker in 2019 and 2020
  • LESS THAN 40% of workers feel confident they can save for unexpected expenses.
  • ONLY 34% feel confident they can save enough money for retirement
  • About 40% of workers say their current wages are not keeping up with inflation
  • ONLY 26% of workers report receiving a raise due to inflation
  • 41% of skilled and hourly employees say they are more likely to consider joining a union now than 3 years ago
  • 70% of U.S. skilled and hourly workers would consider joining a union if given the chance
  • 68% of employees say they are likely to recommend a company to others if they know the company treats its employees well
  • 61% say they are likely to shop somewhere that is known for treating its employees well

STATS: National Restaurant Association 2022 Technology Survey Results

November 01, 2022 | Sage Intacct

According to Statista.com, the online food delivery market size worldwide is forecasted to jump from 107 billion USD in 2019 up to 154 billion USD in 2023, an 11.5% increase.The global interactive restaurant ordering kiosk market value reached 26.6 billion USD in 2020 and is predicted to continue...

  • According to Statista.com, the online food delivery market size worldwide is forecasted to jump from 107 billion USD in 2019 up to 154 billion USD in 2023, an 11.5% increase.
  • The global interactive restaurant ordering kiosk market value reached 26.6 billion USD in 2020 and is predicted to continue growing in the future, showing consumers’ growing positive sentiments towards contactless orders.
  • 45% of restaurants have adopted new technology and plan to continue to further business goals
  • 21% have considered adopting technologies in the future
  • 63% of respondents plan to invest in some form of technology in the next 12-24 months
  • . In the United States, the food delivery industry reached 18.5 billion USD in 2020.* By 2026, this figure is expected to hit 33.7 billion USD, a 10.5% continued annual growth rate.
  • 58% of respondents have connected their POS system to their accounting system, or plan to within the next 12 months
  • Cloud-based financial management software plays a role in efficiency: 56% are on QuickBooks, 23% use excel spreadsheets..yet 79% of respondents are still using QuickBooks or Excel Spreadsheets to manage their accounting and financials.

STATS: The Third-Party Data Deprecation Playbook

November 01, 2022 | blueconic

79% of marketers and publishers rely on third-party cookies to determine audience identity.49% - Nearly half of digital media professionals cite third-party cookie deprecation as one of their top three challenges in the next 12 months.In the last 12 months, fines imposed by European data...

  • 79% of marketers and publishers rely on third-party cookies to determine audience identity.
  • 49% - Nearly half of digital media professionals cite third-party cookie deprecation as one of their top three challenges in the next 12 months.
  • In the last 12 months, fines imposed by European data protection authorities topped €158.5 million ($192 million)

STATS: 2022 Holiday Trends Guide: What Shoppers Will Buy This Holiday Season

October 31, 2022 | INMAR Intelligence

CUSTOM SURVEY DATA -- 1,000 U.S. SHOPPER RESPONDENTS AGES 16-24 - 12%, AGES 25-34 - 21%, AGES 35-44 - 33%This year, consumers will be shopping for: Friends - 78%, My Family - 44%, Children (mine or others') - 43%, Myself - 42%, My Partner's Family - 29%, Work Colleagues - 15%, Service...

  • CUSTOM SURVEY DATA -- 1,000 U.S. SHOPPER RESPONDENTS
    • AGES 16-24 - 12%, AGES 25-34 - 21%, AGES 35-44 - 33%
  • This year, consumers will be shopping for:
    • Friends - 78%, My Family - 44%, Children (mine or others') - 43%, Myself - 42%, My Partner's Family - 29%, Work Colleagues - 15%, Service Provider - 8%
  • Spending in the lowest range, $0 to $199, sees a nearly 5% increase since last year
  • 83% of shoppers feel the products they normally purchase for the holidays have increased in price. That's a 5% increase compared to the 2022 back-to-school season.
  • 64% of shoppers will complete half or more of their holiday shopping on Black Friday or Cyber Monday.
  • 17% will complete ALL of their holiday shopping on Black Friday
  • 10% will complete ALL of their holiday shopping on Cyber Monday.
  • 42% of shoppers will shop in-store and online equally for the holidays.
    • 27% will shop more in-store
    • 31% ill shop more online
  • 64% of consumers will adjust how they shop in response to inflation and price increases.
  • 88% of shoppers say that promotions, rebates, and coupons are important when deciding what holiday items to purchase.
  • 33% of consumers have shopped via livestream in the past year
  • 49% of consumers have used messaging tools (on social media or websites) to engage with brands or retailers in the past year
  • 56% of shoppers would be inspired to purchase by advertising based on their browsing data (like site visits, search terms, shopping habits).
  • 27% of shoppers would be inspired to purchase by advertising based on their contextual data (like region, demographics, weather, local tra

STATS: In-the-Moment Marketing: Capitalizing on a New Marketing Revolution

October 27, 2022 | Group FiO

15 minutes = How soon 68% of smart phone users check their device after waking up2.4 Hours = The average time smartphone owners spend engaging with their phones daily4.1 per Week = The average amount of purchases people make on their phonesConsider the following: 20% increase in mobile...

  • 15 minutes = How soon 68% of smart phone users check their device after waking up
  • 2.4 Hours = The average time smartphone owners spend engaging with their phones daily
  • 4.1 per Week = The average amount of purchases people make on their phones
  • Consider the following: 20% increase in mobile’s share of online sessions* 18% decrease in time spent per visit* An increase in mobile sessions and a decrease in time spent might lead you to conclude that consumers aren’t finding what they want on mobile. But actually, mobile conversion rates have shot up by 29% in the last year alone
  • 65% of smartphone users agree that when conducting a search on their smartphones, they look for the most relevant information regardless of the company providing the information
  • Mobile has influenced 70% of companies to begin transforming their businesses and experiences
  • 90% of smartphone users are not absolutely certain of the specific brand they want to buy when they begin looking for information online
  • 46% More than half of smartphone users have discovered a new company or product when getting an SMS text or conducting a search on their smartphones
  • 66% of smartphone users turn to their smartphones to learn more about something they saw in a TV commercial
  • "Near me” searches have grown 2X in the past year
  • 70% Searches related to “how to” on YouTube are growing per year
  • 82% of smartphone users consult their phone while in a store
  • 51% of smartphone users have purchased from a company or brand other than the one they intended to because the information provided was useful
  • 73% of consumers say that regularly getting useful information from an advertiser is the most important attribute when selecting a brand
  • 69% of online consumers agree that the quality, timing, or relevance of a company’s message influences their perception of a brand
  • 67% of online users say that thanks to online research, they make purchase decisions more quickly now than they did a few years ago
  • 38% of smartphone users say they are always or frequently in a hurry while buying something on their smartphone
  • 41% of online consumers say they would buy from a brand they have never engaged with before if presented with a good offer at the right time

STATS: The Lean: QSR Insights Brief – Vol 3

October 19, 2022 | GroundTruth

The monthly average price has grown by double digits (+16.3%) while basket size has decreased (-5.3%).Foot traffic to Grocery Stores was as much as 28% higher than QSRs on Sundays in August as parents prepare for back-to-school lunchesMcDonald’s gained 1% share in the Morning Daypart from...

  • The monthly average price has grown by double digits (+16.3%) while basket size has decreased (-5.3%).
  • Foot traffic to Grocery Stores was as much as 28% higher than QSRs on Sundays in August as parents prepare for back-to-school lunches
  • McDonald’s gained 1% share in the Morning Daypart from June to August, while losing 2% share in the Late Night hours.
  • Taco Bell didn’t coin the term “The Fourth Meal” for nothing - they come in at #2 for late night eats.
  • Repeat customers spend 67% more than new customers.
  • Taco Bell and Sonic have the least loyal customers with an average of 31% who visit other major QSRs
  • Subway gained 29% of McDonald’s customers and 9% of Taco Bell’s
  • Chick-fil-A lost 15% of customers to Burger King and 12% to Wendy’s
  • Fast food customers are also 22% more likely to be discount shoppers

STATS: Effortless service, happier customers: Using smarter self-service to accelerate the speed of full resolution

October 19, 2022 | NICE

Intelligent self-service benefits extend beyond the customer Gartner states “that live channels such as phone, live chat and email cost an average of $8.01 per contact, while self-service channels such as company-run websites and mobile apps cost about $0.10 per contact.” Agent...

  • Intelligent self-service benefits extend beyond the customer
    • Gartner states “that live channels such as phone, live chat and email cost an average of $8.01 per contact, while self-service channels such as company-run websites and mobile apps cost about $0.10 per contact.”
      • Agent-Assisted — $8.01 per contact
      • Self-Service — $0.10 per contact
    • Aberdeen research indicates self-service provides:
      • 3.3% reduction in service costs
      • 3.4% improvement in revenue
  • Gartner found 70% of customers use self-service channels during their resolution journey.
    • The problem is, only 9% are wholly contained in self service.” Even so, our findings show that businesses still express a significantly increased preference for self service versus agent-assisted channels in 2020. Likely because Gartner indicates it costs an average of $8 per contact, while self-service channels such as company run websites and mobile apps cost about $0.10 per contact, and when done effectively, has led to 3.4% revenue improvement, according to Aberdeen. The key isn’t just self-service, it’s intelligent self-service, designed with the customer in mind.
  • Businesses are using and investing in AI-powered self-service
    • Approximately 40% of businesses’ customer service experiences occur in self-service channels with a preference for website, IVR and mobile app
    • 46% of businesses are offering chatbots
    • 43% are offering conversational IVR
    • 52% of businesses say they will be using AI and automation to improve customer service
  • Consumer satisfaction indicates a need for smarter self-service
    • 57% of customers have stopped buying from a company because a competitor provided a better experience
    • ½ of consumers who begin with self-service channels are transferred to a live agent
    • But, 66% say they often must repeat or re-explain information to different representatives
    • 71% of businesses agree that chatbots and virtual assistants make it easier for customers
    • But, 90% of businesses and consumers believe chatbots and Virtual Assistants need to get smarter before consumers are willing to use them regularly
    • 73% of customer’s preferring to visit a company’s website before contacting customer service
  • In the 2020 research study by NICE inContact, it was revealed that 84% of consumers are more willing to do business with companies that offer self-service, but only 61% say companies offer easy, convenient self-service.
  • 96% of customers expect companies to make it easy without the need to repeat information
    • In fact, ½ of consumers who begin with self-service channels are transferred to a live agent. Even so, 66% of customers say they must repeat or re-explain information.
  • When applied strategically, AI-powered self-service can show significant impact. Leading AI users report
    • 7.2% higher YoY customer satisfaction
    • 7.3% higher YoY customer retention
    • 3.5% higher FCR
    • 4.3% higher YoY agent productivity

STATS: Why More Brands Are Adopting a CDP to Power Their Marketing

October 19, 2022 | Acquia

Brands with lean budgets (<9% of revenue spent on marketing) should strongly consider buying (a CDP)Percentage of Marketers Citing CDP Being Used to Achieve a Particular Goal Customer Value (65%)Retention (61%)Acquisition (57%)Awareness (32%)Expense Reduction (28%)Other (11%)Marketers say...

  • Brands with lean budgets (<9% of revenue spent on marketing) should strongly consider buying (a CDP)
  • Percentage of Marketers Citing CDP Being Used to Achieve a Particular Goal
    • Customer Value (65%)
    • Retention (61%)
    • Acquisition (57%)
    • Awareness (32%)
    • Expense Reduction (28%)
    • Other (11%)
  • Marketers say implementing more personalization has generated the following improvements:
    • 54% Increased engagement with our brand
    • 47% Increased conversions
    • 47% Better response to discount offers
    • 42% Increased email open rates
    • 40% Increased clicks per email
    • 37% More repeat purchases
  • A number of our customers shared their own data to help prove how well Acquia CDP works for them:
    • Clothing retailer Aydinli saw a 3,500% return on investment.
    • Classic footwear brand Clarks pulled in $1.4 million in revenue from a $500,000 campaign.
    • Global premium chocolate leader GODIVA saw a 621% increase in return on ad spend.
    • Leading headwear retailer Lids achieved $250K in revenue from a customer win-back campaign.
    • Luxury goods brand MCM Worldwide achieved a 3x increased return from personalized emails.
    • Outdoor recreation brand Moosejaw increased conversions by 125%
    • Implementing Acquia CDP resulted in an ROI of 589%
    • The investment required to implement Acquia CDP was returned in less than 6 months

STATS: Businesses Move to Combat Waning Customer Loyalty with Pre-Emptive Service Technology, Says Pega Study

October 18, 2022 | Pega

The global study, conducted by research firm iResearch, surveyed leaders from 11 countries in the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific for their thoughts on the evolution of customer service over the next five years.Nearly two thirds (65%) of respondents said that...

  • The global study, conducted by research firm iResearch, surveyed leaders from 11 countries in the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific for their thoughts on the evolution of customer service over the next five years.
  • Nearly two thirds (65%) of respondents said that perfectly anticipating customer needs and solving them before they feel the need to reach out was one of their primary goals over the next five years, while more than half (54%) said their biggest customer service challenge was moving from reactive to pro-active and pre-emptive customer service. Meanwhile, nearly one-third (32%) said they expect customer service to become more anticipatory than reactive within that same period as a result.
  • Eighty percent of respondents said deploying customer service technology to improve efficiency was one of their most important priorities over the next five years. Meanwhile, more than half (55%) cited a lack of investment in new technologies that can help them to meet growing customer expectations as among the top three technology customer service challenges they face.
  • More than half (55%) of respondents felt that over the next five years, businesses will become increasingly likely to completely lose customers if they deliver a poor customer experience.
  • Customers are increasingly becoming digital-first, and more than half (54%) of respondents said that customers will expect consistent service across all channels over the next five years. 
  •  63% cited being able to prioritize customer-centric experiences as their biggest challenge, while more than half (60%) admitted that they struggled to demonstrate empathy and humanity to customers. Today, AI and machine learning is the leading technology in terms of budget allocation for customer service digital transformation projects (58% selected it as the primary target for their spending) – and we could see the fruits of that investment in the coming years.
  • Two thirds (66%) of respondents identified using dynamic, AI-powered technologies that help agents make decisions quickly and work more efficiently as a priority.

STATS: 5 Ways to Reward the Modern Loyalty Program Member

October 18, 2022 | Bakkt

Crypto owners have more loyalty programs than non-crypto owners — in fact, 1 in 4 Crypto Buyers belonged to 10 or more loyalty programs.72% of crypto buyers said they’d be “likely” or “very likely” to redeem points for crypto.351% of crypto buyers...

  • Crypto owners have more loyalty programs than non-crypto owners — in fact, 1 in 4 Crypto Buyers belonged to 10 or more loyalty programs.
  • 72% of crypto buyers said they’d be “likely” or “very likely” to redeem points for crypto.3
  • 51% of crypto buyers said they'd be "likely" or "very likely" to redeem points for crypto, which nearly matched...
  • the 56% of crypto buyers that preferred earning cash back instead of points

STATS: Customer Loyalty Drops When Brands Don't Innovate, New commercetools Report Finds

October 13, 2022 | commercetools

The survey, which queried 300 global retail business leaders, also found that almost three-quarters (73%) of shoppers will take their business elsewhere if a brand's commerce experience does not meet their expectations, and over half prefer modern commerce experiences, defined by evolving...

  • The survey, which queried 300 global retail business leaders, also found that almost three-quarters (73%) of shoppers will take their business elsewhere if a brand's commerce experience does not meet their expectations, and over half prefer modern commerce experiences, defined by evolving customer preferences, payment options, and digital devices. Yet despite all that, 45% of respondents say they only dedicate a minimum amount of their budget to improving or expanding commerce capabilities.
  • Nearly three-quarters of respondents (74%) recognize that failure to adopt emerging commerce solutions will negatively impact areas of the business
  • 40% of respondents say their company's current commerce solutions hinder the sale of their products or services, and 49% of this group feel this issue has existed for over a year
  • Over one-third of businesses are struggling with the ramifications of an outdated commerce solution, signifying the impact a lack of innovation has on customer experience, sales, and brand loyalty
  • More than half of respondents (52%) said they've decided not to implement a new commerce capability due to budgetary constraints
  • The majority of respondents (70%) said they're most concerned about millennials, a cohort with over $2.5 trillion in spending power, taking their business elsewhere, followed by Gen Z (54%) and Gen X (48%)
  • Nearly three-quarters of respondents (74%) recognize that failure to adopt emerging commerce solutions will negatively impact their business
  • 40% of respondents say their company's commerce solutions hinder the sale of their products or services
  • Only 25% of respondent organizations offer next-day shipping, and even less offer loyalty programs (21%)
  • Despite customers expressing interest in a variety of payment options, less than half offer multiple payment methods, and less than 20% of respondents offer one-click checkout (18%), and even fewer (16%) offer Buy Now Pay Later and cashback (14%)

STATS: Marketing budgets to grow 20% despite recessionary fears new research finds

October 13, 2022 | Business Leader

More than three-quarters (77%) of CMOs will be increasing their marketing spend over the next 12 months, despite almost half (44%) expecting the possible recession to have a negative impact on their business, according to new research out today.The survey from digital marketing consultants...

  • More than three-quarters (77%) of CMOs will be increasing their marketing spend over the next 12 months, despite almost half (44%) expecting the possible recession to have a negative impact on their business, according to new research out today.
  • The survey from digital marketing consultants ConsultMyApp which questioned 100 CMOs of businesses with more than 250 employees, found that marketing budgets are expected to increase on average 20% over the next year.
  • The marketing areas that will see the highest levels of investment from CMOs include:
    • ​Brand building (42%)
    • ​New service introductions (42%)
    • Traditional advertising spend (41%)
    • Web/mobile web marketing spend (38%)
    • The outlook looks relatively positive for agencies too, with more than half (52%) of CMOs looking to outsource their marketing requirements in 2023. Just over a third (36%) said they will be hiring internally instead.
  • The services CMOs will most likely require the support of agencies include marketing platform implementation and migration (32%); digital strategy & consulting services (32%); SEO (31%); and data integration, analytics and insight (27%).

STATS: Geomarketing Market to Hit $78.9 Billion by 2031: Allied Market Research

October 13, 2022 | Allied Market Research

Allied Market Research, the global geomarketing market was pegged at $11.4 billion in 2021, and is expected to reach $78.9 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 21.5% from 2022 to 2031.Based on offering, the report is divided into software and service. The software segment held the lion...

  • Allied Market Research, the global geomarketing market was pegged at $11.4 billion in 2021, and is expected to reach $78.9 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 21.5% from 2022 to 2031.
  • Based on offering, the report is divided into software and service. The software segment held the lion’s share in 2021, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the market. However, the service segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 22.5% from 2022 to 2031.
  • On the basis of deployment mode, the report is classified into on premise and cloud. The cloud segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 22.5% during the forecast period. However, the on premise segment dominated the market in 2021, contributing to nearly three-fifths of the market.
  • Based on industry vertical, the retail and e-commerce segment held the largest share in 2021, accounting for more than one-fourth of the market. However, the automotive and transport segment is projected to showcase the highest CAGR of 24.6% during the forecast period.
  • On the basis of location type, the outdoor segment held the largest share in 20211, accounting for around three-fourths of the market. However, the indoor segment is estimated to manifest the highest CAGR of 22.4% from 2022 to 2031.
  • Based on enterprise size, the large enterprises segment held the largest share in 2021, contributing to nearly three-fourths of the market. However, the SMEs segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 22.7% during the forecast period.
  • The global geomarketing market is analyzed across several regions such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA. The market across North America held the largest share in 2021, accounting for more than two-fifths of the market. However, the market across Asia-Pacific is anticipated to portray the highest CAGR of 23.6% during the forecast period.

STATS: 2022 U.S. Consumer Attitudes and Trends in Personalization, Privacy, Messaging and Loyalty

October 11, 2022 | Marigold Engage + by Marigold

Email is comfortably the prefered channel of U.S. consumers for receiving offers, content, incentives and rewards from brands. More than half (57%) have made a purchase from an email they received in the last 12 months, a huge 39% uplift on last year, and 16% higher than surveyed consumers from...

  • Email is comfortably the prefered channel of U.S. consumers for receiving offers, content, incentives and rewards from brands. More than half (57%) have made a purchase from an email they received in the last 12 months, a huge 39% uplift on last year, and 16% higher than surveyed consumers from the rest-of the-world.
  • There are numerous touchpoints in which one should be connecting with customers, and U.S. consumers are more likely to engage with social ads (17% higher), social posts (12% higher), banner ads (3% higher), and SMS (4% higher), than their peers around the globe.
  • U.S. consumers are influenced by a multitude of factors when making purchases. 44% of consumers still hunt for the best price when it comes to buying, a 7% increase on 2021, and 10% higher than consumers around the globe. Others value convenience (18%), fitting their style (24%), and expecting brands to behave responsibly (14%). Price is only one part of the equation that compels a consumer to purchase.
  • More than half of U.S. consumers (55%) declared they use a mobile phone while in a store to help them decide to make a purchase (8% higher than consumers from the rest-of theworld). And a quarter have purchased directly from an SMS - a staggering 47% higher than elsewhere.
  • The overwhelming majority of U.S. consumers, when thinking about how their favorite brand communicates with them, want the relationship to go beyond the purely transactional. Above all else, a staggering 85% like consistent shopping experiences irrespective of the channel (10% higher than global consumers). 82% of U.S. consumers have a favorite brand as it rewards them for their loyalty (6% higher than the rest-of-the world and a 3% uplift on 2021), and over 3/4 of consumers like brands to treat them as an individual.
  • Your communication frequency should be based on your typical customer’s purchase cycle and profile. Almost half of U.S. consumers (44%) describe the relationship with their favorite brand as they communicate as and when necessary — a sweet spot you learn through progressively getting to know your customer. Over a quarter of U.S. consumers (27%) describe the relationship with their favorite brand as one that understands them - a 17% uplift on consumers from around the globe. Intriguingly, 22% of U.S. consumers receive messaging from their favorite brand that makes them feel like a VIP - a huge 57% higher than the rest-of the world.
  • U.S. consumers are frustrated with the lack of personalized messaging they are receiving, with over half of them feeling irked by irrelevant content or offers (55%) - a 34% increase on last year.
  • Almost half of U.S. consumers are frustrated by receiving messages that don’t reflect their wants and needs (44%), a giant 69% increase on 2021, and 39% felt friction when they received messaging based on information about them that hadn’t been shared directly with the brand.
  • When it comes to being “about right” or would like to receive more messaging, the numbers are positive. U.S. consumers feel they get the perfect amount of or would readily receive more messaging about discounts (66%), brand values (62%), loyalty program (70%), VIP offers (66%), treats (68%), free delivery offers (69%), and promotions (56%).
  • However the real story here is that almost two-thirds (64%) of U.S. consumers say there are examples where they frequently buy from the same company, but don’t feel loyal to that company; and 76% say they are loyal to a particular brand, but will look elsewhere if it’s cheaper or more convenient. A mere 16% of U.S. consumers are not loyal to any particular companies, 48% less than the rest-of-the world.
  • There are many factors that drive brand loyalty, and the top drivers are fairly simple: have a great product or service (53%) and good customer service (41%). Following on from that, well over a third of U.S. consumers value a brand’s loyalty program (38%), and the same for the brand being convenient to use (38%).
  • Brands that provide extra value for the customer to stay loyal (45%), feeling safe to buy from (17%), understanding the customer as an individual (25%), and treating data with respect (17%), were the key drivers. When contrasted to its global peers, 15% more U.S. consumers wanted a better loyalty programme, 36% better customer service and support and 9% to have their preferences understood better.
  • Almost a third (30%) of U.S. consumers have switched away from a brand they previously liked to buy from, with many citing a competitor having better promotions (27%), better buying options (27%), or because they didn’t feel valued as a customer (19%). One huge trend is 30% of U.S. consumers switching brands because of its stance on social, political, or environmental issues - 76% higher than the rest-of-the-world and a 30% increase on 2021.
  • The modern consumer still values a discount for their loyalty (62%), or points to keep them coming back (57%), but excitingly there’s a tangible rise in U.S. consumers valuing all of the things that make your brand unique, and, in turn, makes them feel special. There have been huge increases in consumers who love engaging interactive experiences like contests and sweepstakes (50%), those seeking early or exclusive access to products (67%), personalized product recommendations based on their self-reported preferences (39%), those that would like brand recognition (29%), and consumers who want to feel part of the brand’s community (33%)

STATS: Paytronix Annual Loyalty Report 2022: Members Defy Inflation by Visiting and Spending More; Loyalty Spending Highest on Record

October 11, 2022 | Paytronix

Paytronix research shows that 55% of restaurant loyalty customers increase their average check size more than the price of the average item increases, and convenience store loyalty customers spend more in store than the increase in item price.Loyalty programs are responsible for an 18 - 30...

  • Paytronix research shows that 55% of restaurant loyalty customers increase their average check size more than the price of the average item increases, and convenience store loyalty customers spend more in store than the increase in item price.
  • Loyalty programs are responsible for an 18 - 30% increase in spend and visit frequency.
  • At the end of 2021, loyalty members continued to spend around $2 more per visit than non-loyalty members. Due to increases in the average subtotal for both groups, that difference dropped from approximately 10% to about 6%.
  • Full-service restaurants likewise welcomed the return of loyalty members, with a 9% jump in annual visits as compared to 2020. This is still 11% less than 2019, but encouraging signs are found in the Paytronix data, which indicates that customers are anxious to return to FSRs.
  • Both casual dining and Mexican and sandwich brands saw a 15–17% decrease from 2019 to 2020, followed by an increase of about 8% the next year.
  • As far as annual spend per guest, QSRs saw a steady increase of about 7% among loyalty members in 2021, which was similar to the year before. Conversely, the average spend per guest at FSRs had dropped significantly in 2020 but nearly rebounded to the 2019 level.
  • The ice cream/snack/coffee segment saw a whopping 20% jump from 2019 to 2021, as guests descended on those brands to load up on treats.
  • As with restaurants, a small percentage of loyalty members make a big difference. Paytronix research shows that approximately 8–10% of loyalty members are responsible for about 40% of visits, averaging more than one a day.
  • The spend per check for convenience store loyalty members increased by about 25% last year, and much of it can be attributed to price increases in both fuel and in-store items.
  • Paytronix data shows that the top 8–10% of loyalty members visit an average of 32 times a month – more than once a day – and four times as often as the next highest tier.
  • r. While the spend per check increased approximately 25% from 2020 to 2021, the annual spend for convenience store loyalty members increased nearly 40%. Fuel purchasers were paying more per gallon and visiting more often.
  • Loyalty members increased their visits by roughly 8% in 2021 as compared to both 2019 and 2020.

STATS: 2022 Digital Consumer Trends by Age Group

October 10, 2022 | CM Group

Have you ever made a purchase from any of the following in the last 12 months? Social media advertising & organic posts 130% more Millennials than Boomers122 % more Gen Z than BoomersEmail 13% At least 13% more Boomers than any other generation51 % more Boomers than Gen ZSMS 56...

  • Have you ever made a purchase from any of the following in the last 12 months?
    • Social media advertising & organic posts
      • 130% more Millennials than Boomers
      • 122 % more Gen Z than Boomers
    • Email
      • 13% At least 13% more Boomers than any other generation
      • 51 % more Boomers than Gen Z
    • SMS
      • 56% more Gen Z & Gen X than Boomers
      • 81% more Millennials than Boomers
  • Thinking about your FAVORITE brand that has communicated with you over the last six months, please select whether you agree or disagree with the following statements.
    • Treats the customer like an individual
      • 11 % more Boomers than Gen Z
      • 6 % increase in Gen X from 2021
    • Provides a consistent experience, regardless of the channel
      • 5 % At least 5% more Boomers than any other generation
      • 12 % more Boomers than Gen Z
    • Surprises and delights with unexpected rewards
      • 21% more Gen Z than Boomers
      • 15% At least 15% fewer Boomers than any other generation
  • Thinking about all the brands that have communicated with you regularly in the last six months, have you experienced any of the following frustrations? I felt frustrated when I received…
    • Irrelevant content & offers
      • At least 20% more Boomers than any other generation
      • 50 % more Boomers than Gen Z
    • Communications delivered at the wrong time of day
      • 33% increase in Gen X & Boomers from 2021
      • 33% more Millennials than Boomers
    • Messages that didn’t recognize shopping or loyalty card history
      • 10% more Gen Z & Millennials than Gen X & Boomers
      • 12% At least a 12% increase in Millennials, Gen X & Boomers from 2021
    • Messaging based on information not shared directly with the brand
      • 21 % increase in Gen Z & Gen X from 2021
      • 39 % increase in Boomers from 2021

STATS: Loyalty Trends 2022

October 10, 2022 | Brandmovers

“Customer Experience drives over two-thirds of customer loyalty, outperforming brand and price combined.” - GartnerAccording to research from Accenture, 83% of customers said they are willing to share their data in exchange for more personalization, such as relevant messaging and...

  • “Customer Experience drives over two-thirds of customer loyalty, outperforming brand and price combined.” - Gartner
  • According to research from Accenture, 83% of customers said they are willing to share their data in exchange for more personalization, such as relevant messaging and tailored offers.
  • Throughout 2022 an increasing number of brands will look to incorporate more sophisticated receipt and image validation technology into their loyalty programs in order to capitalize on the valuable receipt purchase data available.

STATS: Where travel meets loyalty: Understanding the role of travel rewards in the post-pandemic travel resurgence

October 10, 2022 | Arrivia

According to an arrivia survey of 2,150 Americans conducted between December 2021 and January 2022, 69% said they are planning a trip in 2022, while another 24% had already booked a journey.In an arrivia survey of 204 industry decision-makers also conducted between December 2021 and January 2022,...

  • According to an arrivia survey of 2,150 Americans conducted between December 2021 and January 2022, 69% said they are planning a trip in 2022, while another 24% had already booked a journey.
  • In an arrivia survey of 204 industry decision-makers also conducted between December 2021 and January 2022, 28% said they struggle to demonstrate the value of their rewards, while 19% said they are challenged to offer customers the variety of rewards that members want.
  • Ready to redeem: 42% of American consumers have redeemed points/ miles to lower the cost of their trip.
  • Ready to earn: 49% of American consumers say the ability to earn points on their booking is extremely or very important
  • According to our survey, 45% of respondents say they are never sure they’re getting the best value possible when booking. Loyalty providers acknowledge that this too is an issue, with 28% revealing that their rewards are likely not seen as valuable enough. Another 27% admitted their program does not offer enough variety when it comes to the travel options members can redeem.
  • Nearly half of respondents talk to friends and colleagues for recommendations when planning their trips, while 45% read reviews.
  • Forty-three percent of travelers find trip ideas directly from booking sites, with 26% turning to their loyalty program platforms first. 
  • The industry decision-makers surveyed agreed, saying that their booking platform conversion rates would likely be improved if they could offer more exclusive discounts (31%) and expand customers’ opportunities to earn or redeem loyalty points.
  • If value is king, rewards are queen. When it comes to rewards redemption, today’s loyalty program members expect to use their points or miles to help them lower the cost of a trip (42%) or cover the entire cost of their journey (32%).
  • Here are some pain points that consumers listed in their responses:
    • 32% are bothered by the lack of redemption options
    • 29% said it’s difficult or complex to earn or redeem points
    • 24% said they’re frustrated by the fact that their rewards don’t seem valuable enough
  • Most of the consumers we surveyed (54%) said that none of their loyalty programs offer travel rewards. And yet, according to our industry survey, 65% of business respondents reported that they do incorporate travel rewards into their loyalty programs.
  • Our industry survey asked companies in the aviation, hospitality and lodging, financial services, travel and trade association sectors about how they plan to grow their loyalty programs in 2022: 63% plan on offering new travel rewards or benefits, including:
    • 58% Exclusive travel options
    • 57% Experience/ activities
    • 52% Deeper discounts
  • 39% of business decision-makers said their loyalty program members could not book travel directly through their platform; 35% said their loyalty program offers no travel benefits
  • 26% of decision-makers in the financial services sector say they struggle to attract new members to their loyalty programs. In comparison, 23% said it’s challenging to provide rewards that customers find valuable.
  • 81% of consumers with a credit card belong to 5 or more loyalty programs.
  • 56% of credit cardholders belong to a specific loyalty program with travel benefits.
  • 77% of those who bank with a conventional bank belong to 5 or more loyalty programs, compared to just 30% of credit union members.
  • When it comes to travel rewards, only...
    • 29% of credit cardholders
    • 13% of traditional bank customers
    • 6% of mobile wallet users
    • 2% of investment account owners
    • ...said they receive travel rewards through their respective financial services.
  • Opportunites by generation:
    • Baby Boomers were most likely to have never used any travel benefits offered by a loyalty program (23%). Only 13% say they’ve looked for discounted rates on their loyalty program’s booking website.
    • Generation X is slightly more points-focused than Baby boomers, with 25% saying they’ve used their loyalty program membership to receive a discount on travel. Almost 20%, however, said they’ve never used any travel benefits provided by a loyalty program.
    • Millennials are more likely to have a travel rewards credit card (33%) than other generations. They are also the generation to place the highest importance on points redemption when planning a trip (59% say it’s extremely or very important) and using points for upgrades (30%).
    • Generation Z is the most likely to book an exclusive trip or activity that they can only get through their loyalty program, pointing to this younger generation’s desire for exclusive perks and unique offerings. Gen-Z also gravitates towards mobile wallet and payment services that offer travel rewards (13%, compared to just 6% of Gen Xers), with 29% saying they use points for upgrades.

STATS: inriver Study Finds Online Shoppers Value Sustainability and Browsing Over Brand Loyalty

October 06, 2022 | inriver

 The report, “Inside the mind of an online shopper,” is based on a survey of 6,000 consumers across the US, UK and Germany and found a mere 18% of respondents thought it wasn’t important for a brand to showcase their sustainability or eco-practice product information online...

