A survey of UK shoppers on what loyalty means to them in 2024 has seen Boots top the charts.
When looking at reasons for their loyalty, the study – by retail technology company Red Ant – revealed that price unsurprisingly was the highest priority with discounts and exclusives also very important. Quality, availability and customer experience were also cited.
When asked to define loyalty those that took the survey had a clear idea of what it means to them. Reward cards, points and discounts (29%) and access to exclusive products and events (17%) were naturally front of mind. But relying on getting the same good service every time (17%) and choosing to shop with a retailer despite alternatives/cheaper products available elsewhere (11%) were also significant responses.
Boots came ahead of John Lewis & Partners, M&S, Asos and Asda. With respondents having one or two favourite retailers (46%), followed by those who had 5 or 6 (32%). Just 7% said they had no favourites at all, proving that retailer loyalty is still something to be valued.
The RetailX Customer Value Chain report recently highlighted how Boots is reaching customers through both stores and loyalty. The report looked at how the pharmacy and beauty retailer develops relationships with its customers through its Advantage Card loyalty club, which boasts more than 14.9mn active members.
Some 5mn of those customers use its mobile app regularly, accessing the Advantage Card scheme as well as clubs that offer tailored advice and discounts to groups ranging from new parents to over-60s and students.
The Advantage Card scheme offers regular online events with special discounts for loyalty card holders and, from May 2023, will offer a 10% discount on own-brand products, although the number of points is reducing from four to three per pound spent.
The Boots website features wide-ranging advice, features, guides and podcasts to help shoppers find the right product, while visitors can shop by brand, by ingredient, and by category-specific attributes.
Learn more about Boots in the exclusive company profile, authored by Chloe Rigby, in the RetailX Customer Value Chain report.
The full report also looks at how loyalty is a key tool for Swedish fashion retailer H&M and UK supermarket Tesco, as well as Amazon, Argos and Decathlon.
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