Why Discounts Matter More Than Brand Loyalty in 2026 — before you pay

Key Takeaways

• 73% of shoppers stay loyal to brands that consistently offer coupons and discounts, including 79% of Gen Z.

• Only 5% of shoppers stay loyal at full price when a competitor offers 20% off, while 37% switch immediately.

• 44% of shoppers have abandoned a brand they liked after discounts disappeared, climbing to 51% among self-described deal hunters (those who always seek the best price or a discount regardless of brand).

• 88% of shoppers search for a coupon before buying, including 81% of baby boomers and 96% of deal hunters.

• 61% of shoppers have permanently switched brands after discovering one through a discount, a pattern consistent across all generations.

• Price and consistent discounts (67%) now outrank item quality (63%) as the top driver of brand loyalty.

• 61% of shoppers actively avoid paying full price, while just 6% say they would do so without hesitation.

Loyalty Has a Price Tag

Brand loyalty isn't what it used to be. For many shoppers, sticking with a brand now depends on one key factor: whether it consistently helps them keep more cash.

Alt text: Infographic showing how discounts drive brand loyalty, repeat orders, and price sensitivity by generation.

• 73% of shoppers say a brand that consistently offers coupons and discounts, not brand affinity, earns their long-term loyalty, rising to 79% among Gen Z.

• 44% of shoppers have abandoned a brand they liked after discounts disappeared, climbing to 51% among deal hunters.

• 85% of shoppers say paying full price feels like a penalty when others get a deal, with the feeling strongest among women (89%).

• Only 5% of shoppers stay loyal at full price when a competitor offers 20% off, while 37% switch immediately.

• 86% of shoppers say personalized discounts increase their likelihood to buy, with women responding more strongly than men (58% vs. 44%).

• 61% of shoppers actively avoid paying full price, while just 6% say they would do so without hesitation.

• For 70% of shoppers, brand loyalty is worth no more than a 10% price difference, and 1 in 5 (19%) say no premium is acceptable at all.

One Deal. Lifelong Shopper.

Today's shoppers are constantly weighing their choices, and discounts often tip the scale. From discovery to purchase timing, deals play a major role in how and when consumers choose where to spend.

• 88% of shoppers search for a coupon before buying, including 81% of baby boomers and 96% of deal hunters.

• 88% of clothing shoppers look for a deal before buying, leaving just 12% paying full price for apparel.

• Half of diners (50%) often pay full price for their meal at restaurants, but 64% of $125K+ earners do so, compared to just 40% of under $35K earners.

• 61% of shoppers have permanently switched to a brand they first discovered through a discount, consistent across all generations.

• 36% of shoppers follow brands on social media primarily because they share discount codes or sale alerts, rising to 47% among Gen Z

• Gen Z is nearly twice as likely as baby boomers to discover brands through discounts, 64% vs. 34%.

• 80% of shoppers delay orders in anticipation of a discount, with nearly 1 in 4 (23%) doing so regularly.

• 77% of shoppers have made an unplanned purchase simply because a discount was offered, including 82% of shoppers earning $125K or more.

• Price and consistent discounts (67%) now outrank item quality (63%) as the top driver of brand loyalty.

Brands have noticed. The ones holding onto shoppers are increasingly the ones that make the discount a permanent feature rather than an occasional event: members-only pricing, early access to sales, and a steady stream of offers that give shoppers a reason not to look elsewhere. For anyone trying to save on Adidas, for instance, the reliable route isn't waiting for a rare sitewide sale but joining the loyalty program, where the discount is part of the deal from day one.

Methodology

We surveyed 1,009 U.S. adults in March 2026 via CloudResearch Connect applying a nationally representative sample across age, gender, income, and shopping behavior. Among respondents, 50% were women, and 50% were men. Generations were defined as follows: Gen Z (18%), millennials (49%), Gen X (24%), and baby boomers (9%). Annual household income brackets were defined as: under $35,000 (22%), $35,000 to $74,999 (35%), $75,000 to $124,999 (22%), and $125,000 or more (20%).

For questions where respondents could select more than one answer, percentages reflect the share of total respondents who selected each choice and do not sum to 100. Category-level buying behavior questions were asked as a matrix and analyzed among active shoppers in each category, excluding respondents who indicated they do not shop in that category.

Percentages may not sum to 100% because of percentage figures having been rounded to the nearest whole number. Subgroup findings are reported only for groups representing at least 5% of the total respondent pool.

Topics Promo codes