Introduction: The Loyalty Revolution Taking Shape in India
Walk into a café in Bengaluru or a boutique in Delhi, and chances are that you’re already part of a loyalty program without even knowing it. Your bill is scanned, your phone pings, and before you leave, you’ve earned points or unlocked an offer for your next visit. It’s not just marketing, it’s a quiet revolution changing how India shops, dines, and connects with brands.
Just a few years ago, loyalty programs in India were a “nice-to-have.” Today, they’ve become a strategic necessity. The numbers make it clear: India’s loyalty industry is projected to reach ₹29,800 crore (USD 3.58 billion) in 2025, growing at an impressive 18% year-on-year. Even more ambitious forecasts predict that the sector could surge to ₹1.42 lakh crore (USD 17.1 billion) by 2035, expanding at nearly 16% CAGR.
And beneath that growth lies a rapidly evolving technology stack, the loyalty management market alone is valued at around ₹5,600 crore (USD 670 million) in 2024, and is expected to double by 2030.
In the following sections, we explore nine loyalty programs from around the world – from Adidas and Starbucks to Sephora, H&M, and IKEA, each redefining what it means to earn, engage, and stay. Every story carries a lesson Indian brands can adapt, to build programs that aren’t just rewarding but remarkable.
Because in 2025, loyalty isn’t about giving more, it’s about meaning more.
1. Adidas AdiClub: Where Loyalty Meets Lifestyle
When adidas launched AdiClub, it wasn’t just creating a rewards program; it was crafting a brand universe. In 2025, AdiClub boasts over 240 million members, a number that rivals entire population segments and it’s still growing.
What Makes It Work
AdiClub operates on the simple truth that people join communities, not programs. It rewards both sport and style enthusiasts – the two identities that define Adidas. Members earn points not just for spending but also for engaging: reviewing products, joining events, or even updating profiles.
Each action levels them up across four distinct tiers, unlocking benefits like:
- Early access to limited-edition drops
- Personalized product customization
- Premium app experiences (adidas Running & Training)
- Access to athlete meet-and-greets and live events
Performance Snapshot
- Over 240 million global members.
- Members purchase 50% more frequently than non-members.
- 2× higher lifetime value compared to non-members.
Why It Wins
AdiClub uses gamification to deepen emotional investment. Each tier feels like an achievement, not an obligation. The blend of tangible rewards and community access gives customers something far more valuable than discounts – a sense of belonging.
eWards Insight
If you’re a retail or lifestyle brand, mirror AdiClub’s playbook: reward behavior, not just bills.
Points for reviews, referrals, or in-store visits create a richer engagement loop, one where your CRM fuels brand affinity, not fatigue.
2. Starbucks Rewards: Simplicity at Scale
Starbucks has mastered the art of everyday loyalty. With nearly 30 million members, its program isn’t flashy, it’s frictionless.
What Makes It Work
Members earn “Stars” for every purchase, redeemable across clear thresholds. But beyond the points, Starbucks Rewards creates a seamless lifestyle loop:
- Save favorite orders.
- Order ahead and skip queues.
- Earn bonus Stars for preloading the in-app wallet.
- Receive free refills, birthday treats, and access to games & challenges.
Performance Snapshot
- 28.7 million active members in 2022 (16% YoY growth).
- Accounts for over 53% of in-store spend globally.
- Members visit more often and spend more per transaction.
Why It Wins
The secret lies in habit integration. The app becomes part of a customer’s morning ritual. No cognitive effort, just convenience.
Loyalty doesn’t feel like a separate experience. It’s baked into daily life.
eWards Insight
For F&B brands, loyalty isn’t about grand gestures, it’s about removing friction. Let customers prepay, reorder, or earn digital tokens automatically. The easier the experience, the higher the retention.
3. Lululemon Membership: Loyalty as a State of Mind
Lululemon’s program isn’t about price; it’s about purpose. It draws customers into a fitness-first lifestyle, turning buyers into believers.
Two-Tier Model That Works
- Lululemon Membership (Free):
Early access to launches, free hemming, receipt-free returns, exclusive classes, and curated community events.
- Sweat Collective (Invite-Only):
A private circle for fitness leaders and trainers, offering 25% discounts and insider previews.
Performance Snapshot
- 9 million sign-ups in 5 months after launch.
- 30%+ of members redeemed at least one perk within the same period.
- Significant uplift in repeat purchase frequency among active members
Why It Wins
Lululemon redefined exclusivity, it’s not about limiting access, but about honoring passion. By empowering its most active customers as micro-influencers, it built a self-sustaining brand tribe.
eWards Insight
Retailers can replicate this through tiered loyalty personas – your VIP shoppers, high-frequency diners, or advocates deserve experiences beyond coupons. Recognition is the new reward.
4. SKIMS Rewards: Exclusivity, Elevated
SKIMS has mastered the formula for digital desire – limited drops + exclusive access. Its app-only loyalty program builds FOMO-driven engagement through scarcity and access.
Program Mechanics
Two status tiers define the journey:
- Marble: Early access to launches, waived returns, app-only promotions.
- Onyx: Unlocks free shipping, expedited refunds, first alerts on restocks, and priority support.
What’s unique is how members move up tiers: not just through purchases, but by interacting with the brand, writing reviews, completing quizzes, sharing links, or joining waitlists.
Performance Snapshot
- Over 11 million restock alert sign-ups.
- App downloaded by millions of users globally.
- Brand valuation rose to USD 4 billion in 2025, driven largely by D2C retention.