 The report, “Inside the mind of an online shopper,” is based on a survey of 6,000 consumers across the US, UK and Germany and found a mere 18% of respondents thought it wasn’t important for a brand to showcase their sustainability or eco-practice product information online. Combined with accurate product descriptions and product availability surpassing any notion of brand loyalty, the report explores the essential elements retailers and product manufacturers should consider leading up to the Golden Quarter and holiday shopping season.

Research is king for consumers
With rising living costs and continued supply chain issues, research is king during the purchasing process with many consumers looking to compare and shop in more than one place to find the best deals. The report found even if a website provides all the production information, 83% said they will look elsewhere.

What’s more, findings show brands need to get it right the first time to increase their chances of making a sale. Nearly three quarters (69%) of respondents will not buy a product if the product description is poor. On top of that, inaccurate online product descriptions left almost half (47%) of respondents feeling frustrated and even 36% feeling angry with a significant 86% admitting to taking their business elsewhere.

Instant gratification versus returns
The need for "now" overtakes brand loyalty almost every time, with two-thirds (62%) saying they would switch to a competitive product if their first choice was out of stock, with only 12% saying they would be unlikely to switch.

Despite this need for immediate access to products whenever they want them, the research suggests the reasons behind having to return products could also impact trust and confidence. The most common reasons for returns for those surveyed was the product not being as described (32%), followed by a poor fit (21%) or it being the wrong item (12%).

Creating the right digital impression
At a time when online experience is critical to the purchasing decision, complete and accurate product information is the first opportunity to make a good impression. In fact, 81% agree product information was either an essential or very important factor when deciding to buy. And written descriptions are still seen as the most important detail (39%), ranking above images (25%), customer reviews and ratings (18%), and video (12%). This has interestingly remained somewhat unchanged compared to the survey conducted last year cementing the critical need for the right information and written content online.

STATS: Businesses Move to Combat Waning Customer Loyalty with Pre-Emptive Service Technology, Says Pega Study

October 06, 2022 | Pega

The survey found that pre-emptive customer service technology is becoming a must-have for businesses who are committed to meeting the needs of their customers. Nearly two thirds (65%) of respondents said that perfectly anticipating customer needs and solving them before they feel the need to...

The survey found that pre-emptive customer service technology is becoming a must-have for businesses who are committed to meeting the needs of their customers. Nearly two thirds (65%) of respondents said that perfectly anticipating customer needs and solving them before they feel the need to reach out was one of their primary goals over the next five years, while more than half (54%) said their biggest customer service challenge was moving from reactive to pro-active and pre-emptive customer service. Meanwhile, nearly one-third (32%) said they expect customer service to become more anticipatory than reactive within that same period as a result.

The findings underline a shift towards customer-centric technology as the solution to the challenges posed by more demanding, digital-savvy customers. Eighty percent of respondents said deploying customer service technology to improve efficiency was one of their most important priorities over the next five years. Meanwhile, more than half (55%) cited a lack of investment in new technologies that can help them to meet growing customer expectations as among the top three technology customer service challenges they face.

Perhaps the biggest driver of this race towards more pre-emptive, customer-centric technologies over the coming years is that customer loyalty is expected to fall sharply as customers continue to evolve. More than half (55%) of respondents felt that over the next five years, businesses will become increasingly likely to completely lose customers if they deliver a poor customer experience. As a result, organizations are scrambling to stay one step ahead of their competitors by investing in customer service software.

The study also identified several changes to the way customer service will look over the next five years. These include:

  • The customer of the future is changing: Customers are increasingly becoming digital-first, and more than half (54%) of respondents said that customers will expect consistent service across all channels over the next five years. In short, customers will expect faster, more personalized, and proactive service from the companies they do business with – and businesses will need to react accordingly.
  • AI could save the day: Advanced software such as artificial intelligence could help organizations tackle some of the biggest barriers to improving their customer service: for example, 63% cited being able to prioritize customer-centric experiences as their biggest challenge, while more than half (60%) admitted that they struggled to demonstrate empathy and humanity to customers. Today, AI and machine learning is the leading technology in terms of budget allocation for customer service digital transformation projects (58% selected it as the primary target for their spending) – and we could see the fruits of that investment in the coming years.
  • Contact centers will get a major tech upgrade: Customer service organizations are increasingly under pressure to reduce contact center costs in the next five years. That means the contact center of the future will require fewer agents. However, live agents aren't totally going away. Two thirds (66%) of respondents identified using dynamic, AI-powered technologies that help agents make decisions quickly and work more efficiently as a priority.

STATS: EMBARGO: Survey finds use of emojis, alt phrases on rise in attempt to beat content mod.

September 02, 2022 | Telus

While 30% of Americans have used algospeak, the behavior is most common among the digital natives of Gen-Z (aged 18-24) with nearly three-quarters (72%) saying they have recognized and been exposed to this type of behavior, with 41% saying they used it themselves.More than one in five (22%) said...

  • While 30% of Americans have used algospeak, the behavior is most common among the digital natives of Gen-Z (aged 18-24) with nearly three-quarters (72%) saying they have recognized and been exposed to this type of behavior, with 41% saying they used it themselves.
  • More than one in five (22%) said they immediately see an uptick in the use of algospeak and emojis to circumvent banned terms when a polarizing societal event occurs. 
  • 38% of respondents said that brands should be able to identify and remove these nuanced phrases and emojis immediately.

STATS: Travel Nearing Pre-Pandemic Frequency, With Frequent Flyers Willing to Give Up Eating Out, The Gym and Netflix to Maintain Travel Budgets

August 24, 2022 | Collinson

Travellers who were frequent flyers pre-pandemic expect to make 80 percent of the trips they did pre COVID-19, reinforcing the need to invest in travel recoveryIn the face of rising costs, 30 percent of travellers cited spending less on dinning, 26 percent on gym memberships and 21 percent...

  • Travellers who were frequent flyers pre-pandemic expect to make 80 percent of the trips they did pre COVID-19, reinforcing the need to invest in travel recovery

  • In the face of rising costs, 30 percent of travellers cited spending less on dinning, 26 percent on gym memberships and 21 percent willing to cancel a streaming service than reduce travel budgets

  • Airport lounge access is second only to vaccinations when it comes to boosting travel confidence

  • More than half of those surveyed cited benefits and rewards as the most popular ways to engage travel

STATS: NFT Transactions to Reach 40 Million Globally by 2027; Limited by Market Controversy

August 22, 2022 | Juniper Research

Metaverse Adoption Driving Modest 64% Growth After Crypto Slump The global number of NFT (Non-fungible Token) transactions will rise from 24 million in 2022 to 40 million by 2027. This is based on our medium scenario for adoption, with brands leveraging the metaverse to boost digital growth....

Metaverse Adoption Driving Modest 64% Growth After Crypto Slump


The global number of NFT (Non-fungible Token) transactions will rise from 24 million in 2022 to 40 million by 2027. This is based on our medium scenario for adoption, with brands leveraging the metaverse to boost digital growth. It cautioned that although NFTs present a new channel for growth, vendors must be cognisant to the risks of operating in an unregulated environment home to fraudulent activities and scams. 
An NFT is a unique token that exists on the blockchain, meaning it cannot be replicated. This unique token could represent real-world items like artworks or music, with the ability to be traded with a transparent transaction history. 

Major Concerns Regarding Environmental Impact and Scams
The report stresses that vendors who partake in the NFT space may risk brand damage by association, due to the role NFTs have had in illegal activities, such as money laundering, scams and fraud. Environmental issues were also raised as a major concern, with the current way transactions are facilitated on the blockchain creating massive energy usage. 
It emphasised the need for regulators to work with industry bodies to standardise processes with reduced environmental impact and built-in consumer protections to enable vendors to utilise NFTs as a medium to further engage with consumers.
Metaverse to Be a Redeeming Factor to the Long-term Success of NFTs 
The report predicts metaverse-linked NFTs will be the fastest-growing NFT segment over the next 5 years; increasing from 600,000 transactions in 2022 to 9.8 million by 2027. It highlights rising demand for immersive experiences as a driver of metaverse adoption. 
To capitalise on this growth, the research urges consumer-facing businesses to create NFT based content to meet changing demands from a younger, tech-savvy demographic, who are more ready to purchase novel forms of online and digital content.

 

STATS: NEARLY HALF OF AMERICANS FEEL THEY CAN'T AFFORD THEIR FORMER LIFESTYLE; THREE-FOURTHS ARE SHIFTING GROCERY PURCHASING BEHAVIORS, FINDS NCSOLUTIONS

August 19, 2022 | PRnewswire

66% of consumers are more mindful of spending on groceries85% of Americans are concerned or very concerned about inflation 58%  believe the cost of living will be more expensive in the coming year46% of consumers say they're buying fewer non-essentials 43% seek out sales and promotions...

  • 66% of consumers are more mindful of spending on groceries

  • 85% of Americans are concerned or very concerned about inflation

  • 58%  believe the cost of living will be more expensive in the coming year

  • 46% of consumers say they're buying fewer non-essentials

  • 43% seek out sales and promotions to afford their favorite brands 

NEW YORK, Aug. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly half of Americans (45%) feel like they can't afford their previous lifestyle and 76% of American consumers say their family has changed how they buy food with prices on the rise. In addition, two-thirds (66%) are more mindful of how they are spending their money.

Eighty-five percent of Americans are very concerned or extremely concerned about inflation and almost unanimously (93%) they said we're in an inflationary time. On the same economic theme, over half (57%) are concerned about the country's financial situation, while 47% say they're concerned about their family's financial situation. Eight out of 10 or 83% of Americans expect the cost of living will become somewhat more or much more expensive in the coming year. Sixty-five percent of Americans agree with the statement 'my income has not increased as fast at the cost of food, beverage and personal care products.'

STATS: Mid-Year Gift Card Report: 2022

August 15, 2022 | Paytronix

Increases in gift card sales coincided with key first- and second-quarter holidays. Gift card sales for the first half of 2022 were in line with 2021 but continued to lag behind 2019 by about 2%. The redemption rate at 180 days in 2021 was 56%, which represents a decrease of approximately 2% from...

Increases in gift card sales coincided with key first- and second-quarter holidays. Gift card sales for the first half of 2022 were in line with 2021 but continued to lag behind 2019 by about 2%. The redemption rate at 180 days in 2021 was 56%, which represents a decrease of approximately 2% from 2020 and 7% from 2019. The dip was largely attributable to QSR redemptions, as those for fine-dining cards hit a new high in 2021.

STATS: Human values: The operating system for a high-performing contact center

August 15, 2022 | Genesys

Some 55% of high performers said thoroughness and completeness are their greatest strengths. A third reported it’s efficiency, speed and adherence. In China and Oceania, close to 20% of high-performing contact center agents’ greatest strengths are quality, empathy and listening. In...

Some 55% of high performers said thoroughness and completeness are their greatest strengths. A third reported it’s efficiency, speed and adherence.

In China and Oceania, close to 20% of high-performing contact center agents’ greatest strengths are quality, empathy and listening. In North America and Europe, it’s less than 5%; speed and efficiency are in the lead.

The greatest driver of enjoyment at work globally is learning new skills. In Africa, three out of four respondents selected learning new skills. In the US, North America (ex. US), China, Latin America and Oceania, 40% or more of the respondents selected learning new skills as a highlight of their jobs. As younger employees enter the workforce, this trend could become even more pronounced. The LinkedIn 2021 Workplace Learning Report found that 76% of Generation Z employees (defined as ages 18–24) consider learning to be the key to a successful career.

 

STATS: New Report from Blackhawk Network Examines Latest Consumer Gift Card Preferences and Use Cases in the U.S.

August 12, 2022 | Businesswire

Today’s consumers are equally comfortable buying online to pick up in-store—or buying in-store and shipping it. Recent findings2 from the National Retail Federation and IBM show that 45% of shoppers shop in-store versus online, with 28% reporting they are hybrid shoppers and 27...

Today’s consumers are equally comfortable buying online to pick up in-store—or buying in-store and shipping it. Recent findings2 from the National Retail Federation and IBM show that 45% of shoppers shop in-store versus online, with 28% reporting they are hybrid shoppers and 27% opting for online only. With the shift in consumer preferences to a hybrid shopping experience, the gap between physical and digital gift cards is also closing.

  • Self-use: To supplement their hybrid shopping preferences, consumers are increasingly purchasing self-use gift cards. Retailers can make shopping easier for hybrid and self-use shoppers by taking steps to integrate digital gift cards into the in-store experience. Fifty-eight percent of consumers surveyed report that they purchase self-use gift cards. Their top reasons for buying gift cards for self-use include: it’s a faster way to pay for things (53%), to take advantage of promotions/discounts/points offers (45%) and to use as cash for digital purchases (40%).
  • Where Americans shop: Surveyed consumers utilize hybrid shopping the most in apparel & footwear (35%), home goods (31%), personal care & beauty (29%) and grocery (19%).
  • Overspend: Depending on the value of the gift card, up to 90% of consumers are willing to spend more than the dollar amount on the gift card. On average, consumers will spend $51 more than the value of a $10 gift card and up to $106 more than the value of a $500 gift card.
  • They shop differently: More than any other generation surveyed, Gen Z loves retail therapy and shopping for fun. Thirty-eight percent of surveyed Gen Z shoppers report shopping as a form of retail therapy versus 23% for other generations. They are also most likely to purchase self-use gift cards with 18% of Gen Zs using gift cards as cash for digital purchases and more than 10% reporting they purchase self-use gift cards because they don’t have a credit or debit card.
  • What they’re buying: When it comes to receiving gift cards as gifts, a separate Blackhawk study of Gen Z graduates found that more than half plan on spending gift cards they receive on something they already needed. The most desired gift card categories among those surveyed are: Visa/Mastercard, gaming, fashion stores, restaurants and mass merchants.

STATS: Study: 82% of Retail Workers Say Stress and Burnout Have Increased

August 10, 2022 | Retail TouchPoints

40% of workers report high levels of turnover and increased workloads at their companies;These issues have led to increased stress levels and burnout for 78% of workers overall and 82% of retail workers; and45% of all surveyed workers are actively seeking a new job...

  • 40% of workers report high levels of turnover and increased workloads at their companies;
  • These issues have led to increased stress levels and burnout for 78% of workers overall and 82% of retail workers; and
  • 45% of all surveyed workers are actively seeking a new job or plan to within the next year. In retail specifically, the figure is 46%, but the sector with the highest proportion of active job seekers is technology, at 53%
  • ​Among all workers, 49% said they felt they could make more money today simply by changing jobs. 
 
  • Berkey: When we looked specifically at retail, 82% said they felt increased levels of stress and burnout, with 40% saying there was high turnover in their organization — and I would be willing to bet that the actual turnover number is higher. Among all surveyed frontline and essential workers [a group that includes grocery and general merchandise cashiers], 58% say they have worked more in the past year due to employee turnover.
 
  • Berkey: Compensation is certainly a big driver; 53% of job seekers said compensation is the No. 1 factor in deciding to reject or accept an opportunity.

STATS: How People Use Instagram and What Brands Can Learn from It [2022 Study]

August 10, 2022 | passport-photo.online

Brands are among friends on the Following. 92% of Americans who use Instagram follow a business, with most following 6–10 business accounts.Are Instagram businesses unrivaled? Instagram has led to 93% of shoppers choosing a company they're connected with over a competitor.No to wordy...

  • Brands are among friends on the Following. 92% of Americans who use Instagram follow a business, with most following 6–10 business accounts.
  • Are Instagram businesses unrivaled? Instagram has led to 93% of shoppers choosing a company they're connected with over a competitor.
  • No to wordy content. 89% of Instagramers prefer short-form content (<1,000 words) over long-form content (1,000+) when it comes to text posts from brands specifically.
  • Be where clients are looking for you. 85% of people in the US have used Instagram to discover new products or services.
  • Consumerism on steroids. Replying to the question - did Instagram ever inspire you to shop from businesses even when you weren’t looking to do so? - 79% said “Yes.”
  • Facebook defeated. 71% of users will pick Instagram over other social networking sites when shopping—for Gen Zers, that number jumps to 82%.

STATS: 2022 Consumer Insights about Customer Service

August 05, 2022 | Businesswire

66% of Americans are likely to abandon a brand after a poor customer service experience, a significant jump from 42% in our 2021 survey50% of Americans have posted an online review about a poor customer service experience with a company, an increase from 42% in 2021Brands are doing more with less...

  • 66% of Americans are likely to abandon a brand after a poor customer service experience, a significant jump from 42% in our 2021 survey

  • 50% of Americans have posted an online review about a poor customer service experience with a company, an increase from 42% in 2021

  • Brands are doing more with less. Even with less staffing, half of Americans believe the coronavirus pandemic has positively impacted customer service. When asked how they think the pandemic impacted customer service in general, 50% responded  that it made it significantly or slightly better, and only 25% believe it has gotten worse. 25% stated that they saw no effect.

STATS: Global Loyalty Trends Report 2022

August 05, 2022 | Qiibee

First of all, a big shout out to all the brands that took part in the survey. The responses provided a variety of quality insights that truly helped up us understand and explore the loyalty scene in greater depth! Our ‘2022 Loyalty Trends Report’ was created in an effort to better...

First of all, a big shout out to all the brands that took part in the survey. The responses provided a variety of quality insights that truly helped up us understand and explore the loyalty scene in greater depth! Our ‘2022 Loyalty Trends Report’ was created in an effort to better understand brand: • Pain points • Loyalty programs • Loyalty investments in 2022 • Technology investments in 2022 By analysing over 100 loyalty programs in 5 different regions, we intended to provide our readers the most relevant and transformative insights. Find out today what loyalty programs around the world are doing to succeed in the 2022 loyalty scene, with over 80 different aspects of loyalty observed, there is an insight for every reader! We are extremely excited about our discoveries, so if you enjoy the content, make sure to share your favorite brand insight on social media and mention us (@qiibee) with the hashtag #qiibee2022LTR. We will be resharing all mentions

STATS: U.S. Digital Consumer Trends Index 2022

August 05, 2022 | Marigold Engage + by Marigold

Consumer Attitudes and Trends in Personalization, Privacy, Messaging, Advertising, and Brand Loyalty in the U.S. For generations the path to purchase for U.S. consumers has been relatively linear. Digital marketers would fling resources on various advertising formats, and as long as the sales...

Consumer Attitudes and Trends in Personalization, Privacy, Messaging, Advertising, and Brand Loyalty in the U.S.

For generations the path to purchase for U.S. consumers has been relatively linear. Digital marketers would fling resources on various advertising formats, and as long as the sales funnel was laden with email addresses, eyeballs were reported to have seen creative, and the bottom-line was hit, few questioned the status-quo. Then came a raft of data scandals, CCPA legislation and a global pandemic that irrevocably changed the commerce landscape. U.S. consumer behaviors, coupled with digital transformations that traditionally changed over several years, began to shift in a matter of days. As a direct consequence, the path to purchase we see today is anything but linear. U.S consumers interact with a brand on multiple channels, oftentimes unpredictably, with over half (55%) using a mobile phone while in a store to research a purchase, and a sizable 45% claiming to have browsed for products in a physical store only to purchase later online. It’s clear that if you are not listening to these multiple touchpoints across various channels, have them connected, and are able to activate in real-time, your customers will be purchasing elsewhere. Marketers that have relied on third-party cookies and the retargeting ads they fuel are in a quandary. Not only is Google et al. cementing plans to comprehensively curtail third-party cookie tracking within the next year, but 56% of U.S. consumers think retargeting ads are creepy, and a mere 15% will miss cookies. These sweeping changes to the martech and adtech industries reinforce the need for marketers to shift to a first- and zero-party data strategy to power their advertising and marketing initiatives. The good news is that U.S. consumers are quite happy to trade personal and preference data if you offer the right value exchange. Whether it be a discount or loyalty points, or something more holistic like unlocking content, exclusive access or being part of a brand’s community, in every instance U.S. consumers find these things valuable, and will share data for these services. While this is a time of great flux for marketers, it’s comforting that U.S. consumers continue to love loyalty programs, and more than ever before intend to take part in them this year. Three quarters of U.S consumers not only have a favorite brand, but are prepared to pay more to purchase from it. Points-for-prizes is merely one of the many different tactics one can use to help engender loyalty. Of course U.S. consumers love a discount for their loyalty (62%), however there have been huge increases in those consumers who love engaging interactive experiences like contests and sweepstakes, personalized product recommendations based on their self-reported preferences, and those that would like brand recognition in return for their loyalty. The data you are about to read in this report has the ability to significantly impact your revenue goals in both the short and long term, but it may require a willingness to adopt a new marketing mentality. Relationship marketing requires listening to the right consumer signals intently and activating them in realtime in any channel a consumer prefers. This is an extraordinary opportunity to assess your organization’s ability to execute on that level and deliver against consumers’ growing demand for more personalization, more privacy and a deeper relationship with the brands they know and trust

STATS: Jebbit Releases Sixth Consumer Data Trust Index Revealing Ranking Consumer Trust in World’s Leading Brands

August 03, 2022 | Jebbit

75% of brands report greater difficulty building and maintaining trust with their customers post-pandemic, although online shopping is up 63% This year’s report revealed 71% of consumers surveyed support federal data privacy legislation, yet 30% were unaware that Apple and Google made data...

75% of brands report greater difficulty building and maintaining trust with their customers post-pandemic, although online shopping is up 63%

This year’s report revealed 71% of consumers surveyed support federal data privacy legislation, yet 30% were unaware that Apple and Google made data privacy changes at all, indicating there’s a huge opportunity for brands to better educate consumers. In fact, 49% of consumers polled stated that data transparency communications, cookie consent banners, and privacy emails make them trust a brand more.
 
  • This CDTI edition’s rankings reflect the largest shifts in brand trust rankings to date - Google fell from #4 most trusted brand to #89, Apple fell from #17 to #43, and Netflix went from #8 to #43, indicating there’s room for brands to improve the education (and communication tactics) that they provide to their users regarding data privacy changes.
  • Brands must be thoughtful and strategic with the data points they seek to capture as 30% of consumers said ‘asking for too much information,’ again ranked as the #1 factor that results in brand mistrust.
  • Pandemic trends are here to stay with 63% of consumers surveyed saying their online shopping usage has increased since the start of the pandemic, and 40% say they’re seeing more irrelevant online ads than ever before - 46% agreed that irrelevant online ads from a business based on past purchase data decreased trust in that brand.
  • D2C brand Bonobos jumped to #9 from #90, indicating that legacy brand awareness doesn’t guarantee a high trust index ranking - 43% trust brands in both D2C and traditional brand categories the same

STATS: 75% of Consumers Say Customer Experience Impacts Brand Loyalty

June 28, 2022 | Merkle

75 percent of consumers say consistent customer experiences and customer service improve their likelihood to do business with a brand.   The report highlights four key takeaways that marketers need to ramp up customer loyalty efforts in 2022 and beyond:Leverage loyalty to build...

75 percent of consumers say consistent customer experiences and customer service improve their likelihood to do business with a brand.
 

The report highlights four key takeaways that marketers need to ramp up customer loyalty efforts in 2022 and beyond:

  • Leverage loyalty to build trust across the entire customer experience, as 79 percent of consumers are more likely to do business with a brand because of its loyalty program.
  • Provide expanded financial utility while also delivering emotional benefits, since 73 percent of millennials say a consistent customer experience makes it more likely they will continue to do business with their favorite brand.
  • Ditch data and personalization strategies that lack sophistication, as almost 60 percent of consumers said current personalization efforts (via website and marketing communications) have no impact on their likelihood to continue to do business with a brand.
  • Create a new dimension of engagement with promotion-based loyalty campaigns, as almost 50 percent of consumers want chance-to-win rewards included within the loyalty experience (up from about 35 percent in 2019).

STATS: The Digital Divide: Technology, The Metaverse, and the Future of Dining Out

June 21, 2022 | Paytronix

20% of restaurant consumers are familiar with the metaverse.34% of Millennials and 27% of Gen Z have already participated in the metaverse.38% of consumers who already participate in the metaverse would be willing to integrate restaurant purchases into this environment.33% of grab-and-go...

  • 20% of restaurant consumers are familiar with the metaverse.
  • 34% of Millennials and 27% of Gen Z have already participated in the metaverse.
  • 38% of consumers who already participate in the metaverse would be willing to integrate restaurant purchases into this environment.
  • 33% of grab-and-go customers are very or extremely familiar with the metaverse, more than double the share of either dine-in or either-or customers.
  • 40% of Gen Z respondents said they are very familiar with the metaverse, although they do not lead all generations in actual metaverse participation.
  • 34% of Millennials have participated in a metaverse environment. This may have to do with the generation’s superior spending power, as consumers who earn over $100,000 annually are more likely than those of other income brackets to have participated in a metaverse environment.
  • 38% of consumers who already participate in the metaverse or are interested in it would be willing to integrate restaurant purchases into this environment, including a majority of grab-and-go customers.
  • 21% of consumers who say they are not interested in buying food in the metaverse are not interested because they are either unfamiliar with it or believe the metaverse is complicated.

STATS: New Survey Research Conducted in Partnership with Freedompay and Cornell University Highlights Gen Z’s Attitudes on Data Privacy and Sharing

June 20, 2022 | FreedomPay

To start, the researchers first determined how participants might categorize the privacy level for several pieces of data. Placed on a 6-point scale, with 1 equaling extremely unlikely to share and 6 equaling extremely likely to share, the data items were sorted as follows: Privacy LevelData...

To start, the researchers first determined how participants might categorize the privacy level for several pieces of data. Placed on a 6-point scale, with 1 equaling extremely unlikely to share and 6 equaling extremely likely to share, the data items were sorted as follows:
Privacy Level Data Items Average Willingness
Low

 
Gender 5.24
Name 5.09
Age 5.09
Email Address 4.76
Date of Birth 4.59
Phone Number

 
4.04

 
Medium

 
Shopping Preference 3.40
Shopping History 3.36
Biometrics 3.31
Expected Monthly Expense 3.03
Income 2.91
Social Media Account

 
2.78

 
High GPS Location 1.95
SSN 1.74
Medical Record 1.71

Taking a closer look at the data, in offering Gen Zers a $15 reward, their willingness to share data increases across the three privacy categories:
  • 11% more likely to share low-privacy data
  • 27% like to share medium-privacy information
  • High-privacy data is more likely to be shared 24%
Additionally, the research revealed preferences in terms of the rewards offered for sharing information as well:
  • Participants prefer cash discount to loyalty points (at 69% and 31% respectively)
  • They are likely to choose loyalty points if that value is 20x greater than cash discount value
  • For those Gen Zers who prefer loyalty points, food & beverage was the most preferred category (at 44)
  • The least popular options include debit cards, gas, grocery stores, and the hospitality industry
  • Other participants were equally likely to choose food & beverage and retailers equally

STATS: Premium Loyalty Data Study

June 08, 2022 | Clarus Commerce

78% of consumers said they are willing to pay for a premium loyalty program. When consumers were asked what amount they’d be willing to pay for a loyalty program with their favorite brand, less than $50 per year remained the most popular answer in 2022 (46%). The percentage of consumers who...

78% of consumers said they are willing to pay for a premium loyalty program. When consumers were asked what amount they’d be willing to pay for a loyalty program with their favorite brand, less than $50 per year remained the most popular answer in 2022 (46%). The percentage of consumers who chose that option increased 8% year over year, up from 38% in 2021. Additionally, nearly a quarter of respondents (22%) said they would be willing to pay at least $51-$100 for a loyalty program with their favorite brand.

72% of consumers belong to a premium loyalty program.

77% of consumers that don’t belong to any premium loyalty programs would join one if their favorite brand offered one and the benefits were valuable to them

83% of consumers said they were likely to invest in a brand’s premium loyalty program if they already belong to that brand’s traditional loyalty program.

91% of premium loyalty members said they’re likely to choose a brand over a competitor offering a lower price if they’re satisfied with the special benefits offered by the brand’s premium loyalty program

91% of premium loyalty members said they were likely to recommend a brand to friends or family when the brand offers a program with benefits they find valuable.

71% of premium loyalty members shop with brands whose programs they participate in at least once a week.

The percentage of consumers who don’t want to wait to accumulate points in loyalty programs and think loyalty programs should provide immediate benefits to maintain their loyalty held steady year over year at 78% in 2022. And the percentage of premium loyalty members who expected immediate benefits also remained firm at 38%.
The percentage of respondents overall who said they’d be willing to pay for a premium loyalty program for gas and groceries increased by 16% and 7% respectively year over year. And after a 10% decline from 2020 to 2021, willingness to pay for an entertainment-based premium loyalty program increased by 6% in 2022.

Seventy-eight percent (78%) of respondents said they belong to traditional loyalty programs, the highest rate since 2019 and a 7% increase from last year.

A little more than two-thirds of 2022 respondents (69%) belong to 1-4 programs, similar to 2021 (68%). The same trend also goes for monthly usage of traditional loyalty programs: Almost three-quarters (73%) of 2021 respondents used 50% or less of their traditional loyalty program memberships on a monthly basis, while 70% did the same in 2022.

Forty-two percent of respondents said they’ve followed a brand on their social media page in exchange for an incentive — the most common incentivized action consumers took. However, nearly as many (39%) said they have never engaged with a brand on social media in any way in exchange for incentives

Relatively few consumers have taken other actions in exchange for incentives, like commenting on brands’ social media posts (26%), resharing brands’ posts (23%) and tagging friends in comments on brands’ posts (22%)

Only 23% of consumers have reshared a brand’s social media post in exchange for an incentive.

How consumers have engaged with a brand on social media in exchange for an incentive
Followed the brand on their social media pages 42%
I have not engaged with a brand on social media in exchange for incentives 39%
Commented on the brand’s social media post 26%
Reshared a post from the brand 23%
Tagged friends in a comment on a brand’s social post 22%
Used a brand’s hashtag or @mentioned them in a post to boost the post’s visibility 15%
Direct/private messaged with the brand on social media 13%
Used a brand’s hashtag or @mentioned them in a post in order to participate in a promotion, sweepstakes or contest 12%

Which of the following pieces of personal data have you shared with a brand in exchange for an incentive
1 Email 73%
2 Name 62%
3 Birthday 57%
4 Phone number 44%
5 Gender 39%
6 Home address 30%
7 Race/ethnicity 29%
8 Marital status 26%
9 Social media handle 20%
10 Income level 19%
11 Buying preferences (e.g., “I’m interested in athletic apparel”) 19%
12 I have never shared any data with a brand in exchange for an incentive 14%
13 Health data (steps, heart rate, etc.) 8%
14 Browser history 8%

Nearly half of consumers (45%) say they’re willing to share their data in exchange for an enhanced customer experience.

56% of consumers correctly identified the metaverse as a set of virtual reality worlds
44% of consumers said they didn’t know what the metaverse was, or incorrectly identified it as a video game or wellness app
After being presented with the correct definition of the metaverse, a healthy majority (65%) indicated an interest in engaging with a brand in the metaverse to unlock an exclusive offer from the brand, with more than a quarter of respondents (27%) saying they were “very interested.”

Which of the following best describes your interest level in engaging with a brand in the metaverse to unlock an exclusive offer from the brand?
1 Gen Z 83%
2 Millennials 79%
3 Gen X 66%
4 Baby boomers 40%
5 Silent Generation 12%

Which of the following best describes your interest level in NFTs (non-fungible tokens)?
1 Gen Z 74%
2 Millennials 73%
3 Gen X 59%
4 Baby boomers 27%
5 Silent Generation 10%

Although NFTs have seen sales as high as $91.8 million, just over half of respondents (57%) indicated an interest in the digital assets, while 43% said they were not interested at all.

STATS: Customer Data Platform Market worth $15.3 billion by 2026 - Report by MarketsandMarkets

May 26, 2022 | MarketsandMarkets

According to market research report "Customer Data Platform Market by Component, Application (Customer Retention and Engagement and Personalized Recommendation), Deployment Mode, Organization Size, Vertical, Capability, and Region - Global Forecast to 2026", published by...

According to market research report "Customer Data Platform Market by Component, Application (Customer Retention and Engagement and Personalized Recommendation), Deployment Mode, Organization Size, Vertical, Capability, and Region - Global Forecast to 2026", published by MarketsandMarkets™, the Customer Data Platform Market size to grow from USD 3.5 billion in 2021 to USD 15.3 billion by 2026, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 34.6% during the forecast period.

By 2030, 69% of decisions made during customer engagement will be completed by smart machines.
 

STATS: Juniper Research: Consumer Credit Card Rewards to Exceed $108 Billion in Value by 2026, as Retailers Leverage Loyalty Benefits

May 24, 2022 | Juniper Research

A new Juniper Research study has found that the value of global consumer credit card rewards will exceed $108 billion by 2026; rising from $92 billion in 2022. This 15% growth will be driven by an increase in adoption of co-branded credit cards by retailers to boost repeat user...

A new Juniper Research study has found that the value of global consumer credit card rewards will exceed $108 billion by 2026; rising from $92 billion in 2022. This 15% growth will be driven by an increase in adoption of co-branded credit cards by retailers to boost repeat user engagement.

The new research, Digital Loyalty Programmes: Emerging Trends, Regional Analysis & Market Forecasts 2022‑2026, predicts that the global value of credit card rewards will increase, as consumers prefer a single loyalty record, instead of multiple apps or physical cards. The research recommends that merchants collaborate with loyalty platforms to access this omnichannel approach, or risk losing market share to better-connected competitors.

For more insights, download the free whitepaperOmnichannel Loyalty ~ The Future of the Digital Loyalty Market

China – Evolving Market in Digital Loyalty Space

The research found that the value of consumer credit card rewards in China will grow by 18% between 2022 & 2026; as consumer awareness of loyalty programmes rises in the digitally savvy Chinese population. Recently, Ascenda and Visa partnered to roll out a customer loyalty solution for cross-border transactions in China, which the research predicts will fuel user engagement with loyalty programmes, driving growth. Given its digital leadership, the research recommends China as a favourable market to offer coalition-based loyalty programmes via credit cards.

