FAQs

Every brand and merchant, regardless of their type, size, and industry, needs a loyalty program. A loyalty program is a powerful marketing and customer retention tool that helps businesses increase customer retention, drive customer loyalty, and achieve business growth.

Loyal-n-Save is a third-party loyalty platform. Your business builds a Loyal-n-Save property. You integrate this property into your POS and checkout workflows. Then, customers register for your program via the Loyal-n-Save app or website or at checkout. Customers can view their balances in the app and manage their reward tokens, teams, tiers, offers, etc.

When customers complete certain tasks, like buying products at a certain amount or referring a brand or product to someone else, they get incentivized in the form of reward tokens. Customers can then use these reward tokens to get discounts or redeem exclusive items.

Customers can use the mobile app or website to redeem exclusive branded merch in your Swag Shop or visit a store and use their reward tokens to get discounts and other benefits.

Swag Shop is an online store within the loyalty program where you can set up exclusive branded merch, digital coupons, and services to be redeemed through customer earnings. Set your own redemption value and allow customers to add items to their wish list and have the option to gift their friends.

A virtual rewards card, also known as a digital punch card, is a digital card in the form of a mobile app or a unique voucher number. Customers can use it to claim rewards and benefits. These cards are a digital version of the physical punch cards that customers carry to shops to get discounts and freebies on a specific item or service.

When a customer receives a virtual rewards card in the form of a code or a voucher number, they can take it to the store and exchange it for a discount or other exclusive rewards. These digital cards are valid for one-time use only. Once used, they expire, and customers need to earn them again.

A merchant-funded rewards program is a coalition loyalty program where multiple merchants participate together. The idea behind such loyalty programs is to offer multiple options to customers while enabling each merchant to increase brand awareness and achieve their business goals.

Traditionally, coalition loyalty programs haven't been very successful, with unhealthy competition being the biggest problem. Customers would earn rewards from one merchant and claim them at another merchant's store. If you want to get other merchants to participate in your loyalty rewards program, you'll need to develop a structure where all the merchants involved receive benefits.

Gym owners can benefit greatly from loyalty programs. The success of a gym loyalty program lies in its simplicity. Make the program easy to join and offer clear benefits. For example, loyalty members can get access to exclusive areas/equipment or receive gym products like protein shakes for a discounted price.

Yes, rewards programs are highly successful in coffee shops. In fact, loyalty programs are one of the most effective marketing and customer retention techniques for coffee shops. All the leading coffee chains, including Starbucks, Dunkin', etc., have loyalty programs that have significantly contributed to business growth.

Yes, with the tobacco and vape industries growing rapidly, shop owners need new innovative ways to drive customer retention and loyalty. Loyalty programs have a significant impact on customer engagement and foster loyalty. Tobacco and vape shops can also take advantage of Altria’s new digital incentive trade program.

Customer lifetime value (LTV) refers to the average total revenue your business earns from a customer over time. A higher customer LTV indicates that customers make big and repeat purchases at your store. You can increase LTV by incentivizing customers for their purchases, offering personalized experiences, and providing world-class customer support and service.

Though every loyalty program is unique depending on the business and customers, there are a few elements every customer loyalty program should have. A loyalty program should be digital and have a tokens-based rewards system. Your loyalty program should offer multiple rewards, and most importantly, you should have the ability to promote across different channels, such as push notifications, emails, and more.

The customer lifecycle comprises five stages: reach, acquisition, conversion, retention, and loyalty. Different marketing handbooks can have different stages, but they're broadly classified into awareness, conversion, and retention. A loyalty program helps you push customers from the conversion stage to the retention and loyalty stages.

Customer loyalty programs are one of the most effective strategies to retain customers and prevent them from going to your competitors. Customers are more likely to stick with a brand that incentivizes them. By rewarding your customers for shopping with you and personalizing their experience, you encourage them to buy from you again.

It's essential for any business to continuously improve its loyalty program. You can add value by taking your loyalty program online and offering personalized customer experiences. Offering new and exciting rewards and giving multiple options to customers are other effective ways to improve your loyalty program.

Retaining customers is at least 5x cheaper than acquiring new customers, and a mere 5% increase in customer retention can increase profitability by 25-95%. Customer loyalty directly improves a business's bottom line and increases business growth, making it a priority for every business.

Some types of customer loyalty programs are tokens-based loyalty programs, umbrella loyalty programs, tiered loyalty programs, paid loyalty programs, value-based loyalty programs, coalition loyalty programs, and game-based loyalty programs. All loyalty programs have their own unique benefits, so it's important to choose the one that aligns with your business goals.

Implementing a loyalty program has become a popular strategy among leading retail brands. Some major brands with loyalty programs are Starbucks, Reebok, Disney, Moosejaw, DSW, IKEA, Baskin Robbins, Kroger, Kohls, PetSmart, and the list goes on.

A wide range of factors collectively contribute to customer loyalty. These include convenience, expectations, customer service, personal relationships, rewards, community outreach, and reputation. If you want to cultivate customer loyalty, try to strike the perfect balance between all these elements.

Customer loyalty programs are a great way to get customers coming back for more. Customers are more likely to shop from merchants that offer personalized perks and rewards because they feel valued. Loyal customers can also refer their friends and family to receive ongoing incentives, improving word-of-mouth marketing.

The repeat purchase rate is the most accurate measure of customer loyalty. High customer retention indicates high levels of customer loyalty. Some merchants also calculate customer lifetime value (CLV). To get the most accurate estimate, you can combine both repeat purchase rates and CLV.

Reward tokens, Swag items, digital coupons, punch cards, and freebies are some popular ways to incentivize a customer. However, your incentive structure will depend on your business model, product, and goals. For example, a restaurant can offer a free dish, whereas a hotel can give a room at a discounted price.

Yes, loyalty programs are one of the most effective tools for getting referrals. Rewarding customers increases satisfaction, and happy customers are more likely to recommend you to their friends. You can also incentivize your customers for referring your brand to others, and allowing them to build their team for ongoing rewards.