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Consumers are facing pandemic-induced price hikes across the spending spectrum right now. It seems like everything is becoming more expensive, from groceries and rent to clothing and cars. As the annual inflation rate climbs to its highest peak in four decades, we’re all feeling the pinch. And one of the biggest offenders can be found at the gas pump, where fuel costs are surging due to a combination of factors, including post-pandemic supply chain issues, rising inflation, and global diplomatic crises with direct impact on fuel markets.

The recent acceleration of inflation is a complex trend caused by many factors, including supply chain problems and labor shortages—and it’s not expected to reverse course anytime soon. Consumers are altering their spending behavior to cope with the dollar’s reduced purchasing power, often in unexpected ways. Discover what this means for gasoline retailers, and learn how you can adapt your marketing strategy to mitigate the impact of inflation on your business.

Key takeaways:

• Despite inflation and rising prices, wallet share for gas spending has remained stable, even against pre-pandemic levels.
• Purchase behavior has shifted in favor of fewer trips with high spend averages.
• Retailers that offer customers opportunities for "combined trips" are seeing big benefits, as consumers can complete grocery shopping and refueling in a single stop
• Building brand loyalty and rewarding customers for repeat purchases can help mitigate some of the pains from losses and narrower margins seen on targeted offers and promotions.

Despite rising prices, gas spending is steady

Sharp and unpredictable swings in the cost of gas are nothing new for drivers; volatility is par for the course when it comes to the price at the pump. Americans are normally quite concerned about increasing gas prices, but we’re paying less attention this time around. Why? Since fuel is just one of the many goods that cost more right now, we’re not as sensitive as usual and haven’t made any drastic moves in gas spending. In 2019, consumers spent around 3.7% of their monthly wallet share on fuel, which is almost identical to the relative share today.

But there’s more to filling up the tank than the price on the sign. Spending behavior is also influenced by anxiety about the future and by pandemic-spawned habits that are still sticking around, such as bundling of trips and purchases. Coupled with rising fuel costs, these factors are prompting customers to plan ahead and be more purposeful with their shopping trips. Gas retailers are seeing two major ‘clustering’ trends as drivers consolidate their purchases in volume as well as store visits.

Fuel Trend #1: Bundling gas & grocery/retail trips together

Shoppers are buying their groceries and gasoline in as few trips as possible, which is predominately a byproduct of Covid conditioning. But there’s another important element at play: as consumers recognize that both fuel and groceries cost more, they form a psychological connection between these two types of purchases. They’re being mindful of their budget on the same trip, in the same spending moment, with gasoline and groceries alike. And they will likely continue to connect these two types of purchases in the future.

Fuel Trend #2: Fully filling up the tank before prices go even higher

As we’ve seen in the data above, consumer gas spending is holding steady. However, the amount of money being spent during each fuel purchase is significantly higher: up 27% from 2019 and up 40% from 2020. Rising gas prices account for a portion of this increase, but the rest is a result of customers feeling the need to completely fill their tanks each time they’re at the pump (vs. partially filling up). This behavior reduces the number of trips required, but it’s also a reaction to the ongoing price hikes. Drivers fear that if they don’t fill up today, it will just be more expensive tomorrow.

The long-term impact of inflation on gas and fuel

We’ve explored the two biggest trends that gas retailers should be aware of in this era of inflation, which are both caused by the ‘clustering’ of everyday purchases as consumers grow more wallet-conscious:

• The continuing association of the fill-up with other frequent shopping events, such as grocery and retail purchases.
• The increased volume of gasoline purchased per trip

This phenomenon of customers buying more in fewer trips began in the early days of the pandemic, when certain goods like toilet paper were limited (or perceived as such) and the future was uncertain. Impromptu stops at the supermarket or gas station gave way to planned, purposeful shopping trips that occurred less often but produced bigger receipts. Today, supply chain issues are still causing shortages and the future remains uncertain—and thus the mentality of buying more in fewer trips is alive and well.

