Observed Signal · Apr 6, 2026 · Research / Index Report · Source: Digiday · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Retailers Expand and Complicate Loyalty Programs
Modern Retail’s annual analysis — excerpted in Digiday — finds loyalty programs have become more prevalent and more complex across major retailers. The analysis reports 89% of retailers surveyed now offer a loyalty program, up from 79% the prior year, with both free and paid tiers included. A March 2025 Salesforce survey similarly found two‑thirds of retailers offered loyalty programs and 29% planned to introduce one within 24 months. Examples cited include Target offering a free year of its Target Circle 360 to high‑spend members (Aug–Sep 2025), Amazon and Walmart bundling third‑party streaming perks into paid memberships, Lowe’s operating separate homeowner and professional programs (MyLowe’s Rewards; MyLowe’s Pro Rewards), Barnes & Noble running free and paid tiers, and Macy’s halting enrollments for its paid Red Carpet program. Retail and vendor executives quoted emphasize loyalty’s growing strategic importance in an AI‑driven commerce environment.
Wider and more complex retailer loyalty programs increase first‑party data assets and segmentation capabilities, which matter for retail media, measurement and targeting strategies used by advertisers and MarTech vendors.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Modern Retail analysis: 89% of retailers analyzed currently have a loyalty program, up from 79% last year.
- A March 2025 Salesforce survey found two‑thirds of retailers offered loyalty programs and 29% planned to introduce one within 24 months.
- Target offered a free year of Target Circle 360 (normally $99/year) to Target Circle members who met a minimum spend between August and September 2025.
- Lowe’s launched MyLowe’s Rewards in 2024 and relaunched MyLowe’s Pro Rewards in February 2025 with professional benefits including bulk discounts and a 20% discount after spending more than $3,000 on paint.
- Macy’s stopped accepting enrollments for its paid Red Carpet membership within the past year.
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