64% of New Fuel Customers Churn After Their First Month, New Upside Report Finds
Uncommitted shoppers make up 34% of a fuel retailer’s revenue, but most don’t come back without timely engagement
June 10, 2025 – WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new report from Upside, Winning the Uncommitted Customer, reveals a critical retention gap in the fuel industry: 64% of new fuel customers never return after their first month.
Based on 75 million transactions and two years of retailer and consumer survey data, the report shows that uncommitted customers — those who routinely visit different brands — drive 34% of a fuel retailer’s revenue. Though these customers are difficult to win, they can be influenced. The fuel retailers who influence their behavior early have a clear opportunity to unlock meaningful growth.
“The data shows that a visit — or even a loyalty membership — doesn’t mean a customer is here to stay,” said Dr. Thomas Weinandy, Senior Research Economist at Upside. “To retain customers and recoup acquisition costs, fuel retailers need to prioritize winning each and every successive transaction. Winning just one more trip a month could create a meaningful boost in revenue.”
Despite the findings, many retailers underestimate the scope of the problem. In Upside’s survey, 57% of fuel retailers said they don’t believe a meaningful portion of their customers are uncommitted. But the data shows otherwise: 74% of fuel customers fit this profile — and they span all ages, income levels, and household types.
The business case for prioritizing this group is clear. In the fuel industry, just one additional visit per month from uncommitted customers could drive an 88% increase in overall revenue — helping fuel retailers turn one-time visits into lasting relationships and justify their acquisition investment.
Loyalty programs help — compared to the 51% of customers who don’t use incentives, only 20% of loyalty members churn in a given month. But given the amount that grocers generally spend to get loyalty members to enroll, minimizing this gap should be a priority.
When paired with Upside’s personalized, margin-bound offers, retention improves even further. At the cardholder level, loyalty and Upside together improve retention by 60%. Uncommitted customers are value-seeking, digital, and opportunistic — when grocers meet that criteria with personalized promotions, these customers show a willingness to change their behavior.
“Fuel retailers know how hard it is to keep a customer, especially when price drives so many decisions,” said Sam Berkovitz, VP of Enterprise Fuel at Upside. “This report gives operators a clearer picture of who’s walking away and how to bring them back. It’s not with blanket discounts, but with offers that show up at the right time.”
More insights, strategies, and industry benchmarks are available in the full Winning the Uncommitted Customer report linked here: www.upside.com/reports/winning-the-uncommitted-customer.
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