How To Drive Brand Advocacy in the Era of Consumer Social Responsibility

Shoppers aren’t the same as they were even a few years ago. They’re more value-driven, more outspoken, and far less likely to stick with one “go-to” brand just because it’s what they’ve always bought.

Instead, they’re hopping between labels, comparing notes in reviews, and looking for companies that align with their personal priorities.

In short: loyalty isn’t dead, but it definitely looks different.

That’s where brand advocacy comes in. When customers rave about your products, it carries more weight than anything you could put in an ad. Those voices build trust, shape buying decisions, and keep your brand visible on the digital shelf.

To see how this is playing out, Salsify’s “Ecommerce Pulse Report: Q4 2025” surveyed more than 1,000 shoppers across the U.S., U.K., and Canada to uncover what makes people choose one brand over another, what pushes them to switch, and why leaving reviews feels like part of their responsibility as a shopper today. 

What Is Brand Advocacy?

Brand advocacy is when customers love your products enough to actively recommend them without needing a discount or incentive. 
It’s easy to confuse advocacy with loyalty, but they’re not the same thing.

• Brand loyalty: Repeat purchasers stick with the same shampoo or coffee brand because it’s their go-to.
• Brand advocacy: This is about evangelizing; it’s when shoppers choose to spread the word, shaping how other people see and experience your brand.

That distinction matters because today’s shoppers are increasingly brand agnostic. In fact, 72% have bought from a new brand in the past year instead of their usual go-to, and nearly a third of shoppers (32%) say ratings and reviews are the most helpful part of a product page when deciding what to buy.

Therefore, in 2026, the voices of your customers will likely shape purchasing decisions far more than your own marketing.

The State of Brand Loyalty Today

Brand loyalty doesn’t quite look the way it used to. There’s been a big shift away from the old idea that once you had a loyal customer, you had them for life.

What Loyalty Means Across Generations

The appetite for brand-hopping is especially strong among younger generations, with 80% of millennials and 76% of Gen Zers having tried new brands, compared to 57% of baby boomers.

For these groups, switching is less about breaking loyalty and more about curiosity, convenience, and finding brand stories that better match their values.

Are Shoppers Loyal to Low Prices? Not Exactly

Loyalty isn’t gone — it’s just become more conditional. Today’s shoppers are willing to stay loyal if a brand delivers on trust, great experiences, and shared values, not just price.

In fact, while 55% of shoppers switch for a better deal, a striking 87% say they’re willing to pay more for a brand they trust.

In 2026, advocacy is the new currency of retention. If you want customers to stick around, you need more than a loyalty card or occasional discount. You need them to believe in your brand so strongly that they want to advocate for it.

Why Shoppers Switch Brands

According to Salsify’s report, the top reason shoppers switch brands is better prices or promotions, cited by 55% of consumers. Price-consciousness is high, and deals can tempt even the most loyal customer to stray.

But price isn’t the whole story. Nearly 30% of shoppers switch for better product reviews or ratings, showing just how much weight customer voices carry. Another 22% say they’re swayed by stronger product content or a smoother shopping experience, whether that’s more detailed product detail pages (PDPs), richer images, or easier checkout. 

And for 18% of consumers, brand values and reputation are the deciding factor. Transparency, sustainability, and ethics matter, especially to younger generations who want their purchases to reflect their priorities.

How To Counteract Brand Switching

Loyalty is fragile. If your brand doesn’t deliver across value, experience, and reputation, shoppers won’t hesitate to move on. At the same time, this is where brand advocacy acts as a safety net.

When customers are out there sharing positive reviews, defending your reputation, and recommending your products to others, it makes switching less appealing. 

The Growing Power of Ratings and Reviews

Nearly a third (32%) of shoppers cite ratings and reviews as the most helpful part of a product page when making a final buying decision. That’s double the weight of price (16%), which is a massive signal that people trust other shoppers more than your pricing strategy or polished product descriptions.

Reviews also drive discovery. Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered shopping tools and chatbots increasingly rely on authentic, user-generated content (UGC) to recommend products. The more ratings and reviews you have, the more visible (and credible) you become in this new AI-shaped shopping journey.

