Tag: Mean Business

The first purchase is cause for celebration, but it’s the second sale that really matters. That’s when a shopper starts to bring real opportunity for your brand to grow. It marks the moment when curiosity turns into commitment. For ecommerce brands navigating a competitive market, that second purchase is more than just another transaction — it’s the start of a relationship. And relationships are what helps brands thrive.

We found that after a customer makes their first purchase, there’s roughly a 30% chance they’ll make another. Not bad, but not a guarantee by any means. But once they do return and buy again, the likelihood of further purchases increases significantly. That second sale is the behavioral turning point — and smart brands are learning to optimize for it. This is particularly important as the cost of acquiring new customers continues to climb, which also means the pressure to retain and re-engage existing ones is growing.

The good news is that there are proven ways to boost the odds. One of the strongest levers is a loyalty program. Customers who are part of a loyalty program are 47% more likely to return for a second purchase compared to those who aren’t. That’s not a marginal gain — it’s a huge driver of revenue.

And it’s not just about returning either. Loyalty program members tend to spend more when they come back. Those who redeem points spend 2.5X more than non-members. That means programs aren’t just improving retention — they’re growing customer lifetime value too.

The Key to an Effective Loyalty Program

But not all loyalty strategies are created equal. The most effective ones are built around personalization and consistent engagement. And, crucially, they don’t wait until a customer disappears before making an attempt to bring them back.

The post-purchase window is a key moment to act. The thank you email, the follow-up suggestion, the invitation to review or refer — all of these can make a difference. In fact, post-purchase emails have been shown to increase revenue by as much as 30%. They’re often overlooked, but they shouldn’t be. This is the time when a shopper is most engaged and most receptive. It’s the best chance to strike up a deeper connection.

Glow Recipe’s viral products make retaining customers following that first shopping session essential. To encourage repeat purchases, new members receive a gift of coveted samples — claimable only on their second order.

Loyalty is Built, not Given

A lot of brands fall into the trap of thinking loyalty is something you reward. But in practice, loyalty is something you build, and brands that get it right know it can take time. It’s not about giving away discounts or freebies to anyone with an email address. It’s about showing that you understand what your customers value and giving them a reason to return.

Origin Coffee deepens emotional relationships with customers through sustainability-driven rewards and charitable donation options — because that’s what their customers care about. Others might focus on exclusive access (like the Amy Myers MD Insider Pass, which is responsible for almost half of that brand’s revenue), early product drops, personalized offers, or just making the experience feel seamless and appreciated. For example, 58% of Esmi Skin Minerals’ customer base is a member of their program — because it’s the best place to be.

And the great news is that these rewards don’t cost brands their margins; the focus on experiential rewards means they give customers what they value, without giving away too much for free.

Looking Beyond the Basics to Build Loyalty

As customer expectations continue to rise, the basics aren’t enough. People want to feel known and heard. They want to feel that their loyalty is worth something — or they will just go elsewhere, and then you’ll have a harder job of winning them back.

Indeed, our new research shows that if you don’t have a great loyalty program, chances are your competitors do. The days of generic campaigns and one-size-fits-all incentives are numbered. The future of loyalty is smart, subtle and integrated into the customer journey in a way that feels natural rather than forced.

This is where ecommerce brands — from indie shops to global retailers — need to focus. Not on flooding inboxes or chasing conversions at any cost, but on creating a rhythm of communication and care that brings people back. That means using the data you have to craft better touch points. Understanding who your onetime buyers are, what brought them in, what they responded to and what might tempt them again.

It also means being proactive. Waiting three months to chase a second purchase is too late. The opportunity is in the days and weeks immediately following that first sale. We know that consumers have a short attention span, so you’ve got to get in there fast. It’s when customers are most likely to still remember how they felt opening your package or browsing your site. That’s when loyalty takes root — so it’s the best time to prompt them to enroll in your program. Even if they’ve completed their first order by then, you can always backdate points, a gesture that makes them feel special from the start.

Retention is a Year-Round Game

Retail margins are tight, and every repeat customer is more valuable than ever. The brands winning in this climate are those that understand retention isn’t something you think about once a year when planning your CRM calendar. It’s a daily discipline, and mastering the second purchase to lock in loyalty is the cornerstone of that strategy.

