As eCommerce brands gaze into the upcoming year, there’s one question they’re grappling with — how to enhance their Shopify loyalty programs and boost engagement.
That’s because most loyalty programs are doing the same thing, offering common perks and rewards.
But if you put the right strategies in place, there are many more unique things, you can do in 2025.
In this article, we bring predictions and insights that will shape customer loyalty trends in the coming year.
Read on if you want to create Shopify loyalty programs that are significantly ahead of your competitors loyalty programs.
5 customer loyalty trends that will shape eCommerce in 2025
Let’s take a look at some of the customer loyalty trends for eCommerce businesses:
1. Customers will look for value in loyalty programs
87% of customers say that knowing they got a good deal is important to them when deciding which brand to buy from.
As the current economic state indicates an atmosphere of recession and slowing down, customers are going to search for value. And the good news is that loyalty programs have a history of helping brands thrive amidst economic difficulties, which happened during the Covid-19 economic downtime.
Going into 2025, it’s a good phase for your Shopify loyalty program to strengthen emotional connections with customers by offering value-focused rewards and experiences. Let’s look at some strategies to offer the value that customers are looking for:
- Create engagements beyond purchases. For example, integrate meaningful, everyday activities into the loyalty program app to maintain brand visibility and ensure it remains a prominent presence in customers’ minds
- Gamify your loyalty programs to improve engagement
- Offer loyalty points on non-transactional activities – when members aren’t spending much, these strategies help keep them connected to your brand
- Create a sense of exclusivity and belonging. For example, offer early access to discounts, new collections and allow them to test products before they’re available to general customers
- Create a subscription model, since subscriptions have the potential to deliver value to subscribers as well as help predict revenue
- Make customers understand the value of your loyalty program. For example, create your messaging such that it emphasizes how customers loyalty to the brand enhances their purchasing power
- Offer practical suggestions to loyalty members, such as how to redeem points, how to use cash along with points to make purchases, etc.
- Create moments of surprise and recognition for customers, and highlight how you’ve enhanced convenience via your loyalty program. In short, touch all the emotional chords
2. Take loyalty program communities to the next level
We’ve touched upon the importance of community-building for your loyalty program members in many of our earlier blogs. It has been a key customer loyalty trend for years. But consumers often get bored of regular, run-of-the-mill community experiences. Come 2025, they’ll be looking for more.
Let’s take the example of how Starbucks created a digital community called Odyssey to create a unique experience for their loyalty program members.
Trying out the new NFT and blockchain technology with their loyalty program, Starbucks let loyalty members access Odyssey through the Starbucks app. Customers went on journeys, played interactive games, and collected rewards in the form of NFTs. Loyalty customers also had access to virtual classes and merchandise, and could visit Starbucks coffee farms.
What we can learn: While all brands may not be able to create NFT and crypto experiences, the idea is to make use of advanced technology. You can hook your loyal customers via tech-savvy strategies that no other eCommerce brand might think of doing.
Tips for community-building customer loyalty trends:
- Utilize all the features of your app to the maximum. Think of creative ways to use app features. Get in touch with your app technical team to explore how you could use your Shopify loyalty program app to the fullest. For example, Appstle Loyalty and Rewards app support team helps its customers with customization and personalization, so they can provide customer-centric experiences to the end customers
- Identify your most valuable loyal customers and offer them exclusive experiences by bringing them together on one platform or group. For instance, it can be a special, closed, members-only group on Facebook
- If your geographic reach is wider, offer rewards in different currencies, create tiers for your loyalty program, and create multiple communities. Pro tip: Keep the engagement consistent. Don’t start communities and let their activity and engagement dwindle over time.
3. Align loyalty programs with various generations
Another key customer loyalty trend is to approach your individual customer segments differently. There are four generations that are a part of almost every eCommerce brands’ clientele — Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Baby boomers.
They all have different preferences, needs, and shopping habits. Some are tech savvy, some wary of eCommerce, some with low purchasing power, and so on and so forth.
And hence, it is essential to approach different customer segments based on the generation they belong to. To do so, brands have to tailor their loyalty program experiences for four different generations.
In this section, we look at each of the four generations, their preferences, and how you can tweak your Shopify loyalty program to cater to them.
Gen Z
88% of Gen Z consumers say brands that better society and humanity are important in their purchase decision. And 77% of Gen Z customers look for brands that align with their values.
Here’s how to align your Shopify loyalty program with Gen Z preference:
- Provide personalized and unique experiences
- Include visual content and communication, tools like visual search, etc.
- They have no patience for slow loading sites or apps, hence ensure you use a top Shopify loyalty program app for your store
Millennials
Millennials form the largest segment of the workforce and hence, are the ones who have the most purchasing power. They are open to spending on brands that offer value and unique experiences. For example, some factors that influence their purchase decisions are free shipping and excellent customer support. Like Gen Z, millennials prefer brands that align with their values.
