A millennial born in the digital age, I grew up arrogantly thinking brick and mortar was on its last legs. Ecommerce was the way forward, and before we knew it, we’d be living in floating armchairs with everything we needed on a projected screen in front of us (think Wall-E).

Turns out, things don’t move so linearly. And while technology might evolve exactly as quickly as you expect, human nature doesn’t quite match up in rate of change. We don’t want to live isolated from others, married to a holographic screen, consuming limitlessly.

Maybe we don’t want mandated office days, but we do want to be in the office, around people, on our own terms. We want the option to shop online, but we also want to know we can head into the city to try those jeans on for size. We’ll make a day of it—see friends for coffee, go to the gym, or run some errands.

Over COVID, we hedged our bets on direct-to-consumer commerce. Big Tech like Amazon went all-in on hires during the pandemic, then made massive staff cuts when eCommerce transactions tapered off earlier than expected.

Retail giants also bet big on leisurewear—anticipating a pivot to work-from-home comfies to stick around. But it wasn’t long before they realized they’d over estimated demand. Shoppers reported seeing leisurewear littering Target shop floors, and sales abounded to move stock.

Looking ahead, what can we expect from 2024? More of the same, or a shift for the better?

Online Retail Sales: 2024 Outlook

2022 saw a contraction in online sales worldwide, but 2023 has been back to growth again—around 7%. Now, even with the possibility of recession still hanging thick in the air (will it happen? will it not?), the consumer appears to be resilient.

The Economist Intelligence Unit, EIU, is predicting online retail sales growth globally to head back into double-digit growth (10.5%).

But the US and Western Europe will still be playing catch up, with more sluggish single digit growth than the global average. We’ll be seeing profitability pressures continue to restrict growth in the DTC space, with investors seeking better returns.

Brick and Mortar Sales: 2024 Outlook

If you’ve been following retail news, you’ll have seen Kohl’s has been suffering in eCommerce sales. Following other big brands, Kohl’s has committed to modernizing its physical presence, as well as providing offers and promotions consistently across all channels.

Consumers want brick and mortar, but they’re voting with their wallets, demanding a slick, engaging experience. Think Mecca, IKEA, Apple and LEGO.

Where SMB and mid-market retail can provide a more personal touch, retail giants are under pressure to supplement a lack of personalization with expensive tech and impressive fitouts.

EIU forecasts that brick and mortar sales will make up a whopping 85% of total retail sales in 2024. The businesses that have made it through high interest rates and rising costs will enjoy recovering foot traffic and a sales boost.

“2024 will see the strongest pace of growth for offline retail since the post-pandemic rebound of 2021,” EIU predicts.

This trend will be global. Beyond Kohls, other large retailers like Nordstrom (US) and Primark (Ireland) are planning store expansion in the US in 2024.

Overall Outlook for Retail in 2024

While the online sales forecast is still overcast, the clouds are clearing and a growth surge is on the horizon for brick and mortar.

Black Friday / Cyber Monday 2023 proved that the consumer is ever-resilient. We also saw that loyal customers are a critical asset to retailers—brick and mortar in particular.

Marsello’s latest data shows around half of eCommerce shoppers were repeat customers, and half new shoppers.

For brick and mortar retailers, on the other hand, repeat customers made up 80% of BFCM sales. What's more, physical retailers grew their customer databases by around 22% over Black Friday in 2023.

Loyalty programs and customer marketing will play a huge part in boosting 2024 brick and mortar sales.

Yes, that’s a pitch to start a free trial of Marsello, connect your eCommerce and POS platforms, and start syncing the last few months’ worth of sales!

In 2024, it’s time to put all that data into motion… change is coming.

Read more: 7 Steps To Building A Profitable Loyalty & Rewards Program

Want to bring all your in-store sales data into Klaviyo?

Want to connect all your bricks-and-mortar and eCommerce transactions to unique customer profiles?

Want to segment your customers by their behavior, no matter where they’re shopping with you?

Look no further.

Marsello’s omnichannel loyalty program is your solution. Marsello integrates with point-of-sale (POS) apps as well as your eCommerce apps, and syncs all that data into Klaviyo.

That means you get all your sales data in one place. Better yet, it’s all identifiable. So if your customers are shopping with you online and in-store, you can see a complete activity log of all their purchases.

That means more complete data, and more marketing precision.

Why do I need to use a loyalty program?

A loyalty program is one of the only ways to de-anonymize in-person transactions.

Without it, your customers can come in and shop without identifying themselves. Which means you’ve got regulars you can’t talk to, unless you’re actually speaking to them in the store!

You can’t let them know about new products, you can’t email them discounts for their loyalty, you can’t tell how much they’re spending with you.

With a loyalty program, you know your customers. They're motivated to self-identify, because they earn points on each purchase. Using Marsello, they simply scan their loyalty code or give sales staff their mobile number. This attaches the customer to the sale, and syncs all the order details through to their profile in Klaviyo.

Plus, with Marsello, you get much more than just SKU and order data. You can see points balance, tier status, and repeat purchase rate in Klaviyo as well (and use these data points for segments and automations). This shows you how engaged your database is, and how incentivized they are to come back.

See how Marsello's POS + Klaviyo integration works
Book a call with an expert to connect your in-store and online sales data with Klaviyo.

How does the Klaviyo POS integration prevent marketing misfires?

Marketing works best when it’s data-driven. But your automations won’t make any sense if they’re firing only on your eCommerce transactions.

If your customers get a consistent brand experience when they shop online, but they’re not getting the same experience when they go in-store, it’s incoherent and jarring.

For example, if Ronnie Regular gets a follow up email after he buys knitwear online, letting him know how to care for his new garment, that’s the experience he expects from his in-store purchases next winter too.

By seamlessly linking your sales channels with Klaviyo (via Marsello), you can leverage your in-store loyalty and order data. This enables you to craft more impactful campaigns through Klaviyo. You can segment, automate, and communicate with all the necessary information at your fingertips.

How does the Klaviyo POS integration work?

Simply connect your POS, eCommerce and Klaviyo accounts to Marsello. Marsello then links up your in-store loyalty and order details with Klaviyo customer profiles.

This makes Marsello your loyalty and sales hub, with all that customer data flowing through into Klaviyo for more efficient marketing.

With the Klaviyo and POS integration, you will:

• Share customer details with Klaviyo profiles: Sync customer details into Klaviyo, making customer profiles juicier with relevant data.
• Share customer events with your Klaviyo account: Set up events to automatically send timely and targeted emails based on what your customers are doing – like their shopping habits, loyalty actions, or feedback. These events happen fast, almost in real-time. Share events like in-store and online orders, loyalty actions, and feedback.
• Send your loyalty and order data to Klaviyo: Sync POS and eCommerce loyalty data and orders to Klaviyo customer profiles instantly. This gives you the full picture of how customers spend. You'll get to know your customers better – their habits and how they like to shop.
• Create offers and coupon codes for Klaviyo campaigns: Whip up discount codes that work both in-store and online for your campaigns. Load them up against specific customer profiles so folks can enjoy discounts wherever they shop.
• Build detailed customer segments for Klaviyo campaigns: Take advantage of both in-store and online data to create special customer segments in Klaviyo. These custom audiences help you run more personalized campaigns that go beyond just your VIP list.

