Loyalty Trends 2026/27: The Most Important Developments in Customer Loyalty

Customer loyalty is currently at a fascinating juncture. Loyalty programs are almost everywhere, rewards tend to be similar, and discounts are quickly copied. At the same time, artificial intelligence is making its presence felt—on both sides of the register. Anyone planning for 2027 therefore faces a very simple question: What will keep people loyal to a brand in the future?

In this article, we've compiled the most important developments for 2026 and 2027. What's changing, what does that mean for your program, and what specific steps can you take to build customer loyalty?

Loyalty Trends 2026/27: The Short Answer

Trend	What's Changing	Your Next Step
1. Emotional Bond	Discounts alone aren't enough anymore. Recognition and experience are what set us apart.	Introduce a reward system that has nothing to do with percentages.
2. AI in Everyday Life	Personalization and timing are automated rather than done manually.	Select a single use case and measure it accurately.
3. Agentic Commerce	AI assistants make purchases on their own, ignoring loyalty benefits in the process.	Check whether your benefit is tied to your account and not to the channel.
4. First-Party Data	Eliminate third-party data; collect your own data with consent.	Streamline the registration process and ensure that consents are properly documented.
5. Paid Levels	Premium memberships are growing, though at a slower pace in the DACH region.	Do the math first, then test it: The investment has to be clearly worthwhile.
6. Partner Ecosystems	Individual programs are being consolidated into regional networks.	Target two to three partners with the same target audience.
7. Play and Experience	Game mechanics and experiences are replacing simple scoreboards.	Test one strategy per quarter, not five at once.
8. Immediate Benefits	Eliminate long collection routes; gain quick advantages.	Make the first bonus achievable within four to six weeks.
9. Sustainability	High approval ratings, but price remains the deciding factor in everyday life.	Combine sustainable rewards with real-life benefits.

Trend 1: Emotional Connection Trumps the Logic of Discounts Alone

Points are easily copied. A competitor adds two percent, and your lead is gone. That’s exactly why the focus is shifting noticeably right now—away from the transaction itself and toward the relationship.

Surveys by Deloitte reveal just how ambivalent this behavior is. About 72 percent of respondents say a loyalty program increases their willingness to spend. However, only 56 percent actually spend more. At the same time, four in ten consumers are extremely price-conscious. Discounts therefore remain important, but are no longer sufficient as the sole reason for purchasing.

Emotional connection may sound vague, but in everyday life it’s very concrete. It develops when people feel understood. A personal greeting on the anniversary of their registration often has a greater impact than a five percent discount. The key is that the two go hand in hand: the financial incentive provides the occasion, while the personal gesture creates the lasting memory.

Characteristic	Transactional Bonding	Emotional bonding
Trigger	Price, Discount, Points Balance	Recognition, Experience, Belonging
Effect	Short-term, immediately measurable	In the medium term, more stable despite price pressures
Reproducibility	Very high	Low, because it's tied to your brand
Typical measure	Percentage Coupon	Surprise Bonus, Early Access, Invitation
Risk	Discount Habituation, Declining Margins	It doesn't matter what you do if the fundamentals aren't right
Appropriate metric	Redemption rate, revenue per share	Repurchase Rate, Recommendation Rate, Frequency

Trend 2: Artificial Intelligence Is Becoming a Tool of the Trade

Artificial intelligence has made its way into loyalty marketing. It doesn't write the strategy, but it takes care of the legwork for you—such as creating segments, determining the best times to send messages, suggesting different text variations, and identifying churn early on.

Expectations are particularly high among younger target groups. According to Deloitte, 62 percent of Gen Z and 64 percent of Millennials would activate hyper-personalized settings to get better benefits. This is both an invitation and an obligation. Anyone who receives data must visibly give something back.

There is still a gap in the DACH retail sector. In a survey of retail companies conducted by the EHI Retail Institute, 92.4 percent believed that using AI to increase customer loyalty made sense. However, at that time, only 19.8 percent were actually using it. It is precisely this gap that will give those who start early a competitive edge in 2027.