Why It Wins
By making engagement as valuable as spending, SKIMS converts every digital action into brand capital. And by keeping it app-exclusive, it drives both data ownership and customer intimacy.
eWards Insight
If you’re building a loyalty program, don’t make it universal, make it intentional. Use exclusivity as a reward lever. Customers should feel they’re part of something others aren’t.
5. Walmart+: Turning Everyday Shoppers into Subscribers
Walmart’s $98/year loyalty plan sounds bold until you see the math. Members save up to $1,300 annually, a figure prominently displayed across all communications.
The Model
It’s a paid loyalty program, bundling high-value benefits:
- Free same-day delivery on groceries.
- Fuel discounts.
- Early access to Black Friday and new product drops.
- Contact-free checkout and even six months of Spotify Premium.
Performance Snapshot
- Members spend ~₹6,500 ($79) per online visit vs. ₹5,100 ($62) for non-members.
- Members shop 11 more times per year on average.
- Strong retention: >75% renewal rate for annual subscribers.
Why It Wins
Walmart+ reframes loyalty as a financial asset. It moves beyond emotional connection to measurable economic advantage, a perfect fit for a price-sensitive customer base.
eWards Insight
Subscription-based loyalty is growing fast. If your customers buy from you repeatedly, explore a premium club model like “free delivery,” “priority checkout,” or “early sale access” can easily justify a paid tier.
6. Sephora Beauty Insider: Emotion Over Economics
With over 31 million U.S. members, Sephora’s Beauty Insider remains the gold standard for tiered loyalty.
How It Works
Three tiers – Insider, VIB, and Rouge progressively unlock higher-value rewards:
- Discounts and cash vouchers.
- Birthday gifts and deluxe samples.
- Early access to new products and events.
Why It Wins
Sephora doesn’t treat loyalty as a transaction but as a relationship built on recognition.
In 2025, it doubled down on emotional connection, integrating AI-led personalization to suggest gifts that feel tailor-made.
Performance Snapshot
- 31 million U.S. members, contributing up to 80% of total sales
- Rated among America’s top loyalty programs (Newsweek score: 8.08/10).
- Emotional loyalty drivers now influence 75% of engagement.
eWards Insight
Transactional rewards may get customers in the door, emotional ones keep them there. Incorporate personalized milestones: birthdays, anniversaries, or “100-day since your first purchase” moments. Emotion, not expense, creates loyalty longevity.
7. H&M Membership: Loyalty with a Conscience
H&M has turned sustainability into strategy. Its loyalty program encourages eco-conscious actions proving that doing good can also drive business growth.
The Mechanics
- 1 point per dollar spent.
- 200 points = $5 reward.
- Extra points for recycling old clothes or bringing reusable bags.
- Free shipping, returns, birthday perks, and invite-only events.
Performance Snapshot
- Over 120 million global members across 26 markets.
- 71% YoY growth since program revamp.
- Loyalty-linked sales now make up a majority of online revenue.
Why It Wins
H&M transforms sustainability into a shared mission. Members feel like contributors, not consumers rewarded for living their values.
eWards Insight
Modern loyalty must connect with meaning. Integrate cause-driven rewards: eco-bonuses, community drives, or charity-linked point donations. It humanizes your brand while reinforcing long-term retention.
8. IKEA Family: Making Loyalty Feel Like Home
Launched decades ago, IKEA Family continues to evolve while keeping one constant: warmth. Its recent updates have propelled the program to 170 million global members, with Family customers now accounting for 58% of total sales.
Program Highlights
- Free tea or coffee in-store.
- “Oops-assurance” coverage for accidental damages during delivery or assembly.
- Member-only prices, events, and workshops.
- Birthday gifts and home styling previews.
Performance Snapshot
- 170 million global members
- 58% of total sales from loyalty customers.
- Increase in store frequency post-2022 revamp.
Why It Wins
IKEA doesn’t gamify loyalty, it humanizes it. By offering comfort and care, it builds a bond that goes beyond furniture and into feelings.
eWards Insight
Sometimes, the most powerful loyalty isn’t complex, it’s consistent kindness. Surprise your customers with small, thoughtful gestures. A free dessert, a thank-you note, or a bonus voucher on their 10th visit can turn casual buyers into lifelong patrons.
9. McDonald’s MyMcDonald’s Rewards: Instant Gratification, Mass Scale
McDonald’s entered the loyalty game late but when it did, it made speed and simplicity its superpowers. MyMcDonald’s Rewards has turned small moments into repeat behaviors across millions of diners.
What Makes It Work
Members earn 100 points for every ₹80 spent, redeemable for popular items from fries to Happy Meals. The app delivers personalized weekly deals, gamified offers, and free birthday treats that keep engagement high.
Why It Wins
For an impulse-driven category, McDonald’s makes loyalty frictionless – instant rewards, clear tiers, and a habit loop that feeds itself.
Performance Snapshot
- 25 million active members in the U.S.
- Loyalty customers show consistent frequency growth quarter after quarter.
- Two-thirds of members engage monthly.
eWards Insight
Keep it simple, fast, and fun. For F&B brands, the best loyalty programs are the ones customers don’t have to think about, they just enjoy.
The Common Thread: Loyalty Has Evolved from Reward to Relationship
Across industries, these programs prove one truth: Loyalty today is not about giving more, it’s about meaning more.
The winning formula blends:
- Emotion + Convenience (Starbucks, IKEA)
- Access + Exclusivity (AdiClub, SKIMS)
- Purpose + Participation (H&M, lululemon)
For Indian brands, this is the moment to reimagine what loyalty looks like, one powered by data, empathy, and intelligent automation.
