Case Study

World Market Increases Reviews by 300% and Drives 4.5% Lift in Category Sales With Loyalty by Zeta

World Market is a U.S.-based specialty retailer known for its eclectic mix of furniture, home décor, food, and gifts sourced from around the world. The brand reimagined its 30-million-account loyalty program with Loyalty by Zeta, rewarding discovery, expanding how customers engage, and driving measurable growth while turning shoppers into active brand participants online and in-store. World Market’s approach reflects a broader shift toward behavior-led loyalty, where engagement, discovery, and value exchange matter as much as transactions.

The Results

World Market launched a gamified loyalty model with punch cards, activity-based challenges, and instant rewards that made the customer experience feel more engaging across online, in-store, and campaign touchpoints. More than six million unique members participated in the Multiply the Magic holiday campaign across SMS, email, and in-store channels. Customer reviews surged, with a 300% increase during campaign months. With an average 4.7-star product rating, the influx of authentic feedback became meaningful social proof for new customers. The Summer Foodie Games campaign drove an additional 4.5% lift in food sales.

members engaged

300%

increase in customer reviews

4.5%

lift in food category sales

The Challenge

Modernizing Loyalty to Match the Brand Spirit

For decades, World Market has inspired customers to discover unique finds from around the globe, including home décor and furniture, gourmet foods, gifts, and more. To bring the discovery spirit into their loyalty program, World Market partnered with Zeta Global to reimagine its strategy.

World Market’s legacy loyalty program delivered value to its 30 million members, but it relied heavily on coupons and blanket discounts. While effective, it left an opportunity to layer in richer engagement and discovery moments that reflect the brand’s spirit and keep customers coming back.

They needed an enterprise-grade loyalty solution that could evolve flexibly with their customers, reward behavior and purchases, and deliver experiences that feel personal, immediate, and true to the brand.

“Loyalty is one of our most important levers for delivering value. We need the ability to adapt quickly to what’s happening in the market and what customers care about in the moment. The platform gives us that flexibility while keeping the experience fresh and engaging for our customers.”

Brian King

Sr. Director, World Market

The Solution

Rewarding Exploration for Long-Term Loyalty

World Market transformed its program into a driver of curiosity and connection. Members no longer earn rewards only for purchases, but also for engaging, writing reviews, clicking SMS or email links, scanning QR codes, or exploring featured categories. They layered behavioral loyalty mechanics onto the transactional value strategy, creating more opportunities for emotional connection over time.

With Loyalty by Zeta, World Market evolved its loyalty engagement approach beyond relying predominantly on coupons, adding gamified mechanics that make the experience playful and participatory. Shoppers are guided to discover new products and categories, increasing total spend per visit, shopping frequency, and incremental revenue.

“This was our first foray into offering gamified experiences, and the response was immediate, our customers really loved it. In a value-conscious market, customers are actively looking for new ways to engage and find value. Gamification allows us to meet that need in a way that feels authentic to our brand and strengthens the relationship over time.”

Brian King

Sr. Director, World Market

World Market used Loyalty by Zeta’s flexible capabilities to execute the new strategy with precision and speed.

Gamified mechanics drive participation
Punch cards, challenges, and activity-based incentives motivate members to take both transactional and behavioral actions. Members earn instant rewards for writing reviews, clicking through SMS or email, or exploring featured categories, creating repeatable moments of engagement that drive participation and purchases across campaigns.
Smart offers where they matter most
Single-use coupons are used strategically. With automation and real-time redemption, they are personalized for high impact and delivered where they add value. World Market is planning to use propensity scores to adjust discount levels going forward.
Partnership that accelerates
When Zeta’s team set up new mechanics, World Market used this as an opportunity to learn and enable their own team. Now, they manage campaigns in-house with confidence.

“The functionality is fantastic, but what’s been equally important is the level of support that we get from everybody on the team.”

Brian King

Sr. Director, World Market

World Market’s evolved loyalty program demonstrates that loyalty initiatives can support measurable growth and long-term customer relationships. The program reflects a broader shift among modern retailers toward flexible, behavior-led loyalty models designed not just to reward purchases, but to drive ongoing participation, brand discovery, and deeper customer connection over time. See how Loyalty by Zeta helps retailers create gamified, personalized programs that scale globally and deliver measurable business impact.

Experience It Yourself

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