Personal Credit Cards Ahead of Corporate Credit Cards

The report found that the total value of personal credit card rewards will be triple that of corporate credit cards in 2026. While corporate cards are often used for travel, this significantly reduced during the pandemic, with steady growth anticipated as the situation normalises. The research identified personal credit card reward programmes as being high value due to the extremely competitive nature of the market, which has forced reward values upwards. The research recommends that payment providers enter into strategic partnerships with desirable retailers or brands to exploit the full potential of credit card reward schemes, or they will fall behind more appealing alternatives.

STATS: FICO Report Finds Consumers Are Expecting More Personalized Service from Their Financial Service Providers to Secure Their Financial Future

May 17, 2022 | FICO

FICO today released a new report examining consumers’ shifting financial behavior and priorities.56% of U.S. banks and 69% of credit unions claim they are implementing digital transformation.Banks must continue to evolve to match five specific areas to meet customers' new expectations...

  • FICO today released a new report examining consumers’ shifting financial behavior and priorities.
  • 56% of U.S. banks and 69% of credit unions claim they are implementing digital transformation.
  • Banks must continue to evolve to match five specific areas to meet customers' new expectations: overdraft; saving and investing; buy now, pay later (BNPL); niche neobanks and open banking.
Leading applied analytics company FICO today released a new report examining consumers’ shifting financial behavior and priorities. While most consumers are happy with traditional banks and credit unions, the percentage of Gen Z, Millennial, and Gen X consumers in the United States that consider a digital bank to be their primary checking account provider has more than doubled, at 12% of customers since 2020. In fact, only 25% of Gen Z consumers use a megabank as the source for their primary checking account.

The research noted that 56% of U.S. banks and 69% of credit unions claimed that they had launched a digital transformation strategy, and 55% of those institutions claimed they were at least 50% of the way through their implementation of that strategy. However, seven in 10 banks and approximately three quarters (76%) of credit unions said they don’t plan to replace their core systems as part of their digital transformation.
 
  • Regarding overdrafts, U.S. neobanks have made fee-free overdraft protection a central and highly visible product feature, with Chime as a neobank that offers a feature called SpotMe, which covers up to $200 overdraws on debit card purchases and/or cash withdrawals for eligible customers.
  • Regarding saving and investing, the two most popular fintech apps that consumers use to automate savings or encourage them to save more money as well as invest are Acorns and Stash, as they combine automated savings capabilities with portfolio and fractional stock investing that emphasizes diversification and encourages long-term investing over day trading.
  • Regarding the explosive popularity of buy now, pay later (BPNL), the percentage of Gen Zers making purchases with BNPL plans grew six-fold between 2019 and 2021 – from 6% to 36%.
  • Regarding niche neobanks, the next generation of consumer-facing fintech companies is focused on a specific segment of consumers that share a common set of functional and emotional needs when it comes to money.
  • Regarding open banking, or the ability for consumers to share data from their financial accounts and providers to enable other products or experiences, 76% of consumers consider being able to connect their accounts to apps as a top priority, and 69% would switch banks to do so.

STATS: 70% of UK Consumers Less Likely to Shop With Retailers After Hearing About a Negative Delivery Experience

May 10, 2022 | Metapack

A new report from ecommerce delivery technology leader Metapack uncovers the effect of negative delivery experience on consumer shopping behaviours. Amid the shift to online shopping, the research dives into consumer delivery experience across the UK, France and Germany and reveals that...

A new report from ecommerce delivery technology leader Metapack uncovers the effect of negative delivery experience on consumer shopping behaviours. Amid the shift to online shopping, the research dives into consumer delivery experience across the UK, France and Germany and reveals that over two-thirds of consumers are less inclined to shop with a retailer after hearing of a negative delivery experience.

Word travels fast

Metapack’s new Post Purchase Experience Report underlines how bad delivery experiences can spread exponentially. Specifically, Metapack’s research finds that over 60% of UK consumers have shared negative delivery experiences with friends and family. Alongside this, the impact of social networks is also highlighted with almost 15% of UK consumers declaring they have posted on social media and 22% of UK consumers stating they have posted an online review, following a negative delivery experience.

Delivery experience the differentiator

The research also reveals why it’s important for retailers to invest in their delivery ecosystem, with over 35% of consumers in the UK stating that they have stopped shopping with a retailer completely following one negative delivery experience. Alongside this, 40.6% of shoppers state to have bad-post purchases experiences with some degree of regularity. Across the different geographical markets surveyed, the frequency of bad experiences is consistent. However, when examining shoppers’ age, it’s clear that younger shoppers are reporting more frequent bad experiences.

This research is consistent with Metapack’s finding in the Ecommerce Delivery Benchmark Report 2022, which found that digital native shoppers are more than three times as likely to face negative delivery experiences compared to those aged 65+. Diving deeper, experiences were consistent across different retail categories, apart from ‘DIY & gardening’ and ‘furniture & flooring, where negative experiences were slightly more prevalent.
 

Carrier choice matters

Another notable highlight from Metapack’s new research is the growing importance of the delivery proposition as part of the overall experience, with 87% of UK shoppers stating that the range of delivery options presented to them is an important factor. Alongside this, almost 70% of UK consumers state that the carrier assigned to deliver their order also impacts on their overall delivery experience.

Nationally representative consumer panels were undertaken across the UK, France and Germany. The sample comprised of more than 3,000 consumers, with survey data collected in March 2022.

STATS: The Brands Reviving the Lost Art of Letter Writing to Drive Loyalty

May 09, 2022 | Adweek

A recent study from e-commerce platform Yotpo found that 90% of U.K. consumers were loyal to brands that shared their values. But personalization is a key driver too: Accenture research has shown 48% of global consumers expect special treatment for being loyal to a  brand.While direct...

A recent study from e-commerce platform Yotpo found that 90% of U.K. consumers were loyal to brands that shared their values. But personalization is a key driver too: Accenture research has shown 48% of global consumers expect special treatment for being loyal to a  brand.

While direct mail might seem an antiquated way to reach consumers amid the digital noise, when it comes to driving behavior to encourage brand loyalty there is a unique power in putting pen to paper. 81% of Americans told note-writing service Bond that they considered receiving these to be more meaningful than an email or text.

In the U.K., Sweaty Betty’s IWD campaign illuminated this trend and drove a 15% sales uplift. In total, 54% of people who received the letter also made a purchase within three weeks.

John Lewis’ head of loyalty, India Watson, responsible for a team delivering monthly targeted rewards and incentives for the ‘My John Lewis’ scheme members, explained how customers took to social media to express their joy at receiving something so personal following its “Give a Little Love” campaign—saying the brand had “never seen a reaction like it” from any previous work.

John Lewis also saw commercial uplift; customers who received the campaign went on to shop 11% more frequently than those in a control group—and retention rates were also 4.5% higher

STATS: QR Code Payments to Reach $3 Trillion Globally by 2025, with Integrated Loyalty Schemes Driving Market Value

May 09, 2022 | Juniper Research

A new study from Juniper Research has predicted the global spend using QR code payments will reach over $3 trillion by 2025; rising from $2.4 trillion in 2022. This growth of 25% will be driven by the increasing focus on improving the level of financial inclusion in developing regions...

A new study from Juniper Research has predicted the global spend using QR code payments will reach over $3 trillion by 2025; rising from $2.4 trillion in 2022. This growth of 25% will be driven by the increasing focus on improving the level of financial inclusion in developing regions and providing alternatives to established payment methods in developed regions.

The new research, QR Code Payments: Key Opportunities, Competitor Leaderboard & Marketing Forecasts 2022-2026, identified combined loyalty and payment services via a single QR code as a key strategy for increasing adoption. It predicts loyalty schemes will encourage repeat use and foster consumer trust in QR codes for payments.

 

Alipay Tops Juniper Research Competitor Leaderboard

The research reviewed the top 15 QR code payments vendors in the market and evaluated key factors that led to their respective success. The top 5 vendors were ranked as below:

  1. Alipay
  2. PayPal
  3. WeChat Pay
  4. Google Pay
  5. UnionPay International

Juniper Research has ranked Alipay as the leader in QR code payments, having built upon its early‑mover advantage to create a portfolio of strong features, including loyalty schemes, online payments, and a food delivery service in the QR space. The report suggests competitors emulate Alipay’s strategy to create a valuable ecosystem that revolves around QR code payments capabilities, such as loyalty schemes.

The report found that the prospects for adoption and growth are stronger in markets with national schemes in place, due to incentives that promote ease of use for consumers; with increased interoperability being a major enabling factor. In particular, the research found that in India, the transaction value of QR code payments will increase from $62 billion in 2022, to $125 billion in 2026, driven by its national QR code standard and reduced cash usage. Accordingly, we recommend that vendors looking to expand internationally focus on markets with established national schemes.

STATS: Put your Trust in Hyper-Relevanace

May 09, 2022 | Accenture

73% of CEOs acknowledge the need for products, services and experiences that are more meaningful to their customers. Accenture Strategy research shows, for example, that 48 percent of consumers expect specialized treatment for being a good customer.2 Intelligent personalization also makes good...

73% of CEOs acknowledge the need for products, services and experiences that are more meaningful to their customers.

Accenture Strategy research shows, for example, that 48 percent of consumers expect specialized treatment for being a good customer.2 Intelligent personalization also makes good business sense.

Thirty-three percent of customers who abandoned a business relationship last year did so because personalization was lacking.3 Retaining those customers with personalized experiences would generate a significant revenue boost. Companies have a tremendous opportunity to distinguish themselves with a more personal touch. Today, only 22 percent of global customers acknowledge that the companies with which they do business tailor their experiences based on a deep understanding of their needs, preferences and past interactions.4 Leaders of forward-thinking companies are making their move. They know that as customer expectations evolve, so must the experiences that their companies deliver. In fact, 73 percent of CEOs acknowledge the need for products, services and experiences that are more meaningful to their customers.5 Some of them are already preparing for nextgeneration personalization. We call it hyper-relevance.

The good news is that customers are no longer surprised by companies’ interest in their lives. Nearly one third of consumers expect the companies with which they engage to know more about them.6 And two-thirds are willing to share personal information with companies. But there’s a catch. They will only do so in exchange for some perceived value.7 If that value exchange—or the trust upon which it is based—is broken, customers will walk.

Consumers have taken notice, too:
87% believe it is important for companies to safeguard the privacy of their information.
73%find not being able to trust a company with the personal information that’s been provided to be a top source of frustration.
58% would switch half or more of their spending to a provider that excels at personalizing experiences without comprimising trust.

STATS: Restaurants and C-Stores Enter a ‘New Normal’ of Digital Ordering

May 05, 2022 | Paytronix

Digital orders have risen to one-third of total restaurant and convenience store food orders, up from just 12% pre-pandemic. While in-store sales remain down by nearly half, digital orders have remained elevated at 113% of pre-pandemic levels.  Report findings include:   Rise in...

Digital orders have risen to one-third of total restaurant and convenience store food orders, up from just 12% pre-pandemic. While in-store sales remain down by nearly half, digital orders have remained elevated at 113% of pre-pandemic levels. 

Report findings include:
 
  • Rise in Takeout Orders While delivery was king before and during the height of the pandemic, more recent data indicates that takeout orders now dominate digital orders, with numbers even higher than they were pre-pandemic. Takeout jumped from approximately 35% of orders in January 2020 to a majority in March of 2022, a trend that appears to be increasing.
 
  • Third-Party Delivery Is Here to Stay – Third-party services will continue to play an important role in a customer acquisition strategy. To achieve success in today’s New Normal, restaurants and c-stores need to embrace new technology and third-party options and explore how to successfully integrate them into existing operations.
 
  • Delivery Customers are Different – For much of 2021, the average delivery tip was 12.5% of the subtotal, more than double takeout order tips. And 2021 takeout orders included a tip just 37% of the time compared to nearly 73% of delivery orders. Delivery customers are also more loyal, with 31% of orders coming from repeat customers.
 
  • Customer Feedback – Saving a guest relationship pays off. Paytronix data shows that issuing a coupon costs a restaurant $2.30 on average, but results in a $9.20 lift in that customer's lifetime value. That 4x ROI means a timely guest recovery strategy is a must-have.
 
  • AI Is Key to Gauging Customer Sentiment – Fifteen percent of reviews with a rating of 4.5 or better actually have a negative sentiment and could benefit from action, while 3-star reviews most frequently contain negative sentiment.

STATS: Building a consumer-centric identity solution

May 05, 2022 | Experian

82% of businesses have a consumer recognition strategy in place. 56% of consumers are more likely to share their contact information if it improves their experience. 42% of consumers will share personal information if it improves their experience. Over 54% of consumers expect a heightened and...

82% of businesses have a consumer recognition strategy in place.

56% of consumers are more likely to share their contact information if it improves their experience.

42% of consumers will share personal information if it improves their experience.

Over 54% of consumers expect a heightened and frictionless digital experience

62% of business owners can identify three or more major inefficiencies in their business processes that could be resolved with automation

49% of U.S. consumers have increased concern for their online activities and transactions

82% of consumers rank security as their top priority for their online experience

STATS: 67% OF SHOPPERS VISIT A CONVENIENCE STORE ONCE A WEEK OR MORE, ENSEMBLEIQ’S CONVENIENCE STORE NEWS FINDS

May 05, 2022 | EnsembleIQ

As consumer shopping habits evolve, convenience stores (c-stores) continue to fill the needs of busy shopper lifestyles. According to a research report from EnsembleIQ’s Convenience Store News, the leading source for c-store industry business intelligence, 67% of shoppers visit a...

As consumer shopping habits evolve, convenience stores (c-stores) continue to fill the needs of busy shopper lifestyles. According to a research report from EnsembleIQ’s Convenience Store News, the leading source for c-store industry business intelligence, 67% of shoppers visit a c-store once a week or more, a two-point increase from last year.

“This year’s findings highlight how important the concept of convenience is to consumers. Convenience stores remain far ahead of almost every other store type when it comes to retaining frequent shoppers,” said Don Longo, Editorial Director of Convenience Store News. “While convenience store shoppers tend to be creatures of habit, it’s more important than ever for convenience stores to meet the evolving needs of shoppers.”

Key highlights:

Consumers show strong loyalty to their favorite c-store brand. Seven-in-ten shop at the same c-store brand and location with 93% of this group doing so most of the time.

Today’s c-store shoppers find the price of products (53%), products they need being in stock (41%) and variety of products offered (30%) important.

Sixty-four percent of shoppers spent less than $15 (excluding gas) on their visit and most used cash or a debit card to make a purchase.

C-stores are consumers preferred choice of store for a wide range of products including dispensed beverages, candy/gum, cigarettes, other tobacco products and beer/malt beverages.

C-stores are the preferred location for consumers to fill up their gas tanks. When deciding where to stop for gasoline, price and a convenient location drive purchase decisions for 85% of shoppers.

The top services tried at c-stores are mobile-related with 73% of consumers using mobile pay. Drive-thru also ranks at the top of services most likely to use if it was available at a c-store.

Only 10% of c-store shoppers own an electric vehicle, but of those that do, they believe c-stores should provide charging stations. Among this group, 70% consider it important for c-stores to have a charging station.

CBD product sales are growing at c-stores. Twenty-nine percent of shoppers purchased CBD products in the past month and 15% bought them at a c-store. Sweet formulations are most popular with more than four-in-ten buying CBD gummies, followed by 26% purchasing chocolate.

The 2022 Convenience Store News Realities of the Aisle Study was fielded in January 2022. Responses were gathered from 1,510 convenience store shoppers. In order to qualify, respondents were required to be aged 18 and older, reside in the United States, and shop at convenience stores at least once a month.

STATS: New Survey Finds Almost 50% of Consumers Are Still Unfamiliar With the Metaverse

April 26, 2022 | CommerceNext

The February 2022 survey, which polled mostly women (58%) and focused on respondents between the ages of 18 and 59, found that almost half of those surveyed (48%) hadn’t yet heard the term “metaverse” and that only 5% considered themselves enthusiastic users of it, while 47...

The February 2022 survey, which polled mostly women (58%) and focused on respondents between the ages of 18 and 59, found that almost half of those surveyed (48%) hadn’t yet heard the term “metaverse” and that only 5% considered themselves enthusiastic users of it, while 47% were only vaguely familiar with the term and still in the dark on how to use it.

Only 18% of all consumers surveyed said that they engaged with virtual worlds at all. Of the 100 consumers surveyed who do engage with virtual worlds, 76% play games and 39% socialize in them. While only 30% of the group shops in metaverse environments, these respondents reported interest in activities such as shopping in virtual malls and trying on clothing and accessories virtually when they were asked about potential shopping-related activities in future metaverse visits. 

STATS: Regional Preferences on Restaurant Ordering Options, Loyalty Programs & Subscriptions Vary Across U.S.

April 25, 2022 | Paytronix Systems, Inc.

“Restaurants are built on personalized experiences and understanding guest preferences by region is a key part of building strong affinity between a guest and a restaurant brand,” said Michelle Tempesta, Chief Marketing Officer, Paytronix Systems. “Local and regional managers...

“Restaurants are built on personalized experiences and understanding guest preferences by region is a key part of building strong affinity between a guest and a restaurant brand,” said Michelle Tempesta, Chief Marketing Officer, Paytronix Systems. “Local and regional managers need the ability to tailor messages, offers, pricing, and menu language nuances to appeal to their audiences.”
 
QSRs – Consumers in the South strongly prefer Quick Service Restaurants, with 68% of consumers surveyed in this region saying they regularly order from these restaurants. Northeastern consumers are the least likely to order from QSRs, with 59% having ordered from one in the past month. This compares to the national average of 63% of consumers who order from QSRs regularly.
 
Table Service Table-service restaurants are more popular in the Pacific region than they are in the rest of the country, with 85% of consumers in this region saying they regularly order from such restaurants.
 
Promotions and Sales – Consumers in the Midwest are most drawn to restaurants that offer promotions and sales. QSR customers in the Midwest find promotions and sales particularly enticing, with 34% of consumers surveyed saying they are a deciding factor in selecting a restaurant.
 
Third-Party Aggregators – Consumers in the Northeast use restaurant aggregators like Grubhub and Uber Eats the most, while Midwesterners and Southerners use aggregators the least.
 
DiscountsEveryone loves discounts, no matter where in the U.S. they live. Both complimentary food and customized discounts are the two greatest draws for consumers at both table-service restaurants and QSRs. 55% of table service cand 58% of QSR customers say customized discounts are a favorite perk.
 

STATS: Shoppers Are Excited to Get Back to a Reinvented In-Store Experience, New ChaseDesign Survey Reveals

April 21, 2022 | ChaseDesign

A vast majority of consumers, 85%, will do more in-store shopping in 2022 than last year, up from the 79% reporting increased visits in 2021. Factors driving this return to physical locations include having the simple ability to choose products in person, seeing what’s new, and taking...

A vast majority of consumers, 85%, will do more in-store shopping in 2022 than last year, up from the 79% reporting increased visits in 2021. Factors driving this return to physical locations include having the simple ability to choose products in person, seeing what’s new, and taking advantage of the store staff’s expertise. At the same time, online ordering volumes and services like BOPIS are slipping from their 2021 highs, further bolstering the importance of a vibrant retail offering.
 

Other key findings from the ChaseDesign Shopper Sentiment survey include:

  • Shoppers see 2022 as the tipping point for self-checkout, with shoppers citing it as the most used technology tool at physical retail. This means merchandising practices for retailers must change and adapt in order to sustain lucrative impulse purchases.
  • Self-checkout joins QR codes and retailer shopping apps as the technologies that best help improve the shopping experience. More than two-thirds of shoppers use self-checkout at least occasionally, while 44% use the retailer’s shopping app and 29% use QR codes—all of which representing increases from previous years.
Findings from the ChaseDesign 2022 Shopper Sentiment survey validate the importance of aligning new merchandising offers with changing customer behaviors. For instance, the increased usage of self-checkouts requires a rethinking of marketing at the store’s front-end to replace impulse buy opportunities.

STATS: Infographic: Consumers demand more from loyalty programs

April 21, 2022 | Formation

72.5% of Americans feel more inclined to shop at brands that make their loyalty experience fun and rewarding.     79% said that if a company invests in making their loyalty programs more fun, they value their customers more.    And millennials and gen z are leading...

72.5% of Americans feel more inclined to shop at brands that make their loyalty experience fun and rewarding. 
  
79% said that if a company invests in making their loyalty programs more fun, they value their customers more.
  
And millennials and gen z are leading the charge. 
  
80% of millennials and 78% of gen z-ers frequently make extra purchases just to advance their status in a loyalty program.
  
But the loyalty goals need to be clearly defined…
  
65% of Americans said they are more likely to spend an amount to reach goals in a loyalty program ONLY if it’s clearly laid out for them.

STATS: Blue Yonder Survey Finds 86% of Consumers Willing to Delay Deliveries If It's More Sustainable

April 20, 2022 | ChaseDesign

Blue Yonder today released findings from its 2022 Consumer Sustainability Survey, which revealed retail consumer preferences related to sustainable shopping habits. The survey found that more than three-quarters (86%) of consumers are willing to delay e-commerce deliveries for the sake of...

Blue Yonder today released findings from its 2022 Consumer Sustainability Survey, which revealed retail consumer preferences related to sustainable shopping habits. The survey found that more than three-quarters (86%) of consumers are willing to delay e-commerce deliveries for the sake of improving sustainability if given an incentive to do so. Of those respondents, 29% are willing to delay deliveries up to five days and 28% are willing to delay a week or more.

The data also showed the COVID-19 pandemic had a noticeable impact on consumer sustainability habits. Nearly half (44%) of consumers said their interest in shopping sustainably increased since the start of the pandemic.
 

Consumers Willing to Do Their Part

Retail e-commerce sales are expected to grow by 50% over the next four years. To help limit the environmental impact of their online shopping, the survey found that consumers are willing to do their part by recycling, spending more on sustainable packaging or even setting minimum spending requirements on deliveries:

  • 81% of consumers recycle boxes/bags from in-store and online shopping at least half the time and more than half (53%) recycle the packaging 75-100% of the time
  • 64% are willing to spend more on sustainable packaging, with 44% willing to spend up to 5% more
  • 40% agree there should be a minimum amount a consumer must spend to qualify for expedited shipping or shipping in general

Social Media Influences Shopping Frequency at Sustainable Retailers

The survey also revealed that social media has influenced over half (52%) of consumers’ sustainable shopping frequency. Nearly half (45%) said they were slightly-to-moderately influenced and 7% said they were moderately-to-significantly influenced.

For those influenced by social media, Facebook and Instagram had the biggest influence with 31% and 28%, respectively. Facebook is the most popular platform for ages 45 and older and Instagram for ages 18-44. Surprisingly, TikTok (16%) and Snapchat (5%) were not as large of an influence with consumers overall. However, these platforms had a larger appeal for respondents ages 18-29, with TikTok at 28%.

STATS: Nearly 60% of Consumers Would Prefer Being Stuck in a Traffic Jam Over Having a Bad Customer Experience

April 19, 2022 | Telus

A recent survey found that nearly 60% of consumers said they would rather sit in a traffic jam than have a poor customer experience. The survey also revealed that nearly half (49%) of all respondents said that if they could only receive customer support in one way for the rest of their lives...

A recent survey found that nearly 60% of consumers said they would rather sit in a traffic jam than have a poor customer experience.

The survey also revealed that nearly half (49%) of all respondents said that if they could only receive customer support in one way for the rest of their lives, their preference would be speaking with a human on the phone. The distant second preference was ‘in person’ (19%). Further highlighting the importance of employing authentic and empathetic individuals to represent your brand, “kind/kindness” was the most popular write-in answer from consumers when asked what customer experience should look like in 2022.

“Nearly 48% of consumers believe that customer experiences should get significantly faster, followed by 43% saying interactions should become more personalized and 36% saying there should be more self-serve or automated options,” said Maria Pardee, chief commercial officer at TELUS International.
 

Other findings from the survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers included:

  • More than a third (44%) of respondents said that nothing - not even price, convenience, or if it’s a brand they truly like - excuses a poor customer experience
  • Respondents preferred a more personalized customer experience (64%) over ones that saved them time (36%)
  • Long wait times were the top pet peeve (32%), followed by not having the option to speak with a human (25%) and numerous transfers to different individuals (25%)

STATS: Most Customers Use Mobile Apps to Interact With Restaurant Loyalty Programs

April 14, 2022 | The Digital Divide

Today, about 4 in 10 consumers use loyalty programs when purchasing food for dine-in, delivery and pickup, according to “The Digital Divide,” a PYMNTS and Paytronix collaboration based on a survey of 2,207 U.S. adults who regularly purchase food from restaurants.   In fact, 44%...

Today, about 4 in 10 consumers use loyalty programs when purchasing food for dine-in, delivery and pickup, according to “The Digital Divide,” a PYMNTS and Paytronix collaboration based on a survey of 2,207 U.S. adults who regularly purchase food from restaurants.
 

In fact, 44% of table-service restaurant customers use loyalty programs, as do 39% of quick-service restaurant (QSR) customers.

Loyalty programs are especially likely to be used by high-tech consumers — the 10% of survey respondents who own 11.8 devices on average. Among this group, 75% of table-service restaurant customers use loyalty programs, as do 60% of QSR customers.

The share of consumers who use loyalty programs is smaller but still significant among two other personas identified by PYMNTS: the mainstream consumers who own 6.5 devices, and the low-tech consumers who own 2.8 devices.

The most common way in which consumers interact with restaurant loyalty programs is with mobile apps. The survey found that 56% of table-service restaurant customers use a mobile app, as do 64% of QSR customers.

Among the eight methods identified in the survey — five of which are digital and three non-digital — even the least popular ones were used by 14% of QSR customers and 18% of table-service restaurant customers.

STATS: Wider Blockchain Adoption Will Impact Customer Experience

April 14, 2022 | ONR

Customer perspective:  Simplification of payment and tracking via mobile payments will make it easier for customers to purchase.  Deeper customer relationships because of the increased volume of customer information that can be safely shared across platforms that can...

Customer perspective:  Simplification of payment and tracking via mobile payments will make it easier for customers to purchase.  Deeper customer relationships because of the increased volume of customer information that can be safely shared across platforms that can be transformed into greater customer knowledge and used to build bespoke customer experiences whether that is in terms of buying, selling or bartering.

  • Mobile payment will be a leader. This is in  contrast to China/Japan/Korea, where  a mobile and digital first architecture is already in place.  For example, in China, the digital Yuan will compete with WePay architecture. In North America, Google Pay/Apple Pay mobile phone payments are becoming more prevalent. How these new technologies are integrated into E-commerce functionality will define the customer experience for payments in the future.
  • It seems that blockchain adoption has highlighted how some customers are looking for new, different offerings.
    • Cryptocurrencies and blockchain adoption have the opportunity to reach out to customers and engage with them in a new way, on new mediums/platforms and offer new types of assets/purchases.
    • People involved in crypto are ready to make 'different' transactions online than customers not engaged in Blockchain.
    • The complete lack of physicality likely means that emotion takes an even larger role in decision making.

Organization/Brand:
Improved organizational efficiency from the standpoint of making it easier to transport and integrate data which will simplify adhering to industry regulation and improve supply chain management.

  • Industry Regulation will be innovated through the movement towards putting customer data on a blockchain and will likely start out in highly regulated industries such as Healthcare, where there are strict customer data regulations and a need to share sensitive data. 
    • Essentially, consumer data on a blockchain provides full transparency of its use.
    • With data being a primary area of value generation, the consequences of mandates of this manner could be far reaching and really shift the online ecosystem.
  • Data transparency becomes even more important as Blockchain has the potential to create visibility for customers and the use of their own data. Depending on further legislation and regulation, we may potentially see blockchain used to empower the individual to control their data.
    • Product information transparency – more information for the end customer. Potential exists for companies to highlight the true origin or source of materials, which can be used to help customers authenticate their purchase (thinking ESG – sourcing materials sustainably, etc.)
  • Consumer loyalty for consumers juggling an  array of loyalty programs, blockchain could provide instant redemption and exchange for multiple loyalty point currencies on a single platform. 
  • General supply chain benefit towards tracking inventory: B2B supplier transactions moving to smart contracts and private blockchains in their supply chain, which provides an entryway / transparency into the rest of the organization.

STATS: Twilio report suggests investment in digital customer engagement increases revenues

April 14, 2022 | Twilio

The report reflects findings from a survey of 3,450 business leaders and 4,500 consumers across 12 countries. The research demonstrates 72% of UK businesses increased investment in digital customer engagement in 2021, many are reaping the rewards. In fact, those that did invest in customer...

The report reflects findings from a survey of 3,450 business leaders and 4,500 consumers across 12 countries. The research demonstrates 72% of UK businesses increased investment in digital customer engagement in 2021, many are reaping the rewards. In fact, those that did invest in customer engagement technology increased revenues by 58%.

The rewards for businesses don’t stop at direct financial benefits. Many businesses reported that these technologies also positively impact customer retention and trust, 40% said that investing would increase loyalty. 42% said it would increase trust.

The research indicates 39% of global businesses cited “lack of in-house talent” as a roadblock to digital customer engagement strategy. In the UK, 47% said that they lack the in-house talent to run digital customer engagement programmes. This is a barrier to resilience in the long run. This is significantly higher than in the US, where one third (33%) said they had a talent gap.

By 2025, businesses expect that digital customer engagement will increase 47% from pre-pandemic levels globally.

Yet at the same time, strong customer engagement has never been more important. In fact, consumer opinions demonstrate that a failure to engage effectively with your customers could significantly affect the bottom line. 89% of UK consumers would stop doing business with a company after a frustrating customer experience. One fifth (21%) said they’d cut ties if they could not connect to someone from customer support. Furthermore,16% would cut ties if they knew they could get a better customer experience from a different company.

Concurrently, organisations that have successfully invested in their customer engagement strategy have reaped the benefits. UK businesses that did so saw revenue increase by 58%, but other markets saw even greater returns. France saw a 70% raise, the US 79%, Colombia 95%, Brazil 95%, and Mexico 91%.
 

Other key findings

  • Globally, utilities, professional services and retail industries saw the greatest digital acceleration as a result of the pandemic. Utilities and energy companies reported that it sped up their organisations’ digital transformation strategies by 7.9 years. 7.6 years for professional and technical services and 7 years for retail and eCommerce businesses.
  • Split globally by industry, construction companies reported the greatest ROI from digital customer engagement strategies with an 88% revenue increase. Telecoms saw an 83% lift and tech 82%.

Report Methodology

The report is based on two surveys conducted by Lawless Research in December 2021 and January 2022. The B2C company survey collected responses from 3,450 business leaders, while the consumer survey collected responses for 4,500 consumers. Both surveys included respondents from Australia, Brazil, Colombia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, Spain, UK and US. There were 200-1,000 responses from each country. The report also included analysis of anonymized, aggregated data from over 1.6 trillion interactions that have occurred on Twilio’s platform. This includes Twilio Segment, over the past several years.

Enterprise Times: What this means for business

The rapid increase of digital customer engagement in the post-pandemic world shows no sign of slowing down. Twilio’s research is interesting and reveals how organisations can adjust strategies to capitalise on these growth trends. The State of Customer Engagement Report 2022 suggests that digital customer engagement has made a significant impact — increasing revenue by 70% on average for companies that invested in it. Unsurprisingly, these same companies expect to almost double their investment by 2025. However, the fast pace of change also means that businesses will need to quickly adapt. Personalization is now essential for customer retention and data protection has taken on greater importance amongst consumers.

Another major shift to pay attention to is the move towards “cookieless.” Firefox and Safari have already blocked access to third-party cookies, and Google Chrome will do the same in 2023. In the coming “cookieless” world, creating personalised experiences will require embracing first-party data. Going forward, embracing first-party data is not just the right thing to do, it’s no longer a choice. The report suggests customer engagement will become an even more important component for any successful business strategy over the coming years. The companies that embrace these lessons. The importance of personalisation, data ownership, and trust will continue to reap the rewards of this new digital age. Consumers will enjoy better, more trustworthy experiences online.

STATS: New Research Says 92% of Marketers to Boost Out-of-home Budget in 2022 as Digital Ad Returns Decline

April 13, 2022 | Onescreen.ai

OneScreen.ai, a SaaS-enabled B2B marketplace provider for out-of-home (OOH) advertising, released new research that cites 92% of marketers plan to boost their OOH budget in 2022. While 98% of survey respondents said they invest in digital advertising, 97% are looking to alternative channels with...

OneScreen.ai, a SaaS-enabled B2B marketplace provider for out-of-home (OOH) advertising, released new research that cites 92% of marketers plan to boost their OOH budget in 2022. While 98% of survey respondents said they invest in digital advertising, 97% are looking to alternative channels with 67% saying digital returns have diminished even after scaling up programs. In this largest study of its kind, Kickstand Communications surveyed more than 600 marketing professionals across 45 states in the U.S. on the future of OOH and the current state of digital advertising.

 

“Over the past decade, digital marketing channels like paid social and paid search have become the most popular way to advertise, yet in recent years, brands are struggling to stand out among the noise,” said Jeanne Hopkins, CRO at OneScreen.ai. “Unlike internet ads, real-world marketing doesn’t appear, then quickly disappear. It is a medium centered on being in the right place at the right time, and it is replete with opportunities to creatively showcase messages in memorable ways while being highly measurable. This study confirms it’s an exciting time to be utilizing OOH.”

 

Marketers who responded to the survey agree that OOH placements are essential for reinforcing brand message (93%) and standing apart from competitors (76%). They also say OOH delights and surprises consumers who are increasingly difficult to impress online.

