Why We Buy: What 1,000+ Consumers Have to Say About Loyalty

In our “Why We Buy” survey, we asked over 2,000 US and UK consumers what makes them keep coming back to brands – and what makes them leave.

Updated on September 26, 2023

Table of contents

1. 1. Brand loyalty is up for grabs.
2. 2. Brand values matter.
3. 3. Loyalty depends on more than just low prices.
4. 4. Brand discovery is omnichannel.
5. 5. Relevance makes a difference.
6. Achieve more on the Open Internet.

Think brand loyalty doesn’t exist anymore? Think again. Kind of.

1. Brand loyalty is up for grabs.

Our research shows that nearly 3 out of 4 people (73%) in the US are willing to consider a new brand in at least one major shopping category, including apparel, consumer electronics, home and garden, sporting goods, health and beauty, accessories, groceries, books and stationary, and jewelry and luxury goods. This percentage is a bit lower in the UK, but it’s still a major portion of consumers.

2. Brand values matter.

Everyone knows that if your quality or value declines, you’ll lose business. Our “Why We Buy” research revealed that brand values are also highly influential:

• We found that 1 in 6 shoppers from the US stopped buying a brand because its values weren’t aligned with their personal beliefs. In the UK, that number is 1 in 8.
• 51% of US shoppers and 41% of UK shoppers say their purchasing decisions are affected by a brand’s values.
• More than 30% of shoppers in the US and UK are more likely to return to brands that align with their personal values.

3. Loyalty depends on more than just low prices.

While our survey found that, yes, consumers do like getting the best value for their money and they love a good deal, there are many other reasons they stay loyal to a brand. Consumers appreciate a great product selection, great customer service, convenient store locations, and fast shipping.

4. Brand discovery is omnichannel.

While Facebook was the #1 discovery channel for US shoppers in our survey, websites came in second. Websites ranked #1 for UK shoppers, followed by YouTube, email, and Instagram.

5. Relevance makes a difference.

60% of US shoppers said getting a personalized discount motivates them to buy again. 49% of UK shoppers agree.

Achieve more on the Open Internet.

As our study shows, websites are prime channels for new brand discovery, and delivering hyper-relevant ads is crucial. Criteo defines the Open Internet as all the websites not behind algorithmic walled gardens. Marketers need to balance their ad investments across all channels to connect meaningfully with their audience.

Sources: Criteo “Why We Buy” Survey, US, February 2019, n=1003 and Criteo “Why We Buy” Survey, UK, March 2019, n=1020.

Based on Nielsen US DCR trends, eMarketer, ExchangeWire, IDC.