Skip to content
‹ Back to IndustriesRetail

Loyalty in Retail: Mastercard is Shaping the Future of Retail by Creating Meaningful Connections with Customers

In this episode of Retail Refined, host Melissa Gonzalez partners with Mastercard to explore how personalization and data-driven technology are reshaping customer loyalty in retail. Stephanie Meltzer-Paul, EVP of Global Loyalty at Mastercard, shares insights on evolving loyalty program expectations and the growing role of generative AI in delivering meaningful customer experiences.

This story was produced through MarketScale. See how Retail teams put it to work with Sales Enablement.

Promoted content from Retail Refined on MarketScale.

By Melissa Gonzalez · · Customer LoyaltyMastercardMelissa GonzalezRetail Refined
Share

Key takeaways

01

Personalization is now a strategic imperative for building lasting customer loyalty in retail.

02

Mastercard's loyalty solutions are helping brands globally create more meaningful, data-driven customer connections.

03

Generational differences—particularly the rise of Gen AI expectations among younger shoppers—are reshaping how loyalty programs must be designed.

Free workspace

Turn your Retail expertise into content.

Record interviews, organize footage, and write with AI on a free trial of the MarketScale platform for qualifying companies. No demo required, no credit card.

Try it Free

The retail space is heating up with innovation. Consumers are increasingly seeking personalized experiences and brands are harnessing the powers of new technologies and data to fulfill these demands like never before. In today's episode of Retail Refined, host Melissa Gonzalez has partnered with Mastercard, a global leader in the solutions at the forefront of this transformation.

In this episode, Melissa and Mastercard are addressing hot topics like the role personalization plays in building customer loyalty, how brands can leverage technology to create more meaningful connections with their customers, and more. Right off the heels of retail's big event Shoptalk, Retail Refined host Melissa Gonzalez sits down with Stephanie Meltzer-Paul, Executive Vice President of Global Loyalty at Mastercard, for her insights on the evolving landscape of personalization and loyalty in retail.

Key points of discussion include:

  • The importance of a strategic approach to personalization and loyalty.
  • How Mastercard's solutions are helping brands worldwide enhance customer experiences.
  • The impact of generational differences on loyalty program expectations and the rise of Gen AI in personalizing shopping experiences.

With a background in leading digital and loyalty initiatives for prominent brands, Stephanie Meltzer-Paul brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. Her expertise in data-driven strategies and creative solutions has been instrumental in driving significant digital revenue growth and enhancing customer engagement.

Stephanie Meltzer-Paul is the Executive Vice President of Global Loyalty at Mastercard. With a background in leading digital and loyalty initiatives for prominent brands, she brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. Her expertise in data-driven strategies and creative solutions has been instrumental in driving significant digital revenue growth and enhancing customer engagement.

Retail Refined

Part of this channel

Retail Refined

In-store technology and consumer experience trends for retail leaders.

Visit the channel

Your experts belong here

Every story in MarketScale Retail starts with a company putting its merchandising leads, store operations teams, and category managers on the record. Buyers are already reading this topic. The only question is whose experts they find.

Category buyers trust operators, so your merchandising leads shorten the distance between first search and first call.

Book DemoSee how it works15 minutes, straight to a calendar.

About the author

Melissa Gonzalez
Melissa GonzalezTop Retail Voice, Influencer, and Lead Retail Contributor, Retail Refined

Industry-recognized influencer, leader, and storyteller in Retail. Lead Retail Industry Contributor at MarketScale. Principal at MG2 Design. Host of "Retail Refined" Podcast. As a global brand and retail experience disruptor, Melissa possess strong proficiency in consumer insights, experiential design, retail technology integration, and brand innovation. During her career, she have created powerful visual narratives through physical spaces, imprinting complex concepts and ideas to consumers in genuine, tactile, and persuasive manners. She have also served as a consumer engagement trendsetter, “pop-up” industry pioneer, and entrepreneur. Melissa founded and launched a consumer experiential design firm that achieved a successful exit, driving initial client wins, monetization, and exponential revenue growth. "Melissa brings both her industry knowledge and an approachable and educational point of view to her interviewing skills. With an authentic style, she facilitates an engaging dialogue, one where listeners can walk away from with tangible insights and thought provokers!" -Jeffrey Roseman, Vice Chairman of Retail at Newmark "What sets Melissa apart is her ability to cut through the noise and provide actionable insights. Whether you’re a store owner looking to revamp your space or a tech enthusiast curious about the next big thing in retail, you’ll find tangible ideas to build on. From seasoned designers to pioneering tech gurus - ensuring that listeners are always engaged with diverse and forward-thinking perspectives. Retail Refined doesn’t just skim the surface; it dives deep into topics that matter. If staying ahead of the retail curve is important to you, start here." -Nate Frazier, Chief Operating Officer of GNC

B2B Weekly

The week in Retail, and sixteen other industries, every Monday.