 

Sixty-one percent of survey respondents say the challenges of competing with massive brands for search position are partly to blame for declining digital ad returns, while 60% say growing consumer digital fatigue and distrust of digital ads are factors. Increased online focus during the COVID-19 pandemic made SEO competition even tougher, cited by 77%. As a result, approximately one-third of marketers are testing OOH placements as an alternative channel to bolster lackluster digital ROI.

 

Traditionally, the effectiveness of OOH campaigns has been difficult to measure. However, with technological advances, this is no longer the case. Nearly 92% of survey respondents report using a variety of trustworthy methods to reliably measure the effectiveness of OOH campaigns, including digital integration, promo codes, QR codes, and unique landing pages.

 

The possibilities with OOH advertising are endless, including mobile billboards on LED trucks, wall murals, TVs in public facilities and arenas, transportation signs, and billboards of all kinds that can be digitally enhanced. Today’s OOH is delivering more engagement with 84% of marketers predicting a rise in interactive OOH ads in 2022.

STATS: The Digital Divide: How High-Tech Consumers Connect to Subscription and Loyalty Offerings

April 11, 2022 | Paytronix

High-Tech Customers:  see mobile apps (56%) and the ability to pay online (57%) as factors that would lead them to increase their spending. Loyalty And Rewards Programs motivate a far greater share of high-tech consumers (51%) than average consumers (37%) to spend more. Such programs...

STATS: DPAA CEO Barry Frey says Programmatic is Digital OOH's Superpower

April 11, 2022 | DPAA

According to a recent study conducted by Advertiser Perceptions for DPAA:77% of brands and agencies increased their awareness and learning about OOH and DOOH in the last 18 months.66% of brands activated a new DOOH campaign in the past 18 months, and 81% plan to recommend DOOH in their media...

According to a recent study conducted by Advertiser Perceptions for DPAA:
  • 77% of brands and agencies increased their awareness and learning about OOH and DOOH in the last 18 months.
  • 66% of brands activated a new DOOH campaign in the past 18 months, and 81% plan to recommend DOOH in their media plans in the next year. 
 Consumers are also paying more attention to DOOH. DPAA’s recent consumer study conducted by research firm Mfour looked at consumer sentiment around DOOH screens:
  • 71% of consumers said they pay more attention to ads on DOOH screens over TV when watching ads. 
  • 50% of consumers said digital screens outside the home are a good way to learn about brands, products and services. 
  • About 35% of consumers reported that they are likely to research more, purchase and tell others about products they see advertised on DOOH screens. 
  • 55% of consumers agreed digital screens enhance the look of indoor locations making them look and feel more modern.
  • Approximately 35% of consumers trust ads on DOOH compared with just 18% for social media and 22% for internet ads. 
  • 88% of consumers agree that digital screens in doctor’s offices and pharmacies are a good source of health information. 
  • 81% find these screens helpful when they include customized content when at retail.

STATS: Unlocking the Power of Data with Artificial Intelligence

January 17, 2022 | Paytronix

As an industry leader for the last 20 years, Paytronix has compiled one of the largest databases of guest behavior in the hospitality industry – and it’s growing every day. Our data scientists have developed scoring algorithms by analyzing billions of data points across service types,...

As an industry leader for the last 20 years, Paytronix has compiled one of the largest databases of guest behavior in the hospitality industry – and it’s growing every day. Our data scientists have developed scoring algorithms by analyzing billions of data points across service types, regions, and decades. These algorithms, which can be applied to any individual brand’s unique data set, are smarter and more accurate because they’re informed by the immense Paytronix database. The AI to IA solution is applied across the Paytronix platform to boost performance in every KPI, including sales, guest engagement, brand loyalty, and more

Another way to achieve AI-driven segmentation is through clustering. Also known as k-means clustering, it involves one of the most popular machine-learning algorithms. Simply put, the AI identifies points in a data set and then creates clusters of the nearest ones while keeping each cluster as small as possible. In other words, it’s a method of grouping data points together to identify similarities that aren’t immediately apparent. Clustering enables marketers to determine which items are commonly bought together. A prominent example is the correlation between fuel and coffee purchases at a convenience store. Guests can also be segmented based on their frequent purchases via the process of menu clustering. This tactic enables marketers to choose an item or category they’d like to grow – say, a new burger or a high-margin offering like alcohol – and find what purchases motivate the guests who are buying it. Those guests can then be clustered into groups and sent offers that are relevant to their specific buying habits.

At its core, AI-driven marketing aims to communicate with guests on such a personal level that it’s as if each campaign were crafted specifically for them. When advanced segmentation and predictive analytics work together, that result can be achieved via a one-to-one campaign. AI is leveraged to reach guests based on their individual behavioral patterns, like their unique visit cadence or purchase history.

For a traditional missed-visit campaign, marketers would need to make an educated guess on what constituted a missed visit. They might decide to send a message to every guest who hadn’t visited in 90 days, but there are several shortcomings to this approach. In addition to ignoring those who haven’t visited in 89 days, it doesn’t take into account that a lapse is defined differently for each guest. Dedicated regulars who visit weekly could justifiably be sent a missed-visit message after their seventh consecutive day without a visit. Conversely, messaging once-a-month guests who just visited two weeks prior would be inappropriate. Using the Missed Visit Score, a marketer could send a message to all guests who had missed a visit according to their personal visit cadence. The AI would identify weekly guests who hadn’t visited in more than seven days, monthly regulars who hadn’t been in for more than 30 days, and everything in between. With the Missed Visit Score, creating this dynamic group would be as simple as clicking a button.

The same approach can be used when preparing a visit challenge. An ideal one will feature attainable goals that incentivize guests to visit more than they typically would. Since any traditional visit challenge could only be sent to a portion of guests, marketers need to make decisions based on what’s expected to provide the greatest ROI. AI helps identify the optimal guest segments to receive a given challenge and makes it simpler to design multiple challenges, enabling all guests to be targeted by the campaign. The AI can optimize for the right number of visits and a promotion timeframe that will challenge each guest appropriately, and machine learning can be used to determine, over time, which rewards are best at driving guest behavior. For example, some guests might prefer to visit five times in a month to get a free coffee, while others are more apt to strive for six visits in two weeks to earn 100 bonus points. It’s at the marketer’s discretion whether the AI provides a static set of challenges or continually optimizes the challenges and rewards as it learns.

STATS: Prepaid Card Transaction Value to Exceed $4.1 Trillion by 2026 Globally, as Financial Inclusion Drives Usage

January 12, 2022 | Juniper Research

A new study from Juniper Research has found the value of transactions made over prepaid cards will exceed $4.1 trillion globally in 2026; up from $2.3 trillion in 2021 - a substantial growth of 75%. By 2026, prepaid card transaction value will be just over 50% higher than that forecast...

A new study from Juniper Research has found the value of transactions made over prepaid cards will exceed $4.1 trillion globally in 2026; up from $2.3 trillion in 2021 - a substantial growth of 75%. By 2026, prepaid card transaction value will be just over 50% higher than that forecast for contactless payment transactions; illustrating the importance of this market. The growth in prepaid cards will be driven by the ongoing replacement of cash, as economies move increasingly towards digital payments.

The new research, Prepaid Cards: Trends, Vendor Strategies & Market Forecasts 2022-2026, found that the growth of the prepaid market will present a significant revenue opportunity for prepaid card platforms, with fee revenue reaching over $32 billion globally in 2026, from $22 billion in 2021. The report recommends that focusing on critical capabilities, such as restricted authorisation, which enables issuers to specify where funds can be spent, will pay dividends in the longer term.

The research found that while the US will account for over 43% of global transaction values in 2026, there are other significant opportunities emerging. China is seeing increasing prepaid use, and as international tourism recovers, prepaid cards for travel money can benefit. The report also highlighted emerging markets as a key area of interest and recommended that platforms form partnerships now in order to best exploit future opportunities.

STATS: 2021 Seasonal Fraud Data: Black Friday-Cyber Monday

December 13, 2021 | Sift

Nearly two years of unpredictable consumer behavior, mass digital migration, and wobbly growth left businesses ready for a 2021 Black Friday weekend that would top the charts in both traffic flow and transaction values. But despite merchants’ expectations for a standout seasonal sales...

Nearly two years of unpredictable consumer behavior, mass digital migration, and wobbly growth left businesses ready for a 2021 Black Friday weekend that would top the charts in both traffic flow and transaction values. But despite merchants’ expectations for a standout seasonal sales kickoff, global reports revealed a 1.4% drop across e-commerce on Cyber Monday—a difference worth millions of dollars, and the first Black Friday-Cyber Monday (BFCM) downturn recorded in history.

In fact, research found that consumers spent  $4.5 billion online on Saturday, November 27th, down 4.3% from 2020, and $4.7 billion online the following day, down 0.5% from the same period last year. And while these dips in BFCM sales were a surprise, this holiday shopping season is still ramping up to dominate previous years’ Q4 profits by a landslide: Adobe points out that, given the high levels of holiday spending that have already happened, sales for the entire holiday shopping season (November 1-December 31) are expected to reach $207 billion, up 10% from the previous year. 
 

Seasonal surges in consumer spending are a beacon to fraudsters, who showed up in droves during BFCM weekend, driving payment fraud, account takeover, and the likelihood of future chargebacks to new altitudes across multiple industries. According to Sift’s global network, attempted account takeover fraud (ATO) more than tripled in digital wallets this year, with significant increases in payment services (PSPs) and buy now, pay later (BNPL)—notable, given that fintech order volumes rose by 126% over the BFCM weekend. Food delivery was also hit with rising ATO attempts, a problem exacerbated by the demand for zero friction and near-real-time verification.

However, no industry got bombarded by attempted ATO like omnichannel retail: account takeover fraud rates rose by a gut-wrenching 2950% during BFCM, on top of a 62% increase in attempted payment fraud. Sift’s Trust and Safety Architects reason that these ballooning attacks will only continue throughout the remainder of the season, and are precursors to an avalanche of post-holiday chargebacks likely to arrive just after the new year.

The pandemic transformed online business suddenly and permanently. For two holiday shopping seasons, unpredictable traffic and transaction volumes exposed merchants to digital fraud at a speed and scale that that was impossible to prepare for. In April of 2020, average daily order volumes across e-commerce were equal to ~88% of the transactions that occurred during just Black Friday weekend 2019.

This year, predominantly digital purchases were expected over the Black Friday-Cyber Monday (BFCM) weekend, as consumers and providers alike settle in for a ubiquitously online shopping experience. But while global online sales reportedly dropped across the board for the first time in history, Sift's BFCM data* showed growth throughout the global network, with notable jumps in marketplaces and fintech.

Four verticals were hit with alarming increases in the average value of attempted fraudulent purchases over BFCM weekend, with fraudulent marketplace transactions nearly 4.3x the value of unauthorized purchases in 2020, at an average of $5023.23 per transaction.

STATS: Citizens Survey Confirms Near Universal and Permanent Adoption of Digital Banking Tools While Validating Essential Role of Personal Interaction for Advice

December 13, 2021 | Citizens Financial

Nearly all customers now do some or all banking digitally while interaction with bankers is reserved for advice, complex transactionsPROVIDENCE, R.I. – Nearly all consumers and businesses now do at least some of their banking via digital channels...

Nearly all customers now do some or all banking digitally while interaction with bankers is reserved for advice, complex transactions

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Nearly all consumers and businesses now do at least some of their banking via digital channels and plan to do so permanently, further accelerating a trend that emerged last year as the COVID-19 pandemic continued to unfold, according to new research released by Citizens. But while the results highlight a sweeping change in banking habits, they also ratified the enduring importance of human interaction in more complex matters. 

 

According to Citizens’ newly published second annual Banking Experience Survey, nine out of 10 consumers (90 percent) and businesses (86 percent) use digital banking channels, up from 85 percent and 71 percent respectively in July 2020. The nationwide survey of consumers and business leaders found not only that widespread digital adoption is here to stay, with at least 70 percent of consumers and business leaders saying it is permanent, but that customers are increasingly comfortable in sharing their personal data with their banks. 

 

However, the survey also found that human interaction – provided either in person or via virtual channels – remains essential when it comes to getting financial advice and for executing more complex transactions, two-thirds of both consumers and businesses still prefer to tap human expertise when getting any financial advice. 

“This year’s survey shows that while the convenience of digital banking continues to attract consumers and businesses, there remains a need to provide a personal touch for advice and more complex transactions,” said Beth Johnson, Chief Experience Officer at Citizens.  “These results highlight the ongoing need for banks to provide a seamless experience across all of their channels, even as digital channels evolve rapidly.” 

 

Banks Must Continue Evolving Digital Offerings to Serve Customers Across All Channels

 

While personal interaction retains an important place in banking relationships, digital offerings are increasingly key in terms of initial consideration.  Most consumers now choose their banking partner based on mobile and online banking capabilities, with 40 percent of consumers saying it was the most important factor, while only 27 percent cite the convenience of physical branch locations as the most important factor. 

 

This year’s survey also showed a confidence in new banking channels, especially among business leaders. Seventy-eight percent of business leaders said their experiences during the past year have made them much more comfortable with doing their company’s banking online. Eighty-six percent of business leaders feel confident using video conferencing tools to speak with their banker or banking team and 70 percent said they feel confident performing banking activities via a text chat function with a live banker on the other end.

 

Additionally, the survey results showed an increased expectation among consumers that banks will use artificial intelligence (AI) and big data to anticipate their financial needs moving forward. Fifty-three percent of consumers felt that technological advances will allow banks to leverage data and AI to help better anticipate their future needs, up from 49 percent in 2020. 

 

Customers See Banks as Partners as They Navigate Their Financial Journey   

 

Both consumers and business leaders are increasingly viewing their banks as trusted partners, showing that a bank’s ability to provide a seamless omnichannel experience while continuing to offer sophisticated advice will enable it to build on and deepen relationships with its customers.

 

More than 80 percent of business leaders said their bank supported them through the COVID-19 crisis and nearly as many view their bankers as strategic and financial partners. Nearly seven in 10 consumers trust their bank to do the right thing by them when making financial decisions, while 60 percent are comfortable sharing their financial goals with their bank, suggesting they view banks as financial partners.

 

Sixty-five percent of consumers and 82 percent of businesses are at least somewhat comfortable sharing information with banks as long as it leads to more tailored solutions and a better experience. Those percentages increased year over year from 60 percent and 71 percent, respectively, demonstrating increased confidence that banks are using digital tools to enhance the banking experiences of their customers and meet their needs. 

 

Added Johnson: “Over the last 18 months, we’ve seen how customers depend on their banks to be there for them and provide strategic advice. Listening to our customers’ needs in order to provide innovative solutions, services, and experiences with personalized insights is key as we continue to move forward together.”

 

Methodology 

The Banking Experience survey was conducted by Mintel/Comperemedia (www.mintel.com) among 1,028 consumers and 260 business leaders, between October 22 and November 4, 2021 for both the consumer survey and the business survey, using an email invitation and an online survey. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. For the interviews conducted in the consumer sample of this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.

STATS: New ways to shop, new ways to engage. Four ways COVID-19 transformed retail forever.

November 11, 2021 | Phaedon

Spending online increased by 42% from 2019 to 2020 and that online spend continues to grow yearover-year in 2021.2020 saw a total of $844B spend online and a continuing +42% YOY growthOnline spend in January and February 2021 also grew at 34% YOY78% of consumers plan to shop more in-store as they...

  • Spending online increased by 42% from 2019 to 2020 and that online spend continues to grow yearover-year in 2021.
  • 2020 saw a total of $844B spend online and a continuing +42% YOY growth
  • Online spend in January and February 2021 also grew at 34% YOY
  • 78% of consumers plan to shop more in-store as they’re eager to get out of the house and want to interact with store associates and physically interact with products.
  • 59% of respondents shop at secondhand stores for apparel
  • Sustainable fashion is expected to GROW 2x the size of fast fashion by 2029
  • 59% of U.S. adults aged 18-34 have started or stopped using a new brand because of its response to racism/racial injustice.
  • What factors are influencing brand conversion among online shoppers under 40? 43% like an introduction to new products 42% want products recommended 41% look for a distinctive look and feel
  • 44% of U.S. consumers plan to splurge or treat themselves by traveling or going on vacation and 46% by attending restaurants, bars or dining out. Channel, content, and experience strategies drive differentiation among retailers hoping to make the most of the post-pandemic “revenge spending.”

STATS: Death to Cookies: Long Live 1:1 Relationships

November 11, 2021 | Marigold Engage + by Marigold

66% of consumers feel ads based on tracking behavior are creepy78% of marketers say that since cookies have been fairly effective in the past, they see no reason to discontinue their use50% of consumers are comfortable sharing data with a brand in exchange for a better service79% of consumers...

  • 66% of consumers feel ads based on tracking behavior are creepy
  • 78% of marketers say that since cookies have been fairly effective in the past, they see no reason to discontinue their use
  • 50% of consumers are comfortable sharing data with a brand in exchange for a better service
  • 79% of consumers will trade personal and preference data for the chance to win a prize
  • 92% of respondents moderately or very much agree that one-to-one personalization capabilities will be essential to advertising and marketing efforts in the future
  • 24% of respondents said that they are using advanced personalization methods, but 50% plan to put them in place within the next 12 months

STATS: New Research Shows a Persistent Gap between Business Perceptions and Customer Experiences

November 11, 2021 | [24]7.ai

Key Finding 1: Businesses that were adapting slowly now have other priorities 94 percent of agents will continue working from home. With agents working from home, security has become a top priority.Key Finding 2: The perception gap remains as the challenges mount While 61 percent of...

Key Finding 1: Businesses that were adapting slowly now have other priorities
94 percent of agents will continue working from home.
With agents working from home, security has become a top priority.

Key Finding 2: The perception gap remains as the challenges mount
While 61 percent of businesses felt their digital channels delivered consistent customer experiences, 50 percent of the time, their automated channels failed.
When switching support channels, 89 percent of customers were asked to repeat information.
84% indicate they will invest in data security solutions to protect customer data.

Key Finding 3The best-laid plans fall through
In 2021, more companies are relying on multiple support channels, which is making the delivery of a consistent CX more complicated.
As companies rapidly expanded agent workforces during call volume peaks, they were overstaffed when call volumes stabilized.
Today, 34 percent of companies feel that voice agents still provide the best customer experience, up from 29 percent in 2020.
A majority of companies (54 percent) plan to invest in a consolidated view across voice and digital channels.

Key Finding 4: A new possibility emerges
CX as-a-service, which combines talent, services, and technology, is emerging as a new way for companies to close the perception gap.
Using a managed services approach that combines people, processes, and technology can overcome the many CX challenges while decreasing overall costs.
 

STATS: The $70 Billion Prize In Personalized Offers

October 08, 2021 | BCG Ventures

A new study published by BCG Ventures this September shows how redirecting spend from promotions to personalized offers can lead to a 200% return.Instead of going all-in on one or two programs, big retail brands are starting to allocate 25% of their customer-oriented investments into four areas...

A new study published by BCG Ventures this September shows how redirecting spend from promotions to personalized offers can lead to a 200% return.

Instead of going all-in on one or two programs, big retail brands are starting to allocate 25% of their customer-oriented investments into four areas: Pricing, Promotions, Reward programs, and Personalized offers.

You’re probably busy, so I thought I’d send a quick summary:

  • Personalized offers perform at least 2x better than mass promotions. The study estimates that first-movers can capture $70 billion in opportunities. Not bad!
  • Starbucks dropped mass promotions and instead gamified specials to each rewards member. They’ve seen 8% YoY growth in member spending for several years now.

STATS: WalletHub Travel Survey

October 08, 2021 | WalletHub

Willing to Pay for a Safe Environment: More than 40% of people would pay extra to be on a 100%-vaccinated flight or stay at a 100%-vaccinated hotel/resort.  No Travel Money: 30 million Americans can’t afford winter travel.  Stay-at-Home Winter: 27% of people won...

  • Willing to Pay for a Safe Environment: More than 40% of people would pay extra to be on a 100%-vaccinated flight or stay at a 100%-vaccinated hotel/resort.
     
  • No Travel Money: 30 million Americans can’t afford winter travel.
     
  • Stay-at-Home Winter: 27% of people won’t travel due to fear of Covid this winter.
     
  • New Cards for Younger Travelers: Millennials are 4X more likely than baby boomers to apply for a new credit card to save on winter travel.
     
  • Credit Card Perks Worth the Cost: 1 in 3 consumers think it's worth paying an annual fee to get a hotel or airline credit card with better perks.
     
  • Best Credit Card for Winter Travel: Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best credit card for winter travel because it currently has an initial bonus worth $1,250 in travel for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months.

STATS: Celebrate CX Day With 50 Fresh Stats That Prove The Value Of CX

October 08, 2021 | Forbes

Companies that prioritize employee experience to deliver a premium customer experience achieve 1.8 times faster revenue growth. (Salesforce)89% of companies that lead with customer experience perform financially better than their competitors. (Qualtrics)High-growth companies are...

Companies that prioritize employee experience to deliver a premium customer experience achieve 1.8 times faster revenue growth. (Salesforce)

89% of companies that lead with customer experience perform financially better than their competitors. (Qualtrics)

High-growth companies are nearly 2.5 times more likely to focus on solving customer problems than those that are not. (Forrester)

A one-point customer satisfaction improvement on a 10-point scale corresponds to at least a 3% increase in revenue. (McKinsey) 

B2B and B2C companies that implement innovative CX strategies are 3 times more likely to substantially outperform their business goals. (Adobe)

75% of customers will spend more to buy from a company that offers a good customer experience. (Zendesk)

90% of global CX professionals agree that CX is a primary focus of their company. (Oracle)

Customers are 2.7 times more likely to spend more when companies communicate clearly. (Forrester) 

Fully engaged customers give 23% more share of wallet than the average customer. (Gallup)

63% of customers will pay more for a great experience. (Salesforce) 

Personalization at scale can reduce marketing and sales costs by up to 20%. (McKinsey)

52% of consumers would be willing to pay more to receive great customer service. (Hyken) 

One in four customers is willing to pay up to 10% more to receive excellent customer service. (Hyken)

46% of companies say customer experience is their top priority for the next five years. (Super Office) 

90% of B2B buyers will turn to a competitor if a supplier’s digital channel can’t keep up with their needs. (Avionos) 

87% of B2B buyers will pay more for a supplier with an excellent digital commerce portal. (Avionos)

Delivering a high-quality B2B customer experience can reduce customer churn by up to 15%. (McKinsey)

84% of B2B buyers are more likely to buy from sales reps and companies that understand their goals. (Salesforce)

A positive customer experience yields 20% higher customer satisfaction rates. (McKinsey) 

91% of consumers are more likely to make a repeat purchase after a positive experience. (Salesforce)

A positive customer experience leads to a 10-15% boost in sales conversion rates. (McKinsey) 

71% of consumers have made a purchase decision based on experience quality. (Salesforce)

A positive customer experience increases employee engagement by up to 30%. (McKinsey)

78% of customers say they are loyal to brands that understand them and what they want to achieve. (Acquia)

Customers who have a high-quality experience are 2.7 times more likely to keep doing business with a brand than those with a low-quality experience. (Deloitte)

59% of loyal customers are more likely to choose that brand over competitors. (McKinsey) 

62% of loyal customers are more likely to spend more on the brand. (McKinsey) 

Customers are 2.4 times more likely to stay when companies solve customer problems more quickly. (Forrester)

90% of customers say they are very likely to trust companies that have very good customer experiences, compared to 15% of customers that trust companies with very poor CX. (Qualtrics)

86% of loyal customers will recommend a company to friends and family. (KPMG)

75% of customers are very likely to forgive a company for a mistake if they think it delivers very good CX. (Qualtrics) 

46% of loyal customers will remain loyal to the brand even after a bad experience. (KPMG)

64% of customers will try new products or services immediately from companies they think have very good CX. (Qualtrics) 

66% of loyal customers are likely to write a positive online review after a good experience. (KPMG) 

75% of U.S consumers are more likely to be loyal to a brand that delivers a personalized customer experience. (Hyken) 

80% of customers say the experience provided by a company is as important as the products and services. (Salesforce) 

70% of customers say convenience is more important than branding. (Salesforce) 

66% of customers expect companies to understand their unique needs and expectations. (Salesforce) 

52% of customers expect offers to always be personalized, up from 49% in 2019. (Salesforce)

Customers are 10 times more likely to recommend a brand when employees answer all their customer questions. (Forrester)

95% of customers who rate a company’s CX as very good are likely to recommend the company, compared to 15% of customers who rate a company’s CX as very poor. (Qualtrics)

94% of customers who rate a company’s CX as very good are very likely to repurchase from that company. (Qualtrics) 

Modest improvements in CX performance lead to a 34% increase in future purchase intentions. (Qualtrics) 

74% of consumers are at least somewhat likely to buy based on experience alone. (Treasure Date)

88% of consumers will switch to a competitor after three or fewer bad experiences. (Customer Contact Week Digital) 

After the pandemic, customer experience is now more important to 58% of consumers. (Customer Contact Week Digital)

84% of customers say being treated like a person instead of a number is very important to winning their business. (Salesforce)

93% of customers say trusting a company makes them more likely to recommend that company. (Salesforce)

Customers who rate a company’s customer service as good are 38% more likely to recommend the brand. (Qualtrics)

STATS: National Restaurant Association Releases 2021 Mid-Year State of the Restaurant Industry Update

September 01, 2021 | National Restaurant Association

Food and beverage sales in the restaurant and foodservice industry are projected to total $789 billion in 2021, up 19.7% from 2020.Despite a steady trend of job creation in the first half of the year, eating and drinking places are still nearly 1 million jobs, or 8%, below pre-pandemic...

  • Food and beverage sales in the restaurant and foodservice industry are projected to total $789 billion in 2021, up 19.7% from 2020.
  • Despite a steady trend of job creation in the first half of the year, eating and drinking places are still nearly 1 million jobs, or 8%, below pre-pandemic employment levels and the restaurants and accommodations sector have one of the highest levels of unfilled job openings of any industry.
  • As of June 2021, 39 states and the District of Columbia had reopened to 100% indoor dining capacity; 11 states and Puerto Rico are open at varying capacities ranging from 50% to 80%.
  • Six in 10 adults have changed their restaurant use due to the rise in the delta variant.

Despite these increases, eating and drinking places remain nearly 1 million jobs or 8% below pre-pandemic employment levels. Operators also continue to grapple with higher input costs, with wholesale food prices increasing at their fastest rate in seven years.
 
  • 75% of restaurant operators reported that recruiting employees was their top challenge as of June 2021 – the highest level ever recorded.
  • The fullservice segment was down 626,000 jobs, or 11% below pre-pandemic employment levels; the limited-service segment was down 175,000 jobs or 4% in the same period.
  • Menu prices have increased nearly 4% through June 2021.
 
  • 52% of adults would like to see restaurants incorporate more technology to make ordering and payment easier.
  • 84% of adults say they favor allowing restaurants to set up tables on sidewalks, parking lots or streets permanently.
  • A majority of adults in states that allow alcoholic beverages with takeout and delivery orders would like to see it continue on a permanent basis.
  • 6 in 10 adults changed their restaurant use due to the rise in the delta variant.
  • 19% of adults said they completely stopped going out to restaurants.
  • 37% of adults said they ordered delivery or takeout instead of dining in a restaurant.
  • 32% of adults said that if asked to wear a mask and/or show proof of vaccination to dine indoors again, they would be less likely to dine in a restaurant.

STATS: 4 Essentials for Co-Branding Success

August 24, 2021 | Visual Objectives

Most consumers (71%) enjoy it when companies offer co-branded products, which encourages businesses to give partnerships a try. 71% of consumers feel positive about co-branding partnerships, making partnership opportunities appeal to prospective brands.61% of consumers avoid purchasing products...

Most consumers (71%) enjoy it when companies offer co-branded products, which encourages businesses to give partnerships a try.
  • 71% of consumers feel positive about co-branding partnerships, making partnership opportunities appeal to prospective brands.
  • 61% of consumers avoid purchasing products with a negative brand reputation at least sometimes, emphasizing the importance of wisely selecting a co-branding partner. 
  • 50% of consumers recognize Doritos and Taco Bell co-branded products, showcasing the benefits of aligning on target audiences before a product launch. 
  • Only 5% of consumers knew the CoverGirl and LucasFilm co-branded products, displaying the disadvantages of targeting separate, distant audience groups.
  • 43% of consumers would likely try a co-branded product from a company they already liked, making co-branding a solid opportunity to reengage returning consumers.
  • 41% of consumers think a brand’s values are essential for purchasing decisions, indicating that co-branding partners should spend time discussing values alignment.

STATS: TCN Consumer Survey Finds Americans Overwhelmingly Prefer to Interact with a Live Person When Dealing with Customer Service Reps

August 20, 2021 | TCN

Furthermore, when waiting to speak to a customer service representative by phone, they are willing to wait on hold for six minutes on average, but the average actual wait time is three times longer, averaging 17.4 minutes. The survey also finds companies that prioritize good customer service are...

Furthermore, when waiting to speak to a customer service representative by phone, they are willing to wait on hold for six minutes on average, but the average actual wait time is three times longer, averaging 17.4 minutes. The survey also finds companies that prioritize good customer service are likely to be rewarded by consumers with increased brand loyalty and positive online reviews.

In the survey, nearly 7 in 10 respondents (69%) said talking to a live agent by phone is one of their top three preferred methods of communication with a company’s customer service department; 5 in 10 (54%) said email; 4 in 10 (46%) said an online chat with a live agent. When asked to pick the top three most important qualities of a customer service agent, 60% selected “willingness to help;” 60% chose “ability to solve my issue;” and 58% indicated “knowledge about the product or service.” Fifty-four percent said either “pleasant to talk to” or “having a compassionate attitude.” By age groups, Millennials (18-24) value a compassionate attitude (28%) twice as much as Baby Boomers (57-75) (13%).

Americans are willing to wait on hold, but not for long. When calling a company’s customer service department, Americans said they are willing to wait on hold for six minutes, but the actual wait time on average is three times longer. One-third (34%) said they’re willing to wait on hold between five to seven minutes, an average of six minutes overall, with women (15%) twice as likely as men (8%) to be willing to wait 10 minutes or longer. However, the average actual wait time on hold is 17.4 minutes, with 2 in 3 (62%) saying they’ve waited on hold longer than 10 minutes and nearly one-quarter (23%) saying they’ve waited on hold for 30 minutes or longer. Women are more patient -- they’re twice as likely (31%) as men (13%) to wait on hold more than 30 minutes.

In the survey, consumers said they are likely to reward companies with good customer service with increased brand loyalty and positive online reviews. After a positive customer service experience, 3 in 10 (33%) said they post an online review. Conversely, after a poor customer service experience, 4 in 10 (42%) said they have posted an online review, with Gen Z (18-24) consumers the most likely to post a review after a poor experience (65% are somewhat likely and very likely). Younger Americans are also more likely to abandon a brand after a poor experience -- 65% of 18-24 and 61% of 25-40 said very or somewhat likely; only 33% of 41-56 and 19% of 57+ said very likely or somewhat likely.
 
  • Customer Service is Quite Good: When asked for an adjective when hearing the term “customer service,” 65% provided positive words, like knowledgeable, helpful, caring and sincere; only 14% provided adjectives that were negative in connotation.
  • Accessibility is Key: When asked about the most important features when contacting a company’s customer service department, 55% said “easy to get through to a live agent” and 52% said “available 24 hours/day”; 41% said “a website chat with a live agent;” 40% picked “multiple options for communicating” (i.e., by text, email, etc.).
  • Biggest Fear is Going Back to the Start: When asked to name the top three frustrations when calling a company’s customer service department, Americans are frustrated by inefficient customer service that wastes time -- 68% said “waiting on hold for a long time and then getting disconnected and having to start all over again;” 64% said “having to talk to several people/departments to get an issue resolved;” 59% said “the amount of time it will take to get my issue resolved.”
  • Call Me (Back) Maybe: If there is a long wait time when calling a company’s customer service department, call backs from a queue are preferred; 37% said they would prefer to be put in a queue and called back when an agent is available; 24% would continue to wait on hold; 20% would hang up and try another time.
  • Most Are Satisfied When Dealing with Healthcare Organizations and Financial Institutions: More than 6 in 10 (64%) said they were extremely or somewhat satisfied when contacting healthcare organizations (hospitals, doctors offices, labs, therapists, insurance, etc.); 1 in 10 (10%) said they were somewhat or very dissatisfied. When contacting financial institutions (banks, student loan organizations, mortgage companies, car loans, etc.), nearly 7 in 10 (68%) are extremely or somewhat satisfied; less than 10% (8%) are somewhat or extremely dissatisfied.
  • Can You Hear Me Now? Cable and wireless companies need to do a lot better in their customer service. When asked “what company is the worst to get a hold of for customer service?,” respondents named companies or organizations in the cable & wireless industry (43%), state and federal government agencies (23%) and banks/financial services (8%).
  • Cloudy with a Chance of a Text Notification: Among notifications by text messages currently received by respondents, the three most popular are weather updates; notices of deliveries or to pick up an order at a store; and banking/account balances/bill pay.
  • “Unknown Number” and “Scam Likely” are Frequent Callers: One-third (30%) said they receive between 6-10 phone calls from an unknown number each week; more than one-third (35%) said they receive more than 10 phone calls each week; nearly 10 percent (8%) said they receive 21 or more phone calls each week.
  • Stranger Danger!: One-half said if they don’t know who’s calling, they are unlikely to pick up. Fifty percent are very unlikely and somewhat unlikely to answer a phone call from an unknown number; women (58%) are much more unlikely than men (39%) to answer a call from an unknown number.
  • Keeping Your (Social Security and Credit) Cards Close to Your Chest: When providing private or sensitive information, like a credit card number, account number, social security number, etc., over an automated phone system, 41% said they will only give information to a live agent or they never provide that kind of information over the phone; 38% said they enter the number in the keypad.

