Q1 Is a Critical Window for Brand Loyalty as AI Changes How Consumers Shop

NEW YORK, February 4, 2026 – Attentive®, the omnichannel marketing platform for 1:1 personalization redefining how brands and people connect, released findings from two new surveys revealing Q1 as a critical window for brands to engage new shoppers. The research shows now is the time to build brand affinity and turn Black Friday/Cyber Monday first-time buyers into repeat customers.

The 2026 State of Loyalty and Retention report examines how consumers are spending and the factors that earn their loyalty. The January 2026 Consumer Pulse dives into economic sentiment, shifts in spending behavior, and AI’s impact on the consumer buyer’s journey.

“By combining frequent consumer and marketer pulse surveys with aggregated data from more than 8,000 brands, we’ve built a deep understanding of evolving consumer needs, expectations, and behavior,” said Keri McGhee, Chief Marketing Officer at Attentive. “We use these insights to help brands engage customers in more authentic ways that drive connection, retention, and loyalty, even more critical as AI plays a larger role in the overall shopping experience.”

The retail journey has seen fundamental shifts in recent years, from the introduction of e-commerce to the rise of direct-to-consumer brands. Now, AI is poised to reshape how consumers discover products, engage with brands, and buy. 

AI Gives Brands a New Edge in Personalization and Retention

According to the January 2026 Consumer Pulse survey, consumers are open to AI-powered brand experiences. Seventy percent are using AI to help with shopping, from discovery to conversion, and usage is increasing quickly across older generations as well. Today, 45% of baby boomers report using AI-powered shopping tools, up from 34% during the 2025 Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping period. 

Consumers are also increasingly comfortable with brands using AI to enhance their experiences. Sixty percent of shoppers say they’re open to AI-driven personalization, signaling growing trust as AI investments accelerate across the marketing industry. For brands, this opens the door to faster, more intuitive, and relevant product recommendations, creating experiences that are genuinely tailored to a customer’s unique shopping needs. Brands have the power to use AI to scale message relevance and match content type to the right channel—for example, email for storytelling, SMS for immediate action, and push for in-app engagement.

“SMS is our most strategic way of curating the conversational commerce experience for our shoppers,” said NJ Falk, Managing Partner, APL. “It’s the highest form of personalization and has created an ongoing dialogue with our customers. They become loyal brand advocates because they feel heard by APL.” 

Q1 Repeat Purchases Will Define Long-term Brand Loyalty  

While deals may easily spark initial conversions, earning a lasting place on a shopper’s shortlist requires consistent value and a seamless experience. This becomes more important than ever in Q1. Coming off the holiday shopping rush, brands need to differentiate and build trust and loyalty as AI-driven shopping assumes a greater role in the buyer’s journey.

Shoppers remain willing to come back for a second purchase if brands get the experience right. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of consumers say they expect to buy again from at least some of the new brands they discovered over the holiday shopping season. Data shows shoppers are drawn to high-quality, reliable products and strong promotional deals, but friction in the shopping experience pushes them away, giving brands a clear roadmap to drive repeat purchases. 

For more insights and the full data breakdown, visit: 

• The 2026 State of Loyalty and Retention report
• January 2026 Consumer Pulse

About Attentive 

Attentive® is the omnichannel marketing platform for 1:1 personalization redefining how brands and people connect. Attentive turns messages into moments that drive action, revenue, and loyalty with powerful technology that unifies customer data, while providing the expert knowledge and unparalleled support that helps brands succeed. 

Trusted by leading global brands like Crate and Barrel, Urban Outfitters, and Steve Madden, Attentive provides mobile-first identity, smart orchestration, and enterprise-grade compliance and deliverability, supporting trillions of interactions across more than 70 industries. To learn more or request a demo, visit www.attentive.com or follow us on LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), or Instagram.

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