“Having something that worked across both [online and in-store] channels was really important. Marsello gives us the tools on that front ... It makes it very easy to talk to our customer in just one voice”.

Will, Pace Athletic

What's possible with the POS + Klaviyo integration

When you connect Marsello and Klaviyo, you unlock a treasure trove of valuable loyalty and order data such as purchase site, order total, product selections, and more.

Let’s learn more about the specific data sets that get synced to your Klaviyo profiles.

POS and eCommerce orders

By syncing your POS and eCommerce order events into Klaviyo, you can create a 360-degree view of your customers’ spending behavior with your business. With this data, you can create targeted segments and automations based on in-store and online orders, enabling further personalization of your email marketing efforts.

Loyalty activities

Using Marsello’s loyalty program, you can encourage customers to return by rewarding them with loyalty points for each purchase they make. Sync loyalty events into Klaviyo to create custom segments and automations based on loyalty program engagement, then use customers’ loyalty profile information to further personalized your marketing efforts. For example, when a customer claims a coupon but hasn’t redeemed it, you could send a follow-up email that recommends products and encourages them to shop.

Feedback responses

Finally, using Marsello’s customer feedback features enable you to measure customer satisfaction with their shopping experience, helping you keep track of what you’re doing well and how you can improve. Sync feedback responses to Klaviyo to help measure customer sentiment. Create segments and automate follow-up emails to help nurture customer relationships with your brand.

And more! For a full list of what’s possible, visit the Help Center.

• Marsello: Klaviyo POS Integration
• Klaviyo and POS: Frequently Asked Questions

How to connect Klaviyo to your POS with Marsello

Now that you know how Marsello’s loyalty and order data can empower your email marketing campaigns, here's how to enable the Klaviyo integration within Marsello.

In your Klaviyo account, you will need to generate a new API key with Full Access to Profiles. 

To create an API in Klaviyo

• Navigate to API keys under your profile settings
• Enter “Marsello” as your Private API Key Name

• Under Select Access Level, select Full Access Key
• Click Create. This will generate your new API key.
• Copy this key and keep it ready to paste into your Marsello add-on settings.

If you haven’t already created a Klaviyo account, you can do so here.

How to enable the Klaviyo integration in Marsello

• First, log in to your Marsello account
• In your Marsello admin, navigate to Integrations > Add-ons
• Find Klaviyo in the list of add-ons and click Connect

• Under ‘Klaviyo API Key’ paste your Marsello API key, or follow these instructions to create one.

• Click Save. Your Marsello & Klaviyo accounts will now be connected.

And that's it!

No code, just a simple, seamless integration that only takes a minute.

Next read: 5 Klaviyo Integrations Every Retailer Should Be Using

Loyalty programs are the holy grail of retail marketing. Done right, they go way beyond offering generic discounts and giving away rewards that eat into your profit margins.

A well-designed loyalty program is the most powerful tool a retailer can have in their marketing arsenal. They offer you a way of engaging your audience, growing revenue, and ensuring your customers stick around for the long term.

But, how do you create a great loyalty program? In this blog, we’ll dive into a few simple steps that can help you design and launch an effective loyalty program for your brand.

• • 1. What is a loyalty program, and why is it important?
    2. How to create a loyalty program in 2024
    3. Decide what you want to achieve with your loyalty program
    4. Determine the type of loyalty program you want to launch
    5. Creating your loyalty program
    6. Set up your points system
    7. Configure your rewards and VIP tiers
    8. Promoting your loyalty program
    9. Final words
    10. Bonus tips

What is a loyalty program, and why is it important?

A loyalty program is a system that encourages customers to return by rewarding them with points and incentives for each purchase or interaction they have with your brand.

A well-designed loyalty program goes beyond superficial benefits and genuinely enhances the customer experience. It gives your customers a reason to spend more and shop with you more frequently. The best part is that it can be automated to reward them for activity that grows your brand, like making a purchase, referring a friend, or sharing your profile on social media.

These incentives not only keep your customers engaged but also help your business thrive, driving repeat purchases, winning new business, and cultivating long-term relationships with your brand. 

How to Create a Loyalty Program in 2024

Decide what you want to achieve with your loyalty program

For most retailers, the ultimate goal of a loyalty program is to increase repeat business and promote activity that grows your customer base and brand, however, it's crucial to tailor your loyalty program to your specific needs.

Here are some specific goals you might want to achieve with your loyalty program. Keep in mind that every business is different so it’s worth reflecting on what your overall business goals are.

1. Increase customer retention: Perhaps your repeat purchases rate is low, and you don’t often see the same customers coming back.
2. Build your customer database: Gather more valuable customer data to inform your marketing strategy and increase brand engagement.
3. Generate more sales: Increase repeat purchases and provide customers with incentives to spend more per transaction with your brand.
4. Word-of-mouth marketing: Encourage your customers to spread the word by offering incentives for referrals, growing your database, and increasing your brand awareness.
5. Reduced marketing costs: 80% of all sales come from 20% of your customers, and it’s much cheaper to target your existing customers than to attract new ones.
6. Competitive advantage: Stand out from your competition by adding value to your customer experience. Give customers a reason to choose your brand first.

Remember, specific objectives will vary based on your business needs and market situation. It’s essential to define clear goals for your loyalty program so you can measure performance and know what works.

Determine the type of loyalty program you want to launch

There are many types of loyalty programs available to you, each with its benefits and tailored to different business models. Here are some common types:

1. Points system for rewards: Customers earn points for every dollar they spend with your business, or for specific actions. These points can be redeemed for free products or other rewards.
2. Tiered loyalty programs: Customers can progress through various tiers based on their level of engagement. The higher the tier, the more significant or exclusive the reward.
3. Punch cards: Customers can receive punches or stamps for each purchase they make with you, with an exclusive reward or free product available after a certain amount.
4. Community-based incentives: Customers can earn points of rewards for activities that grow your brand, like sharing your profile on social media, liking you on Facebook, or successfully referring their friends to your store.

In 2024, we’ll see brands adopting a ‘hybrid’ loyalty program model combining various loyalty program types. The best loyalty software providers offer a range of customization options, helping you craft unique loyalty rewards that align with your business model and customers’ shopping habits.

Creating your loyalty program

Now that you’ve decided on what type of loyalty program you’ll launch, it’s time to dive into the creation process.

In this example, we’re going to focus on a comprehensive loyalty program setup.

But before you jump in, here are some key metrics you’ll need handy before you configure your reward settings.

Know your margins!

... And how much you're willing to give away. Here are some helpful metrics to have on hand 👉

Average purchase value

First, identify how much your average customer spends when they purchase at your store. This metric is crucial as it serves as the foundation for determining the number of loyalty points you should offer to your customers.

Average purchase frequency

Knowing how often customers purchase from your store is a critical part of configuring your loyalty program.

Say you decide to offer 1 point for every $1.00 spent and your first reward (in this case, 20% off) requires 250 points to unlock. That means a customer will need to spend $250 at your store before they can unlock this reward.

While it might initially seem like a substantial amount, consider this: if your average purchase frequency is once a week, and your average purchase value is around $125, your typical customer will gain access to this reward within 2 weeks. If this is the case, your rewards system is probably too generous and may be eating away at your margins.