Ten stories, one-line takes, five minutes. Free.

Retail: are you visible to AI?

Before they reach out, Retail buyers ask AI engines which vendors to trust. Explore how your experts, customers, and partners can become useful content for buyers and AI search.

Free Trial

You just read one Retail expert. Your company is full of them.

This article was produced through MarketScale. The same platform turns your merchandising leads, store operations teams, and category managers into the articles, video, and social content Retail buyers are searching for. Start a free trial and see it with your own people. For qualifying companies, no credit card, no demo required.

NPS +73 · 1,000+ creators · 38+ countries

What your free trial includes

Hands-on access to the MarketScale platform
Media requests to your crowd, remote recording, AI writing tools
No demo required. No credit card.
For qualifying companies. Company confirmation required.

More Retail Insights

Aldi is pushing grocery prices down for rivals too

Aldi is pushing grocery prices down for rivals too

Aldi plans more than 180 new U.S. stores in 2026 on the way to 3,200 by the end of 2028. NPR's Planet Money reports a months-long comparison found Aldi matched or slightly beat Walmart on price. More than 80% of what it sells is private label. Kroger and Wegmans have announced defensive price cuts, and a study of Lidl found rival markups fell about 7% near new stores.

  • 01Aldi is spending about $9 billion between 2024 and 2028 on stores, supply chain and digital, and will operate in 40 states.
  • 02Private label above 80% of the assortment and one version of most items are the two levers behind the prices.
  • 03A late-2023 study of Lidl found competing chains cut markups about 7% in areas where a Lidl opened.

Oct 27, 2026

Tencent puts its retail AI agents inside the chat apps store staff already use

Tencent puts its retail AI agents inside the chat apps store staff already use

Tencent Smart Retail presented five AI tools, including WorkBuddy and Miora, at World Retail Lab Asia 2026 in Hong Kong. Retail News Asia reports that the system links back offices to sales staff on WeCom and shoppers on Weixin. That could ease store adoption, but it ties data to one ecosystem.

  • 01Tencent's retail AI advantage could come from where the tools sit. Retail News Asia reports that the system links merchant back offices to front-line sales teams on WeCom and to shoppers on Weixin.
  • 02Chains whose sales lean heavily on loyalty members could gain the most from chat-based clienteling agents. Tencent cites Chow Tai Fook as applying AI to customer and store operations.

Oct 23, 2026

Walmart opens its store to AI shopping agents with spending limits while Amazon shuts them out

Walmart opens its store to AI shopping agents with spending limits while Amazon shuts them out

Walmart announced on October 21 that it will let AI shopping agents buy on a customer's behalf through separate Agent Profiles, due within a month, with purchase approval by default or a spending cap the customer sets. Agents never see card details and cannot change payment methods. The Walmart Agent Gateway, an MCP server, is in beta for developers. Amazon blocked Meta's Muse agent in September.

  • 01Agent Profiles let customers set spending caps ($50, $100, $200) or require approval on every purchase, with agents unable to access card details or payment methods.
  • 02Walmart’s Agent Gateway runs on the Model Context Protocol, letting AI agents search, build carts and check out without browser automation.
  • 03Amazon blocked third-party agents citing lack of authorization to access customer accounts, scrape data, or process transactions.

Oct 23, 2026

Explore More Retail Insights

Read more expert perspectives from across Retail.

Browse Retail Hub

About the Experts

Melissa Gonzalez
Melissa Gonzalez

Host, Retail Refined

Retail Refined

Melissa Gonzalez is the host of Retail Refined, a MarketScale show exploring the future of consumer and in-store experiences. She is also founder of The Lionesque Group, a firm specializing in pop-up retail strategy and experiential retail design. Gonzalez is a recognized retail strategist and speaker who engages with industry leaders on topics including personalization, technology, and the evolving shopper journey.

SM
Stephanie Meltzer-Paul

Executive Vice President of Global Loyalty

Mastercard

Stephanie Meltzer-Paul serves as Executive Vice President of Global Loyalty at Mastercard, where she leads the company's loyalty solutions and personalization initiatives for brands worldwide. She has a background in digital and loyalty program leadership for prominent consumer brands and brings expertise in data-driven strategies that drive digital revenue growth and customer engagement.

For B2B teams

Your experts could be publishing here

Stories like this one run on content MarketScale captures from real practitioners. See how your team's expertise becomes coverage in Retail and beyond.

Book a Demo

Or call us. No forms required. We pick up. 214-945-2512