Why does this matter? These trends have sizable implications for the dynamic between branded, stand-alone gas stations and chain stores like Costco, BJ’s, and Sam’s Club. With their own privately branded pumps adjacent to their storefronts, chain retailers have a big opportunity to woo consumers on their one-stop shopping trips.

What’s next for retailers and rising gas prices?

Our insights show that chain retailers are introducing a potential disruption into the gasoline market, which we can expect to continue and expand. Brands like Costco, Albertsons, and Kroger have seen a slight increase in sales from customers who are trying to combat a future of unknowns by combining trips to stock up. Chain retailers had a share of 21.5% of trips in November 2021 (up from 20% in June 2020), largely at the expense of traditional gas brands like Shell, Chevron, and ExxonMobil.

How you can ease the pain at the pump

Drivers are looking for value to offset the impact of rising gas prices on their fill-up, and marketers can help to relieve their pain with targeted offers and promotions. Now is the time to focus on building brand loyalty and rewarding customers for their loyalty. One smart way to do so is by partnering with Cardlytics. Our native ad platform is a tool for marketers to implement omnichannel strategies and help drive pump to store conversions. The platform works within banks’ digital channels  and allows marketers to run targeted ad campaigns backed by our purchase insights. 

But our purchase insights are just the beginning. By helping you connect the right people to the right offers, we’re not just driving tangible revenue together—we’re helping people feel a little relief during a challenging time. Learn more about partnering with Cardlytics.  Please contact us today.

eTail West in Palm Springs, California, was back this year as an in-person event , and it was superb to see so many of retail’s leading marketers gathered once again. eTail was kind enough to invite Cardlytics to talk about how brands can use purchase data to achieve sales growth and inspire loyal customers, and which revenue plays should have our focus in 2022 and beyond. 
 
For those of you who missed it, here’s a summary of the top insights I shared. 

Standing strong amid disruption

The power of Cardlytics’ data is the reason I joined this company nearly three years ago after working at notable technology companies such as Google and Facebook. Through our partnership with top banks in the US and UK, the Cardlytics ad platform serves over 175 million consumers with cash-back offers, which enables us to leverage $3.7 trillion in annual spend data to create precise targeting strategies and performance metrics. From a longer point of view, digital advertising is embarking on an historic transformation thanks to third-party cookies going away and Apple’s app tracking policy – our targeting and insights rely on neither.

Because of such disruption, many brand marketers may feel as though they are at a crossroads, but there is good news, and plenty of it. Marketers can lean into real purchase data and eliminate the guesswork inherent in demographic and contextual data to find out what really moves the needle for both online and offline sales. More specifically, they are starting to develop ad investment strategies around incrementality, which measures sales that wouldn't have occurred without a specific interaction. 

Pressure-testing our assumptions 

From talking regularly with Cardlytics advertisers, we know that there’s been a shift in marketing mindset. Yet, we didn't want to assume anything and decided to pressure-test what we’ve been hearing. So, we surveyed roughly 100 marketing execs to understand their current priorities.   

Here are the key findings: 

An eyebrow-raising contradiction

Interestingly, 79% of marketers admit a lack of accurate data or analysis was their biggest problem. At the same time, nearly everyone (99%) believes they have it all figured out. It’s an eyebrow-raising contradiction.  

More focus should be on loyalty 

We were surprised that only 4% said their biggest growth opportunity was with infrequent or lapsed customers even though our platform insights challenge this notion. Studies show that repeat customers spend 67% more than new patrons, which also cost around 5X more to convert. The ROI related to customer loyalty cannot be underestimated and is a huge growth opportunity we see for brands that may be lacking in this area. 

Old-school demographics don’t work well enough 

Demographics, as an indicator of consumer spending patterns, are far from the most efficient targeting model. In fact, we learned that 47% of marketers believe they need to challenge long-held notions that demographics should steer their strategy. The idea that segments of hundreds or thousands of customers should all be thought of as virtually the same person seems to have run its course. One-to-one advertising is now advanced enough for marketers to zero in on different customers at an individual level.  