Here’s how to engage millennials in your loyalty program:
- Millennials expect quality and informative content
- They give importance to your brand and loyalty program’s storytelling and purpose
- Highlight your brands values and objectives
Gen X
More than 54.4% of Gen X customers prefer being active in one or two loyalty programs. They prefer a mix of in-store and mobile experiences. Engagement is an important factor for them — more than 56% say they’d like to earn points to engage with brands.
Here’s how you can engage Gen X with your Shopify loyalty programs better:
- Offer them rewards and loyalty points for various activities
- Engage them via reviews and surveys
Baby boomers
They are the oldest generation but that doesn’t mean they aren’t into loyalty programs or technology-based experiences. However, their engagement capabilities are limited.
Here’s how you can engage them in your loyalty programs:
- Provide straightforward and simple user interfaces
- Keep things transparent, such as loyalty program conditions
- Offer ample customer support help, as this generation may be tech-challenged
- Offer them localized experiences
- Offer hybrid loyalty program experiences
4. Offer “phygital” experiences
Experts suggest “phygital” retail experiences — bringing technology and reality together — as an important customer loyalty trend to create opportunities to boost customer loyalty towards your brand.
For customers, the lines between physical stores/experiences and digital are blurring. They want to choose the platform — physical store, website, app — according to their preference and convenience. And they expect an uninterrupted experience across every touchpoint.
So, how can your Shopify brand ensure the best phygital experience for your loyalty program?
- Integrate a robust Shopify loyalty and rewards app in your eCommerce store. The app should allow customers to easily check products and pricing, access reward programs and gift cards, read product reviews, and make contactless payments. Moreover, they should be able to avail and use reward points in-store, on the website and via the app, as they please.
- An example of a phygital experience is that of Netflix. The streaming platform opened a 10,000 square foot pop-up store in Los Angeles for three months. Netflix subscribers and loyal customers could walk in free, explore merchandise, enjoy immersive and interactive experiences, etc.
What we can learn: This limited time experience has a touch of FOMO – customers don’t want to miss it, and it brings digital and physical together. It’s a unique and different experience for customers. Can this phygital experience be recreated for your brand and loyalty program members?
5. Combine technology with Shopify loyalty programs
Merely using a good Shopify loyalty program app is not enough. eCommerce brands that use different types of technologies for loyalty programs will be able to provide better experiences to customers.
Incorporating technology is no longer just a customer loyalty trend; it is a given factor of eCommerce brands. Let’s look at some technologies to consider.
1. Voice assistants
Integrating voice assistants in your loyalty programs will enable customers to shop, redeem rewards, and communicate with you through their voice. Since it’s hands-free and convenient, it will make customer experience faster and more enjoyable.
2. Blockchain technology
With blockchain technology, eCommerce brands can offer reliablility and transparency around loyalty programs. Customers can get a complete view of their reward points, transaction history, reward offers, etc., building more trust and loyalty.
3. Artificial intelligence and machine learning
Brands that use AI and ML based algorithms to understand customers’ preference and behavior will be in a better position to offer personalized loyalty experiences. Higher levels of personalization can strengthen customer loyalty.
4. Augmented and virtual reality
AR and VR technologies can help brands design immersive and experiential loyalty programs as well as related campaigns which improve engagement opportunities. For instance, with AR, brands can allow customers to scan a product pack to access exclusive rewards and loyalty points.
5. AI writing tools
By using AI writing tools, such as ChatGPT, with its capability to comprehend and respond in a human-like manner, eCommerce brands can craft engaging conversations tailored to different loyalty member segments. When customers receive personalized responses they feel more satisfied and their loyalty improves.
6. Personalize, personalize, personalize
An increasing number of brands are prioritizing personalization in 2025. When it comes to loyalty programs, brands are taking a deeper approach to personalization.
For instance, brands will move beyond points and rewards-based benefits and explore other things that add value to customers — more meaningful and customer-centric experiences.
Let’s look at some ways brands will approach personalization in loyalty programs in 2025:
- Apart from financial value, include social, emotional, and structural aspects. Create experiences that enable social engagements within loyalty member communities; create opportunities that make customers feel good, for instance collaborate with a social organization, etc.
- One way to personalize loyalty program experiences is to remain flexible. For instance, adjust loyalty program experiences based on real-time data. If a customer wants to upgrade or downgrade their loyalty plan, assist them in doing so. Imagine how satisfied customers will feel when you make things easy for them.
- Investment in automation and loyalty tools will increase as it is the only way for eCommerce stores to scale and create smooth experiences. For instance, a loyalty program tool that automates communication, alerts, and optimizes customer interactions in real time can be a time-saver and game-changer for businesses.