So rather than celebrating that first conversion and moving on, take a moment to think about what comes next. Is the experience compelling enough to make someone return? Is there a clear, enticing reason for them to re-engage? Are you rewarding loyalty in a way that feels meaningful, not just transactional?

Because in the end, the second sale isn’t just another order. It’s a signal. A sign that someone has seen enough to come back. And when they do, it opens the door to a longer-term relationship — one where value flows both ways.

Charlie Casey is the CEO and Co-founder of LoyaltyLion, a top-rated global loyalty platform. Thousands of Shopify brands use LoyaltyLion to accelerate growth by turning more one-time shoppers into returning customers. Prior to founding LoyaltyLion, Casey joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as an Economics Advisor before becoming a consultant at Deloitte.

As brands court Gen Z, they may be missing out on a significant opportunity — Gen X. New research from NielsenIQ (NIQ) and World Data Lab (WDL) finds that Generation X — consumers born between 1965 and 1980 — is the most influential and overlooked consumer cohort of the next decade. 

Despite being smaller in size than the two generations that follow it — millennials and Gen Z — the report predicts that if it were a country, Gen X would form the world’s second-largest consumer market in 2025, second only to the U.S. and roughly twice the size of China’s total spending.

In fact, Gen Xers (aged 45 to 60) have been in their peak spending years since 2021, and will continue as the world’s highest-spending cohort until 2033. This group of consumers will spend $15.2 trillion in 2025 alone. By 2035, their annual spend will peak at $23 trillion.

In the next five years, Gen X is projected to increase spending across three categories in particular:

1. Food and non-alcoholic beverages (+$507 billion);
2. Beauty (+$80B); and
3. Beverage alcohol (+$42B).

“Gen X is at the center of a major economic shift — driving spending across categories while managing the demands of multiple generations,” said Marta Cyhan-Bowles, Chief Communications Officer and Head of Global Marketing COE at NIQ in a statement. “The data is clear — Gen X’s influence is profound and far too frequently overlooked by brands. This cohort will continue to shape the future of the global consumer economy for years to come.”

Of course, like any generation, Gen X’s behaviors and needs are nuanced, highlighting the need for brands and retailers to examine regional and local data to maximize incrementality from this cohort. Here are some things to know about Gen X:

Gen X Prefers Name Brands Over Private Label

Contrary to their younger peers, who have been flocking toward private label in recent years, nearly three-quarters (72%) of Gen X respondents said they usually buy name-brand products from familiar national or international manufacturers rather than store-branded items.

Gen X is (Don’t Look Surprised) Tech-Savvy

While the young often get a good laugh out of older generations’ tech incompetency, Gen X is in fact comprised of tech-savvy decision-makers who embrace omnichannel shopping, even in its newest forms.

The proof: 35% of Gen X respondents allow smart devices to automatically order new products; 39% accept product recommendations from an AI assistant; and 40% leverage AI to automate and speed up daily tasks.

And while 58% of Gen X respondents did say that they avoid sharing details in virtual interactions because they don’t trust AI data privacy, more than one-third said they are likely to purchase a product or service they have experienced solely through an augmented or virtual reality platform.

Gen X Influences Purchases Across Generations

Often called “the sandwich generation,” Gen Xers influence the purchasing of both their parents and their dependent children. In fact, Gen X women control a whopping 50% of global consumer spend and influence 70%–80% of household purchasing decisions.

“Gen Xers are the gatekeepers of trillions in spending, effectively serving as the CFOs of three generations — their own, their children’s and their parents’,” said Wolfgang Fengler, Co-founder and CEO of World Data Lab. “Brands and retailers that invest in them today will see measurable growth and long-term return on investment.”

Learn more about the spending habits and preferences of Gen X, including how their behaviors differ in high-income and emerging markets, in the full report from NIQ and WDL — “The X Factor: How Generation X is Quietly Driving Trillions in Consumer Spending.”

Guitar Center has launched an AI-powered shopping assistant, available not online, but rather on the store floor. The mobile-based Rig Advisor is designed to give musicians an easy way to navigate store options and make more confident decisions, whether they’re browsing solo or working with a store expert.

The goal is to transform music retail into a more inspiring and intuitive experience, whether a customer is just getting started or building out a professional rig. Customers scan a QR code in store, type in an artist, song, tone or gear-related question, and Rig Advisor delivers instant recommendations based on what’s in stock at that specific location.

