U.S. brands are defying a global decline in customer commitment, with new research from SAP Emarsys showing Americans are more likely to stay loyal without incentives — a trend linked to artificial intelligence (AI) and connected commerce systems.
The 2025 SAP Emarsys Customer Loyalty Index found that “true loyalty” rose four percentage points to 73% in the United States even as global loyalty dropped five points. It defined true loyalty as repeat purchases that consumers made without discounts or rewards. It unveiled the findings at the SAP Emarsys Customer Loyalty Exchange. The SAP Emarsys index suggests data-driven personalization and adaptive engagement are helping U.S. companies retain customers despite economic uncertainty.
“Loyalty is a business growth strategy, not just a program,” said Sara Richter, chief marketing officer at SAP Emarsys. “The U.S. proves that brands using AI, personalization and connected systems to act in real time can build trust and outperform competitors.”
How AI and omnichannel can boost customer loyalty
Digital commerce platforms increasingly serve as the engine of that loyalty. U.S. retailers integrating customer data across ecommerce sites, marketing systems and physical stores can anticipate buying behavior and deliver timely, personalized offers. Luxury beauty brand Molton Brown, for example, uses SAP tools to merge online and in-store data, enabling associates to make tailored product suggestions and achieving double-digit campaign conversion gains.
Social commerce continues to drive discovery but not retention. One in five U.S. shoppers said they’ve purchased trending products through social media, yet 30% said they quickly lost interest. Among Generation Z, 36% trust TikTok and other platforms more than ads or brand websites.
Loyalty is also shifting in B2B markets, where 70% of decision-makers said they’ve switched suppliers due to cost pressures, and only 25% feel ready to handle sudden changes such as tariffs or regulations. SAP Emarsys calls this environment “adaptive loyalty,” emphasizing responsiveness and reliability as key factors alongside price.
According to Bain & Co., improving customer retention by just 5% can raise profits of as much as 95%, making loyalty a critical performance driver in digital commerce.
The SAP Emarsys study surveyed 3,001 U.S. consumers and 1,006 business decision-makers, both conducted by Opinion Matters. While vendor-sponsored, the findings reflect a wider trend: In the age of AI-driven commerce, data connectivity and real-time engagement are redefining how loyalty is built — and sustained.
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