Global: Most consumers consider themselves loyal to your brand after just four purchases

In a largely consumer-driven world, repeat purchase is perhaps one of the easiest ways of gauging customer loyalty. But how many times must consumers purchase from that brand to consider themselves loyal?

A new YouGov analysis details the results across 17 markets. Overall, the most common answer among consumers is after three to four purchases (38%). However, slightly over a quarter (27%) take their time before considering themselves loyal. They say they need to purchase from a brand at least five times or more.

There is a similarity in trend among all the 17 markets we polled. Three to four times is what it takes for a majority of consumers to consider themselves loyal. Consumers in Indonesia, China and France are more likely to cite their loyalty after three to four purchases (42% each), along with two in five Germans (40%).

Urban Mexicans and Spaniards are more likely to take time to consider themselves loyal to a brand - 46% and 41% of consumers respectively say it takes them five or more purchases to consider themselves loyal. Germans and the online community in Hong Kong are also more likely to say the same (30% and 33% respectively).

There’s a notable proportion of global consumers who also identify as loyal customers after purchasing from a brand just once or twice (14%). While Americans find themselves as likely as consumers globally (14%), urban Indians and Indonesians are nearly twice as likely (27% and 24% respectively). However, consumers from GB (9%) and other European markets like Germany (8%), Spain (8%) and Denmark (7%) are among the least likely to consider themselves loyal customers of a brand they’ve only purchased from once or twice.

The data further reveals that younger generations are more likely to consider themselves brand loyal with three to four purchases than the older generation – 18-24-year-olds sitting at 41%, 25-34: 40%, 35-44: 38%, 45-54: 38% and 55+: 34%.

This startling data suggests that, for many consumers, their relationship with a brand begins early – something which marketers may wish to consider as they seek to deepen these bonds through loyalty programs or other offers.

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Methodology: The data is based on the interviews of adults aged 18 and over in 17 markets with sample sizes varying between 513 and 2,628 for each market. All interviews were conducted online in November 2021. Data from each market uses a nationally representative sample apart from Mexico and India, which use urban representative samples, and Indonesia and Hong Kong, which use online representative samples.