How apps are turning data into devotion.
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Apps are the new brand loyalty frontier, turning smartphones into tools for deeper customer commitment. In 2025, brands are leveraging mobile technology to deliver personalized, value-driven experiences that keep consumers coming back. According to Influencer Marketing Hub, 61 percent of customers are more likely to stay loyal to companies offering tailored rewards. Apps are proving to be the leading channel to boost retention and redefine brand allegiance.
Enhancing User Experience
The Starbucks Rewards app analyzes purchase history. It suggests drinks, like a caramel macchiato for a regular customer, driving a 7 percent revenue spike in 2024, according to their Q3 earnings. With 31.4 million active US members in 2024, the app personalizes offers in real time, tracks points and speeds orders via mobile pay. This level of convenience and customization keeps customers hooked, illustrating how apps turn data into devotion.
Sephora’s Beauty Insider app takes loyalty visual with its Virtual Artist feature. Using augmented reality, customers try makeup digitally, such as testing a bold lip before buying. This tech boosted repeat purchases by 12 percent in 2023, according to Sephora’s loyalty data. The app’s tiered rewards and exclusive event invites keep its 17 million members engaged. It’s a masterclass in merging experiential perks with mobile innovation, locking in beauty enthusiasts. Mary Kay’s Mirror Me Virtual Try-On is a similar experience, giving customers an instant virtual makeover.
Nike’s Run Club app tracks workouts and offers personalized coaching. It logged 12 million active users in 2024. App users saw a 10 percent uptick in repeat purchases, tying fitness goals to brand attraction. Push notifications celebrate milestones such as a 5K personal record, while integrating with Nike’s store for seamless gear buying. This community-driven approach proves apps can build loyalty beyond transactions.
Subscription models thrive in apps, too. Amazon Prime’s app, serving 200 million global members in 2024, ties loyalty to convenience. AI-driven product suggestions and delivery tracking keep users subscribed. In 2024, 18 percent of US consumers used loyalty-linked subscriptions, up from 13 percent in 2022 (Statista). The app’s dashboard makes benefits like Prime Video feel effortless, reinforcing retention through constant value.
Perks and Purpose Drive Sales
Purpose aligns with apps as well. TOMS’s app doesn’t just sell shoes—it showcases its mission, donating a pair per purchase. Its 2024 impact update shows more than 100 million donations since 2006. According to SAP Emarsys, 30 percent of shoppers were loyal to ethical brands in 2024, a 25 percent rise since 2021. The impact tracker builds trust by showing donations in real time. It’s a subtle but powerful loyalty hook for the socially conscious.
Experiential perks shine through apps, too. Lululemon’s app, tied to its Sweat Collective program, tracks workouts and invites fitness instructors to exclusive drops. Members spent 15 percent more in 2023, according to company reports. Eventbrite says 55 percent of consumers feel closer to brands after such events. The app’s integration of activity data with rewards creates a lifestyle loop, increasing activity and loyalty.
The Dunkin’ Rewards app blends rewards and digital flair to keep coffee lovers close. Users earn 10 points per $1 spent, redeemable for free drinks or food. With 5 million downloads by Q1 2025 (Sensor Tower estimate), it hosts digital events like “Double Points Days” and app-only challenges. For example, three orders in a week earns a bonus. App activity drove a 15 percent visit increase among members in 2024, according to company sales data. Personalized offers such as a free donut on birthdays, plus store locator features, make it a daily habit, cementing loyalty through convenience and rewards.
From the July/August 2025 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.
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