Over the past several years, personalization has become an industry standard in both the online and offline commerce markets.  As much as 70% of shoppers have indicated that they want and expect more personalized shopping experiences, and this trend is evident across several generations of shoppers.  Clearly not all customers are created equal, and this desire for customized experiences will not only impact your ecommerce store, but will have a significant impact on your loyalty program as well.

In a world where customers are becoming accustomed to one-of-a-kind experiences, what attracted one person to your rewards program might not appeal to another.  The harsh reality is that designing loyalty rewards that appeal to every type of customer is no longer feasible, especially as retention strategies continue to grow and evolve.

loyalty rewards smile multiple summary

However, navigating these different types of customer expectations is a lot easier when you offer multiple ways to reward your most loyal customers, and the Smile.io team is excited to tell you that you’re now able to do exactly that!  We’ve made it possible for you to customize a loyalty rewards menu that works best for your most loyal customers, and are confident that these additions will positively impact your customer experience.

Wondering how you do that?  We’re more than happy to show you.

Free Shipping Loyalty Rewards

Free shipping is a customer expectation that’s quickly gaining speed.  With major ecommerce retailers like Amazon offering free shipping for relatively small purchases, customers are being conditioned to expect it everywhere.  In fact, 9 out of 10 shoppers agree that free shipping is their number one incentive for shopping online, and 44% will abandon a purchase if they perceive shipping costs to be too high.

loyalty rewards love shipping

These stats make it clear that free shipping is a game changing customer motivation for many shoppers.  Thankfully, you can now give the people what they want!  For those customers who aren’t concerned with product discounts, free shipping gives you the opportunity to demonstrate value at every step in the customer journey.  Now your brand’s positive experience is able to extend beyond the browsing process to checkout, making your program a highly valuable addition to any online shopping experience.

loyalty rewards shop for shipping

The best part about free shipping rewards, however, is what it will do to your retention metrics.  Studies have shown that 93% of shoppers can be encouraged to buy more if free shipping is on the table.  Offering free shipping as a reward will motivate customers to spend more per order to reach this reward quicker, helping increase your average order value with every purchase.  As one of the most influential retention metrics, this type of benefit cannot be overstated and shouldn’t be overlooked.

What Free Shipping Looks Like with Smile.io:

loyalty rewards soap age free shipping

Note: free shipping loyalty rewards are not available to Magento merchants at this time.

Free Product Loyalty Rewards

Have you ever been hesitant to try a new product from your favourite brand simply because you’re not sure it will meet your needs?  These concerns are common among your customers too, and can keep them from trying new products in your store.  As a merchant you’re constantly trying to expand your customers’ horizons by encouraging them to increase their basket size, but customers want a guarantee that these new products are worthwhile and risk-free.

loyalty rewards free products no risk

Enter free product rewards.  When you offer specific products as loyalty rewards, you effectively eliminate many of the risks customers associate with unfamiliar products.  Now, the chance that they might not love it has been replaced with the value of enjoying something for free, increasing their desire to cash in.

loyalty rewards glow recipe free product

This principle is what makes free product rewards so valuable for your loyalty program.  By showing your customer what they will receive, you’ve made value easy to see and even easier to understand.  So instead of trying to calculate what 5% back will get them, they can simply scroll through your loyalty rewards list and understand what their loyalty can earn them.

You can even take this further by offering exclusive products as rewards.  If customers know they can only receive specific products by redeeming their rewards the product’s perceived value automatically increases, motivating them to spend more in order to earn it.

loyalty rewards exclusive products

In order to make your free product loyalty rewards as personalized as possible, we’ve even given you the ability to customize your product images.  This customization allows you to create a consistent branding tone and image that will help customers see the value of your product rewards and immediately recognize your brand.

You can apply these custom icons to any other reward type, too, to help strengthen your loyalty brand.  Take your loyalty rewards to the next level with images that truly personalize and enhance your loyalty experience!  These are the considerations that will help your brand stand out and beat the competition.

What Customized Free Product Rewards Look Like with Smile.io:

loyalty rewards smile free product

Note: free product loyalty rewards are not available to merchants on Magento, or merchants currently subscribed to Free or Basic plans at this time.

Combining Point of Sale and eCommerce Loyalty Rewards

While ecommerce is on the up and up, offline retail is still a huge competitor when it comes to securing customer loyalty.  Offline and online shoppers are very different, but the gap is closing between the number of ecom and retail purchases.  Only 55% of all shoppers prefer to shop offline, so if your brand exists in both the ecommerce and retail spaces, chances are your best customers will visit you at both locations.

loyalty rewards offline versus online shopping

So how can you make both of these experiences valuable?  Simple: offer different loyalty rewards!  There’s no rule that requires you to offer the same rewards to both types of customers, so why should you?   84% of shoppers have indicated that retailers need to do more to integrate their offline and online channels, and offering different incentives between your two storefronts is the perfect way to do it!

Giving customers the chance to earn a variety of loyalty rewards between storefronts allows you to demonstrate your understanding of their needs.  For example, online customers might appreciate free shipping rewards more than a product discount, while your in-store customers might find free products or special events more valuable.

loyalty rewards different menus

By recognizing these shopping preferences and differences, you create a shopping experience with endless options that allows customers to be rewarded wherever it’s most convenient for them.  This makes both of your stores valuable for comparable reasons, making you a serious contender in both the online and offline markets.

Note: this feature is currently only available for Shopify merchants.

Offering the Best Loyalty Rewards with Smile.io

Paying more attention to how you reward your loyal customers will put the finishing touches on your already flourishing customer experience.  Between free product rewards, free shipping, and diversified offline to online rewards menus, the Smile.io team is proud to equip you with everything you need to truly impress your customers with every transaction.

Consider these loyalty rewards the cherry on top of your perfect customer experience sundae – they’re sweet, appealing, and utterly satisfying.