Product margins

When you’re configuring your rewards, it’s important to know your product margins. Platforms like Marsello allow you to choose between percentage and fixed discounts (i.e. $20 off), giving you more flexibility to reward your customers the way you want.

Typically, we recommend using percentage-based rewards as they scale alongside your order total. Here’s why: If you opt for a fixed discount like $20 off, customers might find ways to abuse it, potentially impacting your profitability. Additionally, if your average purchase value is low, then customers may be forced to add to their cart to redeem the discount.

Percentage-based rewards scale naturally with the order total, creating a fair balance between your customer’s expectations and your company’s wallet.

Set up your points system

Designing your points system is the first step toward a successful loyalty program. Loyalty points encourage customers to engage with your brand by rewarding them with loyalty program points for purchases and other activities. Customers’ points can then be redeemed for discounts, free products, or other rewards of your choosing.

Though there are countless ways for customers to earn loyalty points, here are some of the basic options:

• Making a purchase: Customers earn points for every purchase they make at your store.

💡 We recommend offering 1 point for every $1.00 spent to keep things simple.

• Creating an account: Encourage customers to kick-start their earnings with points when they create a new account. This is a great way of increasing your customer database.
• Completing their profile: Reward customers points for providing their personal details, like birthday, gender, and mobile number. This helps you build an information-rich database.
• Say Happy Birthday: Personalize your loyalty experience by enabling the Happy Birthday points option. Surprise your customers on their special day.
• Product reviews: Encourage customers to review your products.
• Acting sustainably: Reward customers for acting sustainably. I.e. bringing a reusable shopping bag when they shop with you.
• Liking on social media: Grow your social media following by gifting points to customers who engage with your brand online (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter).
• Sharing on social media: Incentivize customers to spread the word about your store.
• Refer a friend: Kick-start your referral program by rewarding customers when their referred friend makes their first purchase.

Beauty in simplicity - How ALPHA60 keeps their loyalty
program as simple as possible.

"We try not to complicate it too much and add different things in, and that really works for us. I think it’s because it’s simple for people. It’s easy for customers to understand.”

Kelvin, Brand Manager

Configure your rewards and VIP tiers

Now that your customers have the means to earn points, it’s time to map out your rewards ladder and VIP tier structure.

When editing your rewards, it’s essential to strike a balance. If your rewards are too easy to unlock, customers may unlock them too quickly, leaving them with nothing to work towards. On the other hand, if you set the bar too high, customers might lose interest.

The key is to establish a logical and well-structured progression that ensures customers feel like they’re advancing towards greater rewards with each interaction. This keeps them motivated and engaged throughout their journey with your brand.

Rewards

To illustrate, let’s take a look at a hypothetical brand, Opal Essence.

At Opal Essence, members earn 1 point for every $1 spent at their store.

• • Average purchase value: $100.00
  • Average purchase frequency: 3 months

The key to your rewards ladder is to make them realistic and attainable, without giving too much value away. For example:

• • 10% off - 200 points to redeem
  • 15% off - 400 points to redeem
  • 20% off - 600 points to redeem

In this case, with customers spending an average of $100 per purchase, they would need to make two purchases to unlock their first reward. And so on… four purchases for the 15% discount, and six to unlock the 20% discount.

This rewards setup creates a logical sense of progression for customers, making them feel like they’re working towards substantial perks with each visit to your store. Not only does it drive repeat sales, but it also fosters brand loyalty and increases customer lifetime value.

While percentage-based discounts are the easiest to implement, there are various other reward options to choose from. Here are 5 common types of rewards:

• Percentage (%) off rewards: storewide, on a specific item, or on specific collections
• Fixed value ($) off rewards: storewide, on a specific item, or on specific collections
• Free shipping
• Free product(s)
• Spend threshold rewards: Requires a minimum purchase value to redeem

Learn more

VIP Tiers

A VIP program elevates your loyalty strategy by making your best customers feel special. With VIP tiers, you can offer additional benefits to those who reach higher tiers, such as exclusive rewards, free shipping, early access to sales, VIP events, and faster points earning.

Consider how the VIP tiers align with your overall business strategy. For example, if you sell high-end fashion products and are launching a new collection, granting VIPs early access to new product lines creates an aura of exclusivity. This makes them feel like valued insiders.

Here are some VIP perks ideas you could implement:

• Faster points-earning: Silver Tier customers earn 2 points for every $1 spent, and Gold Tier customers earn 3 points for every $1 spent.

• Exclusive rewards: Offer unique rewards to your VIP customers, making them feel valued and understood.

• Blanket discounts: VIP tier customers enjoy ongoing discounts for every purchase they make from your store, such as 10% off.
• Free shipping: Ship products out to your VIPs free of charge to thank them for their ongoing support. This makes them feel appreciated and encourages them to stick around.

VIP tiers not only boost customer loyalty but also create loyal advocates who will spread the word about your brand.

💡 Pro-tip: Utilizing VIP tiers and customer lists enables you to craft highly personalized email and SMS campaigns. Perhaps you’re hosting a VIP-only event, or want to offer exclusive styling services, VIP tiers, and segmentation lists can help you tailor your marketing to cater to your most loyal customers.

Promote your loyalty program

Before you enable your loyalty program, take a moment to review your settings and ensure that your points, rewards, and VIP tiers are configured correctly. This is the perfect time to revisit your business goals and check that your program aligns with your business strategy and overall direction.

With your loyalty program ready to go live, it’s time to spread the word. Send a captivating loyalty program announcement email to share the exciting news with your customers. This announcement can serve as your invitation to customers, encouraging them to shop again and engage with your new loyalty program.

💡 Pro-tip: To build excitement for your loyalty program, consider sending an email a few weeks before the official launch, teasing the upcoming loyalty perks and getting customers excited about what’s to come.

Final words

Loyalty programs aren’t just about giving away discounts; they’re a highly strategic tool that helps you drive repeat sales and build long-term relationships with your customers. Done right, a loyalty program fosters a community of loyal advocates, expanding your brand’s reach and ultimately increasing your bottom line.

If you’re looking to create a loyalty program for your business, Marsello makes it easy to set up, launch, and promote your loyalty program with ease.

Create your loyalty program with Marsello

Bonus tips

Embrace an omnichannel approach

Building a successful loyalty program begins with understanding your customers’ needs. An omnichannel loyalty program is one of the best ways to engage and reward your customers, no matter how they shop with you. Customer loyalty platforms like Marsello enable you to run your loyalty program seamlessly across both in-store and online channels, ensuring customers can access the benefits of your program, regardless of their shopping preferences.

Learn more

Measure your performance and optimize

Remember, the job’s not finished once your loyalty program is live. By monitoring your loyalty reporting and customer activity, you can uncover insights to inform your future marketing and loyalty program optimization. Regular optimization will ensure that your loyalty program continues to evolve, providing the best experience for your customers.

Have fun with it

Creating a loyalty program can be an exciting journey that helps you understand and connect with your customers on a deeper level. It’s a chance to get creative and celebrate your brand’s unique selling points. So, while you’re planning your loyalty program, don’t forget to have fun with it.

Good luck with your loyalty program creation!

