Before the list: loyalty programmes amplify an existing reason to return. They do not create one. If people are not coming back because the product underdelivered or because reordering is awkward, points will not change that.
Check your 90-day second-order rate and your return reasons first.
The options
Smile.io — the default. Easy to run, good integrations, points and referrals done simply. Right for most brands.
LoyaltyLion — more configurable, stronger segmentation and tiering, priced accordingly. Suits brands that will actively manage the programme.
Yotpo Loyalty — makes sense if you are already on Yotpo for reviews and want one contract.
Rivo — aggressive on price, capable for the cost.
Stamped Loyalty — pairs with Stamped reviews, mid-market value.
| Best for | Watch | |
|---|---|---|
| Smile.io | Most brands, low effort | Limited advanced tiering |
| LoyaltyLion | Actively managed programmes | Cost and setup effort |
| Yotpo | Vendor consolidation | Page weight |
| Rivo | Budget | Less mature |
| Stamped | Bundled with reviews | Middle of the road |
What makes a programme work
The reward is reachable. If it takes six orders to earn anything, nobody engages. The first reward should feel close after the first purchase.
It is visible at the right moment. Points earned shown at checkout, points available shown on the product page. A programme nobody sees is a subscription you pay for.
Referral is part of it. Referrals are usually the highest-return element and the one brands under-promote.
It does not just discount. Early access, free shipping, a gift. Pure discounting trains people to wait.
The most common failure is a programme launched with no promotion and no placement. It sits in the footer, earns nothing, and gets blamed for not working.
Talk it through
Send us your second-order rate.
We will tell you whether loyalty is the right lever or whether the problem sits in the product experience, where points cannot reach.
Get a readA real read within one business day — not a sales call.
About the author
Manpreet Singh
Manpreet Singh is the founder of Proscube, an ecommerce growth studio. He leads the studio's Shopify and Shopify Plus engineering, headless builds, CRO, and its work on AI engine optimization, and writes its guidance on how to grow a DTC brand without wasting money. He works directly with founders — no account-manager layers between you and the people doing the work — and would rather tell a client not to build something than sell them work they don't need.
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