Digital Loyalty Leveraging Digital Touchpoints, Big Data, and AI to Boost Shopper Trust

In the midst of a digital revolution that is redrawing the boundaries between consumers and businesses, loyalty is emerging as an increasingly complex strategic challenge. This volume explores the new frontiers of customer loyalty, where technology, data, and human relationships intertwine within a constantly evolving ecosystem.Combining academic rigor and managerial practicality, the book shows how loyalty programs are transforming from simple promotional tools into dynamic engagement platforms. From digital touchpoints to omnichannel strategies, from artificial intelligence to gamification, each chapter recounts the emergence of a new paradigm in which the customer is no longer a passive recipient but an active protagonist. Drawing on research conducted by SDA Bocconi’ s Loyalty Promotion Monitor, the volume sheds light on the strategies adopted by leading retail players, highlighting how digital innovation is redefining the boundaries between physical and virtual experiences. Loyalty is no longer merely a points collection scheme, but a personalized journey that generates trust, value, and a sense of belonging.

Sandro Castaldo is Full Professor of Marketing at Bocconi University, Scientific Director of the Channel & Retail Lab at SDA Bocconi, and Scientific Director of the Executive Master in Retail Management for Spar International. Former President of the International Federation of Scholarly Associations of Management (IFSAM), he is Director of Economia & Management, the scientific journal of SDA Bocconi, and since 2025 holder of the Harvey Chaplin Chair in Distribution, Channel & Experience Management.