Next read:  How to create a points system for rewards

You win a lot of new business over Black Friday, but do they stick around? Black Friday isn't just about sales; it's a unique opportunity to build long-lasting customer relationships and strengthen brand loyalty.

While the typical approach emphasizes short-term gains in the form of sales and revenue, this strategy falls short in fostering lasting loyalty beyond the holiday season. So, how can you transform Black Friday into a platform for building customer loyalty that endures?

Quick links:

• • • 1. Prioritizing Relationship-Building Over Discounting
    • 2. The 3 Types Of Black Friday Shoppers
    • 3. Maximize Black Friday Sales To Your Regulars
    • 4. Attract Newcomers Who Will Stick Around
      
    • 5. How Marsello Helps Merchants Sell More Over & After Black Friday

Prioritizing Relationship-Building Over Discounting

Black Friday presents an opportunity to engage customers on a deeper level. While many shoppers chase discounts, true brand loyalty goes beyond price reductions. Consider your own shopping habits – you likely have loyalty to brands that resonate with your values and engage with you through various channels. Brands that prioritize customer experience, for example, tend to have more committed customers.

Building authentic relationships with your customers creates a defense against competition and discount-driven strategies, enabling your brand to thrive even in a volatile market.

The 3 Types Of Black Friday Shoppers

There are three types of customer who jump on a Black Friday sale. Some customers you’ll want to avoid entirely, while others will be left with a lasting, positive impression of your brand (and come back for more).

1. Bargain Hunters

These Black Friday shoppers are notorious for scoping out the best deals and discounts, rather than building long-lasting relationships with brands. They’ll look for the store with the best price on the products they’re looking for, and will happily choose Amazon over you.

2. Loyal Regulars

Your most loyal customers love keeping tabs on your sales so they can enjoy the odd discount. They’re shopping with you at most times of the year anyway, but sometimes there’s that item they couldn’t quite justify at full price and they’re elated to pick it up at 10% off. This segment will also typically purchase more items from you over sale periods than other segments.

3. Brand Newcomers

This is your ideal segment of new customers. These customers are first-time shoppers who discovered your brand because they spotted a sale, and were overjoyed by the product and brand experience. They loved what they found, and they are more than happy to sign up to your loyalty program or email list to hear from you more. Let’s take a closer look at the second two segments, and how you can maximize sales from each of them during (and after) Black Friday.

Maximize Black Friday Sales To Your Regulars

Black Friday is the perfect time to show your loyal customers some extra love. This shopping season, you can boost your sales by following a few key strategies. Let's dive into these tactics to make this Black Friday a memorable one for your loyal customer base.

Send more campaigns

Send more emails and SMS messages—the normal marketing rules don’t apply. If you run a loyalty program, make sure you’re using your customer purchase data to send targeted discounts and offers where possible.

Prepare your loyalty program

There’s a lot you can do to add value over Black Friday beyond discounting. You can award more points per dollar spent, introduce exclusive seasonal rewards, or offer limited-time access to a higher loyalty tier.

Give them special treatment

Make your existing customers feel even more loved by giving them VIP or early-bird access to your sales. Alternatively, you can offer a kickstarter voucher as a bonus—an initial $10 off to stack onto their Black Friday discounts.

Encourage them to share your sales

Encourage your customers to let their friends know about your sales. Offer incentives for referrals. You can sweeten the deal by offering extra loyalty points or rewards for sharing over the Black Friday campaign period.

Remind them of the value they earned

Send frequent points balance emails to remind these customers of their rewards, reinforcing the value you delivered over the sales period. (This has the bonus effect of encouraging them to return and redeem their rewards!)

Attract Newcomers Who Will Stick Around

Over Black Friday, you’ll welcome newcomers into your customer base who have potential to become loyal supporters in the long run. Let’s explore some strategies to keep newcomers engaged beyond the sales season.

Prepare your loyalty program

Will Brand Newcomers get anything extra in your loyalty program if they sign up over Black Friday? Double or triple points for a Black Friday purchase perhaps? A 10% voucher on their next purchase? Make sure your offers are all set up, ready for your campaigns.

Capture their details!

Make sure you effectively communicate the benefits of joining your loyalty program to increase your customer attachment rate during the holiday season. This will grow your marketable database and help you retain them beyond Black Friday.

Customer attachment rate: The percentage of your total sales that are linked to a customer profile. A higher customer attachment rate signifies superior data quality and enhances your ability to effectively market to your database.

Encourage them to share their experience

Promote active participation in your loyalty program and create opportunities for these customers to share their positive experiences with friends and family. Encourage them to refer new customers and reward them for doing so. This not only helps you acquire new customers but also solidifies the bond with your newly discovered audience.

Ask for their feedback

Asking for private customer feedback can reinforce positive interactions and help iron out any hard feelings. Customers who reciprocate by leaving feedback (good or bad) indicates a promising level of engagement, and can mitigate bad reviews.

How Marsello Helps Merchants Sell More Over & After Black Friday

Marsello merchants went over and above in Black Friday in 2022—running extra loyalty program incentives, rewarding customers for referring friends, and sending countless email and SMS campaigns. Over the Black Friday / Cyber Monday sales period, more than 2.6 million orders were placed by their loyal customers.

How do Marsello merchants set up for success?

• A beauty retailer in the US sent a whopping 2-7 emails per day over the sales period, and made more than $350k in revenue Black Friday sales, with one email making over $26,000.
• A food retailer in the US sends around 1 email per day over the BFCM period. Their points earned by customers triple in November and December each year compared to other months.
  
  

Top tactics to retain and grow Black Friday customers

• Points campaigns: To award more points per dollar spent over a particular time period or in a specified store
• Tiered loyalty: To incentivize shoppers to unlock more valuable rewards and spend-to-points ratios
• Prompts for staff at POS: Add reminders at point-of-sale so staff remember to add customers to each sale. Lightspeed users can do this with the Advanced Marketing add-on, powered by Marsello.
• QR codes & digital membership cards: Help to increase customer attachment rates by making it easy for them to identify themselves at point-of-sale.
• Referral programs: Make the most of the sales frenzy by offering referral incentives. Drive word-of-mouth and brand awareness from regulars, and let new shoppers know about the program too.

Final Words

Black Friday is undoubtedly a powerful tool for businesses to boost sales and revenue. However, its true potential goes beyond the short-lived excitement of discounts and one-time transactions.

To truly harness the value of Black Friday, companies should shift their focus towards prioritizing relationship-building over discounting.

While Bargain Hunters may provide a quick spike in sales during the holiday season, their loyalty tends to be fleeting. Instead, businesses should concentrate on cultivating relationships with Loyal Regulars and Brand Newcomers.

Loyal Regulars, who already have a connection with your brand, can be nurtured further through personalized marketing efforts, VIP access, and special offers during Black Friday.

On the other hand, Brand Newcomers, attracted by the sale, present an opportunity to convert them into long-term customers through effective communication, loyalty programs, and referral incentives.

Read more: 7 Steps To Building A Profitable Loyalty & Rewards Program

Customer retention isn’t easy. Between your eCommerce and physical stores, social media, and various other touchpoints, customers can slip through the cracks.

Shopify’s loyalty program apps make it easy to engage your customers with personalized rewards and incentives and ensure they stick around for the long term. But with so many loyalty apps to choose from, how do you know which one is right for your business?

