You’re about to slide your card through the credit card reader when the clerk asks, “Are you a member of our rewards program?”

It’s a simple enough, but determining the value of these customer loyalty programs is not easy.

Do these rewards programs work? That’s what ACI Worldwide sought to answer with a recent study.

In short, no—these programs don’t benefit the consumer and can actually hurt customer loyalty for the retailer.

Here are some takeaways from the study:

• 44 percent of consumers have had a negative experience from a loyalty program.
• 27 percent of Americans have received a loyalty program reward or promotion that made them feel valued as a customer.
• 81 percent of American loyalty program members are enrolled in a program that they don’t completely understand.
• 85 percent of members report that they haven’t heard a single word from a loyalty program since the day they signed up.