Loyalty programmes have become a staple of modern retail, promising customers rewards for their continued support and giving brands the chance to turn casual shoppers into lifelong advocates. Yet, despite their popularity, not every programme delivers true loyalty. Many attract sign-ups but fail to create the kind of emotional connection that keeps customers coming back.

In a recent YourView Panel survey, insights reveal that for South Africans, loyalty is far more than just collecting points. People want to feel that their loyalty means something — that it’s noticed, valued, and rewarded in ways that make a tangible difference to their lives. When loyalty programmes are designed around convenience, savings, and genuine appreciation, they don’t just encourage return visits; they strengthen brand trust. But when they overcomplicate the experience or undervalue the consumer’s effort, loyalty quickly fades.

Saving Money Is Still the Strongest Hook

For most South Africans, 87% state that discounts and cashback motivates them to join a loyalty programme. Consumers see rewards as a way to shop smarter and stretch their budgets further in an increasingly expensive world. They associate discounts and cashback offers with empowerment — a sense that their loyalty is paying off in a meaningful way.

“I like cashback programmes more than discount vouchers,” one respondent shared. “I will always rather go for the cashback options.” Another commented, “Those extra savings are so useful when I’m broke — I keep those points till the end of the year and buy something for Christmas.” These stories highlight the emotional satisfaction that comes from feeling financially smart and rewarded.

Cashback options, in particular, are perceived as the most tangible and trustworthy type of reward, while discounts satisfy the desire for instant gratification. However, the value must feel real. Consumers quickly lose interest when rewards amount to negligible savings or require extensive effort to redeem. For brands, this means designing programmes that deliver visible, accessible, and consistent value. The key to stickiness lies in rewards that make people feel both appreciated and financially secure.

Recognition Builds Emotional Loyalty

While financial benefits are crucial, loyalty isn’t just about money — it’s about recognition. Consumers want to feel acknowledged for their continued support and appreciated for choosing a particular brand over others. 83% of consumers agree that loyalty programmes make them feel appreciated as customers. This emotional side of loyalty often comes through in how brands personalise their communication and reward their most active customers.

Participants in the research frequently described the appeal of being seen and valued. “Getting rewarded for being brand loyal,” one respondent said simply. Others emphasised the importance of tailored offers: “Based on my shopping, they know what I often buy and reward me accordingly.” For many, these personalised experiences turn routine purchases into moments of connection.

Recognition can take many forms — exclusive discounts for members, early access to new products, birthday surprises, or personalised thank-you messages. These gestures, although small, carry outsized emotional weight because they make customers feel remembered rather than replaced. Loyalty grows when consumers sense that their relationship with a brand is mutual, not transactional. The most successful programmes therefore blend practical rewards with emotional engagement, transforming incentives into experiences that build lasting trust.

Ease and Transparency Drive Continued Use

Even the best-intentioned loyalty programmes fail when they’re too complicated. Consumers repeatedly stress the importance of ease and transparency. They prefer systems that are simple to understand, quick to use, and consistent in how rewards are earned and redeemed.

“It is very simple and easy to get or earn points and easy to redeem it,” one consumer explained. Another highlighted the importance of trust, saying, “There are no hidden terms and conditions — special offers and discounts that are really easy on my budget.” These insights show that consumers are not only focused on the reward itself, but also on the experience of earning it.

When programmes are effortless and reliable, consumers use them instinctively. When they’re confusing, inconsistent, or full of fine print, people disengage. The message for brands is clear: ease is loyalty’s most underrated driver. By designing intuitive interfaces, offering transparent communication, and eliminating friction, brands create an environment where loyalty feels rewarding rather than restrictive. In other words, the simpler the process, the stickier the relationship.

Where Loyalty Fails

Despite the appeal of rewards, loyalty can crumble when programmes fail to deliver genuine value or respect consumers’ time and loyalty. The biggest frustrations identified in the research centre around low-value returns, poor customer treatment, and inflexible systems.

Many participants expressed disappointment with programmes that require too much effort for too little gain. “Some loyalty points are just not worth the effort,” one respondent said. “Getting one-cent value points doesn’t make sense.” Others pointed to the importance of mutual respect, noting that “loyalty should be mutual” and that poor customer service can easily undo the goodwill built by a rewards system.

Another recurring frustration was the lack of flexibility. Consumers want the freedom to redeem rewards across a variety of products and partners, without unnecessary restrictions. They also expect brands to recognise the current economic climate and provide real relief — not symbolic gestures. As one person explained, “Using loyalty rewards helps mitigate hardships.”

Lastly, expiry dates and complicated redemption timelines are dealbreakers for many. “Because they don’t expire,” one respondent said when asked what they valued most in a loyalty programme. The message is clear: when rewards feel inaccessible or temporary, loyalty loses its meaning. True commitment comes from trust, transparency, and tangible, lasting benefits.

Flexibility Is the New Loyalty Currency

Consumers increasingly view flexibility as the ultimate marker of a good loyalty programme. They want control over how, when, and where they use their rewards. Programmes that allow redemptions across multiple brands or give customers the freedom to decide how to spend their points are seen as more valuable.

“If I can use my rewards at more than one place, even better,” one participant noted — and this sentiment was echoed by many others. The ability to earn and redeem rewards across categories and industries, whether through retail partnerships or digital ecosystems, enhances perceived value and increases engagement frequency.

For brands, this means rethinking loyalty in terms of collaboration rather than competition. Building interconnected networks of partners allows customers to experience continuous value, regardless of where they shop. In an era where brand switching is easy, flexibility is what keeps customers coming back.

Strategic Takeaways for Brands

The findings reveal a clear blueprint for creating loyalty programmes that truly stick. Consumers join programmes for the savings, but they stay for the experience. Successful strategies focus on five key pillars:

Lead with real savings. Rewards must feel immediate and meaningful to the consumer’s everyday life.

  • Recognise and appreciate loyalty. Emotional connection builds long-term advocacy.
  • Keep it simple. The easier the system, the higher the participation rate.
  • Offer flexibility. Programmes that give customers choice build trust and repeat engagement.
  • Be transparent. Consistency, clarity, and communication sustain credibility.

Brands that treat loyalty as an ongoing relationship rather than a promotional mechanism will find their customers not only returning — but advocating.

Conclusion – Loyalty Is a Relationship, Not a Reward

Consumers don’t stay loyal just because they’re collecting points; they stay because they feel valued, understood, and rewarded in ways that matter. Loyalty is both emotional and practical — it’s about saving money, feeling seen, and being part of something that makes life a little easier.

The future of loyalty lies in designing programmes that combine financial value with human connection. When saving feels simple, rewards feel fair, and recognition feels genuine, consumers don’t just return, they remain. True brand stickiness is built not on discounts alone, but on trust, appreciation, and the ongoing effort to make loyalty worth it.

Methodology

Data sourced from YouGov Profiles+ South Africa plus a bespoke online survey conducted on KLA’s YourView Panel

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