In this article, we’ll review the 7 Best Loyalty Apps for Shopify and how they can increase customer retention and boost sales for your store.

What are the best loyalty apps for Shopify in 2024?

1. Marsello [Top pick ✨]

Marsello helps you drive sales and reward regulars with a loyalty and referral program that works in-store and online. With Marsello, you can customize the appearance of your program to match the look and feel of your brand. It’s easy to set up rewards, discounts, points, VIP tiers, and more to gamify your customers’ shopping experience and encourage them to spend more.

Marsello’s key point of difference is the ability to run your loyalty program seamlessly across your Shopify eCommerce and POS channels. This simplifies customer loyalty management and allows for a more seamless customer loyalty experience.

Marsello’s loyalty tools also connect with its all-in-one marketing automation tools, helping you run more effective campaigns, from email to SMS, reviews, and more.

Here are some popular ways to use Marsello:

• • Customize and launch a loyalty program that works in-store and online
  • Reward customers with personalized rewards, points, VIP tiers, and more
  • Sync sales from eCommerce and POS and link them to unique customer profiles
  • Use your customer insights to run smarter, personalized marketing campaigns
  • Manage all of your marketing from one app, email, SMS, automations, and more

Pricing

Marsello offers a 14-day free trial. Paid plans start from $135 USD/month, and are based on your customer database size and the number of eCommerce and POS sites connected.

What merchants think about Marsello

Merchants enjoy using Marsello for its user-friendly interface and powerful loyalty features. Marsello merchants have seen a boost in sales through its loyalty and rewards program, email, and SMS marketing features. Marsello’s marketing automation tools and cost-effectiveness are also highlighted, along with its responsive customer service team.

Install on Shopify

2. Smile.io

Smile.io offers easy-to-use loyalty and rewards tools to help you engage your shoppers, and turn first-time customers into forever customers. Over 125 million shoppers earn points through Smile. 

With Smile, you can create your own loyalty and rewards program that increases sales and repeat purchases, saves on acquisition costs, and boosts brand loyalty. The best part is that creating a loyalty program with Smile only takes a few minutes—with no coding required.

Smile offers simple management of your customers and loyalty data, and if you need help, you’re supported 24/7 by a team of loyalty experts to answer your questions.

Here are some popular ways to use Smile:

• • Customize your loyalty widget and rewards launcher to match your brand aesthetic
  • Encourage repeat sales by allowing customers to earn points and rewards
  • Connect Smile with your email, review, and customer service apps
  • Nudge customers to continue shopping by reminding them of their points and rewards

Pricing

Smile is free to install. Their free plan allows up to 200 monthly orders and gives you access to all the basic loyalty features, including a points and referrals program, basic brand customization, default reward emails, and an analytics overview.

What merchants think about Smile.io

Shopify store owners appreciate this app for its easy setup and seamless integration with Shopify. Smile is praised for its loyalty points system, customizable rewards options, and VIP program features. Smile’s free plan is a good entry point for new businesses looking to increase customer loyalty. The free version is robust and easy to use.

3. LoyaltyLion

LoyaltyLion helps Shopify brands boost retention and increase customer engagement with a loyalty program that goes beyond points and rewards.

The popular loyalty app helps you incentivize brand engagement and motivate repeat purchases by offering loyalty points and rewards to customers who engage with your business.

Here are some popular ways to use LoyaltyLion:

• • Reward positive onsite behavior with customizable points and gifts
  • Increase brand advocacy by rewarding customer referrals
  • Deliver points and rewards through email and on-store notifications
  • Tailor how your loyalty program appears on your Shopify eCommerce site
  • Integrate with email providers, subscription partners, reward platforms, and more

Pricing

LoyaltyLion offers a free plan that gives you access to basic loyalty features, unlimited members, and up to 800 monthly orders. Paid plans start from $156 USD/month.

What merchants think about LoyaltyLion

Merchants highly recommend LoyaltyLion due to its seamless integration, customizable features, and user-friendly interface. LoyaltyLion is praised for its exceptional customer service, and merchants appreciate the app’s detailed analytics, and easy migration from other loyalty apps.

4. Joy: Loyalty & Rewards Program

Joy is a user-friendly loyalty solution designed to keep your customers around with advanced loyalty programs and rewards features. It’s designed to help Shopify stores effectively convert their shoppers into loyal customers with the help of rewarding points.

The app has a variety of features that allow store owners to manage the earning and spending of loyalty points flexibly. All of Joy’s loyalty features come in a user-friendly and no-code-required platform that’s supported by 24/7 customer support.

Here are some popular ways to use Joy:

• • Reward customers for signing up, placing orders, leaving reviews, and more
  • Manage your customer tiers, points, and missions with export and import data
  • Run campaigns with built-in email notifications and automations
  • Leverage your store’s point-of-sale data to run more effective loyalty campaigns
  • Engage your customers without slowing down your shop’s loading speeds

Pricing

Joy offers a free plan, limited to 250 orders per month. You can enable points-earning options for customers who sign up and place an order. Paid plans start from $29 USD/month.

What merchants think about Joy

Merchants love Joy for its diverse loyalty features such as rewards programs and referral options, and low impact on your shop’s loading speeds. The customer service team is highly praised, and merchants find the pricing reasonable and appreciate its integration with POS. The tool is regarded as a valuable tool for growing a store’s database and social following.

5. Yotpo: Loyalty & Rewards

Yotpo’s eCommerce retention marketing platform helps Shopify brands drive repeat sales with connected solutions for loyalty, email, SMS, reviews, and more. With Yotpo, you can build a customizable, retention-driving loyalty program that offers more than just rewards.

Yotpo’s agile loyalty tools empower store owners to launch a loyalty program quickly and iterate endlessly — with no developer work required. The platform’s out-of-the-box campaigns help you drive repeat sales from the get-go.

Here are some popular ways to use Yotpo:

• • Customize, launch, and manage your loyalty program with no coding required
  • Monitor your loyalty and referral program data, from ROI to customer LTV, and more
  • Increase repeat sales and customer engagement with diverse rewards and tiers
  • Create a seamless marketing experience by integrating Yotpo’s marketing products

Pricing

Yotpo is free to install, with a free plan available to stores with fewer than 100 monthly orders. Paid plans start from $199 USD/month and provide your customers with more ways to earn.

What merchants think about Yotpo

Yotpo is highly recommended for its seamless Shopify integration. The platform helps users effortlessly boost business with features like email reminders for points-earning, and reward redemption options. The customer service, especially the live chat is appreciated, and the app’s customization capabilities are also appreciated.

6. Stamped Loyalty & Referrals

Stamped Loyalty helps Shopify brands maximize customer loyalty with a customized loyalty program, VIP tiers, and referrals. The platform works as a stand-alone product, but can also be integrated with Stamped’s integration reviews and ratings product to create a full suite of customer tools.

Stamped helps brands deliver immediate value to their customers through a personalized loyalty experience. Their platform helps you increase average order value and maximize customer lifetime value through AI-powered points and rewards, VIP tiers, and referral solutions.