Not all customers are worth the same investment

Using actual purchase data can guide marketers on the true loyalty of their customers. Take these two customer types, for example:

Does it make sense to target the “loyalist” with the same ad spend or cash-back offer as the “customer of many”? Of course not. Ultimately, marketers want to convert the “customer of many” into a “loyalist” with targeted advertising that draws intelligence from their shopping habits. In short, you should invest in the customers with the highest spend potential. The best indicator of this is how much they are spending in the category when they aren’t spending with you. 

And, as our survey found, nearly 6 in 10 marketers (59%) lament the lack of competitor visibility due to not having the right data and set of tools. Their shopping habits, in other words, go beyond your brand, as do the indicators of their true value.  

Allocate more spend where it has actual impact 

Marketers need to allocate more spend toward generating loyalty and purchase data needs to be the source of that intelligence. Cardlytics partners with top financial institutions such as Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo to serve their customers relevant ads based on purchase history and location. This data allows marketers to not only accurately target customers but also reach customers who regularly shop with competitors, and then accurately measure the incremental impact of that campaign on growth and loyalty.   

How should marketers keep the momentum building? 

The answer to that question is to measure, improve and continuously repeat your process. Understanding a customer's consideration set means knowing what it takes to win them over. And that means going beyond traditional attribution models—where isolated actions like click-throughs get too much credit for a consumer’s purchase decision—and embracing data-based incrementality analysis.  

Test, test, test 

To do all of that, marketers must have data to understand the impact of each channel. They should form test and control groups based on prior spend data—from category to amount to frequency—to ensure a clean test, which isolates the variable to measure marketing channel, creative, or messaging. While such testing can be a lot of work, it’s the difference between brands that grow their revenue and loyalty and those that are falling behind.  
 
Cardlytics is here for brands that want to strengthen relationships with their most valuable customers and win new customers from competing brands. Take advantage of our free advertising opportunity report to learn how consumers spend with your brand versus competitors. Click here to get started.

The pandemic has been an ongoing challenge, but I like to see the positives in every situation. A silver lining, if you will. Over the past two years we’ve all been forced to take a step back and evaluate every facet of our lives. Now, through a different lens, we have started to ask ourselves, “What’s next?” What’s next for me, my family, my health, my finances and yes, even my career?

All dreams are pictured with the endgame in mind. We’re not always picturing the how, but we know what we mentally see when our goals are realized. For me, eight years ago I envisioned myself as the head of human resources, speaking on a stage to an audience of employees wearing jeans and my favorite pair of Jordan 1s.

As your mind explores what’s next for you, ask yourself the following questions:  

• What do I want to be known for?  
• What is important to me?  
• What do I want to accomplish?

Once you have answers to those questions, assess your reality. While planning is part of achieving the endgame, it’s important to remain in the present by focusing on your experiences, the roles needed to sustain your strengths and accessing the resources you will need to develop in key areas.  

Are there projects you could work on now that would build your network or help you learn a new skill? In 2016 and 2017, I worked as a national sales director. I wanted to eventually become a human resources business professional but get there by having well-rounded and authentic business experience.  

Write down the steps, align your resources, and create deadlines to hold yourself accountable. It will be a challenge, but small steps will build momentum.

The effort, time, and investment it takes to explore what’s next will be worth it. I brought the picture in my head to reality as I’m now living out my dream as the head of people speaking to 600+ employees at our monthly company meeting.

If you are in search of what’s next, check out career opportunities at CDLX and join us. Jordan 1s optional.

Atlanta, GA – March 1, 2022 – Cardlytics, Inc., (NASDAQ: CDLX), an advertising platform in banks' digital channels, today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2021. Supplemental information is available on the Investor Relations section of the Cardlytics' website at http://ir.cardlytics.com/.