STATS: MEETING RISING CONSUMER LOYALTY EXPECTATIONS POST-PANDEMIC

July 07, 2021 | Clarus Commerce

More than three-quarters (79%) of respondents say they don’t want to accumulate points anymore, and retailers’ loyalty programs should provide immediate benefits to maintain their loyalty. 68% of consumers agree that their loyalty is more difficult to maintain than ever before. 76...

More than three-quarters (79%) of respondents say they don’t want to accumulate points anymore, and retailers’ loyalty programs should provide immediate benefits to maintain their loyalty.

68% of consumers agree that their loyalty is more difficult to maintain than ever before.

76% of consumers would pay for a premium loyalty program.

81% of traditional loyalty members say they would join a premium loyalty program at their favorite retailer, assuming that the benefits were valuable.

79% of consumers say they don’t want to accumulate points anymore, and retailers’ loyalty programs should provide immediate benefits to maintain their loyalty.

90% of consumers say they’re likely to choose a retailer where they’re a premium loyalty member over another one offering a lower price.

73% of premium loyalty members shopped more with their favorite retailers during the pandemic.

More than twothirds (68%) of customers agree their loyalty is more difficult to maintain than ever before, up from 64% in 2020. At the same time, consumers are increasingly willing to pay for the benefits they want from retailers. More than three-quarters (76%) would pay for a premium loyalty program.

Seventy percent of 2021 respondents currently belong to a premium loyalty program, compared to 66% in 2020 and 58% in 2019.

Gen Zers are actually more likely to have premium loyalty memberships (70%) than traditional loyalty memberships (63%).

Three-quarters (75%) of current premium loyalty program members are likely to join additional premium loyalty programs in the next 12 months, compared to 69% in 2020. And more than a third (37%) definitely would join an additional program.

90% of retailers said the launch of Walmart+ influenced their decision to consider a premium loyalty program.

Ninety percent say they’re likely to choose a retailer where they’re a premium loyalty member over one offering a lower price. And 88% of premium loyalty members say they’re likely to recommend a retailer with valuable premium loyalty benefits to a family member or friend.

Almost half (49%) of consumers tried shopping with a new brand since March 2020, as the shift to online shopping made it easy to order with a single click.

Nearly three-quarters (73%) shopped more with retailers whose premium loyalty programs they were part of during the pandemic, and 41% shopped significantly more with those retailers.

As in 2020, 94% of premium loyalty members in 2021 shop with their favorite retailers at least once a month. But the percentage of members who shopped even more often — once a week or more — actually grew from 58% in 2020 to 67% in 2021.

Almost two-thirds (64%) of consumers said it would entice them to invest in or renew a premium loyalty program. Other benefits are also important to the mix, including instant discounts that customers can conveniently use whenever they shop (53%) and free giveaways (47%) that cater to customers’ needs for instant gratification.

Premium loyalty members’ desires for instant gratification are just as strong as they were last year. Nearly three-quarters (72%) expect to see benefits within the first week or immediately, compared to 70% in 2020.

Of consumers who belong to traditional loyalty programs, a majority (68%) belong to 1-4 programs, and almost a third (31%) belong to 5 or more programs.

Almost three-quarters (73%) of respondents use 50% of those programs or less on a monthly basis, and 5% don’t use any of those programs on a monthly basis.

Of respondents who belong to traditional loyalty programs, 81% say it’s likely they would join a retailer’s premium loyalty program if they were already part of its traditional loyalty program, assuming the benefits were valuable. This is an increase of 14 percentage points from 2020 (67%).

Of consumers who don’t belong to a premium loyalty program, almost half (44%) said it was because they don’t see the value — the most popular answer.

we surveyed 300 marketing and loyalty professionals and found that 51% of respondents who work with a vendor experienced ROI within the first six months of starting their program, compared to only 41% of those that manage their programs in-house.

 

STATS: International research reveals marketing potential of voice tech, as users move from awareness to purchase

July 06, 2021 | Strategy Analytics

91% of users of voice assistants search the internet with their voice – highlighting how it is now a platform for SEO and SMO marketing and comms41% of American users are making purchases with their voice assistantsThose who don’t use the tech yet state that privacy concerns are the...

  • 91% of users of voice assistants search the internet with their voice – highlighting how it is now a platform for SEO and SMO marketing and comms
  • 41% of American users are making purchases with their voice assistants
  • Those who don’t use the tech yet state that privacy concerns are the main reason they don’t use it (42% stated so), followed by a lack of trust for the assistants (32%)
  • Only 27% of voice assistant users in the US feel comfortable using them in public

STATS: NEW DATA: Budget-Minded Consumers Pick QSRs With Loyalty Programs

July 06, 2021 | PYMNTS.com

Thirty-four percent of all consumers say that they are on shakier financial ground than they were prior to March 2020, and more than a third of them believe their finances will only grow less stable over the course of the next year. 84% share of customers who beilieve their finances will improve...

Thirty-four percent of all consumers say that they are on shakier financial ground than they were prior to March 2020, and more than a third of them believe their finances will only grow less stable over the course of the next year.

84% share of customers who beilieve their finances will improve within the next year.

49% portion of resturant customers with slipping finances who use loyalty programs.

34% share of customers who finances are improving from March 2020 who would spend more on food orders placed online.

Forty-nine percent of consumers with this financial outlook are signed up with at least one restaurant’s loyalty program, compared to 42 percent of consumers whose finances have remained largely stable throughout.

Thirty-six percent of restaurant customers whose personal finances are slipping say they would feel encouraged to spend more on their orders if their restaurant offered them loyalty programs, in fact, as would 39 percent of restaurant customers whose financial outlook has been consistently negative since before March 2020.


 

STATS: More than Half of Retail Professionals Say Pandemic Accelerated Tech Product Launches

July 02, 2021 | National Retail Federation

Approximately 58 percent of retail professionals say the pandemic accelerated new technology-related product launches at their company. Brands have leveraged technologies like augmented reality and virtual reality to connect with consumers, with 31 percent of consumers using these technologies...

Approximately 58 percent of retail professionals say the pandemic accelerated new technology-related product launches at their company.

Brands have leveraged technologies like augmented reality and virtual reality to connect with consumers, with 31 percent of consumers using these technologies to buy household items and furniture this year.

nearly 30 percent of consumers purchased through this medium in the last month. China recorded a high adoption usage at 63 percent; in the United States, while recording a relatively lower figure at 29 percent, popularity will likely continue as the concept takes hold.

Almost 40 percent of consumers point to scan-as-you-go, smart cart, and walk-in, walk-out technologies as top desired features.

More than 42 percent of consumers are comfortable with in-store assistance from robots, and one in five are open to the idea of microchip implantation to enable payments.

STATS: Report: Scams Accounted for Nearly 60% of User-generated Malicious Content in Q1 2021

June 29, 2021 | Sift

Scams accounted for 59% of blocked user-generated malicious content within Sift’s network during the first quarter of the year. The other most common blocked content fraud types include irrelevant content (22%, not related to the topic at hand), toxic (18%, includes foul language...

Scams accounted for 59% of blocked user-generated malicious content within Sift’s network during the first quarter of the year.

The other most common blocked content fraud types include irrelevant content (22%, not related to the topic at hand), toxic (18%, includes foul language, harassment, hate speech or bullying) and commercial (1%, solicitations against terms of service).

Decreased transaction volumes, new digital shopping methods and services, and rising attack volumes across many markets throughout the pandemic contributed to a 77% surge in blocked content fraud in Q1 2020 over the same period in 2019.

However, with an additional 18% increase in Q1 indicating that fraudsters remain committed to leveraging user-generated content to ensnare consumers and steal from businesses. 
  • Content fraud encounters abound: Approximately 27% of consumers surveyed report running across fraudulent content on a daily or weekly basis. According to respondents, the most common types of fraudulent content encountered are spam (51%) and scams (50%) with misinformation and 'fake news' rounding out the top three (43%).
     
  • COVID-19 vaccine misinformation widely reported: Half (50%) of consumers surveyed say that they’ve come across COVID-19 scams or misinformation. Within this group, 61% say the scams encountered involved misinformation about the efficacy or side effects of COVID-19 vaccines; 61% say they involved misinformation about vaccines containing tracking technology; and 28% came across fraudulent vaccine cards or passports.
     
  • Fraudulent content has a direct impact on consumer loyalty: More than half of consumers surveyed say they would stop shopping at a business if malicious content was discovered on the brand’s website. Specifically, 56% say they’d stop using the site or service if fake or misleading content was discovered, while 54% say they’d stop use if they were scammed into sharing personal information.
     
  • The web’s top spammiest and scammiest places: Those surveyed also identified the places online where they encounter the most content fraud. These include: social networking sites (61%​); classifieds (28%​); dating sites (24%); marketplaces (21%); and crowdfunding sites (15%).

STATS: Survey: Nearly Half of Americans Quickly Lose Trust in a Brand If Exposed to Toxic or Fake User-Generated Content on Its Channels

June 29, 2021 | TELUS

Over half (54%) of respondents have witnessed this rise, with 36% seeing instances of inaccurate, fake or even toxic UGC multiple times a day, and an additional 15% saying they see this type of content daily. More than 40% of respondents will disengage from a brand’s community after as...

Over half (54%) of respondents have witnessed this rise, with 36% seeing instances of inaccurate, fake or even toxic UGC multiple times a day, and an additional 15% saying they see this type of content daily. More than 40% of respondents will disengage from a brand’s community after as little as one exposure to toxic or fake UGC, while 45% say they will lose all trust in a brand.

“It is in the best interest of organizations to deploy strong content moderation tactics and technologies to combat this material when it appears on their channels as nearly 70% of survey respondents stated that brands need to protect users from toxic content and 78% said it is a brand’s responsibility to provide positive and welcoming online experiences.”
 
  • The most frequently encountered unwanted content includes spam (61%), fake reviews and testimonials (61%), and inappropriate or harmful images (48%).
  • Consumers report finding these types of content so impactful that it has affected the quality of their day, with 38% saying it has made their day worse, and nearly 30% reporting it ruined the entire day.

On the flip side, when a brand engages with a customer online (e.g. liking a social media post or responding to a review/comment) it has a positive effect on their relationship with that company. More than half (53%) said it makes them more likely to purchase from the company again, while 45% said it makes them more likely to post additional UGC and increases the likelihood they would recommend the brand.

With 83% of Americans surveyed saying they have posted UGC - most frequently, images (52%), reviews or testimonials (51%) and comments in forums/social/online communities (44%) - brands that turn to social listening and community management practices in addition to addressing unwanted content will have a stronger chance at positively impacting the online customer experience.

Today’s consumers are willing to help combat toxic or misleading UGC, with 66% reporting having flagged instances to brands. Respondents also indicated that many companies can provide a more timely response as less than a third (32%) of people received a response within 24 hours. In terms of actions they want to see taken by brands, 69% of those surveyed said they want the brand to remove the content, while 46% want a direct response about the actions the brand has taken and 40% want the offending user banned, at least temporarily.

 

STATS: Online Grocery Shopping and Store Pickup Trends Accelerated by the Pandemic are Now Slowing

June 25, 2021 | ChaseDesign

About 50% of grocery shoppers began buying online and picking up in store during the pandemic, but only half of those customers will continue this behavior in the future. shoppers want to be in control - 54% prefer to pick items out in person and 40% want the experience of shopping in a physical...

About 50% of grocery shoppers began buying online and picking up in store during the pandemic, but only half of those customers will continue this behavior in the future.

shoppers want to be in control - 54% prefer to pick items out in person and 40% want the experience of shopping in a physical store.

Nearly half BOPIS shoppers won’t buy meat / seafood, about 40% avoid dairy, produce and frozen products, about 35% won’t order deli or bakery and 31% get t heir healthcare/personal care items through another channel.
 
  • 40% of people report waiting 10 minutes or more for their BOPIS orders
  • 90% of shoppers still go into store when picking up an order
  • Walmart, Target and Kroger are delivering best experience for BOPIS shoppers
  • Shoppers have become highly reliant on retailer apps for both a better in-store and BOPIS/delivery experience
Amongst 1,000 consumers between the ages of 18-54 who buy groceries online for pickup in-store, curbside pickup or home delivery. 
 

STATS: Paytronix and PYMNTS Report: 47% of Restaurant Customers Use at Least One Loyalty Program

June 24, 2021 | Paytronix

47% of restaurant customers use at least one loyalty program. The share of consumers using restaurant loyalty programs increased 12 percent. In fact, 42 percent of all restaurant customers had been using at least one restaurant’s loyalty program on January 22, and that figure increased to...

47% of restaurant customers use at least one loyalty program.

The share of consumers using restaurant loyalty programs increased 12 percent. In fact, 42 percent of all restaurant customers had been using at least one restaurant’s loyalty program on January 22, and that figure increased to 47 percent by April 22.
  • QSR Growth -- The increase in restaurant reward program usage is most pronounced among consumers who order from quick service restaurants (QSR). Twenty-four percent more chain QSR customers reported using at least one restaurant’s loyalty program on April 22 than did on January 22.
     
  • Top Loyalty Users -- Millennial and bridge millennial restaurant customers use more loyalty programs than the rest. They are also signing up for new loyalty programs faster than all other age groups.
     
  • Loyalty Drives Spend -- Demand for restaurant loyalty programs soars after the first sign-up. Fifty-seven percent of consumers who already use at least one restaurant’s loyalty program would spend more on food orders from other restaurants if the latter offered loyalty programs as well
Fifty-seven percent of restaurant customers who are signed up for at least one restaurant’s loyalty program would be willing to spend more on food orders from other restaurants if they could use loyalty and rewards options.



 

STATS: Order To Eat Tracker

June 10, 2021 | Paytronix

McDonald’s closed most of it dining rooms, yet the fast food titan reported that same-store sales rose more than 13 percent year over year in Q1 2020.  Roz Brewer, former chief operating officer of Starbucks, called drive-thru the industry’s most productive model. The coffee...

McDonald’s closed most of it dining rooms, yet the fast food titan reported that same-store sales rose more than 13 percent year over year in Q1 2020. 

Roz Brewer, former chief operating officer of Starbucks, called drive-thru the industry’s most productive model. The coffee giant’s same-store sales fell by 5 percent in Q4 2020, but locations with drive-thrus saw revenues rise.

Transactions at QSRs may have fallen last year, but check size has increased by more than 14 percent to an average of $11.

Overall transactions fell by 9 percent in 2020, but the rise in check sizes was due to restaurant operators responding to slowing sales with incentives such as rewards and family meal deals to help maximize ticket sizes.

Delivering on Restaurant Rewards revealed that 92 percent of vaccinated customers plan to keep ordering online as often as they do now, and only 8 percent of consumers will return to dining in restaurants.

Americans spend an average of more than $1,200 on drive-thru food each year, and researchers reported that drive-thru trips grew by 26 percent in Q2 2020 to make up 42 percent of all restaurant visits. Nearly three-quarters of Americans have used a restaurant’s drive-thru since the start of the pandemic, moreover — up 43 percent since April 2020.

37% Share of single parents who said they would spend more on food orders if they could place them via mobile app.

34% portion of married parents who would spend more on food orders if resturatnts offered drive-thru pickup.

33% portion of married parents who would spend more on food orders if they could order from a website on a mobile device.

9% segment of occasional diners who said they would spend more on food orders if they could pick up their food at a drive-thru.

9% share of convience diners who said they would spend more if they could place their orders via mobile app.

Americans have long been fans of remote food ordering and pickup options, with the most recent data revealing that they spend an average of $1,200 annually on drive-thru purchases.

Recent research showed that 60 percent of consumers would feel safe dining out — the highest rate since last spring. This share has been on the rise this year, but it never exceeded 42 percent in 2020. Consumers’ comfort with dining outdoors still remains higher than with dining indoors, however, at 68 percent and 57 percent, respectively.

Restaurant sales increased by 32 percent in March compared to the same month one year prior as more consumers ventured out to dine, with QSR transactions leaping by 29 percent and full-service restaurant sales skyrocketing by 210 percent year over year. 

Paytronix, recently revealed that 92 percent of consumers who have been fully immunized plan to keep ordering online after the pandemic eases as often as they do now, while only 8 percent will return to dining in restaurants.

Additional survey findings noted that 32 percent of vaccinated diners would spend more if they could pay online, 40 percent would do so if they could earn rewards and vaccinated consumers’ desire to use loyalty programs is highest among bridge millennials, millennials and Generation Z consumers.

the average size of each check increased by more than 14 percent to $11 in 2020, according to a recent report. The rise in check sizes was a surprise to researchers, given that overall transactions fell by 9 percent, but restaurant operators had been responding to slowing sales with incentives such as rewards and family meal deals to help maximize ticket size.

Closed dining areas and consumer demand for low-contact visits to eateries also pushed drive-thru sales up by 28 percent, and drive-thrus comprised 82 percent of customer spending — up from 69 percent in 2019.

The average drive-thru order at McDonald’s took six minutes and 18 seconds in 2019, and last year it was reduced to five minutes and 49 seconds as drive-thru orders picked up.

Uber Eats said last year that its year-over-year revenue had increased 152 percent to nearly $5 billion.

90 percent of customers prefer curbside pickup over going inside a restaurant location to get their orders.

The average U.S. consumer will spend more than $1,200 on drive-thru food every year, according to reports, and drive-thru trips increased 26 percent in Q2 2020, representing 42 percent of all eatery visits. Drive-thru visits also rose by 13 percent last July when restaurants began reopening — the highest rate of all the service models, including dine-in, carryout and delivery.

Given customers’ priorities How Drive-Thrus Became The Lifeline Of The QSR Space 16 | © 2021 PYMNTS.com All Rights Reserved Order To Eat Tracker® DEEP DIVE of convenience and safety, some national chains reported sales swelling by as much as 70 percent

67 percent of consumers saying in one survey that a wait of six minutes or more is too long for in-store pickup. Thirty-eight percent of respondents said drive-thrus were the safest way of engaging, followed by curbside pickup at 21 percent and in-store pickup at 9 percent.

 

STATS: Delivering on Restaurant Rewards: Super-Connected Consumers

June 08, 2021 | Paytronix

27%: Share of superconnected consumers have shifted to ordering online from at least one restaurant.  The average superconnected restaurant customer spent 26 percent more on food orders than average in the last 12 months.  Two-thirds of all 'connected-me' consumers use...

  • 27%: Share of superconnected consumers have shifted to ordering online from at least one restaurant.
     
  • The average superconnected restaurant customer spent 26 percent more on food orders than average in the last 12 months.
     
  • Two-thirds of all 'connected-me' consumers use at least one restaurant’s loyalty program.

 

STATS: Capco Study: 72% of Customers Rate Personalization as “Highly Important” in Today’s Financial Services Landscape

May 26, 2021 | Capco

Key findings include:Digital features bank customers want and will pay for:86% of respondents are most interested in cashback offers based on preferred card perks, followed by 82% for cashback offers based on bank loyalty.26% are willing to pay for reward features of interest. Gen Z and...

Key findings include:

  • Digital features bank customers want and will pay for:
    • 86% of respondents are most interested in cashback offers based on preferred card perks, followed by 82% for cashback offers based on bank loyalty.
    • 26% are willing to pay for reward features of interest. Gen Z and millennials tend to be more inclined to pay for reward features than Gen X and the baby boomer generation.
    • 88% of survey respondents would like to receive alerts before recurring charges, and 31% of customers are willing to pay for that feature.
  • The human touch remains vital for customer engagement: Consumers will be loyal to a bank’s brand if they find it easy to engage online or via mobile – but they still want to talk with a person when needed.
    • A majority of survey respondents (63%) indicated a desire for one-on-one personal conversations with bank representatives, with only 37% favoring chatbot or text message (SMS) communications.
    • Willingness to engage with a chatbot decreased as age increased, with 18% of Gen Z favoring chatbots compared to only 8% in the baby boomer generation.
    • The baby boomer generation favors face-to-face interactions. They are more likely to speak with a branch representative (36%) than Gen Z (23%).
    • Engagement preferences varied slightly by type and size of the bank. Community (34%) and regional (41%) bank customers preferred to speak with a branch representative, while super regional (38%) and large institutional (36%) patrons preferred to speak with a customer representative over the phone.
  • Personalization – here comes the bank of CRM: The desire for customers to personalize their banking relationship is the strongest message emerging from survey respondents.
    • 72% of respondents rated personalization as “highly important,” while just 8% said it was not. 20% of respondents were neutral on the topic.
    • Millennials place the highest value on personalization (79%), followed by 75% of Gen Z, 74% of Gen X, and 58% of boomers.
    • 86% of people who felt personalization is important to their experience are willing to provide feedback on their experiences at least annually. Customers who are older and have higher income levels are more willing to provide regular feedback.
  • Fraud remains a concern: 75% of survey takers cited a fraud issue as a key reason to switch banks.
    • Gen Z is most concerned about fraud incidents (81%), compared to 76% of the baby boomer generation, 75% of millennials, and 72% of Gen X.

STATS: Alter Agents, Snap Inc., and Publicis Media Release New Data on Augmented Reality (AR) in Consumer Shopping

May 25, 2021 | Alter Agents, Snap Inc., and Publicis Media

Research included in-depth interviews with AR experts to explore AR's evolving dynamics; mobile ethnographies with daily diary entries; and a quantitative survey among 1,000 people ages 13-49 in each market (n = 4,000) who are smartphone owners and AR non-rejectors. Purchase decisions are...

Research included in-depth interviews with AR experts to explore AR's evolving dynamics; mobile ethnographies with daily diary entries; and a quantitative survey among 1,000 people ages 13-49 in each market (n = 4,000) who are smartphone owners and AR non-rejectors.
  • Purchase decisions are spurred by AR: Branded AR experiences increase the likelihood to purchase, particularly in categories like home decor (73%), product personalization (73%), virtual try-on (72%) and product demonstration (70%).
  • High AR awareness and adoption: More than half of people aged 13–49 claimed to have used AR in the past, and nearly one-third have used branded AR. Snapchatters are 56% more likely than non-Snapchatters to have used branded AR.
     
  • Increasing role of AR in shopping landscape: More than three in four believe AR technology will play a role in how people shop in the next five years. Two in three who say they would use branded AR for shopping also agree they are likely to purchase after a branded AR experience.
  • Consumers are looking for AR: 54% actively search for AR experiences, most commonly seeking out branded AR by searching within the camera on digital platforms like Snapchat.
     
  • AR shareability heightens impact: 61% say the ability to easily share branded AR experiences is important to them.

STATS: The 15 Most Important Loyalty Statistics Straight from Retail Marketers

May 20, 2021 | Clarus Commerce

90% of respondents say enhancing or expanding their loyalty programs is a priority for 2021.Two-thirds of consumers believe their loyalty is harder for retailers to secure now. And nearly 40% of consumers are not interested in joining loyalty programs due to their lack of perceived...

90% of respondents say enhancing or expanding their loyalty programs is a priority for 2021.
Two-thirds of consumers believe their loyalty is harder for retailers to secure now. And nearly 40% of consumers are not interested in joining loyalty programs due to their lack of perceived value
95% of retailers with traditional loyalty programs have discussed launching a premium loyalty program in 2021

67% of consumers aren’t satisfied with traditional loyalty programs.
78% of consumers anticipate an increase in the number of premium loyalty programs due to COVID-19.
According to a 
McKinsey loyalty study, 35% of U.S. consumers have tried a new brand since the pandemic started and 77% have tried new shopping behaviors.
51% of respondents with premium loyalty programs consider program members to be at least 4x as valuable as non-members.
41% of retailers say their loyalty program members receive benefits within the first month.
86% of respondents who offer benefits within the first week say their loyalty program members shop at least once a week — that number drops to 63% for those who offer benefits within the first month.
Respondents with premium loyalty programs tend to offer benefits faster: 65% say their members receive benefits at least within the first week..
More than half of respondents (62%) who offer benefits within the first week see ROI within the first six months.
37% of retailers say “competing priorities” were the biggest barrier to entry in launching their loyalty programs.
57% of respondents cite lack of budget, internal resources, or IT support as the main reasons for not launching loyalty programs.
Almost 1 in 4 say they lacked the internal resources to build and manage their programs.
 44% of respondents who use a vendor say loyalty members shop with them at least once every few days, compared to only 30% of respondents who manage programs in-house.
84% of retailers with a premium loyalty program rate the profitability of their programs an 8 or above (out of 10).
According to 
McKinsey, besides the incremental revenue stream from annual fees, premium loyalty members are 60% more likely to spend more on the brand after subscribing, while free loyalty programs only increase that likelihood by 30%.
62% of respondents with only traditional programs have not updated their loyalty programs in the past three months.
Consider nearly 40% of consumers don’t join loyalty programs because of their lack of perceived value..
Over half of retailers (59%) only offer a traditional loyalty program.
In fact, 
67% of consumers are likely to join a premium loyalty program if they already belong to that retailer’s free loyalty program.
 

STATS: Sitel Group® Research Reveals Poor Customer Experience Leads to Customer Churn

May 18, 2021 | Sitel Group

In fact, one third of consumers considered breaking up with a brand while another 65% severed ties with a brand as a result of a poor customer experience (CX). This is according to the latest Sitel Group whitepaper, Driving Customer Loyalty: Perception, Effort and Action, which analyzed how...

In fact, one third of consumers considered breaking up with a brand while another 65% severed ties with a brand as a result of a poor customer experience (CX). This is according to the latest Sitel Group whitepaper, Driving Customer Loyalty: Perception, Effort and Action, which analyzed how brands create loyalty and the key considerations for what consumers value.

Despite changes in communication, nearly all respondents (97%) believe brands are working to deliver a positive CX. But, only 43% of all respondents agree this effort is making a tangible difference, meaning that 57% of customers believe brands still need to do more to align with their expectations.

For brands curious about how to drive customer loyalty, the report finds that 42% of consumers say the perception that the brand offers good value for money is a top driver. Furthermore, the attributes customers most closely associated with a brand's commitment to the delivery of a positive customer experience are helpful and friendly staff (69%), fast response to questions (53%) and an easy-to-use website (51%).
 
  • Consumers Crave Live Chat With Brands - Two in five (40%) respondents and nearly half (47%) of millennials believe brands committed to meeting their CX expectations should be providing online chat facilitated by live agents for effective issue resolution without the need to move to another channel.
  • Positive CX Drives Positive Word of Mouth - 27% of consumers will always share a review, if invited to do so, and 28% always leave a review if it is part of an incentive program.
  • Social Means Positive CX - 22% of all consumers and 31% of Gen Z respondents feel a strong social media presence is synonymous with a commitment to positive CX
  • Positive Customer Experiences Influence How Consumers Consume – More than half (58%) of consumers say it is one of the most important factors when making a purchasing decision. Millennials (63%), Gen X (71%) and U.S. consumers (65%) are the most likely to let customer experience dictate how and with whom they spend their money.
  • An Organization's Commitment to Social Causes Influences CX - More than one in four (27%) of consumers prefer to buy from brands which they know are committed to social causes, while a fifth (20%) have no interest in whether a brand supports social causes or not.

STATS: Restaurant Online Ordering Is Here to Stay, Even As Guests Return to On-Premises Dining

April 29, 2021 | Paytronix

Paytronix Systems, Inc., the most advanced digital guest experience platform, today published the latest report in its ongoing series “Delivering on Restaurant Rewards,” which finds that 92 percent of vaccinated restaurant customers who have shifted to ordering online plan to keep...

Paytronix Systems, Inc., the most advanced digital guest experience platform, today published the latest report in its ongoing series “Delivering on Restaurant Rewards,” which finds that 92 percent of vaccinated restaurant customers who have shifted to ordering online plan to keep doing so after the pandemic has subsided with only the remaining 8 percent planning to return to dining on-site as they did before. This signals that the mobile order-ahead, curbside pickup and delivery capabilities that gained traction during the pandemic are here to stay.

When Paytronix examined sales through February and March, as vaccinated people started returning to on-premises dining, it found that online sales increased along with in-store sales. Between The first week of February and the last week in March, in-store sales grew by 13% and online sales grew about 3%.

Key findings from the research include:
  • Convenience matters -- 32 percent of vaccinated restaurant customers say they would spend more on their orders if they could pay online; 40 percent of vaccinated restaurant customers would spend more if they could earn loyalty and rewards for their orders.
  • Vaccinations and loyalty – There is a surprising and inexplicable link between vaccination and loyalty program usage. Vaccinated consumers’ inclination to engage with loyalty and rewards programs is highest among younger demographics, including bridge millennials, millennials and Generation Z consumers.
  • More accessible loyalty programs -- Restaurant loyalty programs need to be accessible both online and offline to meet their customers’ payment needs as more consumers migrate back to brick-and-mortar establishments.
“There are no signs that brick-and-mortar commerce will necessarily return to its pre-pandemic norms despite the acceleration of mass vaccination rollouts. Consumers are keen to maintain the digital-first ordering and purchasing habits they have acquired since the pandemic began, with restaurant customers being more attached to digital ordering and payment capabilities than most.” – Delivering on Restaurant Rewards.
 
Delivering On Restaurant Rewards, a PYMNTS and Paytronix collaboration, draws from a survey of a census balanced panel of 1,984 U.S. consumers to gain insights into the types of rewards programs they use and would like to use when placing food orders. Respondents were 48 years old, on average, 33 percent had college degrees and 36 percent earned more than $100,000 annually.
 

STATS: Merkle’s Annual Consumer Experience Sentiment Report Explores Consumer Privacy Preferences and Brand Loyalty

April 23, 2021 | Merkle

The study found that consumers are increasingly becoming more comfortable with sharing their data in exchange for personalized experiences. In fact, the percentage of respondents who are uncomfortable sharing personal information, regardless of the benefits, decreased from 2020 and is currently...

The study found that consumers are increasingly becoming more comfortable with sharing their data in exchange for personalized experiences. In fact, the percentage of respondents who are uncomfortable sharing personal information, regardless of the benefits, decreased from 2020 and is currently at 23% of respondents. And even further, the feeling that personalization makes it easier to find products of interest rose to 49%. However, in the privacy-centric environment of today, brands must execute these personalized experiences in a data-safe way. Brands that are able to do this are being rewarded with customer loyalty.

Additional insights from survey respondents include:

  • Brand reputation, personalization, and brand loyalty have all increased in importance from 2020 to 2021.
  • 88% of consumers view a brand’s products as having higher quality if they feel like the brand is listening to their needs.
  • 91% of consumers are slightly or significantly likely to make a repeat purchase if they feel a brand has listened.
  • 48% of people increased the amount they spent shopping online this year compared to this time last year.

STATS: CONSUMER SENTIMENT ABOUT COVID-19 RECOVERY IS IMPROVING ACCORDING TO A NEW NIELSEN STUDY

April 08, 2021 | Nielsen, More Consumers are Ready to Go and Pursuing Normal Activity

New York, NY -- April 7, 2020 -- Nielsen (NYSE: NLSN) released the findings of a new study covering American consumer sentiment about COVID-19 and media usage. The study also includes insights about activities consumers engage in, health, schooling, employment, and transportation during the...

New York, NY -- April 7, 2020 -- Nielsen (NYSE: NLSN) released the findings of a new study covering American consumer sentiment about COVID-19 and media usage. The study also includes insights about activities consumers engage in, health, schooling, employment, and transportation during the pandemic. Additionally, the study includes new data about vaccines, and how people get the things they buy. 
According to this consumer sentiment survey, consumers eighteen and older now show increased confidence with respect to consumer behavior.  The survey looked at three segments reflecting attitudes about the pandemic. People who are “Ready to Go,” those who “Proceed with Caution” and consumers who “Wait and See” when it comes to resuming normal behavior.  The Ready to Go segment peaked at 61% in the March 2021 survey compared with 34% in April 2020. The more pessimistic group of Wait and See consumers dropped to 9% in March 2021 compared with 29% a year ago.  
 
Other key consumer sentiments about recovery from the pandemic, 
  • 82% now say that stores that were closed have started to open again compared with only 40% in April of last year.
  • 64% agree that it is safer than it was a month ago, compared to 38% in April 2020.
  • 72% agree that their town is starting to emerge from the crisis versus 44% a year ago.
The study showed that heavy radio listeners are more likely to make big-ticket purchases within a year. Heavy radio listeners are 18% more likely to purchase or lease a new or used vehicle in the next year, and 64% are more likely to buy a house in the next twelve months, compared to total adults. 
“As Americans continue to navigate the pandemic, the future looks promising,” said Brad Kelly, Managing Director, Nielsen Audio. “Consumers are becoming more optimistic and resuming more normal activities, especially heavy radio listeners. AM/FM listeners are more likely to be out and about and spending more time in their vehicles.” 
Among the other findings from the study:
  • Vaccines
    • More than half (52%) have either gotten at least one dose of the vaccine, have an appointment to get vaccinated, or have registered to get it when eligible. These consumers are more likely to be male and tend to be older
    • One in four (26%) are uncertain about getting the vaccine and one in five do not intend to get vaccinated. Those who are uncertain or don’t plan to get the vaccine tend to be younger, female, and Hispanic.
  • Employment
    • Among the employed, two-thirds now work outside the home, up nearly 70% since April.
    • Workers at home due to COVID-19 declined by more than half since April 2020.
  • Transportation
    • All groups are using less public transportation due to COVID-19.
    • Those spending an hour or more in vehicles is up 150% since April, and heavy radio listeners are more likely to spend an hour or more in the car.
  • Schooling
    • In March, the number of children attending in-person classes exceeded those attending virtual-only classes.
    • Children of heavy radio listeners are more likely to attend in-person classes and less likely to attend virtual classes or be homeschooled.
    • Nine in ten say the radio is on during the drive to school.
  • Health and Doctor Visits
    • Significant levels of concern remain about the health implications of COVID-19, with 65% more concerned with the health of a family member of a close friend than their own health (53%). 
  • How Local Shopping Has Changed
    • Nearly 8 in 10 are now getting items delivered that they ordered online compared with 7 in 10 before the pandemic.  
    • Fewer are now getting items they buy in the store (72%) compared with prior to COVID-19 (78%).  That said, getting items purchased in-store is the second most frequent way people get the things they buy.  
    • More are now getting things they buy in new ways such as having items they bought in a store delivered to their home (38%), as well as in-store (38%) and curbside pick up (35%), compared with those who did so prior to the pandemic (15%, 27%, and 22% respectively).
    • Nearly 3 in 10 consumers expect to do more in-store shopping in the months ahead compared with the 11% who expect to do that less. This is a good sign for the local retail economy in the coming months. 
    • Consumers expect to do less in-store pick up, less curbside pickup, and less home delivery from local stores in the next year which suggests that fewer restrictions are likely to spark a return to more normal local shopping habits.   
About the Nielsen Survey
Nielsen conducted an online survey to gauge the impact of the Coronavirus outbreak. The survey was administered online among a weighted sample of 1,009 adults 18+ in the U.S. between March 11-15th, 2021. Nielsen conducted similar surveys in April, May, June, and October 2020. 
About Nielsen
Nielsen Holdings plc (NYSE: NLSN) is a leading global data and analytics company that provides a holistic and objective understanding of the media industry. With offerings spanning audience measurement, audience outcomes, and content, Nielsen offers its clients and partners simple solutions to complex questions and optimizes the value of their investments and growth strategies. It is the only company that can offer de-duplicated cross-media audience measurement. Audience is Everything™ to Nielsen and its clients, and Nielsen is committed to ensuring that every voice counts.
 