Here are some popular ways to use Stamped:

• • Drive engagement with points-based campaigns that motivate customers to shop
  • Reward and incentivize customers to share your brand with their friends
  • Deliver a fully customized on-brand loyalty program and experience
  • Create exciting VIP tiers and perks to recognize your best customers

Stamped Pricing

Stamped offers a free plan. Paid plans start from $59 USD/month, however, by signing up for Stamped’s 12-month plan, you can save 17% off your subscription costs.

What merchants think about Stamped

Merchants love using Stamped for its intuitive loyalty integration with Shopify, along with its advanced customization features and helpful customer support team. Despite some instances where glitches and shortages in real-time assistance occur, the overall sentiment remains positive, with Shopify store owners taking pleasure in migrating from other app alternatives.

7. Rise.ai

Rise is the go-to gift cards and store credits app for Shopify stores. The app is designed to manage all your brand’s re-engagement activity, from gift cards to referrals, rewards, and refund management.

Rise helps you establish an intuitive rewards program with flexible, automated store credit flows that strengthen your customer relationships and increase customer lifetime value.

Rise’s customer service team is excellent and has proven to go above and beyond to help customers get the most out of their products and deliver success.

Here are some popular ways to use Rise.ai

• • Trigger and create store credit rewards based on customer activity
  • Issue gift card refunds and offer store credit for returns
  • Launch a loyalty program that encourages store credit accumulation
  • Remind customers of their gift cards with scheduling and sending options

Pricing

Rise’s starter plan starts from $19.99 USD/month and gives you access to essential store credit and gift card features, limited to 100 monthly store orders.

What merchants think about Rise.ai

Merchants appreciate the app for its gift cards, rewards programs, and store credit issuance. The app has high customizability and works seamlessly with Shopify and Klaviyo, helping you run more effective campaigns. The app has been instrumental for many Shopify stores wanting to increase sales and attraction, with its gift card scheduling and automation tools being a stand-out feature.

So, which loyalty app should I install?

Shopify’s loyalty apps make it easy for store owners to engage customers and drive long-term brand loyalty.

The best loyalty programs are ones that make customers feel seen and valued, regardless of how they shop. In this context, Marsello’s seamless integration with Shopify eCommerce and POS allows store owners to nurture customers and manage loyalty and order data across multiple channels.

By centralizing your in-store and online customer data, you can get a complete view of your customers, helping you optimize your loyalty program and run more targeted and timely campaigns that drive sales for your Shopify store.

Marsello has integrated with Klaviyo to create the ultimate customer marketing platform.

In the fast-paced world of retail and eCommerce, one constant remains: your customers. However, in today’s highly competitive retail environment, customers are inundated with irrelevant promotional emails, making it harder than ever to cut through the clutter and get them shopping.

By connecting Marsello to Klaviyo, you can harness your in-store loyalty and order data to create detailed segments and run more effective campaigns in Klaviyo.

Let’s explore the integration in more detail.

What is Klaviyo?

Klaviyo is a unified customer marketing platform designed to help engage customers and drive sales with email campaigns, SMS, and more. It’s one of the few email marketing services designed specifically for eCommerce, and with an impressive database of over 110,000 paying customers, it’s no wonder brands choose Klaviyo to manage their campaigns.

Here are a few benefits Klaviyo has to offer:

• Segment your database using historical data and real-time behaviors for targeting
• Build coupon codes for automated flows and campaigns
• Use built-in templates and automated emails for simple workflow management
• Accurate reporting and attribution for each campaign and channel

Not using Klaviyo? Discover more about its features and benefits here

What is the Klaviyo loyalty integration?

The Marsello and Klaviyo integration combines Klaviyo's advanced email marketing features with Marsello's omnichannel loyalty software to create the ultimate marketing platform.

Marsello’s point of sale data is the key factor here, syncing in-store loyalty and order data to Klaviyo customer profiles in real-time, empowering your team to personalize your marketing with the latest insights from both your eCommerce and POS channels.

Why connect Klaviyo to your Marsello account?

Because Klaviyo does not integrate directly with POS systems, you’re only using a fraction of the customer data that’s available to you.

When you integrate Marsello with Klaviyo, you can bridge the gap between your POS and eCommerce data, providing you with valuable insights into customer purchase history, spending behavior, and preferences. This connection enables you to centralize your customer data and create a more seamless omnichannel shopping experience.

“We have many customers that shop with us in both channels and expect a seamless loyalty and marketing experience.”

Hayley Greenstein, Managing Director at LEGO® Certified Stores

How do Marsello and Klaviyo work together?

Marsello's customer loyalty and order data gets synced to Klaviyo in real-time. This enriches Klaviyo customer profiles with omnichannel insights, enabling better segmentation for more effective, tailored marketing campaigns.

Here’s what you can do with Marsello and Klaviyo connected:

• Push customer properties to Klaviyo profiles: Sync customer properties into Klaviyo, enriching customer profiles with relevant data.
• Sync customer events to your Klaviyo account: Use events to automate timely and targeted emails based on your customer shopping behavior, loyalty engagement, or feedback responses. These events are dynamic and sent to Klaviyo in as close to real-time as possible. Sync events like POS and eCommerce orders, loyalty activities, and feedback responses.
• Sync your loyalty and order data into Klaviyo: Seamlessly transfer POS and eCommerce loyalty and order data to Klaviyo customer profiles in real time for a complete view of customer spending behaviors. Understand who your customers are, and how they like to shop.
• Create omnichannel offers and coupon codes to use in Klaviyo campaigns: Generate omnichannel discount codes for your campaigns and automatically load them against specific customer profiles. Give customers the flexibility to redeem their coupons in-store or online.
• Create more detailed customer segments for campaigns in Klaviyo: Utilize your in-store and online data to create targeted customer segments and workflows in Klaviyo. Harness your segments to run more personalized campaigns that go way beyond your VIP database.

Diving deeper into event sets

When you connect Marsello and Klaviyo, you unlock a treasure trove of valuable loyalty and order data such as purchase site, order total, product selections, and more.

Let’s learn more about the specific data sets that get synced to your Klaviyo profiles.

POS and eCommerce orders

By syncing your POS and eCommerce order events into Klaviyo, you can create a 360-degree view of your customers’ spending behavior with your business. With this data, you can create targeted segments and automations based on in-store and online orders, enabling further personalization of your email marketing efforts.

Loyalty activities

Using Marsello’s loyalty program, you can encourage customers to return by rewarding them with loyalty points for each purchase they make. Sync loyalty events into Klaviyo to create custom segments and automations based on loyalty program engagement, then use customers’ loyalty profile information to further personalized your marketing efforts. For example, when a customer claims a coupon but hasn’t redeemed it, you could send a follow-up email that recommends products and encourages them to shop.

Feedback responses

Finally, using Marsello’s customer feedback features enable you to measure customer satisfaction with their shopping experience, helping you keep track of what you’re doing well and how you can improve. Sync feedback responses to Klaviyo to help measure customer sentiment. Create segments and automate follow-up emails to help nurture customer relationships with your brand.

Learn how to use Marsello properties and events in Klaviyo

How to connect Klaviyo to your Marsello account

Now that you know how Marsello’s loyalty and order data can empower your email marketing campaigns, here's how to enable the Klaviyo integration within Marsello.

In your Klaviyo account, you will need to generate a new API key with Full Access to Profiles. 

