Loyalty is about people, and people are changing fast. With increasing digitalization, the rise of short-form content, and the impact of AI, consumer expectations are evolving quickly.
Loyalty programs must keep up — and in 2025, that means being faster, smarter, and more integrated than ever before.
For years, brands have aimed for personalized loyalty experiences. Programs like Sephora’s Beauty Insider offer tier-based rewards, while others rely on spend data to tailor offers. But in 2025, personalization isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s expected.
According to the Loyalty Program Trends 2025 report by Open Loyalty, 58% of brands are prioritizing personalization, and nearly 50% are rolling out new features to drive more ROI and value.
Airlines and hotels have long dominated points-based loyalty, but today’s consumers want more practical ways to earn and redeem — in real life and in real time. Think: earning on coffee runs, and redeeming on groceries. These low-friction, high-frequency “micro-redemptions” lower the barrier to engagement.
This shift requires:
Whether via POS integration or lightweight APIs, brands need infrastructure that supports loyalty at scale and at speed.
Tip: If you are looking for APIs to help out with this, request an Olive demo today to see how it works!
The days of collecting user data without purpose are gone. Consumers now expect their data to be handled responsibly — and only if it creates real value in return.
Nearly 40% of marketers say balancing privacy compliance with meaningful experiences is a top challenge (Open Loyalty, 2025). The solution? Partnering with platforms that handle data securely and offer built-in compliance, so marketers can focus on creating experiences that feel personal — not invasive.
Tip (again): Olive helps our clients keep data compliant and safe. Learn more here.
Consumers want immediacy — not just in payments, but in recognition and rewards. Digital wallets are evolving to show point balances and enable real-time redemptions at checkout. Loyalty is becoming integrated into the daily financial experience.
More than 30% of brands are investing in automation and real-time engagement in 2025. Instant gratification may be cliché, but it’s also consumer instinct.
Gamification isn’t just a gimmick — when done well, it drives serious engagement. Ulta Beauty piloted a Wordle-style game called GlamXplorer in 2024, giving top-tier loyalty members access to mini-games and challenges linked to its GLAMlab virtual try-on. The result? 86% of players returned the following week, with an average of six sessions per user.
Games add an emotional and interactive layer to loyalty. When tied to real rewards — like discounts or exclusive products — they create memorable experiences that boost retention.
Consumers are overwhelmed with too many apps and memberships. The winners in 2025 are those who simplify and consolidate value. Amazon continues to be the leader in this respect, consolidating more and more offerings under their brand - from retail to Audible to Prime. But Walmart+ is catching up fast through partnerships, bundling perks from Paramount+ and Burger King.
The future of loyalty is connected — brands that link up with like-minded partners can offer broader value without bloating the customer experience.
Our platform offers card linking with Visa and Mastercard, access to thousands of offers across the US and Canada, and an intuitive dashboard for analyzing customer behavior and setting up targeted notifications. It's the fastest way to get to market.
Interested? Talk to sales or book a demo today.