“We are really pleased with our Q4 results, which exceeded the high end of our guidance for billings, revenue and adjusted contribution. The strong performance comes as we continue to make progress across our strategic priorities,” said Lynne Laube, CEO & Co Founder of Cardlytics. “Our Q4 results reflect year-over-year growth across all of our advertiser verticals, and growth over 2019 in every vertical except travel. Each sales vertical contributed to Cardlytics achieving its highest billings quarter ever in Q4.”

“For the year, our expectation is that a consistent, broad recovery across all verticals would enable us to exceed our expected long-term growth rate target of 30%,” said Andy Christiansen, CFO of Cardlytics. “We are confident that we have a strong business model and we believe that the steps we are taking to expand our range of offerings and addressable markets will prove to be highly beneficial to us, our bank partners and their customers.”

Fourth Quarter 2021 Financial Results

• Total revenue was $90.0 million, an increase of 34.2%, compared to $67.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2020.
• Net loss attributable to common stockholders was $(11.8) million, or $(0.35) per diluted share, based on 33.4 million weighted-average common shares outstanding, compared to a net loss attributable to common stockholders of $(6.8) million, or $(0.24) per diluted share, based on 27.7 million weighted-average common shares outstanding in the fourth quarter of 2020.
• Non-GAAP net loss was $(5.0) million, or $(0.15) per diluted share, based on 33.4 million weighted-average common shares outstanding, compared to a non-GAAP net loss of $(1.5) million, or $(0.05) per diluted share, based on 27.7 million weighted-average common shares outstanding in the fourth quarter of 2020.
• Billings, a non-GAAP metric, was $134.0 million, an increase of 42.6%, compared to $94.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2020.
• Adjusted contribution, a non-GAAP metric, was $44.0 million, an increase of 48.5%, compared to $29.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2020.
• Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP metric, was $2.6 million, a decrease of $1.9 million, compared to $4.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Fiscal Year 2021 Financial Results

• Total revenue was $267.1 million, an increase of 42.9%, compared to $186.9 million in 2020.
• Net loss attributable to common stockholders was $(128.6) million, or $(3.99) per diluted share, based on 32.2 million weighted-average common shares outstanding, compared to a net loss attributable to common stockholders of $(55.4) million, or $(2.04) per diluted share, based on 27.2 million weighted-average common shares outstanding in 2020.
• Non-GAAP net loss was $(38.7) million, or $(1.20) per diluted share, based on 32.2 million weighted-average common shares outstanding, compared to a loss of $(23.3) million, or $(0.85) per diluted share, based on 27.2 million weighted-average common shares outstanding in 2020.
• Billings, a non-GAAP metric, was $394.1 million, an increase of 49.6%, compared to $263.4 million in 2020.
• Adjusted contribution, a non-GAAP metric, was $129.6 million, an increase of 57.7%, compared to $82.2 million in 2020.
• Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP metric, was a loss of $(12.2) million, a decrease of $(4.4) million, compared to a loss of $(7.8) million in 2020.

Key Metrics

• Cardlytics MAUs in the quarter were 175.4 million, an increase of 7.2%, compared to 163.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2020. For full year 2021, Cardlytics MAUs were 170.9 million, an increase of 9.7%, compared to 155.8 million in 2020.
• Cardlytics ARPU in the quarter was $0.49, an increase of 19.5%, compared to $0.41 in the fourth quarter of 2020. For full year 2021, Cardlytics ARPU was $1.51, an increase of 25.9%, compared to $1.20 in 2020.
• Bridg ARR was $15.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2021, compared to $12.7 million in the third quarter of 2021.

Definitions of MAUs, ARPU and ARR are included below under the caption “Non-GAAP Measures and Other Performance Metrics.”