To create an API in Klaviyo

1. Navigate to API keys under your profile settings
2. Enter “Marsello” as your Private API Key Name

1. Under Select Access Level, select Full Access Key
2. Click Create. This will generate your new API key.
3. Copy this key and keep it ready to paste into your Marsello add-on settings.

If you haven’t already created a Klaviyo account, you can do so here.

How to enable the Klaviyo integration in Marsello

1. First, log in to your Marsello account
2. In your Marsello admin, navigate to Integrations > Add-ons
3. Find Klaviyo in the list of add-ons and click Connect

1. Under ‘Klaviyo API Key’ paste your Marsello API key, or follow these instructions to create one.

1. Click Save. Your Marsello & Klaviyo accounts will now be connected.

Final words

Integrating Marsello and Klaviyo creates a more cohesive customer marketing experience, unlocking new levels of customer engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty.

This powerful integration brings together the best of both platforms, combining Marsello’s in-store POS data with Klaviyo's advanced customer marketing tools to help you understand your customers and increase engagement with highly-personalized marketing campaigns.

Now that you know how Marsello’s POS data can enrich your Klaviyo campaigns, it’s time to try it for yourself!

Next read: 5 Klaviyo Integrations Every Retailer Should Be Using

Klaviyo is a game-changer for retailers, and it's easy to see why they love it.

Its user-friendly interface and straightforward setup make it a favorite among retailers of all sizes, allowing them to streamline marketing, engage with customers, and ultimately drive sales and growth.

However, unlocking the full potential of Klaviyo's capabilities can be overwhelming, especially with its extensive list of integrations. From seamless connections to popular e-commerce platforms to personalized product recommendations and targeted ad campaigns, Klaviyo’s network of integrations can do it all!

To help you narrow down your choices, we've identified the top five types of Klaviyo integration every retailer should be using—especially if you’re selling in-store and online. We’ve included a few good examples of each so you can find the solution that works best for you.

Regardless of which integrations you choose, rest assured that setting them up is straightforward and hassle-free, so you can quickly leverage Klaviyo's power to enhance your marketing efforts.

1. E-Commerce Platform
2. Omnichannel Loyalty & Rewards
3. Meta Custom Audience Sync
4. Product Recommendation Engine
5. Customer Service & Support
   
   
   

1. E-Commerce Platform

Klaviyo offers integrations with popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and others.

This integration is crucial as it allows Klaviyo to sync customer data, purchase history, and product information from your online store, enabling you to create targeted and personalized email marketing campaigns based on customer behavior and preferences.

Popular e-commerce platforms that integrate with Klaviyo:

• Shopify
• Shopify Plus
• Bigcommerce
• Woocommerce

See all

2. Omnichannel Loyalty & Rewards

Because Klaviyo does not integrate directly with point-of-sale systems, it’s typically the most powerful for e-commerce use cases.

However, by integrating with Marsello’s customer loyalty software, merchants can bring their in-store customer data into Klaviyo.

This enables you to centralize and leverage all your customer data for better segmentation and targeting.

Marsello helps omnichannel retailers understand customer behavior, preferences, and purchase patterns. That means more effective marketing, 360-degree customer insights and multi-site reporting.

Omnichannel loyalty apps to explore:

• Marsello (best for in-store and online)
  
  

3. Meta Custom Audience Sync

By integrating Klaviyo with your Facebook and Instagram advertising accounts, you can create custom audiences based on email subscribers, customers, or segments in Klaviyo.

This integration facilitates targeted advertising campaigns and improves your ad reach and effectiveness.

Some custom audience sync apps you can explore:

• Marsello
• Facebook

4. Product Recommendation Engine

To boost cross-selling and upselling opportunities, integrate Klaviyo with a product recommendation engine.

These apps enable you to automatically recommend relevant products to customers based on their browsing and purchase history, increasing the chances of repeat purchases.

Check out these product recommendation engines:

• Marsello
• Jebbit

5. Customer Service & Support

Enhance your customer support with Klaviyo by integrating with leading customer service platforms.

By connecting Klaviyo with customer support tools like Zendesk or Gorgias you can provide personalized and timely support to your customers.

Benefits of customer support integrations include....

1. Accessing customer support history: Integrate Klaviyo with your customer service platform to access past interactions and better understand your customers' needs and preferences.
2. Personalized follow-ups: Automate personalized follow-up emails based on customer inquiries or support tickets to show your customers that you care.
3. Targeted feedback requests: Use Klaviyo's customer data to send targeted feedback requests after resolving support issues, helping you gather valuable insights for improvement.

Some customer support apps you can explore:

• Zendesk
• Gorgias (popular with Shopify Plus users)
  
  

So, which Klaviyo integrations should I use?

With the right integrations, Klaviyo becomes a true powerhouse for multi-channel retailers. By tapping into in-store and online customer data, retailers gain comprehensive insights into customer behavior, preferences, and buying habits across all channels.

By adding an omnichannel loyalty program, every other Klaviyo integration becomes exponentially more powerful.

Send product review requests to in-store customers, run marketing campaigns to specific store locations, use your in-store customer data for targeted ads and product recommendations, and so much more.

This omnichannel approach ensures retailers can deliver a consistent and engaging brand experience to customers, no matter how they shop.

Next read: 7 Steps To A Profitable Loyalty & Rewards Program

Quick links:

• • • 1. Design your tiered loyalty program
    • 2. Get everything ready on your website and in-store
    • 3. Promote your program
      
    • 4. Set up important notifications as SMS messages
    • 5. Keep optimizing!

Want to build a loyalty program like Mecca’s Beauty Loop, but don’t have the money or time for custom solutions?

Before building brand loyalty, you need to build a brand. And building a brand? That journey starts with the very first business plan, that spark, that idea on a napkin, that leads you to register a company and step into the wild, wicked, unruly world of retail.

So let’s forget loyalty points programs for the time being.

Look inward for a minute, and ask: Why did I start this business?

For a lot of retailers, their business started out of frustration. Frustration that you couldn’t find what you wanted at other stores, frustration about the lack of selection or curation, frustration about the customer service, concern that salespeople only wanted to sell you what they were getting the most commission for (rather than what suited your needs best).

Mecca Founder Jo Horgan shared why Mecca came to be back in 1997 in an interview for the Australian Financial Review.

“I loved cosmetics – I thought there was a real space for them that should be fun and entertaining. And yet when I went to a department store I found it exhausting, going from one counter to another,” Horgan says.

So she started to think: “Imagine the best product offer, a beautiful environment and my best beauty friend next to me taking me from zero to expert in one session…” 

“That’s how I wanted to experience cosmetics myself,” she says.

The first time I went to Mecca, I admitted I used $3 foundation and substituted in cheap eyeshadow with a 10-year-old makeup brush for eyebrow pencil. The response? “Oh darling, sometimes that’s all you need to do the trick!”

He told me he often does the same… and still managed to sell me $150 worth of foundation and an eyebrow pencil. Now that’s some serious sales game.

I tried to unpack this later. The feeling I got was: He’s on my side. He knows where I’m coming from. And I can trust him.

Lesson 1: Hold on to that “why” and don’t lose sight of it. It’s your greatest brand asset.

It’s highly likely the reason you started your business is why your customer is here. 

