A few years ago, a coffee subscription startup tried something odd.
Instead of sending the exact same beans every month, they added an occasional “mystery bag” — no announcement, no pattern. Just a random surprise in the delivery.
They didn’t change their ad spend. They didn’t run a discount campaign.
But repeat purchases jumped 24% in three months.
That little surprise? It wasn’t just “nice.” It was working on a deeper level — right in the brain’s dopamine system.
The science in one sentence
Humans are wired to chase rewards, but the brain releases more dopamine when the reward is unexpected or better than predicted.
In neuroscience, this is called reward prediction error. It’s the same principle that makes slot machines addictive, or why you check your phone 150 times a day “just in case” there’s a new notification.
Why this matters for your campaigns
Most businesses design customer experiences for satisfaction — the product works, delivery is on time, the service is friendly. That’s table stakes.
What drives repeat engagement is the gap between what a customer expects and what they get.
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Positive gap (better than expected) → Dopamine spike → Stronger memory → More likely to return.
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Negative gap (worse than expected) → Dopamine drop → Weaker loyalty → Easier to switch.
Your goal isn’t just to meet expectations. It’s to occasionally break them in the customer’s favor.
Micro-moments: the building blocks of habit
Think about Netflix’s “Next Episode” button.
It’s not the 2-hour film that hooks you — it’s the tiny decision point every 42 minutes where you think, “Okay, just one more…”
These are micro-moments: small, high-frequency triggers that deliver instant feedback or rewards. In e-commerce, it could be:
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A progress bar for free shipping.
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A “spin the wheel” promo that only appears once in a while.
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Early access to new drops for loyal customers.
They create a rhythm of engagement that keeps people coming back — not because they need what you’re selling right now, but because the interaction itself is rewarding.
The danger of overdoing it
Here’s the catch: the dopamine loop works in both directions. If every interaction becomes predictable, the brain gets bored. If every surprise becomes constant, it stops being a surprise.
The key is calibrated unpredictability — like seasoning in a dish. Enough to keep the experience lively, but not so much it feels chaotic or manipulative.
The takeaway for decision-makers
If you’re looking at your retention numbers and wondering why your repeat customers aren’t sticking, check whether you’ve given them anything worth coming back for — beyond the core product.
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Design moments of positive surprise in your customer journey.
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Track the “emotional peaks” in your experience, not just the conversion rates.
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Protect the novelty — if something works, don’t turn it into a daily habit.
Because in the end, loyalty isn’t just about satisfaction. It’s about creating little sparks in the brain that customers want to feel again.
If you’re curious how to wire this into your campaigns — without turning into a gimmick factory — that’s where we come in. We design brand experiences that aren’t just seen, but felt. And that’s what keeps people coming back.