Earnings Teleconference Information

Cardlytics will discuss its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2021 financial results during a teleconference today, March 1, 2022, at 5:00 PM ET / 2:00 PM PT. The conference call can be accessed at (866) 385-4179 (domestic) or (210) 874-7775 (international), conference ID# 4148496. A replay of the conference call will be available through 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT on March 8, 2022 at (855) 859-2056 (domestic) or (404) 537-3406 (international). The replay passcode is 4148496. The call will also be broadcast simultaneously at http://ir.cardlytics.com/. Following the completion of the call, a recorded replay of the webcast will be available on Cardlytics’ website.

About Cardlytics

Cardlytics (NASDAQ: CDLX) is a digital advertising platform. We partner with financial institutions to run their rewards programs that promote customer loyalty and deepen relationships. In turn, we have a secure view into where and when consumers are spending their money. We use these insights to help marketers identify, reach, and influence likely buyers at scale, as well as measure the true sales impact of marketing campaigns. Headquartered in Atlanta, Cardlytics has offices in London, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Austin, Detroit and Visakhapatnam. Learn more at www.cardlytics.com.

Cardlytics powers rewards programs for four of the largest U.S. banks

ATLANTA, GA – Feb. 17, 2022 – Cardlytics (NASDAQ: CDLX), one of the largest digital advertising platforms, announced today the extension of the PNC Purchase Payback, a loyalty program for PNC Bank, N.A., that provides customers rewards on every day purchases. The program originally began in 2011 and was expanded following PNC’s acquisition of BBVA USA. Cardlytics now has relationships with four of the largest banks in the country, with insights into more than $3.5 trillion in annual consumer spend.

PNC Purchase Payback features exclusive offers of up to 20% cash back on purchases from some of the largest brands in the country, including Starbucks™, McDonalds™, PetSmart™, Dunkin™, Five Guys™, Advance Auto Parts™, Panera™, Big Lots™ and Best Western™. The offers are carefully selected to add personalized value for customers, while also driving in-store and online sales for Cardlytics’ merchant partners.

“Our partnership with PNC Bank allows us to connect more consumers with our offers, driving engagement for the bank while also positioning Cardlytics among the major players in the advertising space,” said Farrell Hudzik, EVP, Financial Institutions, Cardlytics. “Through our bank partners, we offer marketers access to a trustworthy platform with an engaged audience, giving us a tremendous opportunity to make an undeniable impact for brands.”

With more than 170 million monthly active users, Cardlytics directly connects consumers in banks’ digital channels to brands in a variety of industries including retail, restaurant, travel and more.  As one of the largest digital ad platforms, Cardlytics sees 1:2 card swipes in the US.

“Offering a program that provides additional rewards is an important way we show our customers how much we value their relationships,” said Todd Rosenthal, PNC Bank general manager of credit cards. “Because the offers on our PNC Purchase Payback are based on past purchases, our customers receive relevant, personalized offers from brands they shop every day, creating a truly rewarding experience.”

PNC Purchase Payback is available to PNC Bank’s consumer debit and credit portfolio customers, including some small business accounts, via mobile, online banking and email.

For more information on Cardlytics, visit cardlytics.com. For more information on PNC Purchase Payback, visit PNC.com.

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About PNC Bank

PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com.

About Cardlytics

Cardlytics (NASDAQ: CDLX) is a digital advertising platform. We partner with financial institutions to run their rewards programs that promote customer loyalty and deepen relationships. In turn, we have a secure view into where and when consumers are spending their money. We use these insights to help marketers identify, reach, and influence likely buyers at scale, as well as measure the true sales impact of marketing campaigns. Headquartered in Atlanta, Cardlytics has offices in London, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Austin, Detroit, and Visakhapatnam. Learn more at www.cardlytics.com.

Conference Call and Webcast

Atlanta, GA – February 15, 2022 – Cardlytics, Inc., (NASDAQ: CDLX), one of the largest digital advertising platforms, today announced that its fourth quarter ended December 31, 2021 financial results will be released on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, after market close. The company will host a conference call and webcast at 5:00 PM (ET) / 2:00 PM (PT) to discuss the company’s financial results.