“Rig Advisor is like having a professional gear consultant in the palm of your hand, delivering lightning-fast answers as you explore our music stores,” said Gabe Dalporto, CEO of Guitar Center in a statement. “It will turn our stores into tech-powered music hubs where creativity, curiosity and inspiration lead the way.”

Built for musicians at every level, from first-time players to seasoned pros, Rig Advisor offers a streamlined way to explore, compare and understand the products in front of customers. Features include:

• Artist-inspired tones: Uncover gear and settings inspired by a favorite song or artist using intelligent pedal, amp and tone suggestions;
• Custom rig and setup planning: Build complete setups for recording, gigging, podcasting and more;
• Side-by-side comparisons: Compare similar gear to find the best fit;
• Multilingual support: Rig Advisor automatically responds in the language customers use without the need to adjust settings; and
• Learn while shopping: Rig Advisor simplifies complex gear concepts such as analog versus digital or tube versus solid-state, turning them into clear, actionable insights.

Target is looking to continue the back-to-school sales momentum with ongoing sales on school essentials and the return of its personalization stations, which let students customize their school and dorm essentials.

Personalization station events will be held at nearly 500 Target stores across the U.S., double the number of stores that hosted similar events last year. This will include 100 college-focused events on July 26 and 400 school-age-focused personalization events on Aug. 2-3. Students will be able to personalize everything from backpacks and lunchboxes to towels and pillows with embroidery, patches and more, as well as get free giveaways of shoelace kits, school-themed patches and monogrammed bath wraps.

The retailer also is hosting a second savings event from July 27-Aug. 2, following on its promotion in early July timed to coincide with Prime Day. The “Back-to-School-idays” event will feature discounts of up to 30% on key school items.

“Getting ready for a new school year should be an exciting time for families. That’s why I’m proud of the way the Target team has leaned in to create an experience that’s fun, stylish and affordable,” said Rick Gomez, EVP and Chief Commercial Officer of Target in a statement. “With great deals on essentials, fun personalization events in hundreds of stores and even more savings for Target Circle members, we’re ready to help families everywhere get the new school year off to a great start.”

Five years after filing for its second bankruptcy, True Religion is back and better than ever under new owners. Since emerging from Chapter 11 the company has been on a reinvention tear, with a renewed focus on DTC and connecting with younger consumers — and it’s paying off big time. The brand has gone from win to win in recent years with its trend-right styles and focused celebrity collaborations.  

On this week’s episode of the Retail Remix podcast, True Religion’s Creative Director Tina Blake takes listeners inside the brand’s ongoing evolution.

“We always honor our roots here, especially the strong ties to hip-hop culture that we’ve had all these years,” Blake shared. “It really helped shape True Religion from the start. Evolution is key and we identify the trends and lean into them from a brand heritage perspective, but we really like to go at it with a new tone and a fresh feel. It’s about preserving what has made us distinctive while refreshing our tone and design language to remain relevant.”

Blake shares how the brand is doing that, as well as:

• How trend data and cultural cues guide True Religion’s product and creative strategies; 
• The brand’s rapid growth in women’s and its plans to expand the category even further;
• Why authenticity is key to its celebrity and cultural collaborations;
• PLUS her go-to spot in LA for fashion inspiration.

Listen to the episode here or anywhere you get your podcasts. And head over to LinkedIn to share your thoughts on the episode and who you’d like to hear from next!

Brands are investing more than ever in building direct relationships with their customers. First-party permissioned data is now the foundation of marketing, loyalty, and personalization strategies. But one critical moment often disrupts this connection: identity verification.

At the exact moment when a customer is proving who they are to receive a special offer — whether as a student, military member or senior citizen — many brands send them off-site to a third-party verification platform. This move introduces friction, undermines trust and creates unnecessary risks. Instead of reinforcing the relationship, it interrupts it.

Let’s break down why sending customers off-site for verification is a mistake.

More Drop-Offs, Fewer Verified Customers

Every extra step in a customer journey increases the risk of abandonment. Redirecting users to a third-party site causes friction, confusion and aggravation. Instead of a quick and seamless process, customers must now navigate an unfamiliar interface — often with a different design, branding, or user experience.