Use Case	What AI Takes Over	What you'll need	What You Should Keep in Mind
Recognizing Employee Turnover	Evaluates purchase intervals and activity; reports risk cases	Purchase history covering at least six months	Always test with a control group
Personalized Offers	Select the premium and product for each person	Well-maintained product categories	Set an upper limit for discounts
Broadcast Time	Finds the best time for each person	Open and Click Data	Technically prevent overnight shipping
Suggested text	Provides variations for push notifications and email	Clear Brand Guidelines	Human approval remains mandatory
Campaign Planning	Suggests occasions and frequency	Annual Plan and Product Line Knowledge	Add regional holidays yourself

Trend 3: Agentic Commerce—When Assistants Shop on Behalf of Your Customers

Agentic Commerce refers to purchases that an AI assistant handles largely on its own. The user specifies a goal, and the assistant compares options, makes a selection, and completes the transaction. It may sound like something from the distant future, but it’s already changing the rules of the game.

The reason is simple: An assistant optimizes based on price, availability, and convenience. It can’t see your status level, your points, or your attractive campaign unless they’re linked to the customer’s account in a machine-readable format. Gartner expects that by 2028, about 60 percent of brands will use AI agents for personal interactions. This is a forecast, not a measured value—but it’s still useful as a planning horizon.

For smaller businesses, this is no cause for alarm. It’s more of a question for your system provider. Can a customer account be securely linked? Are benefits accessible via an interface? Are purchases recognized even when they come in through a different channel? Anyone who can answer these three questions by 2027 won’t lose members to invisible intermediaries down the road.

Trend 4: First-party data is becoming the most important asset

First-party data is data that you collect yourself with the user’s consent. Zero-party data goes one step further: the user consciously provides it to you, for example in a short survey about favorite products. Both are becoming more valuable as third-party data is increasingly phased out.

A loyalty program is the most transparent channel you can have for this. People sign up voluntarily, they know what they’re getting in return, and they can opt out at any time. According to Deloitte, nearly two-thirds of brands already share their loyalty data with advertising platforms or plan to do so. The benefits are clear, but so are the responsibilities.

In the DACH region, the expectation is clear. 62 percent in Germany and 55 percent in Austria expect personalized offers. At the same time, 84 percent (DE) and 83 percent (AT) want to receive information at least once a week. So the appetite for data is satisfied as long as the value in return is right.

Data Type	Example	What you use them for	Note Regarding the GDPR
Master Data	First Name, Month of Birth, Branch	Welcome, Birthday Promotion, Regional Offers	Charge only for what you actually use
Behavioral Data	Purchase History, Visit Frequency	Segments, Early Warning, Premium Logic	Define and document the purpose in advance
Data provided by the user	Favorite Product, Diet	Products closely aligned with our product line—no guessing required	Make it clear that participation is voluntary
Consents	Push, Email, SMS	Channel selection per person	Cancellation must be just as easy

Trend 5: Paid Programs and Premium Levels

Paid memberships are one of the most noticeable trends of recent years. The logic behind them is compelling: Once someone has paid, they want to get their money's worth. McKinsey describes exactly this effect. Members of paid programs are 60 percent more likely to spend more, compared to about 30 percent for free programs.

Before you start planning a premium tier, it’s worth taking a look at the world map. According to Euromonitor, the willingness to pay is particularly high in emerging markets, such as India, the United Arab Emirates, and Brazil. The DACH region is significantly more cautious in this regard. A subscription model therefore needs a benefit that can be explained in just a few seconds.

A rule of thumb that has proven effective is this: For an average user, the annual fee should pay for itself within three months. Base your calculations on your actual frequency of visits, not your desired frequency. And test the model with a small group first before offering it to everyone.

Trend 6: Partner Programs and Regional Ecosystems

A single program offers only a limited number of opportunities. But when several businesses join forces, they suddenly create a part of everyday life. That’s exactly why networks are growing—networks where points can be earned and redeemed at multiple locations.

This approach is still far from fully developed. McKinsey has examined how far along leading programs are in this area: Only 18 percent are experience-oriented, 6 percent are considered networked, and just 2 percent are regarded as true ecosystems. So those who get a head start have plenty of room to grow.

The Mühlviertel app from the tourism association shows how this can work on a regional level. It features 113 partner businesses, including 77 bonus partners and 36 collection partners. About 4,000 registered users have collected 61,500 points, which are called „Stoana“ on the app. However, to get started, all you need are two or three partner businesses with a similar target audience and a variety of offerings.

Trend 7: Game Mechanics and Experiences Instead of Just High Scores

Collecting is fun when you can see your progress. That's why game mechanics are moving from being optional features to becoming core elements of many programs. These include wheels of fortune, challenges, Advent calendars, and collectible passports with visible fields.