STATS: How COVID-19 has pushed companies over the technology tipping point—and transformed business forever

April 08, 2021 | McKinsey

Across sectors, the results suggest that rates for developing digital products during the pandemic differ. Given the time frames for making manufacturing changes, the differences, not surprisingly, are more apparent between sectors with and without physical products than between B2B and B2C...

Across sectors, the results suggest that rates for developing digital products during the pandemic differ. Given the time frames for making manufacturing changes, the differences, not surprisingly, are more apparent between sectors with and without physical products than between B2B and B2C companies. Respondents in consumer packaged goods (CPG) and automotive and assembly, for example, report relatively low levels of change in their digital-product portfolios. By contrast, the reported increases are much more significant in healthcare and pharma, financial services, and professional services, where executives report a jump nearly twice as large as those reported in CPG companies.

The customer-facing elements of organizational operating models are not the only ones that have been affected. Respondents report similar accelerations in the digitization of their core internal operations (such as back-office, production, and R&D processes) and of interactions in their supply chains. Unlike customer-facing changes, the rate of adoption is consistent across regions.

Yet the speed with which respondents say their companies have responded to a range of COVID-19-related changes is, remarkably, even greater than their digitization across the business (Exhibit 3). We asked about 12 potential changes in respondents’ organizations and industries. For those that respondents have seen, we asked how long it took to execute them and how long that would have taken before the crisis. For many of these changes, respondents say, their companies acted 20 to 25 times faster than expected. In the case of remote working, respondents actually say their companies moved 40 times more quickly than they thought possible before the pandemic. Before then, respondents say it would have taken more than a year to implement the level of remote working that took place during the crisis. In actuality, it took an average of 11 days to implement a workable solution, and nearly all of the companies have stood up workable solutions within a few months.

When respondents were asked why their organizations didn’t implement these changes before the crisis, just over half say that they weren’t a top business priority. The crisis removed this barrier: only 14 percent of all respondents say a lack of leadership alignment hindered the actual implementation of these changes. Respondents at both B2B and consumer-facing companies most often cite a failure to prioritize as a barrier, but the responses to other challenges differ. Nearly one-third of B2B respondents say that fear of customer resistance to changes was a barrier, but only 24 percent of those in consumer-facing industries say this. After these two challenges, B2B executives most often cite organizational and technology issues: the required changes represented too big a shock to established ways of working, IT infrastructure was insufficient, or organizational silos impeded commitment to and execution of the required changes.

STATS: Delivering on Restaurant Rewards: March 2021

March 25, 2021 | Paytronix

45 percent: Share of independent restaurant customers’ total food spending that is made online. 16 percent: Portion of independent restaurant customers who have switched to ordering online since the pandemic began. 45 percent: Share of independent restaurant customers who would spend more...

45 percent: Share of independent restaurant customers’ total food spending that is made online.
16 percent: Portion of independent restaurant customers who have switched to ordering online since the pandemic began.
45 percent: Share of independent restaurant customers who would spend more if offered loyalty programs.

STATS: Power of Mobile Engagement for Loyalty

March 25, 2021 | Vibes Marketing

Loyalty programs have continued to expand year over year, now amassing 3.3 billion members in the United States. Today’s average consumer is a member of roughly 14 programs, but only active in 6. The current data trends point to a key differentiator in engaging consumers with a loyalty...

Loyalty programs have continued to expand year over year, now amassing 3.3 billion members in the United States. Today’s average consumer is a member of roughly 14 programs, but only active in 6. The current data trends point to a key differentiator in engaging consumers with a loyalty program: mobile.

STATS: Digital Consumer Trends Index 2021

March 23, 2021 | Marigold Engage + by Marigold

Connecting on the right channel, with the right message, at the right time when it comes to driving sales, email outperforms other paid media by up to 92%.Once an afterthought, privacy is now as vital of a differentiator as price, product, and customer experience 52% of consumers think product...

Connecting on the right channel, with the right message, at the right time when it comes to driving sales, email outperforms other paid media by up to 92%.

Once an afterthought, privacy is now as vital of a differentiator as price, product, and customer experience 52% of consumers think product recommendations from cookie tracking or similar is creepy, and not cool.

The rise of the conscientious consumer means brands should choose wisely where they advertise 79% of consumers would rather brands invest in loyalty programs than advertise on Facebook.

Loyalty is about more than undercutting your competitors 64% of consumers are prepared to pay more to purchase from a trusted brand.
 

STATS: Massive Digital Acceleration By Business & Consumers During COVID-19 Likely To Drive America's Rapid Economic Resurgence, New Harris Poll Report Reveals

March 18, 2021 | PR Newswire

The Harris Poll report comes as vaccinations rise while cases fall, and nearly half of all Americans (45%) are confident that life in the United States will soon "return to normal". The COVID-19 vaccine seems to be having an immediate impact on future spending with (53%) of...

The Harris Poll report comes as vaccinations rise while cases fall, and nearly half of all Americans (45%) are confident that life in the United States will soon "return to normal". The COVID-19 vaccine seems to be having an immediate impact on future spending with (53%) of consumers and (61%) of households over $100k claiming the vaccine rollout has had at least "some influence" on how much they plan to spend in the coming months. In fact, (30%) of those households say they plan to spend more compared to last spring, and (28%) plan to spend more compared to this winter.

The increased optimism also points to an American economy that may be better suited to quickly transition from crisis to recovery thanks in part to a digitally-adapted American consumer who has relied on e-commerce to get basic essentials during the pandemic, and the rapid technological innovations made by business to meet their changing needs. While (47%) of Americans miss the experience of shopping in-store, over three-fourths (77%) say they are satisfied with online shopping. 

 

STATS: Most Americans Say Pandemic Has Made Them More Conscious Consumers

March 18, 2021 | Shopkick

New Shopkick survey compares consumer behavior, concerns and spending habits over the past 12 months  REDWOOD CITY, Calif. -- March 15, 2021 -- One year ago, as COVID-19 lockdowns spread across the U.S., consumer anxiety was at an all-time high and 76 percent reported adjusting their...

New Shopkick survey compares consumer behavior, concerns and spending habits over the past 12 months
 
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. -- March 15, 2021 -- One year ago, as COVID-19 lockdowns spread across the U.S., consumer anxiety was at an all-time high and 76 percent reported adjusting their shopping habits as a result. Now, one year later, most consumers (57 percent) say the pandemic continues to impact how they shop.
 
According to a new Shopkick survey, the events of the past year resulted in significant changes in shopping behavior. For example, 68 percent of Americans claim the pandemic has made them more conscious consumers. Many are now supporting local or small businesses when possible (65 percent) and researching companies’ values and practices to ensure they align with their personal beliefs (39 percent), while others are supporting more BIPOC-owned businesses (11 percent) or foregoing online shopping (8 percent) and Amazon (8 percent) altogether. 
 
In an ongoing effort to support retail and brand partners with fresh insights, Shopkick, a leading shopping rewards app, surveyed more than 10,000 consumers across the country between March 5-7, 2021 to uncover current consumer behaviors and trends. The survey addressed in-store health precautions, ethical trends, channel preferences and more, and the findings have been compared to Shopkick’s March 2020 report.
 
Key Findings:
  • Americans still stocking up on the essentials. One year into the pandemic, nearly half (48 percent) of consumers report still stocking up on the essentials - a slight increase compared to 12 months ago (47 percent). Following last year’s trends, these items include toiletries (90 percent), food and water (79 percent), cleaning supplies (76 percent), hand sanitizer (72 percent), medicine and medical items (53 percent), and pet supplies (34 percent). And while 56 percent say they are spending about the same amount on essentials now compared to one year ago, 35 percent say they are actually spending more. 
  • Aisles finally looking fuller. In March 2020, nearly 100 percent of consumers noticed household essentials being out of stock on store shelves. As supply chains continue to recover from the initial shock of the pandemic, that number has now shrunk to 77 percent. However, the hardest items to obtain still include pandemic essentials like cleaning supplies (77 percent), toiletries (66 percent), and hand sanitizer (48 percent).
  • Brand loyalty continues to waver. While 85 percent of consumers reported not caring about brand names in March 2020, the number a year later has decreased, yet remains relatively high compared to pre-pandemic trends. Now, 61 percent say brand names still do not matter when making their purchasing decisions.
  • Consumers continue to take precautions in-store. As consumers continue to head in-store to get their essentials, nearly 90 percent say they are taking certain safety precautions (86 percent in March 2021 vs. 85 percent in March 2020). The majority of consumers are disinfecting their hands and shopping carts (86 percent), using debit/credit cards to avoid handling cash (70 percent), using self-checkout (66 percent), and shopping at slower times (65 percent).
  • Online shopping picks up steam. As Americans become increasingly accustomed to spending more time at home and retailers continue to expand their ecommerce capabilities, one in two (51 percent) consumers now say they are shopping online more frequently as compared to the start of the pandemic, with 84 percent planning to continue shopping online in the future. However, most consumers say high shipping costs (67 percent) and extended delivery dates (51 percent) caused by this uptick in popularity have led them to abandon online shopping carts in the past year.
  • Shopping as an event. With much of the past year spent at home, 44 percent of consumers now view in-store shopping as an event and something to look forward to. For those who feel the opposite, reasons vary from viewing shopping as: something done for a specific purpose (45 percent), a stressful event (23 percent), and a nuisance (20 percent). 
 
"A year later, we are still learning how consumer behavior is evolving. Whether shoppers are  shifting to conscious consumerism or continuing to stockpile and undertake safety precautions, we are committed to keeping brands and retailers informed at every stage of the pandemic," said David Fisch, general manager of Shopkick. “It has become clear that this new retail reality requires keeping a much more frequent pulse on consumers’ needs and expectations, especially as brand loyalty continues to waver."
 

STATS: Annual Restaurant Gift Card Sales

February 04, 2021 | Paytronix

The number of restaurant gift cards sold across service types fell 31.8% year over year.QSRs were the ultimate victors in 2020, capturing upwards of 60% of the restaurant gift card market. More than 45% of restaurant gift cards sold in 2020 were sold during the holiday season. In-store...

  • The number of restaurant gift cards sold across service types fell 31.8% year over year.
  • QSRs were the ultimate victors in 2020, capturing upwards of 60% of the restaurant gift card market. 
  • More than 45% of restaurant gift cards sold in 2020 were sold during the holiday season. 
  • In-store sales realized the smallest decline in number of cards sold of any sales channel in 2020. 

STATS: BlueJeans By Verizon

January 28, 2021 | Verizon Wireless

More than half (52.6%) of consumers are buying households good online, and 50.3% are buying clothing onlineOnly 20.6% of consumers report buying groceries online Those in the “young family” age range (26-45) reported the highest rate of online grocery shopping at 28.6%Only one...

  • More than half (52.6%) of consumers are buying households good online, and 50.3% are buying clothing online
  • Only 20.6% of consumers report buying groceries online
    • Those in the “young family” age range (26-45) reported the highest rate of online grocery shopping at 28.6%
  • Only one quarter (25.5%) of consumers are buying everything online
    • West Coast = 28.7% vs. North East = 21.8%
  •  While the majority of consumers have yet to test out a virtual shopping consultation, nearly one third (30.9%) say they would consider it

STATS: Best Practices for Customer Communication Based on 2020 Trends

January 21, 2021 | Grammarly

Focus on delivery and engagementGrammarly users care about more than grammar and spelling or clarity of writing during complex times. People used Grammarly’s engagement and delivery features more in 2020, reflected by a 77 percent increase in interacting with engagement suggestions and a 98...

  1. Focus on delivery and engagement
    1. Grammarly users care about more than grammar and spelling or clarity of writing during complex times. People used Grammarly’s engagement and delivery features more in 2020, reflected by a 77 percent increase in interacting with engagement suggestions and a 98 percent increase in delivery suggestions—almost double the rate of 2019. For business teams, this trend shows that customers need more than proper spelling and grammar. Customers care about how things are said and want engaging messages that capture and keep their attention. The delivery of communication conveys more information beyond the literal meaning of the words used, which is especially important outside of in-person interactions where we can rely on facial expressions and voice.
  2. Practice empathy and personalize communication
    1. Formal writing decreased in 2020, while informal writing increased. Grammarly users wrote more casually in the fall, as formal writing decreased 92 percent compared to January. This drop in formality reflects how connection and a human touch became important factors for customer-facing teams. Sixty-eight percent of customers expect companies to demonstrate empathy, and that was especially true this year. However, only 34 percent of that same group believe that companies deliver that empathy. There’s an opportunity for customer-facing teams to practice empathy and personalize the customer experience to connect with customers and strengthen brand loyalty. Grammarly Business can deliver highly customized suggestions through a style guide feature. A company-wide style guide can help customer teams avoid both internal jargon that customers won’t understand and overly formal or generic language that feels impersonal.
  3. Offer reassurance and solutions
    1. Grammarly users expressed a general loss of confidence over the year. By November, aggregate data showed a 43 percent decrease in the monthly average use of confident tone than in January. Between an economic downturn, uncertainty around the pandemic, not to mention a contentious U.S. election, it comes as no surprise that Grammarly users experienced a drop in confidence when communicating with others. With high unpredictability across personal, work, and academic life, Grammarly offered users suggestions to remove hedging language. Customer-facing teams that want to reassure customers and sound more confident can lean on Grammarly to check tone when responding to emails, social media comments, and customer resolutions.
  4. Other notable trends for customer-facing teams
    1. 2020 was a year marked by influential global events, and the data indicated that writing sentiment was affected by these major events. In the early days of the pandemic, writing became more informative and less optimistic.
    2. Grammarly’s product also observed shifts in several emotional tones in writing as the Black Lives Matter movement sparked protests at the start of summer. While data indicated an astounding 1286 percent increase in the anxious tone and a 258 percent increase in the gloomy tone, there was also a 210 percent increase in the curious tone, 241 percent increase in the optimistic tone, and a 628 percent increase in the empathetic tone during this time.
    3. In the fall, with the U.S. election and a “second wave” of COVID-19 cases looming, Grammarly data correlated with further shifts in tone—capturing a 50 percent increase in direct tone, a 47 percent increase curious tone, and a 66 percent increase in empathetic tone.
    4. Businesses should consider recent customer sentiment and how it’s been impacted by major events. Teams looking to connect with customers as we head into another uncertain year should focus on customer feedback, conduct research where possible, and seek a greater understanding of their customers’ needs. Companies leveraging Grammarly Business in their customer communication channels are able to increase customer satisfaction by up to 17 percent and resolve issues more quickly, as much as 12 percent reduction in contact per ticket.

STATS: Beyond Words: How We Communicated in 2020

January 21, 2021 | Grammarly

Customer experience teams need to tackle more diverse challenges. Businesses and customer experience (CX) teams must be adaptable in 2021, prepared to tackle new challenges as a result of COVID-19. Customers have less time and declining confidence since the onset of the pandemic, and CX leaders...

Customer experience teams need to tackle more diverse challenges. Businesses and customer experience (CX) teams must be adaptable in 2021, prepared to tackle new challenges as a result of COVID-19. Customers have less time and declining confidence since the onset of the pandemic, and CX leaders need to ensure their largely remote teams have the skills and knowledge to address changing customer needs. A key to this is building and training teams as diverse as the challenges they’ll face. Leaders need to prepare their teams to face unforeseen challenges head-on and protect their team’s resilience while delivering consistent experiences in key channels while working remotely. 

STATS: Redefining CX for a new era

January 21, 2021 | Zendesk

Average weekly support requests are up 20 percent since the start of the pandemic. 65% of customers want to buy from companies that offer quick and easy online transactions. 49%of customers gave Amazon the highest marks for service. 75% of customers are willing to spend more to buy from...

Average weekly support requests are up 20 percent since the start of the pandemic.
65% of customers want to buy from companies that offer quick and easy online transactions.
49%of customers gave Amazon the highest marks for service.
75% of customers are willing to spend more to buy from companies that give them a good customer experience.
63% of CX managers say their company prioritizes CX more than a year ago.
50% will switch to a competitor after one bad experience.
80% will switch to a competitor after more than one bad experiences.
49% want agents to be empathetic​.
54% want to buy from companies that prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in their communities and workplaces​.
63% want to buy from companies that are socially responsible.
31% of customers bought from a new company in 2020 and 84% plan to keep buying from them​.
64% of customers used a new support channel in 2020 and 73% plan to keep using it​.
45% over embedded messaging​.
31% over social messaging apps​.
20% over text/SMS​.
50% of teams have gone fully remote.
36% laid people off​.
68% of agents reported feeling overwhelmed​.
40% of managers don’t have the right analytics tools to measure success for remote teams​.
46% of agents don’t have the right tools to work successfully from home​.
70% of companies are looking to invest in new ways to engage employees​.
60% of companies now have access to developer resources (a 30% increase over the previous year), which means that teams can customize their support solutions to help teams work smarter.​
60% of company leaders say their company has plans to give employees more WFH flexibility​.
50% say that digital adoption has accelerated by 1-3 years​.
25% say it’s accelerated by 4-7 years​.
35% plan to invest more in adding service across channels​.
29% plan to invest more in agile technologies​.
27% plan to invest more in the digital workspace.​

 

STATS: Formation's Ultimate Guide to Measuring Customer Loyalty Offers

December 23, 2020 | Formation

In our recent "Brand Loyalty 2020" survey, 58% percent of consumers said they are more loyal to brands than they were five years ago.1 But they're more selective too, with 63% indicating they belong to only one to three programs. Plus, more than three-quarters of consumers believe...

In our recent "Brand Loyalty 2020" survey, 58% percent of consumers said they are more loyal to brands than they were five years ago.1 But they're more selective too, with 63% indicating they belong to only one to three programs.

Plus, more than three-quarters of consumers believe brands could be doing more to earn their loyalty.

STATS: Rebates Engage Report | Research and Real World Examples to Help Brands Better Engage With Consumers

December 23, 2020 | Prizelogic

According to the Promotion Marketing Association, 75.4% of consumers said they were more likely to make a purchase if a rebate is offered. In the Rebates Engage Report, we surveyed over 1,000 US consumers to gain insight into rebate program participation and how brands can create more effective...

According to the Promotion Marketing Association, 75.4% of consumers said they were more likely to make a purchase if a rebate is offered. In the Rebates Engage Report, we surveyed over 1,000 US consumers to gain insight into rebate program participation and how brands can create more effective rebate programs.

STATS: Beyond The Fun, How Gamification Adds Science to Your Customer Loyalty

December 23, 2020 | Formation

Keeping an existing customer costs 5x less than acquiring a new one. Loyal customers also deliver a greater lifetime value (LTV), of as much as 10x their first purchase. And they drive revenue; nearly half of an eCommerce store’s revenue is created by only 8% of their most loyal...

Keeping an existing customer costs 5x less than acquiring a new one. Loyal customers also deliver a greater lifetime value (LTV), of as much as 10x their first purchase. And they drive revenue; nearly half of an eCommerce store’s revenue is created by only 8% of their most loyal customers.

STATS: A Guide To Building Customer-Centric Loyalty Programs: 16 Actionable Strategies

December 23, 2020 | Comarch

If products are unavailable, 41% consumers said they would turn to less familiar brands as options. However, some of the consumers surveyed said they would stick with their brand preferences, which proves that customer loyalty is not dead. Nearly 70% of consumers agree their loyalty is more...

If products are unavailable, 41% consumers said they would turn to less familiar brands as options. However, some of the consumers surveyed said they would stick with their brand preferences, which proves that customer loyalty is not dead.

Nearly 70% of consumers agree their loyalty is more difficult for a retailer to maintain than ever before, while 88% agree retailers could do more to earn their long-term loyalty.

STATS: Brand Loyalty Hinges On Emotional Connections

December 22, 2020 | The Lacek Company

A recent Accenture Strategy global survey of 30,000 consumers demonstrates that nearly two-thirds of consumers want companies to take a visible stand on widely relevant social concerns—such as sustainability and fair employment practices. Given that dominant consumer perspective...

A recent Accenture Strategy global survey of 30,000 consumers demonstrates that nearly two-thirds of consumers want companies to take a visible stand on widely relevant social concerns—such as sustainability and fair employment practices. Given that dominant consumer perspective, making sure a brand’s loyalty program signals and celebrates its values should be a priority.

According to a 2019 report from Deloitte Digital, 60 percent of loyal customers use emotional terms to describe their favorite brands—using words like happylove, and adore.

Brands that embrace and remain true to their values cultivate consumer loyalty by inviting customers into their mission. Connecting with consumers through a sense of shared purpose builds connections that endure long after the glow of cash savings has faded.

Loyalty is driven by emotion—be it loyalty to friends, family, a cause, or a nation. Brands can tap into that emotional drive by structuring a loyalty program that reflects their purpose and helps consumers use their brand transactions to make some corner of the world a little better for someone else.

STATS: Loyalty Management Market - Growth, Trends and Forecasts (2020 - 2025)

December 22, 2020 | Research and Markets

- The global loyalty management market was valued at USD 3226.76 million in 2019, and is expected to reach a value of USD 11442.24 million by 2025, at a CAGR of 23.3% over the forecast period (2020-2025) - Loyalty management is adopted by key companies across various industry verticals, whose...

- The global loyalty management market was valued at USD 3226.76 million in 2019, and is expected to reach a value of USD 11442.24 million by 2025, at a CAGR of 23.3% over the forecast period (2020-2025)

- Loyalty management is adopted by key companies across various industry verticals, whose primary focus is on client retention and further building of sustainable customer relationships

- In the United States, there are over 200 subscription video-on-demand platforms, and in order to set themselves apart, these companies are turning to unique loyalty rewards programs

- In a shift from product-centric strategies, businesses across major industry verticals are gradually shifting toward customer-centric approaches

STATS: SMB Digital Resilience

December 14, 2020 | Moxtra

According to the report, in 2020, there was a 30% increase in consumers who said digital capabilities are a primary requirement when searching for a small service provider.Also, 66% of respondents said the pandemic has made them more likely to use small businesses in the future.Additionally, 84...

  • According to the report, in 2020, there was a 30% increase in consumers who said digital capabilities are a primary requirement when searching for a small service provider.

  • Also, 66% of respondents said the pandemic has made them more likely to use small businesses in the future.

  • Additionally, 84% of small business customers said they would consider seeking an alternative provider if digital capabilities were lacking.

  • However, 63% of overall respondents said that the number of digital tools and technologies their company uses makes some tasks more complex.

  • 89% of small business customers agreed that it was important to be able to reach out digitally to a small business instead of scheduling an appointment or phone call

  • 40% of consumers said digital capabilities were a primary requirement when searching for a small- sized service provider before COVID-19.

  • Now, 52% of consumers say digital capabilities are a primary requirement when searching for a small service provider — a 30% increase during the pandemic.

STATS: Shift In Employee Rewards Amidst More Lockdowns

November 13, 2020 | Blackhawk Network

A new report found that 40% of employees anticipate getting a holiday gift from their employer—and digital-friendly, contactless rewards will be favored. Enter physical and digital gift cards, which can both be uploaded to mobile wallets, redeemed online and spent in-store for optimal...

A new report found that 40% of employees anticipate getting a holiday gift from their employer—and digital-friendly, contactless rewards will be favored. Enter physical and digital gift cards, which can both be uploaded to mobile wallets, redeemed online and spent in-store for optimal flexibility.

The brand new research reveals 82% percent of employees would like to receive a gift card from their employer as a holiday gift. Gift cards are preferred employee gifts because they:

  • allow employees to choose what they want (76%)
  • can be delivered physically or digitally (46%)
  • can be re-gifted (29%)

STATS: Marketers Say They Need a Custom Platform to Deliver Expected ROI

September 30, 2020 | Merkle

Merkle (www.merkleinc.com), a leading technology-enabled, data-driven customer experience management (CXM) company, released its Q3 2020 Customer Engagement Report. The report explores the modern marketing technology platform, how it is implemented, and how marketers feel their platforms...

Merkle (www.merkleinc.com), a leading technology-enabled, data-driven customer experience management (CXM) company, released its Q3 2020 Customer Engagement Report. The report explores the modern marketing technology platform, how it is implemented, and how marketers feel their platforms deliver engaging customer experiences. Merkle’s research also explores the balance of real-time versus relevant-time activations of data.

The research shows that marketers are generally happy with their current platforms and latest purchases, but many may not be using them to their full potential. 78% of marketers said their current platform is delivering expected ROI, but later 68% stated they need to build a custom platform
 
Additional findings include:

  • 90% of marketers realize the significance of real-time data, but fewer put it into practice today
  • 25% of marketers have a distributed streaming platform leveraged throughout the enterprise
  • 78% say current platform is delivering expected ROI
  • 89% say current martech enables omni-channel experience
  • 70% of Health, Retail Consumer Goods, and High-Tech respondents prefer a best best-of of-breed approach to implementing martech 

STATS: Consumers Buy from Brands They Have an Emotional Connection To

September 30, 2020 | Iterable

Emotions are the hidden motivations behind consumers’ purchase decisions. And including a person’s name in an email is no longer enough of a “personal touch.” According to a new survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers’ holiday shopping preferences, published this...

Emotions are the hidden motivations behind consumers’ purchase decisions. And including a person’s name in an email is no longer enough of a “personal touch.” According to a new survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers’ holiday shopping preferences, published this morning by growth marketing company Iterable, 83% of respondents are more likely to purchase from a brand they have an emotional connection to. This will be a key consideration for retail brands as we approach the holiday shopping season.  
 
Other key data points from the study include: 
  • Consumers look to brand CEOs: Three-fourths (77%) agree that statements made by a brand’s leadership have the power to influence their purchasing decision.
  • A majority of shoppers aren’t looking forward to holiday shopping amidst the pandemic: Over one-third (36%) of respondents said the pandemic impacted their attitude toward holiday shopping “somewhat negatively,” and 27% reported feeling “very negatively” toward the shopping season. 
  • No “hard sells” for younger consumers: Straight-forward product descriptions won’t cut it for Gen Z, as 32% prefer an “empathetic and comforting” promotional tone.
  • Value-driven brands have gained importance: 16% of consumers are most likely to purchase from a brand they feel would align with their values. 
  • Consumers choose emotional connections, if they can afford to: More than 50% of those making more than $100,000 said they are “much more likely” to make a purchase when they connect with a brand, whereas the majority of those earning less said it makes them just “somewhat more likely.”

STATS: Research Highlights Increasing Importance of Digital During Holiday Season

September 11, 2020 | SMG

Nearly 10,000 respondents helped retail brands understand consumer expectations and prepare for the upcoming holiday shopping season. Here are three key themes from the research:   1. Financial concerns are looming – Although 58 percent of respondents are concerned about...

Nearly 10,000 respondents helped retail brands understand consumer expectations and prepare for the upcoming holiday shopping season. Here are three key themes from the research:
 
1. Financial concerns are looming – Although 58 percent of respondents are concerned about their financial situation due to the pandemic, 59 percent of respondents indicated they plan to spend about the same on holiday gift shopping as they did last year, and 20 percent indicated they plan to spend more. To quantify holiday spending, respondents were asked how much they plan to spend: 47 percent of respondents plan to spend $499 or less on holiday gifts whereas 24 percent plan to spend more than $1,000.
 
2. Value will be key this shopping season – Despite the ongoing financial concerns created by the pandemic, 91 percent of respondents plan to shop for others this holiday season, with 31 percent of respondents shopping for 10 or more people. When asked about the most important factor when deciding where to shop for holiday gifts, nearly one third of respondents chose value for the money (32 percent), followed by selection of merchandise (14 percent) and convenience (12 percent). The four most popular types of gifts selected were clothes (63 percent), gift cards (56 percent), electronics (51 percent) and toys (49 percent). The least popular gifts were experiences (16 percent), fitness (12 percent) and automotive (8 percent).
 
3.  Holiday shopping will start early and be dominated by digital – When you consider the double-digit growth of digital holiday sales in 2019 and how the pandemic is impacting the in-store experience, it’s not surprising that 3 in 4 respondents plan to do most of their holiday shopping online this year. When asked to compare the timing of their holiday shopping to last year, 42 percent of respondents said they’ll start shopping earlier. With 61 percent of respondents planning to do most of their shopping before Thanksgiving, we found just 15 percent of respondents plan to stock up on Black Friday and only seven percent plan to take advantage of Cyber Monday. When we compare the timing of the two groups of shoppers, 62 percent of online shoppers plan to start shopping earlier whereas 44 percent of in-store shoppers indicate they’ll take advantage of Black Friday sales or do most of their shopping in December.
 

STATS: The Importance of Loyalty as Businesses Re-Emerge From the Pandemic

September 10, 2020 | Merkle

Merkle has released a special edition of its annual Loyalty Barometer Report. The updated report reveals the importance of loyalty as businesses re-emerge from the pandemic. Highlights include:The #1 cause of dissatisfaction with loyalty programs is the time it takes to earn a reward.35% of...

Merkle has released a special edition of its annual Loyalty Barometer Report. The updated report reveals the importance of loyalty as businesses re-emerge from the pandemic. Highlights include:

  • The #1 cause of dissatisfaction with loyalty programs is the time it takes to earn a reward.
  • 35% of consumers would like to be able to unlock additional features or utilize tools to find the right product.
  • 85% of consumers would like to be able to select the benefits and rewards they receive.
  • 59% of consumers indicate that the most important way a brand can interact with them is through surprise offers and gifts.
  • Baby Boomers are most interested in writing online reviews, taking surveys, or attending an event. They are less likely to engage in social media or download an app.
  • Millennials and Gen Z enjoy competition and achievement. 35% want badges as a feature and 27% want leaderboards as a feature.
  • Gen Z prefers community-focused program aspects. 22% want access to a community of like-minded people and 19% want to compete against other members.

STATS: America’s New Shopping Routine: Stocking Up and Spending Less

August 04, 2020 | ShopKick

Household essentials have been flying off the shelves since the pandemic first hit in March, and months later, most consumers are still stocking their pantries. More people (59 percent) are stocking up now as compared to June ...

Household essentials have been flying off the shelves since the pandemic first hit in March, and months later, most consumers are still stocking their pantries. More people (59 percent) are stocking up now as compared to June (53 percent), purchasing items such as food and water (87 percent), toiletries (81 percent), cleaning supplies (68 percent), hand sanitizer and soap (65 percent), medicine and/or medical items (48 percent) and animal supplies (37 percent).

As the economic impact of COVID-19 continues to affect consumers’ budgets, the majority (54 percent) say they are now spending less than at the start of the pandemic, compared to only 26 percent who reported decreased spending in June. When asked to compare spending to this time last year, 62 percent say they are spending less.

With more widespread reopenings, 89 percent of consumers say non-essential retailers have reopened in their local area (compared to 70 percent in June), while more than half (52 percent) have already visited these retailers (compared to 37 percent in June). Of those who have visited non-essential retailers, 58 percent have hit apparel, shoe and accessories stores, followed by restaurants and bars (55 percent), and beauty stores (39 percent).

For those who have not visited reopened retailers yet (48 percent), 65 percent say they plan to wait more than one month to visit, a 20 percent increase over June.

Across five states experiencing particularly high spikes of the virus, an average of 92 percent of consumers say they or a member of their household is still visiting physical retailers to fulfill essential shopping needs. On average, nearly three out of four consumers (74 percent) from these states are taking one to two shopping trips per week, which is either about the same or less often than one month ago.

As these states experience greater numbers of COVID cases, rates for stocking up on essentials are generally higher than the national average. While Californians match the national numbers (59 percent) more Floridians, Georgians and Texans report stocking up (64 percent, 62 percent and 60 percent, respectively), while Arizonians actually report slightly lower rates (55 percent).

Most Georgians and Floridians are visiting grocery stores to purchase essentials (91 percent and 87 percent, respectively). Meanwhile, Arizonians, Californians and Texans (85 percent, 84 percent and 86 percent, respectively) are more likely to head to big box stores like Target and Walmart.

Arizonians and Californians are most likely to visit restaurants and bars once they reopen in their local area (50 percent and 51 percent, respectively), while Georgians are most likely to visit apparel and shoe stores (60 percent). Meanwhile, Floridians and Texans are nearly equally split between wanting to visit restaurants and bars (45 percent and 42 percent, respectively) or apparel and shoe stores (44 percent and 45 percent, respectively).

