The Science of Loyalty
Customer Loyalty Isn't Rational... It's Primal
Gain insights into the psychology of customer loyalty, explore loyalty's evolutionary roots, and develop science-backed strategies to help differentiate your brand from competitors.
THE LOYALTY WHEEL
Loyal behavior is made up of 4 neurobiological principles
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Reward
The brain's reward system, fueled by dopamine, lays the groundwork for essential habit formation. Behavioral elements of reward include reciprocity, pleasure, and recognition.
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Memory
Memory is a pivotal force in decision-making, shaping people’s perceptions through associations with past experiences. Behavioral elements of memory include familiarity, consistency, and ease.
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Emotion
Emotion influences both memory and social interactions that foster lasting connections between brands and customers. Behavioral elements of emotion include feeling and identity.
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Social Interaction
Social dynamics and interactions reshape our brains and behaviors, significantly influencing consumer decision-making. Behavioral elements of social interaction include social proof and social identification.
Hear from the experts
To understand the underlying science behind loyal decision-making, Intuit Mailchimp partnered with strategic insights practice Canvas8 to interview experts in neuroscience, behavioral science, psychology, anthropology, and marketing.
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Line-Ariel (L.A) Bretous
Behavioral scientist, customer experience expert, and founder of 1 LAB Consulting
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Dr. Cyrus McCandless
Neuroethologist studying goal-directed behavior and decision-making
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Richard Shotton
Author of The Illusion of Choice
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Bri Williams
Behavioral expert and founder of People Patterns
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Adam Ferrier
Founder of Thinkerbell
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Denise Lee Yohn
Author of What Great Brands Do: The Seven Brand-Building Principles that Separate the Best from the Rest
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Kathy Pay
Founder of Holistic Email Marketing
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Eddie Yoon
Author of Superconsumers, Partner Greyspace, Co-Founder Category Pirates
“A basic understanding of the fundamental drivers of behavior and decision-making will outlast any cultural trend.”
When you download, you also receive the Strategic Loyalty Playbook
Turn the Science of Loyalty into action with tactical approaches that can help marketers improve their loyalty strategies. Uncover myth-busting insights and plot your customers on our Commitment Spectrum. Plus, learn about prompts and how they can be used to drive customer motivation and ability.
Explore The Shopping Mindset
We surveyed 4,000 consumers across the US, UK, Canada, and Australia to uncover The Shopping Mindset. Learn more about what drives customer purchases and gain insights into how your marketing can increase the odds of them buying again.
Reasons consumers repeatedly purchase from the same brand:
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58%
of consumers feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of brands available. As a result, loyalty emerges as a beacon of certainty amid a sea of options.
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40%
of consumers seek a sense of belonging and community. But this inclination is more pronounced among 18-34-year-olds, where 57% of consumers prefer brands that foster a sense of community.
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53%
of consumers expect brands to reward them with deals and discounts—an expectation that becomes more pronounced in sectors like jewelry (65%), home goods and furniture (64%), and apparel (60%).
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80%
of consumers say trustworthiness surfaces as a non-negotiable attribute—an idea particularly pronounced in sectors such as finance, where 89% of consumers prioritize reliability and credibility above all else.
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70%
of consumers emphasize that it’s important to them to buy from the right brand, reflecting the desire for more conscious decision-making. This sentiment is echoed by 69% of consumers who express a preference for purchasing from brands they are already loyal to.
Download the report
"All statistics from a Canvas8 conducted panel-sample online survey on behalf of Intuit Mailchimp February 17–27, 2024 consisting of 4,000 respondents (1000 from each of the US, UK, Australia, Canada ages 18 to 65). The margin of error is +/- 5.5 percent, as reported at a 95 percent confidence level."