A live audio webcast of the event will be available on the Cardlytics Investor Relations website at http://ir.cardlytics.com/.

A live dial-in will be available at (866) 385-4179 (domestic) or (210) 874-7775 (international). The conference ID number is 4148496. Shortly after the conclusion of the call, a replay of this conference call will be available through 8:00 PM ET on March 8, 2022 at (855) 859-2056 (domestic) or (404) 537-3406 (international). The replay passcode is 4148496.

About Cardlytics

Cardlytics (NASDAQ: CDLX) is a digital advertising platform. We partner with financial institutions to run their rewards programs that promote customer loyalty and deepen relationships. In turn, we have a secure view into where and when consumers are spending their money. We use these insights to help marketers identify, reach, and influence likely buyers at scale, as well as measure the true sales impact of marketing campaigns. Headquartered in Atlanta, Cardlytics has offices in London, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Austin, Detroit and Visakhapatnam. Learn more at www.cardlytics.com.

The reduce, reuse, recycle mantra is seeping its way into how we shop.   

A growing focus on climate change over the past few years has created a new sustainable generation that demands more from brands, while at the same time pushing “conscious consumerism” into the mainstream.

From investing in quality, timeless wardrobe staples to shifting their spend to second-hand marketplaces and choosing brands based on their ethical credentials, today’s consumers are increasingly re-evaluating their purchase decisions and the impact they have on the planet.  

The result? Brands are now being forced to re-think how they market their goods, while having a tangible impact on retailers’ bottom lines. 

Our latest spend data, based on the purchasing habits of over 22 million UK bank cards, shows that in the past year, spend at second-hand marketplaces has jumped 85%. 

Whether it is a high-end designer bag, a vintage chair, or some pre-loved children’s toys, with ‘new’ no longer being on trend, it’s no surprise that UK consumers are now almost four times more likely to make a purchase with the likes of Depop, Vinted or eBay than they are with fast fashion brands.  

In fact, the number of second-hand purchases customers make on average per year increased by 28% in 2021, compared to a 1.1% rise for traditional retailers. It is clear that second-hand marketplaces are taking a slice of the traditional retail pie.  

Conscious consumerism isn't a "flash in the pan" fad

This shift in consumer behaviour is pivotal and one traditional retailers must respond to. We have already seen large fashion brands venturing into the sustainability space to capitalise on this trend, offering consumers an alternative and more sustainable way to shop. 

H&M invested heavily in its Conscious range, ASOS created its own marketplace to give second-hand and vintage items a platform, while M&S introduced in-store clothing recycling programs to boost circularity of its products.

Even “fast fashion” brands like Missguided are taking steps to improve their climate footprint and appeal to this consumer base, with the introduction of a new Restyld range made from recycled materials.  

Marketers should think of conscious consumerism not as a challenge to their traditional growth plans, but – like Missguided has - as an opportunity to tap into a new consumer group, create new opportunities to engage with customers, and build more meaningful and more loyal relationships with shoppers.  

So how can retailers compete with the second-hand marketplace? 

To stay “on trend” with this growing set of consumers, retailers and marketers should consider making their eco-friendly ranges front and centre of their marketing campaigns and offer discounts on such clothing lines to shoppers.  

Retailers could also introduce incentives - such as vouchers - for consumers to recycle their old items in store, to help drive footfall, future purchases, and build brand affinity. 

Targeting customers with relevant offers through their banking channel, based on their spend patterns, is an effective way retailers and marketeers can increase engagement and purchases, whether that is online or in-store. 

And with more consumers looking closely at brands’ ethical endeavours, creating hubs on your website and app for your environmental credentials will go a long way in appealing to this growing consumer group.  

