Dark patterns are design strategies that subtly manipulate customer behavior, often without their awareness, leading them to take actions they might otherwise avoid. Examples include hidden additional costs that only appear at checkout or making cookie selection deliberately difficult to push users toward accepting all cookies. While these tactics may achieve short-term results, they harm customer loyalty, damage brand image, and negatively impact the overall customer experience in the long term.
More Than Loyalty Points: Sustainable Customer Loyalty Through Happy Patterns
At this point, the concept of Happy Patterns has emerged as an evolution from Dark Patterns. Happy Patterns represent the intelligent use of data and AI to create positive customer experiences, optimize business processes, promote sustainability, and build a strong ecosystem. The focus is on:
Improving usability
Promoting transparency
Respecting customer autonomy
Learn more about Dark Patterns in this blog post.
A particularly relevant application for Happy Patterns is loyalty programs. According to a study by The Food Institute, 73% of customers consider the ability to gain added value as crucial when choosing a brand. Companies aim to connect customers with their brand through loyalty programs. Happy Patterns support this by leveraging data intelligently to create positive experiences and deliver a more compelling value proposition. This benefits not only customers but also the entire ecosystem. Processes along the value chain are improved, addressing the needs of all stakeholders—from customers to employees, retailers, and manufacturers.
Discover more about innovative loyalty initiatives here.
Sustainability in E-Commerce
Sustainability should not be overlooked in loyalty programs. Brands that prioritize sustainability gain 4% more loyal customers, according to studies, while 84% of consumers avoid brands with poor environmental practices. A sustainable loyalty program could, for example, reward points for purchasing eco-friendly products or using reusable packaging. These points could then be converted into donations for environmental projects.
How these principles can be implemented will be demonstrated by our retail expert Andreas Frary at the Digital Bash on E-Commerce. Using an exciting use case from the grocery retail sector, he showcases how AI-driven approaches personalize shopping behavior, optimize supply chains, and promote sustainability. The key takeaway: Happy Patterns not only enhance the customer experience but also enrich the entire ecosystem.
diva-e Contribution at the Digital Bash E-Commerce on October 08, 2024
About Andreas Frary
Andreas has been active in the retail business for over 20 years. He supports companies in their digital transformation within the areas of e-commerce, omnichannel, and customer loyalty, acting as a bridge between business and IT. In recent years, Andreas has successfully managed composable commerce and loyalty projects, consistently aligning customer needs with technological possibilities. His approach focuses on a clear growth path through customer-centric, scalable platforms with a short time-to-market and outstanding customer experience.
About Digital Bash
With over 70 events annually, all of which are free to attend, the Digital Bash is the largest web event series in the digital industry in the German-speaking region. Like our blog format edge, it is aimed at everyone working in the digital field: decision-makers and executives, software developers, marketing specialists, and e-commerce experts.
Lukas Bocher