Complicated or inconvenient verification processes can lead to huge increases in drop-off rates, turning potential conversions into lost opportunities. That’s real revenue left on the table — not because customers weren’t eligible, but because the process was too frustrating to complete or too unfamiliar to trust.

Trust Takes a Hit

Trust is fragile. A sudden redirect during the verification process can feel jarring — even suspicious. Customers may hesitate, wondering, “Why is this happening? Is this a scam?” In an era of phishing attacks and online fraud, consumers are right to be wary of unexpected detours.

Even if they complete the process, their confidence in your brand may be shaken. Instead of reinforcing loyalty, the verification experience leaves them questioning whether their data is safe and whether they should even proceed with the transaction.

Loss of Control Over the Customer Experience

Every interaction shapes brand perception, and identity verification is no exception. When you hand this process over to an external provider, you surrender control over the design, the messaging and the seamless customer journey. The verification process may not match your brand’s tone, aesthetic or customer service philosophy.

Even worse, external providers may sell your customers’ data to competitors or otherwise use it for their own purposes. And that is the last thing that you — or they — want.

Increased Complexity and Compliance Risks

Moving customer data between environments also creates vulnerabilities. Privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA place strict requirements on how brands collect, store and transfer data. Every additional touch point adds complexity and increases the chances of non-compliance, data mishandling or potential security gaps.

Increased Security Concerns

Many consumers today are hyper-aware of the threats posed by online fraud, identity theft and data breaches. For that reason, consumers are understandably reluctant to provide sensitive information online. Further, some people might not have certain verification information at the ready (not everyone has memorized their social security number, for example). Identity verification platforms can fill that gap by utilizing real-time verification, trusted and authoritative data sources, multi-layered adaptive verification and more by asking for basic information.

Keep it Direct, Keep it Seamless

Brands are working hard to build direct, trusted relationships with customers. Every interaction is an opportunity to reinforce that trust, making consistency and control over the experience essential. Off-site verification disrupts that effort. It introduces friction, weakens trust and creates unnecessary compliance and security risks.

The real promise of first-party permissioned data isn’t just collecting it — it’s ensuring that it flows smoothly through a transparent, opt-in relationship. Keeping verification in-brand ensures that customers stay engaged, data remains secure and your brand retains complete control over the consumer experience.

Your customer relationships are too valuable to take outside of your brand’s environment. Keep them direct. Keep them seamless. And build lifetime loyalty from their very first interaction with you.

Stephanie Copeland Weber is the CEO of SheerID, a leading provider for engaging and verifying high-value audiences. Over the past 25 years, she has developed deep expertise in growing and scaling the teams and operations of dynamic, high-growth, SaaS and tech-enabled services businesses.

Apple Retail has entered the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the launch of the Apple Store website and app, allowing customers in the country to shop Apple’s full range of products directly and in Arabic for the first time. The digital storefront serves as a precursor to physical stores, which will arrive beginning in 2026.  

Apple plans to open several flagship locations in Saudi Arabia, including one in the town of Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Known as the “City of Earth,” Diriyah is the birthplace of Saudi Arabia.

Even before the stores open, customers in Saudi Arabia now have access to the full range of Apple products and services online, including:

• A personalized shopping experience with recommendations tailored to the Apple products they already own;
• Configure-to-order options for Mac customers, allowing them to select and customize the device to their specific requirements, including chip memory and storage;
• Free engraving for the first time ever in Arabic on AirPods, Apple Pencil and AirTag;
• Personalized shopping support via chat and phone and Personal Setup assistance after orders are received;
• Buy now, pay later financing through Tamara;
• The Apple Trade In program, allowing customers to trade in older devices for credit;
• AppleCare+ service and support offerings; and
• The Apple Education Store, which offers savings on certain products for higher education students, their parents and teachers and staff.

“We are thrilled to bring the Apple Store online and the Apple Store app to Saudi Arabia, offering customers a new way to explore and shop Apple’s extraordinary lineup of products and services,” said Deirdre O’Brien, SVP of Retail and People at Apple in a statement. “Our customers in Saudi Arabia are passionate about the things they can do with technology, and our teams can’t wait to connect with customers and help them discover how Apple innovations can meaningfully enrich their daily lives.”