STATS: IMPACT ON FUTURE PURCHASES FROM COVID-19

July 16, 2020 | AMC Global + Opinion Route

Consumers predict that some changes in behavior will continue after the pandemic is considered over. Seventy-three percent expect to continue eating more home cooked meals, and 62% expect to continue improving cooking skills...

Consumers predict that some changes in behavior will continue after the pandemic is considered over. Seventy-three percent expect to continue eating more home cooked meals, and 62% expect to continue improving cooking skills and eating more fresh ingredients. Only 22% predict that increased “pandemic snacking” will continue.

Loyalty may be stronger for toilet paper, while 57% had to purchase something outside of their typical brand during COVID-19, 49% will return to their original brand.

During the pandemic, 60% percent of consumers purchased food brands not typically used before—only 21% predict they will return exclusively to their original food brand; 54% tried something new for cleaning with 33% planning to return exclusively to their original cleaning brands. Many expect the future to include a mix of both newly tried and usual brands after COVID-19 (72% food, 55% cleaning).

STATS: SURVEY REPORT:Americans’ Digital Banking & Consumer Behavior Shifts in the Era of COVID-19

July 01, 2020 | Company Name

12% will only use contactless payment going forward 23% say they will rely more on same-day ordering with curbside pickup 37% believe they will purchase more items online or through an app 12% of consumers who subscribe to...

12% will only use contactless payment going forward
23% say they will rely more on same-day ordering with curbside pickup
37% believe they will purchase more items online or through an app
12% of consumers who subscribe to meal-kits are new to the service, in response to the pandemic
21% are new users of food delivery apps, in response to the pandemic
37% have ordered groceries online for the first time in response to the pandemic
23% of new investment app users are women
18% of new personal finance app users are over age 55
34% of new cryptocurrency users are between the ages of 18–24
11% have begun using mobile payment apps for the first time due to the pandemic
5% are new direct deposit users in response to the pandemic
15% have used mobile checking for the first time in response to the pandemic

STATS: The Future of Marketing: Relevance + Value

July 01, 2020 | Formation

3 steps to implement and scale with FormationStep 1: Understand customers individually...

3 steps to implement and scale with Formation

Step 1: Understand customers individually
Developing a holistic view of each customer may seem like a daunting task, as it will involve integrating data from all of that person’s interactions across all of a brand’s touchpoints and data sources

Step 2: Build and automate dynamic offer templates
Once marketers have mapped transaction data and identified the most valuable customer behaviors, it’s time to build their dynamic offer templates. These are variable templates where every aspect of the offer can be individualized

Step 3: Experiment and optimize while scaling
Formation is designed to get offers to market quickly not only for efficiency, but to allow marketers to learn as they scale.

STATS: How Has COVID-19 Changed Marketing?

June 30, 2020 | Merkle

In addition, marketers are better prepared from a technical perspective with 41% feeling “significantly better,” while 51% feel they are “a little better” prepared from a strategic perspective...

In addition, marketers are better prepared from a technical perspective with 41% feeling “significantly better,” while 51% feel they are “a little better” prepared from a strategic perspective. Marketers also report preparedness for re-opening in the form of plans for getting “back to normal,” with 95% of marketers having a plan for a national lockdown exit, and 62% having multiple sets of plans.
Looking ahead, the report shows that marketers are optimistically prepared for the possibility of future stay-at-home orders with about 80% of respondents stating that they are better positioned to continue operating business as usual should stay-at-home orders continue.
Additionally, 74% of marketers have changed their approach to content developed for consumers and an overwhelming 96% of respondents state that their organizations will continue with their recent customer marketing innovations once the crisis is over.
Over 90% of respondents indicate that they are reassessing historical practices to eliminate under-performing activities or campaigns. Marketers have also been using this time to cut waste in their marketing programs, with 67% implementing new programs to improve first-party data capture, and 57% investing more in existing programs.

STATS: Customer Loyalty, Technology, and Impacts of COVID-19

June 24, 2020 | Company Name

46% of brand members responded that they have realized strategic/ programmatic opportunities in their customer loyalty/CX offering they would like to address. 65% of brands had plans to make program changes or updates pre...

46% of brand members responded that they have realized strategic/ programmatic opportunities in their customer loyalty/CX offering they would like to address.
65% of brands had plans to make program changes or updates pre-COVID-19 that are now on hold
73% of respondents said their brand has experienced a shift in the allocation of marketing/technology spend due to COVID-19
Over a quarter of respondents (27 percent) said that their current technology offering precludes their brand from making required changes needed for their customer loyalty/CX program
Brands are looking to address a wide range of opportunities, but the most mentioned were: 50% extending status/point exploration, 50% increased personalization, 43% different reward options
Over half of brand member respondents (54%) said that as a result of COVID-19, their brand has realized technical opportunities in their customer loyalty/CX offering they would like to address.

STATS: Research: Americans Prefer Digital Incentives, Especially for Speedy Delivery and Online Use

May 19, 2020 | Company Name

90% agree that it’s “a good reward for their hard work.” 78% agree that it keeps them motivated to work harder. 77% agree that it makes the feel their company cares about them. 65% agree that digital...

90% agree that it’s “a good reward for their hard work.”
78% agree that it keeps them motivated to work harder.
77% agree that it makes the feel their company cares about them.
65% agree that digital incentives are better than other kinds of recognition.
81% completely or somewhat agree that a digital incentives would make them more likely to do business with that company in the future.
80% completely or somewhat agree that it would spur a brand recommendation to family or friends.
74% completely or somewhat agree that it increases loyalty to the company.
64% would be encouraged to shop online when they wouldn’t otherwise.
60% would lead them to make purchases they wouldn’t make otherwise.
When given the option, 52% of respondents chose digital incentives over plastic prepaid so they could receive their reward faster.
72% of digital incentive recipients report high levels of satisfaction adding the cards to a digital wallet.
63% of respondents report wanting to receive digital incentives to make online purchases.
There is also notable interest in digital incentives among mobile wallet users, regardless of how they are categorized generationally, based on their lifestyle preferences—evidenced by the fact that 59% of digital incentive users surveyed have a mobile wallet.
Gen Z employees surveyed are 150% more likely than Baby Boomer respondents to want a digital incentives from an employer; millennials are 140% more likely than Baby Boomers.
Gen Z and millennial respondents are each 120% more likely than Baby Boomers to want to receive a digital incentive from a business as a special offer or promotion.
Overall, 72% of respondents are highly satisfied with receiving digital incentives as a payment, incentive or rebate.

STATS: The Definitive Guide to Premium Loyalty

April 29, 2020 | Company Name

Loyal customers are 5x more likely to make a repeat purchase and 4x more likely to refer the brand to others. Eighty percent of executives feel their brand understands the needs and desires of their consumers; only 15% of...

Loyal customers are 5x more likely to make a repeat purchase and 4x more likely to refer the brand to others.
Eighty percent of executives feel their brand understands the needs and desires of their consumers; only 15% of consumers agree.
Nearly three in four customers (73%) are likely to invest in a retailer’s premium loyalty program if they already belong to that retailer’s free loyalty program.
86% of consumers would choose retailers with premium loyalty programs they belong to over other retailers. This is even higher at 90% for millennials.
And 84% of consumers are likely to recommend a retailer to friends or family when the retailer offers a premium loyalty program with valuable benefits.
80% of millennials would be willing to join a premium loyalty program if their favorite retailers offered them and the benefits were valuable.
87% of consumers who are satisfied with the special benefits offered by a retailer’s paid loyalty program will likely choose that retailer over a competitor that is offering a lower price.
No matter the category, if the value is there, customers will gladly sign up and pay to be members of premium loyalty programs. They perceive these programs as “paying for themselves”

STATS: The Digital Experience Playbook

April 22, 2020 | Qualtrics

Setting up a world-class digital experience program to do that is a 3-phased approach: 1 Track & Diagnose 2 Optimize through Journey deep dives 3 Activate & Transform 92% of people who gave a high score for &lsquo...

Setting up a world-class digital experience program to do that is a 3-phased approach: 1 Track & Diagnose 2 Optimize through Journey deep dives 3 Activate & Transform
92% of people who gave a high score for ‘emotion’ said they were more likely to purchase more from that company.

STATS: Supporting Customer Service Through the Coronavirus Crisis

April 08, 2020 | Harvard Business Review

In just two weeks, the average company in our study saw the percentage of calls scored as “difficult” more than double from a typical level of 10% to more than 20%. Issues related to the pandemic — from...

In just two weeks, the average company in our study saw the percentage of calls scored as “difficult” more than double from a typical level of 10% to more than 20%. Issues related to the pandemic — from unexpected travel cancellations to appeals for bill payment extensions and disputes over insurance coverage — dramatically increased the level of customer emotion and anxiety in service calls, making a job that is hard for reps on a normal day far more challenging.

One company in our study saw financial hardship-related calls, among the most difficult for reps to handle, increase 2.5 times in the span of a week.

Another big contributor is the fact that reps — most working from home for the first time — now find themselves without the infrastructure (like a reliable phone connection) or support (peers and managers available to lend a hand) they once enjoyed in the contact center. As a result, they may struggle more than usual to help customers. For instance, we measured a massive uptick in instances of both customers and reps saying, “I can’t understand you,” and some companies in our study saw hold times balloon by as much as 34 percent and escalations (calls sent up the chain of command) skyrocket more than 68 percent.

For one company in our study, difficult interactions had only a 6% chance of resulting in a cross-sell or up-sell, compared with a more than 80% chance that an easy interaction would. And, among customers threatening to defect, those who had had a difficult interaction had less than a 4% chance of accepting the company’s “save offer” (a promotion to entice them to stay) as compared to a 20% probability for customers whose interactions were scored as easy.

STATS: Yotpo Survey of Consumers Pinpoints Changing Online Shopping Behaviors and Priorities Amidst Global Coronavirus Crisis

March 25, 2020 | Yotpo

At the time the survey was conducted, 65% of shoppers using Amazon said they couldn't get everything (32.75%) or anything (32.25%) they really needed from the retailer. Less than a week later, it was reported that Amazon Prime delays reached the one-month mark, leaving consumers scrambling to...

At the time the survey was conducted, 65% of shoppers using Amazon said they couldn't get everything (32.75%) or anything (32.25%) they really needed from the retailer. Less than a week later, it was reported that Amazon Prime delays reached the one-month mark, leaving consumers scrambling to find other online options to get the essentials they need.

STATS: COVID-19 AND WHY IT’S DRIVING THE NEED TO PIVOT: A SNAPSHOT RESEARCH REPORT

March 02, 2020 | Company Name

Stress and anxiety due to COVID-19 appears to impact our younger respondents differently depending on age (figure 14). More than 65% of Millennials (25-34, 35-44) reported feeling stressed, and that figure jumped to almost 90% for Gen Z (18-24). This finding aligns with known influences for these...

Stress and anxiety due to COVID-19 appears to impact our younger respondents differently depending on age (figure 14). More than 65% of Millennials (25-34, 35-44) reported feeling stressed, and that figure jumped to almost 90% for Gen Z (18-24). This finding aligns with known influences for these generations— younger workers tend to have less security (both job-based and financial) and typically are under more pressure to quickly adapt to more tools and technology while working from home.
Digital service usage has been skyrocketing since the onset of COVID-19. We looked more closely at usage across nine digital service categories and five generation segments. Unsurprisingly, more than 50% of Millennial and Gen-Z respondents said that, on average, they have used digital services more frequently in the past few months. 
Despite the burnout reported by many, more than 60% of employed respondents still expressed interest in working from home after COVID-19, and nearly 90% give their employers a passing grade on the amount of support they’ve offered. This may suggest that the stress that leads to burnout relates more to unmet technology needs that facilitate working from home. It might also indicate that stressors from other, non-workrelated aspects of consumers’ lives are affecting work/life balance and job satisfaction. It may take a while to fully analyze the many nuanced variables influencing people’s perceptions and feelings, but one thing is clear – now that they know it’s possible, people would like more work-from-home opportunities.
Since the onset of COVID-19, 14% of respondents lost their full-time employment status, primarily being forced to transition to either part-time employment or unemployment (figure 9). Regardless of employment status, all groups of respondents reported a decrease in spending in at least one common expenditure category (vacations, dining out, shopping, etc.).
Respondents highlighted confusion around how organizations are developing plans for the future of their physical locations. Many recognize the need for a new strategy, but are unsure about the actual plans (figure 8). Across the board, the majority of executives (58%) expect that a return to physical office spaces will occur within one month of stay-at-home orders being lifted. Some are planning to wait much longer once stayat-home orders are lifted – 12% say employees will return within the year.
Digital innovation is a priority with more than 75% of respondents planning to prioritize digital innovation in key areas like augmented and virtual reality following the crisis. 42% of executives also plan to increase spending on this initiative, and it saw the single largest improvement in priority among initiatives (figure 5). Interestingly, data modeling fell in priority, a potential indicator that with new behavior still developing it may not yet be the time to explore new data models.
Many businesses are re-prioritizing as a result of the changing landscape of the post-COVID-19 world. Organizations report that they are spending substantial time on efforts related to COVID-19, with 52% reporting spending at least as much time on COVID-19-related efforts as on normal initiatives (figure 4).
Most executives are regularly reviewing their employees for burnout as a result of the crisis. An additional 31% have only engaged in burnout reviews for their leadership and strategically critical roles. The majority of employees reported feeling regularly burned out or stressed, but the majority who felt this way also stated that they are interested in continuing to work from home regularly after this experience (figure 3).
16.4% Productivity has not been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis
34.1% Productivity has increased since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis
49.5% Productivity has decreased since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis

STATS: The US Customer Experience Index, 2020 How Brands Build Loyalty With The Quality Of Their Experience

March 02, 2020 | Company Name

Additionally, nine industries improved their score averages, and the number of brands with good scores jumped 3 percentage points to 20%, the largest gain in five years. The top 5% of brands that scored the highest across industries in their regions — the CX elite — include Lexus...

Additionally, nine industries improved their score averages, and the number of brands with good scores jumped 3 percentage points to 20%, the largest gain in five years. The top 5% of brands that scored the highest across industries in their regions — the CX elite — include Lexus, Lincoln, Navy Federal Credit Union, USAA, and Zappos.com.
27% of brands improved their CX Index scores over the past year, a significant jump compared to previous years marked by minimal gains.

STATS: The ROI from Marketing to Existing Online Customers

March 01, 2020 | Formation

And research has shown that nearly 40% of a store’s revenue is generated from only 8% of its most loyal, repeat customers. 

And research has shown that nearly 40% of a store’s revenue is generated from only 8% of its most loyal, repeat customers. 

STATS: Studies show that just a 5% increase in customer loyalty can increase the average profit per customer from between 25% and 100%.

March 01, 2020 | Formation

25% to 100% The increase of average profit per customer that results from just a 5% increase in customer loyalty.

25% to 100% The increase of average profit per customer that results from just a 5% increase in customer loyalty.

STATS: How to Increase Customer LTV With a Loyalty Program

March 01, 2020 | Formation

Customer loyalty is a critical component of LTV because those who return to shop your brand purchase 31% more on average than new customers. Over time, loyal customers are estimated to be worth 10x more than their first purchase.

Customer loyalty is a critical component of LTV because those who return to shop your brand purchase 31% more on average than new customers. Over time, loyal customers are estimated to be worth 10x more than their first purchase.

STATS: Customer Acquisition Vs.Retention Costs – Statistics And Trends

March 01, 2020 | Company Name

83% Consumers who are more likely to continue doing business with certain brands as a result of loyalty programs 50% The likelihood that existing customers are to try new products, compared to new customers 76% Consumers who...

83% Consumers who are more likely to continue doing business with certain brands as a result of loyalty programs
50% The likelihood that existing customers are to try new products, compared to new customers
76% Consumers who said loyalty programs are part of their relationship with brands
89% Companies that see customer experience as a key factor in driving customer loyalty and retention.89% Companies that see customer experience as a key factor in driving customer loyalty and retention.
60% to 70% - The probability of selling to an existing customer, compared to just 5% to 20% for new prospect.


 

STATS: Why Personalization Isn’t Always Personal

February 04, 2020 | Formation

48% of customers have left a brand’s website and purchased from a competitor due to a poorly personalized experience 92% of marketers report using personalization techniques in their marketing 55% of marketers don...

48% of customers have left a brand’s website and purchased from a competitor due to a poorly personalized experience
92% of marketers report using personalization techniques in their marketing
55% of marketers don’t feel they have sufficient customer data to implement effective personalization
63% of marketers say datadriven personalization is the most difficult online tactic to execute
89% of digital businesses are investing in personalization
80% of customers are more likely to purchase a product or service from a brand who provides personalized experiences
Personalization is the ultimate measure of a quality customer experience, with 91% of customers more likely to shop with brands that provide relevant offers and recommendations.
 

STATS: Retail Loyalty Programs - Loyalty Playbook Highlights

February 01, 2020 | Company Name,Retail Touchpoints - Loyalty Playbook 2019

As many as 52 percent of retailers offer a loyalty program today, with another 12 percent planning to implement one. (Retail Touchpoints - Loyalty Playbook 2019 w/ Highlights)

As many as 52 percent of retailers offer a loyalty program today, with another 12 percent planning to implement one. (Retail Touchpoints - Loyalty Playbook 2019 w/ Highlights)

STATS: How to Overcome the 5 Biggest Retail Challenges of 2020 with Premium Loyalty

January 29, 2020 | Clarus Commerce

We found that nearly 70% of consumers agree their loyalty is more difficult for a retailer to maintain than ever before, while 88% agree retailers could do more to earn their long-term loyalty

We found that nearly 70% of consumers agree their loyalty is more difficult for a retailer to maintain than ever before, while 88% agree retailers could do more to earn their long-term loyalty

STATS: The Pursuit of Personalization

January 22, 2020 | Company Name

Focus on the person, not on the purchase: Brands that focus their personalization efforts beyond the purchase itself to include all the important moments that comprise the Member’s experience with the brand, and that...

Focus on the person, not on the purchase: Brands that focus their personalization efforts beyond the purchase itself to include all the important moments that comprise the Member’s experience with the brand, and that endeavor to fulfil on a broader set of customer needs, will be successful in achieving personalization that truly delivers.
Keep up with changing preferences: Consumers aren’t static: their preferences, interests, behaviors, and life stages all change over time. Don’t take a “set it and forget it” approach. Check in with your Members regularly about their needs and use the data in a way that aligns with their current preferences.
Put an eye to privacy: You may have permission to collect and use data, but you can’t do personalization well without an eye to privacy. The beauty of loyalty is that it is an overt, transparent relationship. Consumers expect brands to know them if they’ve signed up to a program. That said, you must always consider where your personalization efforts will land on the “cool to creepy” continuum. For example, a customer might not mind being alerted to a promotion when they walk past their favorite coffee shop. Yet, if they’re driving by their bank and get an alert about a payment, it might feel more invasive.
Take credit for your efforts: Consumers are often blind to the level of personalization that brands are serving up because they don’t recognize their experience is different from that of others. Be sure to overtly draw attention to and take credit for your personalization efforts. For example, with an email, you can confidently write, “This has been personalized just for you.” Members will feel more special and recognized—two important drivers of Member satisfaction.
Just get started: Many marketers feel they need to get their entire house in order—from having the right technologies in place to breaking down organizational siloes—before they can unlock personalization. While those factors are important, our advice is to just get started. Everything you need to do personalization effectively is available to you. Don’t let striving for perfection get in the way of making progress. Just make sure you use the data you’re asking for in ways that add to the relationship.
5 recommendations to help brands move forward on personalization
Our research found that when personalization is done well, there is a 6.4× lift in satisfaction. Other benefits are: Members “say good things about the brand” (6× lift), “stay longer,” (5.2.× lift) and “spend more with the brand” (3.5× lift)—all important KPIs for loyalty marketers aiming to keep Members engaged and drive bottom-line results.
On even the most basic level, brands are falling short. While the vast majority of Members say information such as their first and last names, and demographic details (96%) are being collected, only 57% say that information is used.
Our Loyalty Report found that only 22% of loyalty Members are very satisfied with the level of personalization they get from brands with which they interact.

STATS: Boutique Retail Outlook 2021

January 01, 2020 | Apricot Lane Boutique

The survey also uncovered insights regarding projected purchasing habits as they relate to COVID-19 among U.S. female shoppers in 2021, as demonstrated by findings including: ● The commitment to local retail boutiques is consistent in the younger generations of female shoppers as well. 70% of...

The survey also uncovered insights regarding projected purchasing habits as they relate to COVID-19 among U.S. female shoppers in 2021, as demonstrated by findings including:

● The commitment to local retail boutiques is consistent in the younger generations of female shoppers as well. 70% of female respondents ages 18-29 think about supporting a local business when they choose a retailer.

● Only 9% of female consumers have stopped shopping in person, a relatively small portion of the general population despite the widespread reports of a decline in in-store traffic. However, the survey results signal a shift in in-store shopping behavior, with 10% of respondents planning to exclusively shop in person in the new year.

● The female shoppers polled are highly motivated by the entire shopping experience and where she does life. When these consumers are out shopping, they enjoy shopping at apparel stores (43%), grabbing a cup of coffee (46%), dining at a restaurant (49%), and shopping for groceries (69%) or home goods (29%). These shoppers intentionally seek out multiple local retailers for a well-rounded shopping experience.

STATS: Are You Undervaluing Your Customers?

January 01, 2020 | Company Name

Loyalty leaders grow revenues roughly 2.5x as fast as other companies in their industries.

Loyalty leaders grow revenues roughly 2.5x as fast as other companies in their industries.

STATS: The Markerter's Guide to Brand Loyalty

January 01, 2020 | CrowdTwist

A third of customers (34%), especially millennials and younger consumers, demand more bespoke and alternative benefits for their loyalty instead of points. In 2013, 73% of women and 55% of men said they really valued the benefits they got from loyalty cards, but this sentiment fell to 63% of...

A third of customers (34%), especially millennials and younger consumers, demand more bespoke and alternative benefits for their loyalty instead of points. In 2013, 73% of women and 55% of men said they really valued the benefits they got from loyalty cards, but this sentiment fell to 63% of women and 45% of men by 2019. 60% of consumers who say their loyalty to their favourite brand is genuine go on to name brand social responsibility as a reason for their loyalty.
Most popular loyalty programs in the U.S: These are the top three mentioned loyalty programs our survey respondents participate in: 1. Amazon Prime 2. Kroger Plus 3. Starbucks
Only 12% of the consumers we surveyed said their favorite brand successfully personalizes for them.
We asked survey participants to select all of the rewards that appeal most to them. 88% of people want discounts and cash back rewards, 65% want free products, and 41% want to be able to redeem for charitable donations.
Of the consumers we surveyed we found that 55% want to receive personalized recommendations, however, only 37% have purchased something that was recommended to them by a brand in the past six months. Bad personalization is worse than no personalization.
While 45% of the people we surveyed said they were willing to share their data in exchange for personalized experiences there is a massive opportunity for brands to build trust with consumers and overcome concerns they have around data collection and use.
Over half of the consumers we surveyed cite high shipping fees as their biggest online shopping frustration, followed by fees for returns and lengthy delivery wait times.
Only 37% of respondents are willing to download an app to help them navigate a store and check inventory. We also found that 64% of consumers prefer to be left alone when browsing in-store.
41% of consumers still enjoy trying and buying in-store, however 40% of consumers stated that long check-out lines is their biggest in-store shopping frustration.
64% of consumers prefer to shop online and 48% of consumers also enjoy shopping in-store.
People understand the value of loyalty programs, and are willing to pay for them. 59% of people are willing to pay for a loyalty program with valuable perks like free shipping (for example, Amazon Prime).
Our research found that consumers want to be rewarded for recommending or endorsing a brand. For example, 72% of consumers answered that they would write reviews or refer their friends to earn points. In addition, 87% of respondents answered that they would refer friends and family to their favorite brand.
Our research finds that 39% of consumers want free delivery and 29% want special member prices and perks as a loyalty program member. Consumers are less interested in VIP events or access to exclusive sales promotions.
54% of consumers said the number one reason they join a loyalty program is to save money. The second biggest reason consumers join is for member-only perks like free shipping and free samples.
The main reasons why consumers abandon loyalty programs are because the rewards aren’t compelling or relevant enough (27%), and it takes too long to earn points (27%).
71% of people are active in at least one to five loyalty programs per month.
Reward redemption is also comparatively high. 68% of people redeem rewards at least once a quarter, and 25% of those redeem at least once a month.
71% of the consumers we surveyed are active in at least one to five loyalty programs per month. 56% of respondents have at least one loyalty program app on their phone.
40% of respondents said their favorite brand has a loyalty program and they are a member. 20% said their favorite brand doesn’t have a loyalty program but they would join if they did.
62% of the consumers we surveyed answered that they could be persuaded to choose one brand over another due to the presence of a loyalty program.
What exactly makes a consumer feel happy or valued? We asked consumers what makes them loyal to a specific brand and 72% answered a good product selection, 67% answered that the products are fairly priced, and 43% said a good shopping experience.
We asked consumers to tell us what emotion they felt when they think about their favorite brands. Almost half of the respondents answered “happy”. The second strongest emotion was “understood”.

STATS: PossibleNOW Survey: 81% of Companies Engaged in International Telemarketing Report Little to No Knowledge of International Laws and Regulations

January 01, 2020 | Company Name

When survey respondents were asked what their biggest concerns related to global consumer contact regulations were, 65% stated that financial penalties were top of mind. However, when asked if they register with relevant Do...

When survey respondents were asked what their biggest concerns related to global consumer contact regulations were, 65% stated that financial penalties were top of mind. However, when asked if they register with relevant Do Not Call lists to prevent violations that would result in fines prior to conducting outbound calling campaigns in other countries, 54% said they either did not register at all or they weren’t sure if they registered.
PossibleNOW™, a leading provider of enterprise preference management, consent, and compliance solutions, today announced the results of its latest survey, showing 81% of U.S. businesses engaged in international telemarketing report little to no knowledge of international laws and regulations.

STATS: "2020 eCOMMERCE LEADERS SURVEY-Site Performance & Innovation Trends"

January 01, 2020 | Yotpo

Let’s take one step deeper. Out of all the respondents that are seeing an increase in online traffic, nearly 60% of brands are focusing heavily on marketing promotions. Seems to be working. Out of the brands seeing no...

Let’s take one step deeper. Out of all the respondents that are seeing an increase in online traffic, nearly 60% of brands are focusing heavily on marketing promotions. Seems to be working.
Out of the brands seeing no change or a decrease in online traffic, only 24% are shifting their focus to digital.
Out of the brands seeing an increase in online traffic, 80% are pushing forward and
investing more in digital.
74% of brands are heavily focused on investing in digital
Because of government mandates, many “non-essential” physical stores were forced to close down, while online stores can remain in operation. While it’s fortunate that brands can continue selling
online, there are still many challenges these brands are facing. For example, what can brands do to make sure they don’t run out of inventory? What about the inventory that’s been left in stores? Can retailers make up for the lost brick & mortar sales by selling
that inventory online? 69% of brands are planning to do just that. Since online traffic is increasing, inventory can be taken from physical stores and sold online. But it needs to be done fast — especially for brands that sell seasonal items, like apparel and footwear.
With the way things are looking, online shopping is not going to slow down anytime soon, so there is a solid opportunity here to make up for lost sales.
When asked if their websites are prepared to handle the anticipated influx in traffic due to more people shopping online, amazingly, 94% of respondents said “yes.” This would be great if it were true, but history
suggests otherwise. Each year, retail brands have around 10 months to prepare for the five biggest shopping days of the year: “Cyber 5.” And every year, major brands and small brands alike experience slow and inconsistent
site performance, crashed sites and use of waiting room technologies, destroyed reputations, issues at checkout, and millions of dollars lost to lack of preparedness.
45% Said online shopping will be a “necessity” for them to live their daily lives
94% Stated online shopping will be an important activity during the current crisis
Brands seeing traffic increase 72%
Brands seeing no change in traffic 21%
Brands seeing a decrease in traffic 7%

STATS: Generali Global Assistance Poll on Seniors and Millenials

January 01, 2020 | Iris Powered by Generali

Both seniors and millennials are impacting the U.S. in discernable and distinctive ways, affecting everything from the housing market to workplace culture to the healthcare industry. And with seniors and millennials making up...

Both seniors and millennials are impacting the U.S. in discernable and distinctive ways, affecting everything from the housing market to workplace culture to the healthcare industry. And with seniors and millennials making up over half the U.S. population – seniors making up 28.9% and millennials making up 23.3% – it’s easy to understand why.

21% of seniors and 22% of millennials are connecting to 7+ wi-fi accessible devices on a weekly basis, but the majority are connecting to 5 or less (73% of seniors and 66% of millennials).

Unsurprisingly, millennials lead the way in terms of digital service adoption with one exception: 2% more seniors say they shop online versus millennials (87% versus 85%).

Across generations, the biggest gap in digital service use is seen in riding sharing apps – while just 15% of seniors use these services, 37% of millennials say they do.

While many seniors (39%) have them listed on a sheet of paper that’s locked in their home or office, most millennials (40%) utilize an online password storage system.

Fortunately, a very small number from each generation “use the same password for all online accounts” (3% of seniors and 5% of millennials).

Across generations, a similar number have a few different passwords that they rotate between accounts so that there’s no need to store them (16% of millennials and 14% of seniors).

Seniors have a leg up on millennials regarding password reuse: 45% of seniors use the same password across 0-1 online accounts, while only 31% of millennials can say the same (most millennials [43%] are using the same password across 2-3 accounts).

44% of seniors and 48% of millennials always change their password afer a breach.

3% of both seniors and millennials never change their password after a breach.

While almost half of millennials (49%) have chosen the highest privacy settings possible, only 30% of seniors can say the same.

While 42% of millennials say they are extremely likely or likely to share “your location and away from home status at the time you are away,” only 14% of seniors practice this risky habit.

27% of millennials say they are extremely likely or likely to share their social media passwords with close friends

A whopping 56% of millennials allow either parents, siblings, close friends, or another familial relative to access their banking information.

19% of seniors allow either parents, siblings, close friends, or another familial relative to access their banking information.

Almost 1 in 2 (46%) of seniors and just 1 in 3 (33%) of millennials say no one else has access to their banking information.

We’ll admit we were a little shocked to see that over half of millennials and roughly 1 in 5 seniors share their banking information with at least one family member or friend outside of their spouse. But perhaps we shouldn't be so surprised knowing that familiar fraud is on the rise:  Javelin saw this rate jump to 15% in their 2018 Identity Fraud Study.  

While 35% of seniors feel they have a solid foundation of identity theft prevention knowledge and/or regularly seek out such knowledge, only 28% of millennials feel this way.

For those that didn’t feel they had a good grasp on identity theft prevention, the trending reason for seniors was “there’s so much conflicting information that I’m not sure who to trust” and for millennials “I know the information exists but don’t know where to find it.”

And while 21% of seniors regularly seek out the latest and most relevant identity theft prevention information, just 13% of millennials are doing so.

The top three “safe habits” that seniors and millennials engage in were the same: antivirus/antimalware (79% seniors and 55% of millennials); regularly checking their credit report/score (56% of seniors and 44% of millennials); and regularly monitoring financial accounts for suspicious activity (63% of seniors and 40% of millennials).

58% of seniors and 62% of millennials believe they’re doing all they can to protect themselves, but just 21% of seniors and 13% of millennials have identity theft protection.

Many consumers – no matter their age – aren’t sure where to buy an identity protection program, despite wanting one. A previous GGA study revealed that 58% of U.S. consumers plan to buy an identity protection program – so why the disparity? Often, it’s simply a matter of opportunity, and for most, the companies they trust to protect such data just aren’t offering a solution.

Amongst seniors, 84% believe that financial institutions are doing all they can to protect their data, and 82% believe that insurance companies are doing all they can.

Amongst millennials, 80% believe that financial institutions are doing all they can to protect their data, and 88% believe that insurance companies are doing all they can.

STATS: “2020 BrandedPay™ Holiday Shopping Preview” Report

January 01, 2020 | Blackhawk Network

The brand new research reveals 82% percent of employees would like to receive a gift card from their employer as a holiday gift. Gift cards are preferred employee gifts because they:allow employees to choose what they want (76%)can be delivered physically or digitally (46%)can be re...

The brand new research reveals 82% percent of employees would like to receive a gift card from their employer as a holiday gift. Gift cards are preferred employee gifts because they:

  • allow employees to choose what they want (76%)
  • can be delivered physically or digitally (46%)
  • can be re-gifted (29%)

STATS: Americans' Shopping Plans This Upcoming Holiday Season, 2020

January 01, 2020 | Toluna

The majority (89%) of Americans plan to celebrate Halloween this year. With most of those celebrations being just with family or virtual – but trick or treating traditions hold strong.48% plan to host a house party with only members of family39% plan to host a virtual Halloween party41...

The majority (89%) of Americans plan to celebrate Halloween this year. With most of those celebrations being just with family or virtual – but trick or treating traditions hold strong.

  • 48% plan to host a house party with only members of family
  • 39% plan to host a virtual Halloween party
  • 41% plan to take their children trick or treating

Enthusiasm for Halloween treats remains high - 96% plan to buy Halloween candy this year, and are buying with the intention to:

  • 31% give out to trick or treaters
  • 28% to have a small gathering of friends and family
  • 25% to give to their children

Ron Ruffinott, Senior Research Solutions Consultant at Toluna, said, “While trick or treating will likely be scaled back to some degree this year, candy sales are up ahead of the holiday.  This speaks to a strong desire to return to normalcy, as well as an emotional need for consumers to ‘treat’ themselves for their endurance over the last several months.”