The generational differences are especially telling. A third of Gen Z (33%) and millennials (34%) say they’ve switched brands specifically because another product had better reviews.

When you look at it this way, reviews are basically advocacy in action. They build trust with new buyers and create a feedback loop that keeps your brand relevant. 

Consumer Social Responsibility: Why Shoppers Leave Reviews

Leaving a review has become second nature for today’s shoppers.

According to Salsify’s report, 63% of consumers left a rating or review in the past year, with U.S. shoppers leading the charge at 70%, compared with 63% in the U.K. and 57% in Canada. That’s a huge pool of people voluntarily contributing to the collective shopping experience.

And their reasons go well beyond chasing discounts. The top motivation, cited by 42%, is simply to help other shoppers make informed decisions. Close behind, 40% share a positive experience, while 22% share a negative one. 

Interestingly, 20% leave reviews to give feedback that could influence product development, showing how invested shoppers are in shaping the future of the brands they buy from.

This is part of a broader shift toward what you could call consumer social responsibility. Shoppers see leaving reviews as a way to contribute to a larger community by:

• Helping peers avoid bad buys;
• Discover hidden gems; and
• Hold brands accountable.

In this sense, advocacy has evolved into a kind of civic duty on the digital shelf.

For brands, this is both an opportunity and a wake-up call. Reviews are the frontline of advocacy. The more you encourage authentic, transparent reviews, the more you tap into this sense of responsibility and the stronger your brand’s reputation becomes.

How to Drive Brand Advocacy in 2026

The good news is, shoppers are already primed to share their experiences. Your role is to create the right conditions for those voices to be heard and trusted. Here’s how:

1. Spotlight Authentic Voices

Encourage ratings and reviews at every touch point, including in post-purchase emails, loyalty programs, and QR codes on packaging.

Don’t shy away from negative reviews. Shoppers are savvy; if every review is glowing, they’ll assume something’s off.

• A mix of positive and critical feedback feels real, and authenticity is what builds trust.
• Amplify those voices by weaving UGC into PDPs, social channels, and anywhere AI tools might be scanning for signals.

2. Build Values Into the Experience

The report shows that nearly one in five shoppers (18%) switch brands for better values or reputation. That’s your cue to highlight what you stand for. Make your commitments and values a part of the shopping journey by putting them on your product pages and packaging.

3. Reward Advocacy in a Thoughtful Way

Advocacy is emotional, not transactional, but recognition still counts. Go beyond discounts by offering loyalty perks, early access, or exclusive experiences to your most vocal fans. Community-driven recognition (like featuring customer stories or spotlighting reviews) can be just as powerful as a promo code. It reinforces the idea that their voice matters and strengthens the bond between shopper and brand.

4. Use AI To Amplify Advocacy

With 64% of shoppers already using AI-powered tools to discover or research products, you can’t afford to ignore how advocacy feeds into AI discovery.

Make sure ratings, reviews, and UGC are easily crawlable, and optimize your product pages for readability, accuracy, and authority. The clearer and more authentic your content, the more likely it is to surface in AI-driven recommendations — and the more weight your advocates’ voices will carry.

Advocacy Is the New Currency of Growth

Brand advocacy is quickly becoming the cornerstone of growth. Now that loyalty is conditional and shoppers treat reviews as part of their social responsibility, the voices of your customers carry more influence than any ad campaign.

For ecommerce leaders, the shift is clear — advocacy needs to be both a performance metric you measure and a cultural strategy you nurture. Don’t just focus on tracking how many reviews you collect or how often your brand is mentioned. Foster an environment where customers feel proud to share their experiences.

The brands that win in 2026 won’t be the ones with the flashiest discounts or the slickest campaigns. They’ll be the ones that empower customers to advocate naturally (and then actually listen to what those customers are saying).

The bottom line is, advocacy isn’t manufactured, it’s earned. When you get it right, it creates a ripple effect of trust, visibility, and growth that money alone can’t buy.