• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, 4 hours ago

Consumers are cautious about the economy, but most are still spending, and this is the time to make sure that those who tried your brand during black Friday/Cyber Monday in 2025 stick around. 

While 88% shopped a new brand last quarter, their loyalty is questionable, according to "The 2026 State of Loyalty and Retention" report, a new study from Attentive.

Not an easy task, for 43% of shoppers unsubscribe because of message fatigue. Specifically, they say:

• I like the brand, but was sent too many messages overall—43%
• I’m no longer intrrested in shopping with the brand—36%
• The messages were irrelevant (products I didn’t like)-36%
• The brand sent too many messages about the same thing (e.g., multiple promos about the same offer)—30%
• I received reminders about purchasing even after I already purchased—28%
• Bad shopping or service experience—14%

Then there are these factors:

• Prices felt too high for the value I got—45%
• Low product quality—41%
• Poor customer service—22%
• Slow shipping options—25%
• Bad return policy—22%
• Irrelevant product recommendations—17%
• Bad shopping experience—17%
• Poor shipping policy—16%

Of course, this can be turned around by providing the exact opposite: 

• Good deals/promotions—62%
• Great product quality—45%
• Free/fast shipping options—38%
• Prices feel fair for what I get—38%
• Great customer service—25%
• Easy returns/exchanges—22%
• Exclusive loyalty program offers—18%
• Easy shopping experience—16%
• They recommend products I’d be interested in—11%
• They remember my preferences and past purchases—9%

As for the email messaging issues, brands should:

• Encourage email and SMS sign-ups. 
• Use a two-step sign-up form.
• Invite mobile browsers to download your app to allow push notifications from your website. Or follow up with dedicated emails.
• Promote your SMS channel to email-only subscribers, and vice versa.

Attentive surveyed 600 US consumers in 2026.