How Cardlytics can help 

Because we see 1 in every 4 UK bank transactions, we can develop a marketing strategy to help your brand compete in this new retail market. Contact us today for an analysis and campaign strategy customized for your brand.   

After a year of staycations, remote work, and eating in, Americans were ready to hit the road in 2021. By August, the number of miles driven had almost reached pre-pandemic levels, and in some states, even exceeded it. For most drivers, that meant spending more on maintenance and repairs to keep their current cars running smoothly as new cars were in short supply— great news for the auto parts and service industry.  
 
Cardlytics’ purchase insights uncovered some interesting trends in the auto parts and service category that can help guide auto marketers’ growth strategy for 2022.  

Let’s dive in.  

Double-digit increases were seen in auto parts and service spend 

While the number of customers spending on auto parts and services declined slightly in 2021, spending per customer increased by more than 16%. Average order value (AOV), or the average dollar amount a customer spends each time they make a purchase, was up nearly 13%, and customers made 3% more trips compared to 2020.  

These auto trends are likely to continue well into 2022 and beyond. New car inventory is down, thanks to chip shortages, which is expected to continue through 2023. For motorists returning to their pre-pandemic driving habits, that’s a strong incentive to keep up with regular service and repairs to extend the life of their current cars.  

Auto parts spend shows continued growth 

Spending on auto parts was up 8% year-over-year (YoY), driven primarily by AOV. Inflation and supply chain woes account for some of the increase, but customer trips rose by nearly 4%, suggesting drivers are staying on top of preventive maintenance and repairs.  

While both multichannel and online-only auto parts spend increased in 2021, multichannel retailers did slightly better, thanks to stronger customer retention. Consumers may be getting oversaturated with online-only auto brands, as these brands saw nearly 7% fewer customers YoY, while multichannel brands only experienced a 0.6% customer decline.  Online-only consumer spend grew 11.9%, led by a 10.2% AOV increase. However, due to a decrease in customer count from 2020, total online-only auto parts spend was up 4% YoY. Meanwhile, multichannel’s 9.2% growth was driven by an AOV gain of 6.9%. 

Multichannel auto parts retailers who win the loyalty of DIY mechanics are well-positioned to see even greater gains in 2022 if market conditions persist. 

Dealership growth leads auto service trends 

Spending on auto service grew 18% YoY in 2021, but growth wasn’t equally spread between dealerships and third-party service brands. Dealership service spending was up 21% overall, compared to just 13% for third-party brands.

• Customer count was also up 0.4%, but lagged the growth experienced by dealership service centers.

The big story then is that dealerships appear to represent a safe and trusted place for hands-off owners to service and repair their cars.  

So, how can the industry capitalize on auto trends? 

The $115 billion auto parts and service market is poised for growth in 2022 and beyond. Auto brands that effectively segment and target customers based on their unique needs and spend patterns are better positioned for growth.  

For auto parts and service brands looking to drive sales as share of spend shifts in 2022, segmenting and targeting your best customers with the right offers and product mix is the key to success.  

With our purchase insights, Cardlytics identifies the customers most inclined to spend on auto parts and service and engages them with targeted offers through their trusted bank channels. Contact us today to learn how partnering with Cardlytics can help you leverage auto industry trends and jumpstart growth. 

After months of suggesting inflation was a transitory phenomenon, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen finally admitted what restaurant brands have known for some time. Inflation isn’t going anywhere any time soon. And it’s not only impacting restaurant prices, it’s impacting restaurant consumer trends in measurable ways.

Key takeaways:

• Check sizes are higher this year, likely driven by price increases due to inflation.
• Customer frequency is down across all restaurant segments.
• Online orders are slightly smaller compared to in-store orders in limited service restaurants, suggesting a change in consumer behavior.
• Higher customer counts are obscuring the drop in customer frequency for loyal customers.

If the current inflation dynamic persists in 2022 as predicted, restaurant brands need to find new ways to increase customer frequency for loyal customers or increase margins to stay ahead of the inflationary curve.

