A recent article in Customer Experience Dive noted that 90% of grocery shoppers now switch between online and in-store, and most retailers are leaning hard into data, tech, and personalization to stay competitive.
But not Trader Joe’s. In fact, they have:
No app.
No online shopping.
No rewards program.
They don’t even collect customer data. 🤯
And yet… they have some of the most fiercely loyal customers.
Trader Joe’s customer experience strategy isn’t rooted in algorithms or loyalty points—it’s grounded in something far more powerful: emotional connection.
As my dear friend Shep Hyken often says, most “loyalty” programs aren’t really about loyalty at all. Instead, they’re marketing tools designed to drive repeat purchases. But true loyalty isn’t transactional—it’s emotional. And that’s where Trader Joe’s shines.
Despite having the resources (and loyal fanbase!) to build an omnichannel strategy, Trader Joe’s has intentionally chosen not to. Why? Because they know their greatest differentiator is the in-store experience. Rather than dilute it, they’ve doubled down.
An Instacart delivery of Bamba Peanut Snacks or Scandinavian Swimmers doesn’t embody that Trader Joe’s feeling. To them, it’s not worth the compromise.
That’s almost unheard of in 2025, especially as grocery chains like Sprouts are rolling out sophisticated loyalty programs to engage omnichannel shoppers. Nearly two-thirds of retailers already offer loyalty programs, with another 29% planning to launch one in the next two years.
But Trader Joe’s proves that when you’re exceptional at the fundamentals, you can afford to be… well… the exception. When you’re SUPER, customers will keep coming back—no bells or whistles needed.
Here’s what sets the Trader Joe’s customer experience strategy apart:
People-powered experience
Friendly, helpful Crew Members make every visit feel like a human interaction, not a transaction.
Surprise & delight
From seasonal items to quirky product mashups, each trip feels exciting.
Authentic brand voice
Handwritten signs. Cheeky packaging. The brand’s tone is playful and personal, which makes people feel at home.
Innovative, transparent business practices
No sales, no gimmicks. Trader Joe’s cuts out the middleman to offer consistently fair prices.
They’ve built superfans not through tech, but through trust and consistency.
And sure—Sprouts’ new loyalty program will likely be a smart move for them. But Sprouts isn’t Trader Joe’s…as much as they’d probably like to be. The move by Sprouts also reinforces a key truth:
Loyalty programs can enhance customer experience, but they can’t replace it.
What This Means for Your Business:
Are your customers choosing you out of convenience or out of conviction? Compared to your competitors, do they see you as interchangeable or indispensable?
The moral here isn’t to “be more like Trader Joe’s” — it’s to define your most valuable differentiators and double down on that.
So what can you borrow from Trader Joe’s approach? Here are four big ideas:
Get clear on your story.
The TJ’s brand story is baked into everything—from the handwritten signs to the Hawaiian shirts. What’s the story your customers are stepping into? And are your employees excited to help tell it? Remember: if your team members are apathetic about your brand, there’s a really great chance your customers will be, too.
Engineer for emotion.
How do you want customers to feel when they do business with you? That’s the question Trader Joe’s has clearly answered—and built their entire experience around. What’s the emotional response you’re looking for, and how can you calibrate the key components of your brand around that goal?
Empower your Acting Chiefs of Experience.
Every employee is the Acting Chief of Experience, whether or not it says so on their name tag. Trader Joe’s is famous for hiring friendly, curious people… which is probably why they don’t want to entrust a third-party delivery service with their products. Your people are your brand—so treat (and coach!) them like it! (Need some help with that part? I got you!)
Earn trust before points.
According to Customer Experience Dive, over one-third of shoppers belong to a loyalty program they’ve never used. A punch card doesn’t build loyalty. A consistently great experience does. Trader Joe’s has proven that when you lead with trust and value, you don’t need a “buy 10, get one free” offer to keep people coming back.
Are you giving customers a reason to return—and, better yet, inspiring experiences they’ll want to tell their friends about!—even without offering a single reward point in return?
What’s a brand you’re loyal to, even if it doesn’t have a loyalty program?
Did you enjoy this article?
Check out 4 Customer Experience Practices You Can Learn From Buc-ee’s