"Sales have gone from specific moments in time, like Black Friday and back to school, to consistent opportunities for deals—and strong loyalty programs elevate that culture of consistent savings even further."

Kathy Gramling, EY Americas consumer industry leader, commented on the EY Future Consumer Index survey, which showed that 49 percent of U.S. consumers will download a brand's app to get loyalty deals and exclusive deals. She added, “At the same time, loyalty programs provide brands and retailers with invaluable consumer data to better inform products, programs and personalized experiences.”