A pulse on the industry, from the leader in clienteling
As retail continues to evolve, one thing remains clear: personalized customer engagement is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. Clienteling has emerged as a powerful strategy for retailers to build stronger relationships, boost sales, and stay competitive in an ever-changing market.
In this blog, we explore five key clienteling trends shaping retail going into 2025, backed by Tulip’s own data and insights.
From the growing adoption of chat-based communication channels to regional preferences and higher sales values from clienteled customers, these trends reveal actionable strategies to help retailers thrive.
Trend #1: Clienteling usage is increasing globally
Clienteling is no longer confined to luxury brands — it’s becoming a widespread practice across all levels of retail. Over the past year, the number of clienteling communications per store increased by 28%, based on a global sample of stores spanning 39 countries across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), as well as Asia-Pacific (APAC). This significant rise reflects a broader strategic shift to clienteling as a practice.
Retailers are investing in clienteling solutions to empower associates to build stronger connections with customers. By setting goals and metrics around clienteling outreach, retailers are keeping associates engaged and accountable for personalized communication efforts. As a result, customers are more engaged, appreciating the tailored attention and recommendations they receive. This trend signals that clienteling is not just a tactical tool — it’s becoming a strategic pillar of modern retail.
Trend #2: There has been a shift toward chat-based communication channels
While email has long been a cornerstone for branded, large-scale messaging, its dominance is declining. In 2022, email accounted for 65% of all customer communications, but that number has dropped to 41% in 2024—a 24% decrease.
As email has lost ground, text messaging and social messaging have stepped up. Text messaging increased from 26% of communications in 2022 to 39% in 2024, making it the fastest-growing channel. Social messaging through apps has also seen growth, rising from 6% to 14% of total communications over the same period.
The overall trend is clear: Chat-based messaging is rapidly gaining momentum as the preferred way to foster meaningful, two-way conversations with customers as email declines.
Trend #3: Global preferences for instant messaging vary by region
Clienteling communication strategies need to be tailored by region, as preferences for communication channels can vary significantly across the globe.
In North America, text messaging is surging in popularity due to its informal, personal nature. For many consumers, text is the primary way they communicate with friends and family, making it a natural and well-received choice for interactions with retail associates. Unlike email, which can feel too formal and one-sided, text messaging fosters a more personal and engaging experience. As a result, text has rapidly become a preferred method for 1:1 communications in clienteling.
In the EMEA region, email continues to be the most widely preferred communication channel, largely because of its formality and the more traditional, professional relationship between brands and customers. European retailers often go the extra mile by curating beautiful, branded email templates that offer personalized communication while maintaining brand aesthetics. WhatsApp, however, is also growing in popularity as a more personal and immediate method for 1:1 customer communication—this mirrors how consumers in the region use WhatsApp to stay connected with loved ones.
In the APAC region, social messaging channels like WeChat and iMessage are the preferred methods of communication. These platforms offer immediate, interactive, and personal communication, making them ideal for creating a two-way dialogue with customers. In contrast, email is typically seen as a more formal business tool, while text messaging is often viewed as spam. This preference for social messaging highlights the importance of integrating these channels into clienteling strategies, particularly in markets where social apps dominate communication.
The varying preferences across regions underscore the need for brands to adapt their clienteling strategies to local cultural expectations. By understanding regional communication preferences, brands can meet customers where they are, ensuring more personalized and effective interactions.
Trend #4: Intimate communication channels drive the most sales
While email remains the most commonly used communication channel worldwide, it has one of the lowest conversion rates—just 3.4% from send to purchase. This low conversion could be attributed to email’s use as more of an informational tool, often employed for inviting customers to upcoming events or promotions.
In contrast, more intimate channels like mail, voice calls, and WhatsApp show much higher conversion rates. These channels achieve conversion rates of 9.2%, 8.5%, and 7.9%, respectively. The key differentiator here is personalization—customers view these channels as methods for engaging with friends and family, making them more likely to respond positively to communications.
Interestingly, mail—which includes personalized notes, thank-you cards, and birthday greetings—boasts the highest conversion rate of all, but it’s also one of the least used channels by volume. Retailers typically reserve this method for VIP clients, making it a more exclusive and meaningful touchpoint.
When choosing clienteling communication channels, retailers must strike a delicate balance. While it’s important to prioritize the channels customers prefer, it’s equally essential to focus on those with higher conversion potential. The effort required for these more intimate channels must also be weighed, as they can take more time and resources but often deliver stronger results.
Trend #5: Customers who are engaged through clienteling spend more than those who are not
Clienteling not only helps influence more sales, but those sales are, on average, of much higher value. The average order value (AOV) of sales influenced by Tulip clienteling has grown from being 113% higher than total sales AOV to 136% in just the last 12 months.
This trend shows that sales generated through clienteling are at least twice as valuable as the average sale, emphasizing the importance of investing in personalized, one-to-one interactions.
This data demonstrates that clienteling communications lead to higher sales values, and customers engaged through clienteling spend twice as much as those who are not. Retailers investing in a clienteling solution like Tulip can reliably drive the highest-value sales, making it a crucial strategy for boosting overall revenue.
Bringing it all together
The trends we’ve explored highlight the growing importance of clienteling in driving sales and building stronger customer relationships. To capitalize on these insights, retailers should:
- Prioritize Personalized Communication: With customers increasingly gravitating toward more intimate, chat-based channels, it’s vital to focus on personalized, one-to-one interactions. Whether it’s text messaging or social media, these channels are where your customers are most engaged.
- Adopt a Regional Approach: Understanding regional preferences is key to effective communication. Tailor your clienteling strategy to align with the unique preferences of customers in North America, Europe, or the Asia-Pacific region, ensuring your messaging resonates with each audience.
- Invest in Clienteling Technology: The data speaks for itself—clienteling drives not only more sales but higher-value ones. By leveraging tools like Tulip’s clienteling solutions, you can empower your associates to build deeper, more meaningful relationships with customers, ultimately boosting AOV and long-term customer loyalty.
- Measure and Adapt: Keep a close eye on your metrics—conversion rates, engagement levels, and customer spending. Continuously refine your strategies based on performance to ensure you’re always optimizing for success.
By aligning your communication strategies with these trends and investing in the right tools, you can drive higher-value sales, enhance customer loyalty, and ultimately, see a significant return on investment in your clienteling efforts.
Learn more
To get even more insights on the clienteling trends, watch this webinar: The state of clienteling for 2025: Analyzing the top 6 trends in clienteling.
Or, if you want to learn more about Tulip Clienteling, check out our brochure or book a demo to see it firsthand.
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