The DACH Loyalty Report 2026 shows just how large the target audience is. 42 percent in Germany and 38 percent in Austria enjoy or very much enjoy using game mechanics. This is no longer a niche topic, but it’s not a surefire success either. A mechanic only works if the reward is realistically attainable.

A real-world example of this is the Höflinger Müller bakery. There, a digital coffee pass, a wheel of fortune at the point of sale, and an Advent calendar are all integrated into a single app. When customers use the app, the average receipt total is 1.00 euro higher. That may sound like a small amount, but it adds up quickly with daily use.

Mechanics	Effect	Goes especially well with	Effort
Collector's Pass	Builds a routine, makes progress visible	Bakery, Restaurants, Coffee	Low
Wheel of Fortune	Generates curiosity at the point of sale	Retail Sales to Walk-in Customers	Low to moderate
Challenges	Links multiple visits to a single destination	Tourism, Recreation, Partnerships	Medium
Advent Calendar	Provides daily opportunities to open	All Industries During the Holiday Shopping Season	Medium
Status Levels	Visibly Rewards Frequent Use	Specialty Retail, Services	Medium to high

Trend 8: Immediate Benefits Beat Long-Term Collection

This is the trend in the DACH region with the most striking figures. 80 percent in Germany and 87 percent in Austria expect rewards that can be redeemed immediately. Anyone who requires 40 visits before the first reward is lost half their customers along the way.

On top of that, there’s a second problem: points that no one redeems. According to Deloitte, about 40 percent of respondents forget to claim their rewards. At first glance, this might seem like a good thing for you, since there are no costs involved. In reality, it’s a red flag, because unredeemed points don’t lead to repeat business. And on the balance sheet, depending on the model, unused points may even have to be set aside as a provision.

Price pressure is making the situation even worse. McKinsey notes that 74 percent of consumers are switching to cheaper alternatives in at least one category. A benefit that doesn’t take effect for another year doesn’t help anyone in this situation.

Hurdle	How to Spot Them	What helps
Bonus is too far away	Many sign-ups, few repeat purchases	Make the first bonus achievable within four to six weeks
Redemption is too complicated	High point total, low redemption rate	Redeem with just two clicks right at the register
Unattractive premium	Points are collected but never used	Offer a selection of options, including an instant bonus
No one brings it up	Points expire quietly	Automatic reminder four weeks before expiration

Trend 9: Sustainability: The Balance Between Ideals and Everyday Life

Sustainable incentives are high on many agendas. Surveys consistently show high levels of support, but in practice, price and everyday utility are the dominant factors. You should plan for this gap rather than ignore it.

Rewards that combine both elements work best. A discount for bringing your own reusable cup saves money and reduces waste. An evening promotion on baked goods cuts down on waste and brings in more customers during a slow hour. Regional partners have a similar effect, because for many people, local connections are more tangible than an abstract balance sheet.

What These Trends Mean for the DACH Region

Global trends set the stage, but decisions are made locally. The DACH Loyalty Report 2026 was compiled by hello again in collaboration with the Austrian Retail Association in December 2025, with over 1,000 respondents in Germany and over 500 in Austria. The results paint a fairly clear picture.

Expectation	Germany	Austria
Expect rewards you can redeem right away	80 %	87 %
Would like to receive information at least once a week	84 %	83 %
Would switch from a physical map to a digital one	73 %	74 %
Expect personalized offers	62 %	55 %
Is willing to go out of their way to close a deal with a program	55 %	56 %
Has been spending more since using the program	30 %	28 %
Enjoys or really enjoys using game mechanics	42 %	38 %

This figure is often misinterpreted, so let’s be clear: The 30 or 28 percent represents the percentage of respondents who say they have been spending more since they started using the service. It does not represent a 30 percent increase in revenue.

On the corporate side, this picture holds true. According to a survey by the EHI Retail Institute, 65.5 percent of the retailers surveyed already offer a loyalty program, and another 14.5 percent are planning to launch one. The IFH Cologne also notes that around two-thirds of retailers want to increase their investment in customer loyalty, and 82 percent of consumers are registered with at least one program. So the market is saturated. You’ll set yourself apart through relevance, not simply by having a program.

Your Roadmap for 2027 in Six Steps

Tackling nine trends at once won't work. It makes more sense to start with the ones that will have an immediate impact. The following six steps can be launched within a quarter.