7. Sustainability in loyalty programs
More than 60% of people consider the sustainability factor for staying loyal to brands. While it is easy for brands to incorporate sustainable practices in different ways via products and shopping experiences, such as sustainable packaging, it may seem tricky to design a loyalty program around sustainability.
Here are some ways brands will weave in sustainability into their loyalty programs:
- Create a community of loyalty members that support sustainability
- Facilitate events for these loyalty members
- Offer rewards for sustainable behavior
- Include loyalty rewards that encourage members to live more sustainably
- Collaborate with organizations that support sustainability causes
- Incorporate digitalization in your loyalty program. For example, only digital loyalty cards
- Share engaging and informative content about sustainability, with members
8. Omnichannel loyalty programs
Customers use various channels to stay in touch with their favorite brands, for example, the website, social media channels, WhatsApp, etc. This emphasizes the need for an omnichannel loyalty program—one that combines online and offline.
Making your loyalty program omnichannel not only enhances your customers’ experience but also helps you collect valuable data and personalize customer experience.
Here are a few ways brands will take an omnichannel approach in 2025, for loyalty programs:
- Create a seamless loyalty program experience across channels—your Shopify store, physical store, and mobile app
- Utilize data from different channels and unify it for better loyalty experiences
- Use an efficient loyalty and rewards app to automate the process
- Use AI and ML to enhance omnichannel loyalty experience
9. Loyalty programs with more engagement
Brands that build stronger connections with customers via their loyalty programs will see better results. And to build better connections, you need to create more engagement.
While most brands offer points and rewards to engage customers, today’s customers want more than just transactional experiences. They look for brands that share their values, they appreciate and support brands that have a personality and stand for causes.
Here are some ways that brands will engage more with loyalty members in 2025:
- Offer more opportunities to loyalty program members to earn rewards and points
- Apart from shopping and earning points, engage customers in activities, such as request them to write reviews, encourage them to complete their profiles, ask them to refer friends, and answer surveys
- Incorporate gamification in your Shopify loyalty programs to make the experience more exciting and fun for customers
- Incorporate sustainability practices, such as, collaborate with organizations that support causes and get your loyalty members involved in charity activities
10. Premium loyalty programs
There is high competition in the loyalty program space. Customers are no more interested in run of the mill loyalty programs. They want something new, exciting, and more valuable. They want to feel exclusive and be a part of programs that are truly different.
One way brands are offering this exclusivity is via premium or VIP loyalty programs. These programs are either paid or incorporate customers that spend high amounts shopping with the brand.
Here are some trends and strategies brands will apply to build premium loyalty programs:
- Offer benefits beyond points, rewards, and free shipping. Brands will create exclusive experiences, such as a VIP members club, special events, retreats, etc.
- Brands are offering VIP memberships at a high fee so that it remains exclusive
- Many brands are limiting the number of VIP members to make it more difficult for new members to join, making it more desirable and sought after
Sum up — which customer loyalty trends are you adapting to?
With the markets looking volatile, ever-rising eCommerce competition, an overcrowded loyalty programs market, and customer priorities shifting, it is critical for Shopify brands to think strategically around their loyalty programs.
Brands can stay ahead of competitors only by leveraging the best strategies and trends. If you’re looking to adapt any of the above strategies into your Shopify loyalty program, you will require an intuitive loyalty programs app.
Meet Appstle Loyalty and Rewards App.
The app is considered the best loyalty app for Shopify stores by thousands of merchants. It’s advanced capabilities and technologies ensure you can integrate the most tech-forward and trendy strategies into your loyalty programs.
Install Appstle Loyalty and Rewards App on your Shopify store today!
FAQs
1. What are the benefits of a loyalty program in 2025?
Loyalty programs can benefit eCommerce retailers by providing opportunities to engage customers, collecting customer data, build long-term customer relations, increase average order value and improve profitability.
2. How do loyalty programs work?
Brands reward customers with points and other benefits in return for repeat purchases and other activities, such as for signing up, for referrals, during annual sales, etc.
3. What are the most preferred types of loyalty programs in 2025?
The different types of loyalty programs preferred by eCommerce retailers and customers are tiered loyalty programs, gamified loyalty programs, points-based loyalty programs, and paid loyalty programs (VIP member club), among others.
4. Which types of brands benefit more from loyalty programs?
All kinds of businesses and brands can benefit from loyalty programs, if designed and managed well. From clothing and accessories to automobile and B2B SaaS businesses, to restaurants, and businesses offering services, all kinds of businesses can set up and benefit from customer loyalty programs.
5. Which is the best app for loyalty programs in 2025?
There are many Shopify loyalty program apps in the loyalty market. However, some stand out as star performers, such as Appstle Loyalty & Rewards App. This comprehensive, intuitive app helps retailers automate loyalty program tasks, increase customer retention, enhance communication, gamification, and more.
