In a Situationship With Your Favorite Brand?

You follow them. You check their new drops. You have bought from them a few times, maybe told a friend. But if someone asked whether you are loyal, you would probably say, “It’s not that serious.” If that sounds like your relationship with your favorite brands, you are not alone. For many Gen Z shoppers, brand loyalty looks a lot like a situationship: real feelings, no labels and an open door.

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Yes, It Is a Real Word

“Situationship” was one of the finalists for Oxford’s 2023 Word of the Year, defined as a romantic or sexual relationship that lacks formal or established status [1]. The comparison to shopping is more than a joke. Consumer researchers have studied relationships between people and brands for decades.

In a foundational 1998 paper in the Journal of Consumer Research, consumer researcher Susan Fournier argued that people form relationships with brands that resemble human ones, and described 15 different forms, from “best friends” to “marriages of convenience” and “dependencies” [2]. Later work in the Journal of Marketing on “brand love” found that the strongest brand relationships involve a brand becoming part of how people see themselves, along with genuine emotional connection and a sense of a shared future [3].

1

Talking stage

You notice them on your feed

2

Situationship

You buy, but keep options open

3

Relationship

They become part of your identity

Illustration inspired by brand relationship research [2][3].

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Brand-Conscious, Not Brand-Loyal

Purchase data shows the situationship clearly. An October 2026 analysis by Attain and dentsu, based on what people actually bought rather than what they said, found that Gen Z shoppers spend about 25% less a year than the average U.S. shopper but spread their purchases across 6% more merchants. They are 25% more likely to value brand names over price, yet 18% less likely to stick with the same brands [4].

Values brand names over price

+25%

Prioritizes saving time

+19%

Number of merchants shopped

+6%

Sticks with the same brands

−18%

Less likelyMore likely

Source: Attain and dentsu, purchase data analysis, Oct. 2026 [4]. Bars compare Gen Z with the average U.S. shopper.

Surveys tell a similar story with a twist. In a 2026 PayPal survey reported by YPulse, 73% of Gen Z said they usually stay loyal to brands, yet 55% admitted they would switch for a cheaper or better deal, and only 9% said they would never switch [5]. They feel loyal. They just do not feel locked in.

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The Small Inner Circle

Here is where the situationship metaphor gets interesting. Gen Z shops around, but its true commitments are few. In Attentive’s 2026 loyalty research, 85% of Gen Z said they shop regularly with five brands or fewer [7]. And in a 2026 Rival Technologies survey of 903 Gen Z consumers, 64% said they would stick with a brand they like rather than switch on price, while only 11% said brands understand them “really well” [6].

85% regularly shop with five brands or fewer [7]

64% would stick with a brand they like rather than switch on price [6]

11% say brands understand them “really well” [6]

Sources: Attentive, 2026; Rival Technologies, 2026 [6][7]. Surveys use different samples and wording.

Put those numbers side by side and a clear opportunity appears. Gen Z will commit to a brand it likes, but very few brands make them feel understood. That gap is exactly where a small business, with a real person behind it, has an advantage no algorithm can copy.

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From Situationship to Relationship

Situationship energy

Mixed signals: inconsistent quality or messaging

Only reaching out when there is a sale

Feeling like one customer among millions

Values that feel like marketing, not belief

Relationship energy

Showing up consistently, in quality and tone

Remembering the customer, from names to past orders

Being transparent about who makes things and how

Shared values that show up in actions

Synthesis by Rooted Editorial, informed by brand relationship research and Gen Z survey findings [2][3][6].

Psychology research supports the power of familiarity. Studies of everyday social interactions have found that even brief, repeated contact with “weak ties,” the barista or shop owner you see regularly, is linked to a greater sense of belonging [10]. A brand that knows your name is no longer a brand. It is a person in your life.

Gen Z’s habits point in the same direction. They are projected to drive much of the growth in secondhand fashion [8], and they were the only generation planning to give more experience gifts in 2026 [9]. Both trends favor what small businesses do best: one-of-a-kind finds, personal service and moments that feel human.

If you run a small business	Why it works
Be consistent	Reliability is the opposite of mixed signals. It builds trust over time.
Make it personal	A handwritten note or remembering a past order makes customers feel known.
Show your values in action	Gen Z can tell the difference between a slogan and a practice.
Stay in touch without pressure	Share stories and process, not just promotions.
Welcome the casual shopper	Today’s browser is tomorrow’s regular. Every first purchase is a first date.

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A Note from Rooted

Rooted was built for relationships, not transactions. Every shop on Rooted is run by a real person, and every purchase is a chance to get to know who is behind the brand. If you are ready to stop window shopping and find a few brands worth committing to, you might start here.

Situationships are easy. The real thing takes consistency, honesty and showing up. The best small businesses have been doing that all along.

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Find your next favorite among small brands on Rooted.

Sources