Bonus cards. The majority of people will have at least one in their wallet. But why do people have bonus cards? The reason is that when they shop regularly at a certain store, they can benefit from discounts and other additional benefits and services. Consumers love discounts because everyone wants to get the most for the lowest cost. So bonus cards are very useful, you just need to become a regular customer and you can get a discount. This looks like friendliness on the part of the store. But is it above all an act of conviviality, or is there also a gain for the company? And if so, are suppliers using these loyalty rewards purely as a way to make consumers more dependent on their suppliers? We will discuss this issue from the consumer's perspective. All businesses seek to maximize their profits. Without profits, they cannot have a sustainable existence. Therefore, all decisions made by a company are aimed at increasing profits (Roberts, 1986). Businesses act in their own self-interest, as Adam Smith pointed out over 200 years ago (Smith, 1991). Companies do not act out of benevolence, but out of self-interest. This also includes giving discounts and loyalty rewards. Companies provide discounts because this attracts new consumers, who are looking for low prices (Parguel, Pechpeyrou, Sabri-Zaaraoui and Desmet, 2007). Attracting new customers means higher revenue and higher profits. The next task for a business is to retain customers. By offering loyalty rewards, people will come back to your store. It also discourages consumers from shopping elsewhere, as they forgo discounts or additional benefits. Companies therefore have more revenue and profits thanks to these loyal customers. Research has also shown that loyal customers...... middle of paper ......M., & Backhaus, C. (2012). Consequences of customer loyalty on the loyalty program and on the company. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 40(5), 625-638. Gremler, D. and Brown, S. (1998). The ripple effect of loyalty: appreciating the full value of customers. International Journal of Service Industry Management, 10(3), 271-291. Parguel, B., Pechpeyrou, PD, Sabri-Zaaraoui, O. and Desmet, P. (2007). Format effects on volume discounts granted to customers. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 16(5), 348.Roberts, J. (1986). A model of predatory pricing signaling. Oxford Economic Papers, 38, 75. Smith, A. (1991). An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (Vol. I). London: David Campbell Publishers Ltd. Taylor, G. and Neslin, S. (2005). The current and future sales impact of a retail frequency rewards program. Retail Journal, 81(4), 293-305.