Designing an Irresistible Loyalty Program: A Checklist

Do you want to increase your average order value, boost return on investment (ROI), and encourage shoppers to purchase newly released products? Enter a loyalty program, a fantastic tactic that’ll help nurture your existing customers so they’ll return for more. 

Let’s cut to the good part: Here’s a checklist that’ll guarantee the loyalty program you design for your Shopify store is as irresistible as it can be. 

Pro tip: If you’re new to the world of loyalty programs — or at least the business side of it — take a minute to check out this introductory post.

Loyalty Program Checklist

Branding and messaging

✅ You have a memorable name that isn’t just “loyalty program.” 

✅ Your messaging is centered around gratitude and appreciation.

✅ The relationship between spending, points, and rewards is clearly stated and easy to understand. 

Rewards

✅ Customers receive rewards for every action they take (purchases, social media shares, friend referrals, etc.).

✅ Rewards are generous

• Free merchandise or gifts

• Discounts and deals

• Early access to events (sales, launches, etc.)

• Free shipping

✅ Shoppers who make frequent or large purchases are rewarded.

✅ Customers receive non-points-related perks (e.g., a free birthday gift) that deliver surprise and delight.)

Program infrastructure

✅ The process for shoppers to sign up is straightforward and quick. 

✅ The time between eligible actions (e.g., purchase) and gratification isn’t too long. 

• If offering a tiered program, the first tier is simple to reach for everyone.

✅ The loyalty program is accessible across multiple touchpoints (web, mobile, app, etc.)

• Customers can quickly see and track their rewards.

• Customers can easily redeem their rewards whenever they want. 

✅ Customers are encouraged to join the loyalty program during and after purchasing via emails, ads, and other marketing channels. 

• Customers can join the loyalty program after completing a purchase and receive their previously earned points accordingly.

✅ Redemption terms are customer friendly (e.g., the redemption periods and time before points expire are reasonable in length).

✅ Any exceptions to the loyalty program (e.g., no points for gift card purchases) are clearly stated and not hidden in legal pages.

Last updated on January 7th, 2022.