IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/joreco/v90y2026ics0969698925004898.html

NFT in loyalty programs: customer motivation for reward pursuit

Author

Listed:
  • Telli, Eda
  • Aydin, Samet

Abstract

This study examines the integration of blockchain-based Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) into loyalty programs and their impact on consumer behaviour. Employing an exploratory mixed-methods approach, this study utilised a survey of 400 participants for hypothesis testing, conducted a conjoint analysis to evaluate consumer preference structures, and carried out in-depth interviews with industry experts to develop an empirically grounded framework for NFT-based loyalty programs. The results showed that consumers perceive NFTs as more than simple digital rewards and value them for their symbolic meaning and ability to foster a sense of social belonging. Moreover, consumer motivations, specifically the need for uniqueness, innovativeness, and displayability of NFTs, emerged as key drivers of their interest. Conjoint analysis further demonstrates that consumers are more drawn to abstract benefits, such as personalisation and artistic value, than to traditional monetary rewards. Overall, this study provides multi-layered empirical evidence that NFTs create emotional, social, and identity-driven value within loyalty programs, offering a novel framework for understanding and designing NFT-based reward systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Telli, Eda & Aydin, Samet, 2026. "NFT in loyalty programs: customer motivation for reward pursuit," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joreco:v:90:y:2026:i:c:s0969698925004898
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2025.104710
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698925004898
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jretconser.2025.104710?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:joreco:v:90:y:2026:i:c:s0969698925004898. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-retailing-and-consumer-services .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.