These key figures will be available in 2027

Many programs continue to focus primarily on sign-ups. This is the most convenient—and at the same time, the weakest—metric. What happens after sign-up is more meaningful.

Key figure	Calculation Method	Why She Will Matter in 2027
Activation Rate	Members with at least one purchase ÷ all members	Shows whether a login results in actual usage
Redemption Rate	Redeemed rewards ÷ redeemed plus outstanding rewards	Identifies collection routes that are too long and dead spots
Repurchase Rate	Customers with at least two purchases ÷ all customers	Measures engagement rather than just reach
Frequency change	Visits after joining ÷ Visits before joining	The Most Honest Proof of Your Program's Effectiveness
Identification Rate	Purchases with a recognized account ÷ total purchases	Decide how much data you actually have available
Push Opt-In Rate	Consents ÷ App Installations	Determine how many people you reach directly

Five Mistakes That Will Cost You Dearly in 2027

Error	What follows from this	That's better
Launch every trend at the same time	Semi-finished building blocks, no reliable results	Two topics per quarter, accurately measured
Track only registrations	The program looks successful, but it isn't working	Track Activation, Redemption, and Frequency
Discount as the sole mechanism	Margins Are Falling, Customer Loyalty Is Lacking	Combine immediate benefits with emotional triggers
Collecting Data Without Providing Something in Return	Abortions During Registration, Low Trust	For each field, explain how it benefits the person
Thinking Only About the Benefits of Your Own Channel	Invisible as soon as assistants start shopping too	Link Benefits to the Customer Account

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Loyalty Trends 2026/27

What are the top loyalty trends for 2026/27?

The biggest shifts are taking place in four areas. First, emotional connection is replacing the logic of pure discounts, because percentage discounts can be copied at will. Second, artificial intelligence is becoming an everyday tool for personalization, timing, and early warning. Third, AI assistants that shop independently are changing the visibility of your benefits. And fourth, first-party data—that is, data collected with consent—is becoming the most important foundation for relevance. In the DACH region, there is an additional, very specific expectation: the benefit should be immediately redeemable and usable digitally.

What does agentic commerce mean for my loyalty program?

Agentic Commerce refers to purchases that an AI assistant handles largely on its own. These assistants compare price, availability, and effort. They take loyalty benefits into account only if they are linked to the customer’s account and can be retrieved electronically. For smaller businesses, this isn’t an urgent issue at the moment, but it’s a good question to ask your system provider. If your discount is visible only in your own app, it disappears as soon as someone else makes the selection.

Is a paid loyalty program worthwhile in the DACH region?

It can be worthwhile, but it requires a very clear return on investment. Internationally, it’s clear that members of paid programs spend significantly more than members of free programs. However, the willingness to pay is lower in the DACH region than in many emerging markets. Therefore, base your calculations on your actual visitor frequency and check whether the membership fee will pay for itself within about three months. It’s best to start with a small test group before rolling out the model on a larger scale.

How much artificial intelligence does a small program need?

Less than the headlines might suggest. To start with, a single use case that saves a noticeable amount of time or generates revenue is enough. Good examples include optimal shipping times, suggested text for push notifications, or a simple early warning when purchases don’t materialize. The key is to measure against a control group. Otherwise, you’ll never know whether the AI made a difference or if it was simply because the weather was better.

How often can I contact my members?

More often than many people think. 84 percent of respondents in Germany and 83 percent in Austria would like to receive information at least once a week. Content is key: A message with clear value is rarely a nuisance, whereas a purely promotional message is. Let people choose their own channel and keep an eye on unsubscriptions as a warning sign.

Does this mean traditional rewards programs are obsolete?

No, they’re just changing their role. Points remain a good incentive for repeat business when the path to the first reward is short. Problems arise when the path to earning rewards is long and the rewards are unclear, because points then go unused and don’t bring anyone back. So combine the points system with an immediate benefit and a small selection of rewards. That way, the incentive to collect points is maintained without anyone having to wait a whole year.

How can I tell if my program will still work in 2027?

Take a look at these four metrics: activation rate, redemption rate, repurchase rate, and frequency change. Always compare the same individuals before and after they join; otherwise, you’ll be comparing groups that shop differently anyway. If sign-ups increase but redemptions stagnate, the reward structure is the problem. If purchase frequency remains unchanged, the program lacks a reason for customers to return.