# Amazon, McDonald's, Costco top repeat-purchase chart with structure over points

*Card data shows loyalty runs on membership lock-in and default convenience, not rewards schemes.*

By **Jenny Huang Goodman MPA MSc MHSA, Principal** — The Stash Edge, Hako Shikin LLC.
Published 2026-08-21.

Canonical: https://www.pops4.com/stash/articles/amazon-mcdonalds-costco-per-brand-loyalty-tracker-q2-2026-2026-08-21t06-6
Subject: Amazon, McDonald's, Costco (per Brand Loyalty Tracker Q2 2026)
Tags: subscription, membership model, repeat purchase, customer retention, amazon, costco

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Amazon, McDonald's, and Costco lead repeat-purchase frequency among American consumers in Q2 2026, according to the Brand Loyalty Tracker, but the mechanism driving that loyalty has nothing to do with points programs. Card transaction data reveals these brands win on structural lock-in: memberships, default ordering paths, and ecosystems that make switching more expensive than staying, according to the MSN report.

Amazon embeds itself through Prime membership and one-click reordering. McDonald's wins on location ubiquity and mobile app ordering that saves previous selections. Costco operates a paid membership model that turns the annual fee into a sunk cost, making each subsequent purchase feel like recouping that investment. None of these companies leads its category in traditional rewards generosity. They lead in removing friction from the next purchase.

The pattern repeats across categories: the brands that dominate repeat purchase aren't bribing customers back with better points. They're building defaults. Amazon's Subscribe & Save locks in consumables. McDonald's app remembers your breakfast order. Costco's bulk pricing means you bought **52 rolls of paper towels** and won't need more for six months—but you'll be back next week for rotisserie chicken because the membership is already paid. The loyalty mechanism is structural, not emotional.

This creates a copyable wedge for physical product brands selling consumables or replenishables. The play is not a points program. The play is a frictionless re-buy path that becomes the customer's default. A coffee subscription that auto-ships **every 28 days** beats a **10% off** coupon for a second order, because the subscription removes the decision entirely. A Shopify storefront that saves previous orders and offers one-click repeat beats a loyalty dashboard customers never log into.

For small brands, the steal is simple: identify the median re-purchase interval for your product, then offer a subscription or auto-reorder at a **5-10% discount** to the one-time price. Position it as convenience, not savings. Use plain language: "Ships every month. Skip or cancel anytime." Deploy this on your product detail page, not buried in a separate loyalty section. If you're selling on Amazon, enroll in Subscribe & Save and optimize your listing to surface that option prominently. If you control your own site, integrate a plugin like Recharge or Seal Subscriptions and A/B test the subscribe option directly on the add-to-cart button.

For higher-ticket or less frequent purchases, the wedge shifts to membership. A **$99/year** membership that includes free shipping, early access to new SKUs, and **15% off** all orders creates the same sunk-cost psychology Costco exploits. The annual fee becomes a moat. Customers who paid it will consolidate purchases with you to justify the expense, even if per-unit pricing is comparable elsewhere. A kitchenware brand might gate a members-only product line. A supplement brand might offer quarterly shipments at a locked-in rate. The mechanism is identical: make the first commitment large enough to anchor future decisions.

The tell in the Brand Loyalty Tracker data is what's missing. No standout rewards program. No viral referral engine. No brand with the highest NPS. The leaders are the brands that became defaults through structure. For physical product marketers, that's the edge: forget the points. Build the path of least resistance for purchase two.

## The takeaway

Repeat purchase runs on structural lock-in—subscriptions, memberships, saved orders—not loyalty points.

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## Publisher

**Hako Shikin LLC** — Virginia Beach, Virginia. Founded 1997. ASI 217876 · DUNS 18-204-6339.
Principal and author: **Jenny Huang Goodman MPA MSc MHSA**.

- Author: https://www.huanggoodman.com/about
- LLM context: https://www.pops4.com/stash/llms.txt
- MCP endpoint, for AI agents: https://mcp.pops4.com/mcp
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