Of those surveyed, 90% will celebrate Thanksgiving this year, with the pandemic driving adjustments to those holiday plans to be smaller and more family only type gatherings relative to prior years.

  • 34% plan to celebrate with a quiet, small gathering of immediate family
  • 24% plan to celebrate only with those they live with
  • 14% plan to attend a large family gathering if social distance rules allow

Travel plans for Thanksgiving have also suffered, as 58% of people do not plan to travel at all for the holiday.    

Of those planning to travel, their trips this year will be primarily semi-local:

  • 65% report they will stay within the state
  • 66% of those will travel by car

Many are opting out of Friendsgiving plans as well, with 44% reporting they will not host or attend a Friendsgiving celebration.

Ruffinott said, “Even strong, broadly celebrated, holidays like Thanksgiving, where the core celebration is togetherness, will be different in 2020.  How and where they travel, who they celebrate with, and the size of those gatherings will all be impacted.  This is most strongly evidenced by only 14% of people planning to attend a large family function.”

Despite caution about gatherings and travel for the holiday, people still plan to do their Black Friday shopping in stores:

  • 78% believe stores will be very busy on Black Friday
  • Yet, 47% of those surveyed plan to shop in store

Americans believe there are good deals to be had on Black Friday, with 79% expecting there to be better and bigger sales this Black Friday. In order to get the best deals, people are split on strategy:

  • 38% plan to visit a store or shopping center
  • 36% plan to purchase an item online and get it delivered
  • For holiday gifts in particular, 40% plan do a mix of online and in store shopping

Meanwhile, enthusiasm for Cyber Monday remains lower than Black Friday – with only 61% of Americans reporting they will participate, despite 79% expecting there to be better and bigger deals this Cyber Monday.

Along with the promise of good deals, Americans are conscious this year’s shopping will be quite different than past years.

  • 40% believe there will be many more deals and discounts
  • 39% believe items will be going of stock faster due to surge in online shopping
  • 36% believe popular items will be going out of stock quickly due to smaller inventories

The fear of low stock has caused many Americans to start their shopping early – 56% report fears about being able to get the gifts they want. As a result, 59% have already begun their shopping or plan to this month.

If stock is low, people are prepared to shell out for what they want. 56% of Americans are willing to pay more for gifts this year if they are in short supply.

Ruffinott said, “We see people looking to return to normalcy, and look forward to the holiday.  They are planning to shop earlier given the shortages experienced over the last few months, and concerns about shipping delays.  We’ll see people compromise in some areas.”

When it comes to the December Holiday, people are less likely to celebrate in groups than Thanksgiving:

  • 35% plan to have a small, quiet gathering of immediate family at home
  • 27% plan to have small celebration on with those they live with
  • Only 12% plan to attend a big family gathering if social distance rules allow

Despite caution around gatherings, Americans plan to keep some holiday traditions, including:

  • 48% plan to attend a Holiday party
  • 34% plan to attend a Holiday market

Ruffinott said, “We’re seeing a ‘back to basics’ approach to the holidays and end of year.  Most are introspective, and plan small gatherings with family.  As resolutions are made, they are simpler, less commercial, and more reflective on learnings from the past year.”

Fewer yet plan to celebrate New Year’s, as:

  • 29% plan to have a small, quiet gathering of immediate family at home
  • 25% plan to have small celebration on with those they live with
  • Only 12% plan to attend a house party  

In the New Year, Americans are resolved to improving health, being happier and becoming a better person. This year’s top resolutions are:

  • 31% - be happier and more content with life
  • 30% - be a better person
  • 29% - eat healthier
  • 28% - more self-care

STATS: Mastercard Study Shows Consumers Globally Make the Move to Contactless Payments for Everyday Purchases, Seeking Touch-Free Payment Experiences

January 01, 2020 | Company Name

This trend appears to be here to stay as approximately three quarters (74 percent) state they will continue to use contactless post-pandemic. The majority of respondents (82 percent) view contactless as the cleaner way to pay...

This trend appears to be here to stay as approximately three quarters (74 percent) state they will continue to use contactless post-pandemic.
The majority of respondents (82 percent) view contactless as the cleaner way to pay, and contactless payments are up to 10 times faster than other in-person payment methods, enabling customers to get in and out of stores faster.
Globally, nearly half of respondents (46 percent) have swapped out their top-of-wallet card for one that offers contactless – this proportion climbs to 52 percent among those under 35 years old.
79 percent of respondents worldwide say they are now using contactless payments, citing safety and cleanliness as key drivers. Consumer polling by Mastercard, studying changing consumer behaviors in 19 countries around the world, paints a picture of accelerated and sustained contactless adoption.
Between February and March, contactless transactions grew twice as fast as non-contactless transactions in the grocery and drug store categories
In a Mastercard global consumer study, nearly eight in 10 say they use contactless payments

STATS: Bazaarvoice Report: High Expectations for E-commerce, as Consumers Demand Authenticity, Connection, and Trust

January 01, 2020 | Bazaarvoice

As network of clients sees an 20% year-over-year increase in online orders since the beginning of 2020, Bazaarvoice highlights how user-generated content, social commerce, and brand advocacy are critical to e-commerce success....

As network of clients sees an 20% year-over-year increase in online orders since the beginning of 2020, Bazaarvoice highlights how user-generated content, social commerce, and brand advocacy are critical to e-commerce success.

When shopping online, the largest portion of shoppers (56%) said reviews were the e-commerce feature they relied on most to make informed purchase decisions faster, far ahead of the product description and professional photos (16%). When asked what type of UGC they wish they had more access to, photos from real customers was consumers’ top request. UGC doesn’t just address these preferences, it also impacts revenue: globally, when shoppers engage with reviews on best-in-class websites, there is a 138% lift in conversion and a 159% increase in revenue per visitor, both up from the previous year. To address this preference for more UGC, especially now as more consumers are shopping online, we expect brands to prioritize UGC on the e-commerce product page and to incorporate a wider variety of authentic content from consumers, making product descriptions and professional photos the secondary focus.

Not only do consumers prefer recommendations from peers, they are also purchasing directly from each other: This evolution of the typical e-commerce environment is already playing out one step further in two different but related trends: social commerce and recommerce. In the last year, 45% of respondents said they had purchased a product through a social media platform, 41% had purchased a product an influencer had recommended, and 62% had made a purchase from a secondhand marketplace. With much of the world shifting to online environments in the last two months, brands should determine how social commerce plays a role in their e-commerce strategy, particularly platforms or features that allow consumers to connect and shop with each other, with brands playing a less overt role.

Brands should leverage increased customer feedback to their advantage: Consumers can reach out to brands at any time through a variety of channels. Compared to other regions, North American consumers were most likely to say they had complained about a brand on social media (44%) and to have asked a brand a question across different channels, including through chat bots (36%), online Q&A features (41%), and store associates (46%). The always-on nature of customer feedback should be an advantage for brands, as long as they respond to and learn from their customers. 89% of consumers expect to hear from a brand within 24 hours when they ask a question through social media, and almost half expect brands to improve their products based on negative reviews. As consumers are unable to experience products and engage with brands in person, brands should be prepared to address an influx of customer questions and feedback, identify common praise and complaints, and quickly learn from this feedback to strengthen their business.

To build trust with consumers, brands and retailers should evaluate their approach to brand advocacy: Consumers look to a wide variety of people when it comes to reviews, recommendations, and content to inform purchase decisions. Overall, 75% of shoppers said they sometimes or always trust consumer reviews, 39% said they trust a brand employees’ product recommendation, and 40% said they’ve purchased a product from an influencer because they trusted their endorsement. It is critical for brands and retailers to have an approach to advocacy that includes a mix of different types of authentic, trustworthy “influencers” — from everyday consumers and employees to subject matter experts and micro-influencers — especially at a time when social media is playing a larger role in the shopping experience. Consumers are choosing to shop with businesses they want to see succeed in a post-pandemic world, and brand trust is more important now than ever: three out of four shoppers choose products based on brand reputation.

The insights we found, while based on research conducted in early 2020, are especially relevant today, as businesses everywhere navigate this period of uncertainty, said Joe Rohrlich, Chief Revenue Officer at Bazaarvoice. More shoppers are turning to online shopping out of convenience and necessity. This shift will accelerate innovation in e-commerce across a variety of industries, and our research shows what consumers are looking for from their shopping experience. Brands that provide an authentic online experience, agile customer service, and the ability for shoppers to connect to each other are poised to succeed now and in the future.

STATS: Don’t Succumb To Social Media Stockholm Syndrome

January 01, 2020 | Forrester

Forrester’s Consumer Technographics reveals that only 24% of US online adults agree that it’s cool to be associated with a company/brand on...

Forrester’s Consumer Technographics reveals that only 24% of US online adults agree that it’s cool to be associated with a company/brand on social media. And 68% don’t agree that brands/companies share interesting content on social media.

Tellingly, in 2020, only 24% of US online adults agree that it’s cool to be associated with a company or brand on social media (see Figure 1). When organic presences didn’t work, marketers binged on social advertising, increasing global social ad spend from $75 billion in 2018 to a forecasted $165.6 billion in 2023.

Thirty-seven percent of US online adults believe social media does more harm than good, and only 14% believe the info they read on social media is trustworthy.4 Sometimes brands are the source of this toxicity. Detox tea used celebrity endorsers on social networks to mispresent its health benefits.5 The Fyre Festival acted similarly to promote a fantastical music concert that never came to fruition.6 Amazon launched an employee ambassador program to almost comedic effect when seemingly planted ambassadors engaged in a Twitter war of words with company critics.7 Even honest social advertisers aren’t absolved: They fuel social networks with their advertising spend while asking for no safeguards for a healthy environment in return.
 

STATS: What Do Your Customers Expect in 2020?

January 01, 2020 | Clarus Commerce

“Early” is even earlier than brands might initially think for the holiday shopping season, especially for this demographic. In fact, nearly half (48%) of millennials begin holiday shopping before October, and just...

“Early” is even earlier than brands might initially think for the holiday shopping season, especially for this demographic. In fact, nearly half (48%) of millennials begin holiday shopping before October, and just under 1 in 4 do so before July. For those millennials who begin holiday shopping before October, 73% have joined a loyalty program solely to use the benefits and rewards during the holiday shopping season.
During the holiday season, millennial shoppers are fiercely loyal to their favorite retailers: 89% of millennial respondents are more likely to holiday shop at a retailer where they are already a loyalty member. And among millennials who are already premium loyalty members and plan to join more programs in 2020, the number who choose their loyalty retailers during the holidays jumped to 95%.
First and foremost, 40% of respondents expect to receive their premium loyalty benefits immediately, not after 10 purchases and not after a month of consistent buying.
In fact, 67% of respondents are likely to join a premium loyalty program if they already belong to that retailer’s free loyalty program.
The survey found that 66% of respondents currently belong to a premium loyalty program. This is a promising increase when compared to the 58% reported in 2019.
74% of millennials plan to join additional premium loyalty programs in 2020
88% of respondents are likely to choose a retailer whose premium loyalty program they belong to over a competitor that is offering a lower price
70% of those not in a premium program would join if their favorite retailer offered one and the benefits were valuable
94% of premium loyalty members shop at that program’s retailer at least once a month
69% of premium loyalty members plan to join additional premium programs in 2020
In 2020, loyalty is critical: Nearly two-thirds of customers say their loyalty is more difficult for retailers to maintain than ever before, confirming what we already know to be true: With unlimited choices at customers’ fingertips, earning loyalty today takes more than just a plastic punch card or weekly coupon.

STATS: Where Segmentation Falls Short

January 01, 2020 | Company Name

48% of consumers have left a brand’s website and purchased from a competitor due to a poorly personalized experience. 42% of marketers do not segment at all, despite the fact that segmented, campaigns account for 77% of...

48% of consumers have left a brand’s website and purchased from a competitor due to a poorly personalized experience.
42% of marketers do not segment at all, despite the fact that segmented, campaigns account for 77% of the email ROI
70% of customers say that connected processes, including offers designed based on past purchases, are very important to earning their business.
About 84% of customers say that being treated like a person, not a number, is very important to winning their business
 

STATS: Loyalty currency promotions during COVID-19

January 01, 2020 | Company Name

Points’ data shows that up to 26% of total promotional revenue can come from smart web and mobile placements.

Points’ data shows that up to 26% of total promotional revenue can come from smart web and mobile placements.

STATS: The Value Of Investing In Loyal Customers

January 01, 2020 | Company Name

63% of consumers say they're prepared to modify their spending habits in order to maximize the benefits of a loyalty program. 70% of consumers are more likely to recommend a brand with a good loyalty program. Bond Brand Loyalty • 77% of consumers say they are likely to stay with a...

63% of consumers say they're prepared to modify their spending habits in order to maximize the benefits of a loyalty program.
70% of consumers are more likely to recommend a brand with a good loyalty program.
Bond Brand Loyalty • 77% of consumers say they are likely to stay with a brand that has a loyalty program.
According to Temkin Group, 77% of customers would recommend a brand to a friend after a single positive experience.
Bain & Company and Harvard Business School report that "increasing customer retention rates by 5% increases profits by 25% to 95%."
According to Marketing Metrics, the probability of selling to an existing customer is up to 14 times higher than the probability of selling to a new customer.

STATS: Millennials and Gen Z Work and media consumption during COVID-19

January 01, 2020 | Measure

A little over 50% of our respondents said that they or someone in their household was working or studying from home.

A little over 50% of our respondents said that they or someone in their household was working or studying from home.

STATS: Bridging the Gap Between Data Science and Marketing How to Achieve Personalization at Scale With AI and ML

January 01, 2020 | Formation

About three-quarters of consumers insist that brands must adapt others to their personal requirements and expectations, or they’ll choose to shop elsewhere.One study shows that 92% of marketers report using personalization...

STATS: Retail Touchpoints - Loyalty Playbook 2019 w/ Highlights

December 31, 2019 | Company Name

Upon establishing a loyalty strategy, retailers first must differentiate between building true loyal connections and delivering pure incentives or discounts, said Shep Hyken, Chief Amazement Officer at Shepard Presentations...

Upon establishing a loyalty strategy, retailers first must differentiate between building true loyal connections and delivering pure incentives or discounts, said Shep Hyken, Chief Amazement Officer at Shepard Presentations. 
With shoppers on average participating in 14.8 memberships , they are active in less than half, according to Bond Brand Loyalty. 
As many as 52% of retailers offer a loyalty program today, with another 12% planning to implement one, according to the 2019 Retail Touch Points Customer Acquisition and Retention Benchmark Report. Loyalty members candrive a large portion of company sales: 44% of retailers sayat least 40% of their total revenue comes from loyalty program members. As many as 60% report that members spend 2X to 3X more than non-members, a LoyaltyOne report said. 

STATS: 2019 Gartner L2 Loyalty Intelligence Report

December 31, 2019 | Company Name

Many of today’s revamped loyalty programs involve incentives and benefits including points, product discounts (68%), cashback rewards (61%), birthday perks (57%) and free shipping (49%), according to the 2019 Gartner L2...

Many of today’s revamped loyalty programs involve incentives and benefits including points, product discounts (68%), cashback rewards (61%), birthday perks (57%) and free shipping (49%), according to the 2019 Gartner L2 Loyalty Intelligence Report.

STATS: Mobile App Introduction and Online and Offline Purchases and Product Returns

August 29, 2019 | Informs: PubsOnline

The study authors found that retail app users buy 33 percent more frequently, they buy 34 percent more items, and they spend 37 percent more than non-app user customers over 18 months after app launch. The study authors found that retail app users buy 33 percent more frequently, they buy 34 percent more items, and they spend 37 percent more than non-app user customers over 18 months after app launch.

At the same time, app users return products 35 percent more frequently, and they return 35 percent more items at a 41 percent increase in dollar value.

All factors considered, the researchers found that app users spend 36 percent more net of returns.

STATS: “Get to Know Your Customer Day”

April 16, 2019 | Company Name

71% of Americans would be less likely to join a customer loyalty program that collects personal information (e.g., address, account information) 27% say they would be much less likely, according to a new U.S. survey conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of Wilbur.  More than 3...

71% of Americans would be less likely to join a customer loyalty program that collects personal information (e.g., address, account information) 27% say they would be much less likely, according to a new U.S. survey conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of Wilbur. 
More than 3 in 4 Americans (76%) would be more likely to join a customer loyalty program that collects only their name and phone number 32% would be much more likely, according to a new U.S. survey conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of Wilbur. 
58% of Americans would be less likely to join a customer loyalty program that requires them to download an app to access the benefits 26% say they would be much less likely, according to a new U.S. survey conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of Wilbur. 
Nearly 4 in 5 Americans (79%) say they would be more likely to join a customer loyalty program that does not require them to carry a physical card (e.g., participation available digitally), according to a new U.S. survey conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of Wilbur. 

STATS: The Loyalty Report '19

January 01, 2019 | Company Name

22% of loyalty program members say they are very satisfied with the level of personalization they receive in the programs.32% of consumers strongly agree that a loyalty program makes their brand experience better.79% of...

22% of loyalty program members say they are very satisfied with the level of personalization they receive in the programs.
32% of consumers strongly agree that a loyalty program makes their brand experience better.
79% of consumers say loyalty programs make them more likely to continue doing business with brands.
73% of consumers are more likely to recommend brands with good loyalty programs.
The average consumer belongs to 14.8 loyalty programs but is only active in 6.7 of them.
 

STATS: Annual Gift Card Sales Report: 2019 Insights to boost your gift card sales

January 01, 2019 | Paytronix

From 2017 to 2018, gift card sales increased by more than 10%. A corresponding increase of almost 10% was seen in overall sales dollars. While in-store sales continue to account for more than half of annual gift card sales...

From 2017 to 2018, gift card sales increased by more than 10%. A corresponding increase of almost 10% was seen in overall sales dollars.

While in-store sales continue to account for more than half of annual gift card sales, the percentage decreased slightly in favor of third-party sales in 2018

Sales of gift cards increased almost across the board for restaurant segments. Fine dining was the only space that saw a decrease from 2017 to 2018, and it was less than 1%. However, the average load in fine dining increased slightly and was enough to compensate for the minor dip in card sales. Quick-service restaurants saw the most dramatic increase, with almost 18% more gift cards sold in 2018. Casual dining’s increase of around 10% was consistent with overall sales trends, while fast-casual saw an increase of just under 4%.

The average load of stored value was higher with e-gift cards than physical cards across all concepts, with casual and fast-casual having the largest disparities. Possible reasons include the intangibility of virtual money influencing customers to spend more and higher-value virtual gift cards being purchased for repeated use from a mobile wallet. However, since e-gift represents a small percentage of overall gift card sales, restaurants should still prioritize the use of physical gift cards.

Sales of gift cards during the holidays drove a large portion of the increase in card sales from 2017 to 2018, as the popularity of gifting stored-value cards continued to grow. The average increase in card sales throughout the year was around 6.3%, but during the holiday months, gift card sales increased over 15% from 2017.

Redemption activity is rapid early on and levels off at about six months from purchase. While the majority of gift cards are redeemed within two months, these curves vary based on restaurant service type, sales channel, and whether cards are virtual or physical.

Physical stored-value cards consistently have a slightly lower redemption rate within six months when compared to e-gift cards, which are 3% more likely to be redeemed. About 8% of e-gift cards are redeemed on the same day of purchase, which is perhaps due to e-gift promotions or ease of purchase and transfer

Whereas half of quick-service gift cards are redeemed in just over a month, it takes closer to six months to reach 50% redemption for fine dining. Fast-casual initially exceeds casual dining, but at the six-month mark, the redemption rates for both are 65%.

For quick-service coffee shops and cafés, programs that combine stored-value and loyalty cards tend to make a major impact. Customers whose loyalty cards contained stored value visited 138% more and spent 120% more than those with loyalty only last year. If your quick-service café is hoping to boost sales and loyalty, adding stored value merits strong consideration.

STATS: 2019 Road to Rewards Report: Mapping the Path to Loyalty Success

January 01, 2019 | PDI

15% of members interact with their loyalty programs daily, up from 10% in 2015.

15% of members interact with their loyalty programs daily, up from 10% in 2015.

STATS: Key Brand Loyalty Statistics

January 01, 2019 | Yotpo

15% of consumers are more likely to buy from a brand if they are part of a loyalty program.25% of consumers say they are more loyal to brands now than they were a year ago.

15% of consumers are more likely to buy from a brand if they are part of a loyalty program.
25% of consumers say they are more loyal to brands now than they were a year ago.

STATS: Brand Keys 2019 Loyalty Leaders

January 01, 2019 | Brand Keys

1. Amazon: online retail (#1) 2. Google: search engines (#2) 3. Samsung: smartphones (#6) 4. Amazon: tablets (#9) 5. Apple: tablets (#7) 6. Netflix: video streaming (#4) 7. Amazon: video streaming (#5) 8. Apple: smartphones...

1. Amazon: online retail (#1) 2. Google: search engines (#2) 3. Samsung: smartphones (#6) 4. Amazon: tablets (#9) 5. Apple: tablets (#7) 6. Netflix: video streaming (#4) 7. Amazon: video streaming (#5) 8. Apple: smartphones (#3) 9. Trader Joe’s: natural food retail (#10) 10. Hyundai: automotive (#14) 11. Twitter: social networking (#23) 12. WhatsApp: instant messaging (#11) 13. Chick-fil-A: casual/fast-casual (#24) 14. Dunkin’: out-of-home coffee (#19) 15. Domino’s: pizza (#12) 16. Ford: automotive (#15) 17. Nike: athletic footwear (#18) 18. Discover: credit cards (#26) 19. Avis: car rental (#21) 20. Toyota: automotive (#22)

STATS: Marketing Technology Landscape Supergraphic (2019): Martech 5000 (actually 7,040)

January 01, 2019 | Chief Martec

Ever since I started this project, the martech landscape has grown year-over-year by double or, originally, triple digits. The 2017 edition had 39% more solutions than 2016. The 2018 one had 27% more than 2017. Its growth has...

Ever since I started this project, the martech landscape has grown year-over-year by double or, originally, triple digits. The 2017 edition had 39% more solutions than 2016. The 2018 one had 27% more than 2017. Its growth has been slowing, a kind of law of large numbers inevitability. But when you’re talking thousands of solutions, double-digit growth is still pretty massive.

The 2019 edition, however, only grew 3%.

STATS: Are Automakers Overlooking the Journey While Focusing on its Self-Driving Destination?

January 01, 2019 | Ipsos

Only 30% of new car buyers in the U.S. have a positive opinion of the Autonomous Mode feature and only 25% would consider the feature in their next vehicle. If given the choice, only 6% of new car buyers would purchase a fully autonomous vehicle while the majority (57%) would purchase a vehicle...

Only 30% of new car buyers in the U.S. have a positive opinion of the Autonomous Mode feature and only 25% would consider the feature in their next vehicle.

If given the choice, only 6% of new car buyers would purchase a fully autonomous vehicle while the majority (57%) would purchase a vehicle with an autonomous mode and 37% would just purchase a standard vehicle.

The earliest consumers expect to see autonomous vehicles in their country is in 2023.

The study revealed there are connected car features drivers would be interested in today. In a list of 16, the top-rated selection was the Accident Avoidance feature

STATS: 2020 Road to Rewards Report: Mapping the Path to Loyalty Success

January 01, 2019 | PDI

50% of consumers say their primary reason for joining a loyalty program is to earn rewards on everyday purchases.

50% of consumers say their primary reason for joining a loyalty program is to earn rewards on everyday purchases.

STATS: Make This Holiday Shopping Season More Rewarding with the Membership Rewards® Program from American Express

January 01, 2019 | Company Name

Many people are also looking to spread holiday cheer by giving back to nonprofits during the holidays. This year, 73% of Americans said they are likely to donate to a charity this holiday season, up from last year (60...

Many people are also looking to spread holiday cheer by giving back to nonprofits during the holidays. This year, 73% of Americans said they are likely to donate to a charity this holiday season, up from last year (60%). However, half of Americans (50%) are not aware that they can use credit card rewards points to do so, with 3 in 10 completely unaware.
More than half of Americans (51%) report getting gift cards during the holiday season both to help them buy gifts or give as a gift itself. However, of that group, only over a third (36%) have used credit card(s) rewards points to do so.
Holiday shopping lists can be a daunting task to take on. Nearly 2 in 5 (37%) of Americans plan to buy more than 10 gifts for their family and friends this holiday season, with an average planning to buy a total of 18 gifts. Not only that, 74% plan to spend the same or more this year on gifts than last year.
Over two-thirds of Americans (70%) admitted that they needed to de-stress from their holiday shopping. For Americans who have had to de-stress after holiday shopping, 62% did so by buying a gift for themselves.
According to a recent survey commissioned by American Express, over 3 in 5 (61%) are likely to spend more time holiday shopping than working the week before the December holidays this year.
NEW SURVEY COMMISSIONED BY AMERICAN EXPRESS REVEALS THAT 86% OF AMERICANS WON’T USE THEIR CREDIT CARD REWARDS FOR THEIR HOLIDAY SHOPPING THIS YEAR, HIGHLIGHTING UNTAPPED POTENTIAL TO LEVERAGE VALUABLE REWARDS POINTS

STATS: Case Study Breakdown: Using E-Commerce Incentives to Get B2B Customers to Shop Online

January 01, 2019 | Company Name

Adding a loyalty program to an e-commerce platform can increase average order quantity by 319%.

Adding a loyalty program to an e-commerce platform can increase average order quantity by 319%.

STATS: Website Design Stats And Trends For Small Businesses - GoodFirms Research

January 01, 2019 | Company Name

38% of visitors stop engaging on websites with unattractive content and layouts.

38% of visitors stop engaging on websites with unattractive content and layouts.

STATS: Consumer Incentives 2019: The Digital Transformation of Rewards, Rebates, and Loyalty

January 01, 2019 | Company Name

18% of consumers say incentives always sway them to choose one brand over another, even if they’re loyal to the brand without rewards.45% of consumers made one to three purchase because of incentives in the past year.75...

18% of consumers say incentives always sway them to choose one brand over another, even if they’re loyal to the brand without rewards.
45% of consumers made one to three purchase because of incentives in the past year.
75% of consumers say they are likely to make another purchase after receiving an incentive.
Less than 8% of consumers say rewards aren’t at all important to their purchasing decisions.

STATS: The State of Customer Loyalty in 2018

January 01, 2018 | Yotpo

52% of American consumers will join the loyalty program of a brand they make frequent purchases from.

52% of American consumers will join the loyalty program of a brand they make frequent purchases from.

STATS: Median US Employee Tenure

January 01, 2018 | Company Name,US Bureau of Labor Statistics

The median number of years that wage and salary workers had been with their current employer was 4.2 years in January 2018. Median employee tenure in January 2018 was higher among older workers than younger ones. For example, the median tenure of workers ages 55 to 64 (10.1 years) was more than...

The median number of years that wage and salary workers had been with their current employer was 4.2 years in January 2018. Median employee tenure in January 2018 was higher among older workers than younger ones. For example, the median tenure of workers ages 55 to 64 (10.1 years) was more than three times that of workers ages 25 to 34 (2.8 years). (US Bureau of Labor Statistics - Median tenure with current employer was 4.2 years in January 2018)

STATS: 2018 Loyalty Program Consumer Survey

January 01, 2018 | Company Name

31% of consumers say their biggest issue with loyalty programs is that the rewards expire before they can use them, the most common response. 18% of consumers engage with every loyalty program of which they are a member.  

31% of consumers say their biggest issue with loyalty programs is that the rewards expire before they can use them, the most common response.
18% of consumers engage with every loyalty program of which they are a member.
 

STATS: The Loyalty Report 2018

January 01, 2018 | Company Name

Loyalty program members spend 27% more when the brand establishes a positive emotional connection.71% of consumers say loyalty programs are a meaningful part of their brand relationships.19% of loyalty program members say...

Loyalty program members spend 27% more when the brand establishes a positive emotional connection.
71% of consumers say loyalty programs are a meaningful part of their brand relationships.
19% of loyalty program members say their program makes them feel special and recognized.
87% of consumers are open to brands monitoring details of their activity if it leads to more personalized rewards.
37% of customers are willing to pay to upgrade to an enhanced tier of a loyalty program.
 

STATS: New Epsilon research indicates 80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase when brands offer personalized experiences

January 01, 2018 | Epsilon

In fact, 80% of customers said they are more likely to purchase a product or service from a brand that provides personalized experiences.

In fact, 80% of customers said they are more likely to purchase a product or service from a brand that provides personalized experiences.

STATS: The Ultimate List Of Charitable Giving Statistics For 2018 - Nonprofit Source

January 01, 2018 | Company Name

Purpose-driven consumer companies achieved a compounded annual growth rate of 9.85% over five years, compared to just 2.4% for the whole S&P 500 Consumer Sector. 88% of Millennials find their job more fulfilling when they...

Purpose-driven consumer companies achieved a compounded annual growth rate of 9.85% over five years, compared to just 2.4% for the whole S&P 500 Consumer Sector.
88% of Millennials find their job more fulfilling when they have opportunities to make a positive impact on society and the environment.
78% of Americans want companies to address social justice issues.
85% of companies in the US have a formal domestic corporate giving program in place vs. only 45% with a formal international program.
Walmart leads the pack with $311.6 million in cash donations
12.3% of total corporate cash contributions went through corporate matching gift programs.
84% of survey participants revealed they’re more likely to donate if a match was offered.
Mentioning matching gifts in fundraising appeals results in a 71% increase in the response rate and a 51% increase in the average donation amount (and that’s prior to receiving matching gift funds).
The median employee participation rate for matching gift programs is 9%.
77% of the respondents believe that offering employee engagement opportunities is an important recruitment strategy to attract millennials.
88% believe effective employee engagement programs help attract and retain employees.
92% of surveyed corporate human resources executives agree that contributing business skills and expertise to a nonprofit can be an effective way to improve employees’ leadership and broader professional skill sets.
Nearly 60% of companies offer paid time off for employees to volunteer, and an additional 21% plan to offer release time in the next two years.
$5 billion = approximately how much money is raised through workplace giving annually.
Corporate giving in 2017 increased to $20.77 billion—an 8.0% increase from 2016.

STATS: State of the Global Workplace

December 01, 2017 | Company Name,State of the Global Workplace

Gallup’s 2017 State of Global Workplace Report found that 85 percent of workers from around the world are not engaged or are actively disengaged with their jobs. (Gallup State Global Workplace 2017)

Gallup’s 2017 State of Global Workplace Report found that 85 percent of workers from around the world are not engaged or are actively disengaged with their jobs. (Gallup State Global Workplace 2017)

STATS: 2017 Cone Communications CSR Study

January 01, 2017 | Company Name

Millenials are the most likely group to seek out responsible products whenever possible (85% vs 79% U.S. average) Millenials are the most likely to hold companies accountable for producing and communicationg results of CSR...

Millenials are the most likely group to seek out responsible products whenever possible (85% vs 79% U.S. average)
Millenials are the most likely to hold companies accountable for producing and communicationg results of CSR efforts (88% vs 82% U.S. average)
The top actions Americans will take remain to boycott irresponsible business actions (88%) and reward buying a product with a social or environmental benefit (87%)
65% of consumers said that when a company takes a stand on a social or environmental issue, they will do research to ensure the company is being authentic
73% of consumers said they would stop purchasing from a company if it shared a different perspective on social justice issues
When asked to identify the most important responsible business practice, Americans felt being a good employer was the top priority (35%), customer want to do business with companies that take care of their own people
86% of Americans expect companies to do more than make a profit, also address social and environmental issues
87% will purchase a product because a company advocated for an issue they cared about and 76% will refuse to purchase a company’s products or services upon learning it supported an issue contrary to their beliefs
63% of Americans are hopeful businesses will take the lead to drive social and environmental change moving forward, in the absence of government regulation
79% of U.S. citizens expect businesses to continue improving their CSR efforts

STATS: See Beyond the Customer Loyalty Illusion | Accenture

January 01, 2017 | Company Name

57% of consumers spend more on brands to which they are loyal. Loyalty program membership in the U.S. grew at a rate of 26.7% from 2012-2014. More than 90% of companies have some sort of loyalty program.  

57% of consumers spend more on brands to which they are loyal.
Loyalty program membership in the U.S. grew at a rate of 26.7% from 2012-2014.
More than 90% of companies have some sort of loyalty program.
 

STATS: CAUSE SPONSORSHIP TO TOP $1.3 BILLION: IEG, INC.

January 01, 2006 | Company Name

The marketers most active in cause sponsorship: specialty retailers, automakers, banks, financial services and non-alcoholic beverages (see chart). Industry segments slowing their use of cause tie-ins: airlines, beer, personal...

The marketers most active in cause sponsorship: specialty retailers, automakers, banks, financial services and non-alcoholic beverages (see chart). Industry segments slowing their use of cause tie-ins: airlines, beer, personal-care products and telecommunications.
The projected growth gives cause marketing a 10% share of overall sponsorship spending (up from 9% in 2005). Sports sponsorship, by contrast, is expected to fall to about $8.84 billion, 66% of total sponsorship spending (from 69% last year).
Marketers spent $1.11 billion on cause-related sponsorships and activation last year, according to IEG research. The projected increase makes cause marketing the fastest-growing segment of sponsorship, outpacing the industry’s overall growth rate of 10.6% to a projected $13.4 billion, per IEG.
Cause-marketing spending will rise 20.5% this year to $1.34 billion, projects sponsorship consultancy IEG, Inc.

About Loyalty360 

Loyalty360 is an unbiased, objective, and market-driven association for customer loyalty, which seeks to enable and encourage dialogue among industry leaders. Through a unique blend of content, collaboration, and diverse learning opportunities, we’ve created a network of brands and technology providers that represent some of the best voices that the customer loyalty industry has to offer.