The prevailing narrative about restaurant trends

Early in the pandemic, government restrictions and changes in consumer behavior devastated the restaurant industry. Restaurant share of consumer spend dropped nearly 70% in 2020.

Restaurant spending made a comeback in 2021, but there’s still a ways to go to hit pre-pandemic projections. Major fast-food chains like McDonald’s and Taco Bell reported sales well above 2019 and 2020 levels but at a high level, it appears the great restaurant recovery is well underway. 

But, there’s more to current restaurant consumer trends than meets the eye. The impact of inflation on the economy isn’t equal across all sectors and restaurants are feeling the pinch in a major way. In addition to spiking ingredient prices, supply chain snarls and labor shortages are making it increasingly difficult for restaurant brands to maintain their profit margins.

Cardlytics’ insights into credit card spending paints an interesting picture of restaurant consumer trends. Here’s what we discovered about the true impact of inflation on the restaurant business. 

Key takeaway #1: Inflation is present in the form of higher average check size.

Average check sizes are up across the board, increasing more than 6% for pizza and QSR brands. Casual and full-service dining saw the largest increases at 10.4% and 10.9% respectively. 

That corresponds to Bureau of Labor Statistics data showing a 5.9% rise in prices at quick serve restaurants (QSRs) and a 7.1% increase in full-service restaurant prices. 

Key takeaway #2:  Online check size was down compared to 2020 for limited service restaurants (LSRs).

Oddly enough, our insights show LSRs are seeing a decrease of nearly 5% in online check size compared to 2020, even though prices are the same for customers who order online versus in store. This restaurant consumer trend has gone unmentioned by the national trade media. 

While the exact reason for the decline isn’t clear, one possible explanation is that as more people return to the office for work, they are only ordering for themselves versus ordering for the family when everyone was in work-from-home mode. 

Another possible explanation is consumers are savvier about their online orders after months of ordering takeout. They know what they like, and instead of sampling new menu items, they stick to tried-and-true favorites. 

Also, staff and product shortages are causing many restaurants to cut menu items. Diners may choose to substitute another menu item when eating in, but those who order online may opt to supplement missing menu items with something from their pantry or fridge. 

Key takeaway #3: Higher prices are offsetting the drop in customer frequency. 

While higher average check sizes are cause for celebration, current restaurant trends are not entirely positive. Compared to pre-pandemic levels, customer frequency is down between 10 and 20% across all restaurant segments. Unique customers are also down across all segments compared to 2019, except for QSRs.

While the impact of these declines is partially offset by higher average check sizes, it’s a potentially devastating development for long-term recovery. While repeat customers only represent about 15% of the customer base, they generate roughly a third of the revenue.  Restaurant brands with a robust omnichannel strategy are best positioned to win new customers and compete for their share of spend.

Bracing for 2022

While it’s impossible to predict the future, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell says surging inflation will continue this year and likely won’t dip until the end of the year. JPMorgan is predicting a labor shortage lasting three or more years, and the supply chain crunch is expected to last through the second half of 2022.

It all adds up to more rough waters for restaurant brands as consumers cut their spending in response to higher prices. If current dynamics persist, restaurants need to know where they can either drive more frequency or higher margins. Well-targeted advertising solves for both by shifting brand and traditional media spend to highly targeted performance marketing that encourages frequency among the most valuable customers while reducing the bite that advertising takes out of margins. 

One way for marketers to combat soft purchase behavior caused by inflation is to identify those customers who are most sensitive to price and who are seeking value. Cardlytics uses valuable insights to better identify, target, and convert ideal customers through their trusted bank channels by providing those customers with compelling, brand-specific digital rewards to drive incremental and profitable transactions.

By connecting the right people with the right rewards, Cardlytics helps brands strengthen their relationships with their most valuable customers and win new customers from competing brands. Get in touch today to see how Cardlytics can help weather the effects of inflation in 2022.