I was surprised to learn that Mecca founder Jo Horgan felt frustrated by the department store experience, just like I did. But in the same vein, it makes sense, based on how shopping at Mecca makes me feel.

Lesson 2: Points programs do not magically create brand loyalty.

A points program is one tool you can use to keep customers coming back. But the truth is, if you’re not doing anything else to support it—it’s not going to have the Mecca effect.

So, let’s take your “why” and I’m going to show you how you can build an extraordinary loyalty program with ordinary, off-the-shelf loyalty software.

How to Build An Extraordinary Loyalty Program With Ordinary, Off-The-Shelf Software

Everything here can be done using Marsello, when integrated with your eCommerce and POS software.

Step 1. Design your tiered loyalty program

Most loyalty software has the functionality to build a tiered loyalty program off the shelf. But before you jump the gun and turn it on, think about what the tiers should look like. Revisit your brand’s vision and mission, and come up with a strategy.

How many tiers are there?

Three is a good place to start. Mecca recently added a fourth tier to give those extra high spenders a more tailored experience, but we’d recommend only adding more than three tiers when you see a clear need for it.

How are the tiers structured?

Are the tiers based on spend, or number of loyalty points? And is it lifetime spend or annual spend? Generally, most retailers want their customers to maintain a minimum spend or number of points per year to keep their status. This requires the ability to expire tiers (you can do this in Marsello).

What are the rewards?

This Level 4 Beauty Looper (below) worked out that her free sample box had a retail value of $80. With 4 of these per year, plus an extra birthday box, that’s $400 for a year of free gifts. However, this person had to spend $3,500 to reach this tier. That’s an 11.4% discount, or about the same as giving away every 10th coffee for free.

The beauty (ha) of giving away free boxes, is that you mitigate price perception. Receiving a free box in the mail is a serious dopamine hit, and Mecca knows this. Customers perceive the value of the loyalty reward to be much higher than it really is. They will happily spend more to receive the reward than “risk” missing out on retaining their status by shopping somewhere else.

What will you call the tiers?

Don’t rush this part, take your time to really find the right fit for your brand. “Bronze, Silver, Gold” isn’t very creative. Mecca chooses names that really connect to its brand mission, product, and the relationship they have with its customers.

Step 2. Get everything ready on your website and in-store

Now that you’ve got your loyalty program designed, you need to make sure it’s all set up properly.

Do you have an online store and physical shops?

If so, make sure your loyalty software is integrated with your POS and eCommerce platforms. This will ensure that points can be earned and redeemed easily across all your sales channels. Marsello integrates with a range of POS and eCommerce apps off-the-shelf, no expensive customization required.

How will customers find out about it?

In-store: Train staff on your loyalty program, and make sure they’re asking customers to sign up point-of-sale. Focus on the benefit to the customer—if you’ve really taken the time to build a considered loyalty program, customers won’t be able to resist.

On your website: Make sure it’s impossible to miss! Set up a loyalty widget on your online store to show visitors how they can earn and redeem rewards, and show the available tiers. Best practice is to create a website page dedicated to your loyalty program that goes into even more detail. See Mecca’s Beauty Loop page:

Step 3. Promote your program

How do I launch it?

Once you’ve designed your program, prepare a launch campaign. Whether it’s a ‘soft’ launch or a full-scale event—make sure your customers know about it. Marsello has all the marketing tools you need to communicate with your customers: email, SMS, automations, website pop-up forms, and more. Use these to craft your promotional campaigns.

• Teaser campaign: Pre-launch, let people know something’s coming. Get people curious and excited for the launch date. For example, you could run contests or giveaways to generate hype.
• Soft launch: It’s okay to do a soft launch to start off, just to test everything is working. But once you’re confident, prepare a launch campaign.

• In-store promotion: Let your customers know about it in-store. Make sure staff are trained on your loyalty app and can answer basic questions about how to get set up, the tier structure, and what the benefits are for the customer.

• Full marketing launch: add a pop-up to your website, send out email campaigns to your database, and promote the program on social media. You can even run a limited-time launch offer—for example, 200 extra points for signing up in the first week.

How do I keep customers engaged?

The promotion doesn’t stop after you launch the campaign! There are lots of light-touch, low-maintenance campaigns you can run to keep your loyalty program interesting. Plus, you can talk about all the cool campaigns you’re running to non-loyalty subscribers to get that FOMO going.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Run points campaigns: For example, you could have a double points week. These are great to run in slower sales seasons, as they incentivize loyal customers to accelerate their points growth.
• Hype the program on social media: Use social media to promote the loyalty program and engage with customers through interactive content and contests. See Mecca’s Beauty Loop hype in the Instagram post above!
• Run limited-time offers: Offer special rewards for a short period of time to incentivize customers to participate in the loyalty program.
• Build up a community: Foster a sense of community among loyalty program members through events, forums, or social media groups.
• Collaborate with partners: Partner with other brands to offer joint rewards and increase the value of the loyalty program.
• Build your mobile experience: Encourage customers to save your loyalty portal to their mobile home screen, so they can access their points balance and engage with your brand on the go.
  
  

Step 4. Set up important notifications as SMS messages

Your customers get so many emails, they’re missing important updates. An SMS will cut through the noise by going direct to their mobile. While you don’t want to overdo SMS marketing, automated texts triggered for important loyalty updates and reminders will be much appreciated.

Notify customers when they have a reward coming!

Whether it’s a discount in their inbox ready to redeem, or a gift coming to their physical address, let them know it’s on the way and when they can expect it. 

Let customers know when their tier is about to expire

Like Mecca, you probably want customers to keep up a minimum annual spend. Expiring tiers is a fantastic way to keep customers spending to retain their status… but it won’t have much impact unless they know how they’re progressing! Send customers an automated text message to let them know they’ve got a bit more shopping to do to keep up their tier.

Let customers know when they hit a milestone

Your loyal customers will want to know when they’ve unlocked a new reward, or hit a big points milestone (for example, they’ve entered a new tier). Don’t leave them guessing, automatically deliver the good news right to their mobile.

Step 5. Keep optimizing!

The final step is that… there is no final step. Running a loyalty program is an ongoing, ever-evolving journey that you’re on with your customers. So it’s important to have fun and keep innovating as you go. Loyalty is a regular and ongoing business activity, just like marketing and sales. There will always be improvements and new ideas you can implement, so have a regular reminder set up to check in and evaluate how it’s going.

What are the top loyalty metrics I should be tracking?

Marsello’s dashboard keeps track of all your important loyalty metrics. Top things to track are repeat purchase rate and rewards redemption rate. These will show you that your loyalty program is moving the needle on sales and revenue, and getting good engagement from customers.

How do I know if my brand is doing better over time?

While Marsello doesn’t track brand impact, there are some incredible new tools you can use to measure your brand health. Take a look at Tracksuit, as one example.

Final Words

Building a successful loyalty program like Mecca's Beauty Loop starts with understanding your brand's "why." A loyalty program is just one tool to keep customers coming back, and it should be built with a clear strategy based on your brand's vision and mission.

Mecca's founder Jo Horgan was frustrated with the department store experience and wanted to create a fun and entertaining shopping experience, which is exactly what Mecca and the Beauty Loop experience provides.

Using ordinary, off-the-shelf loyalty software like Marsello, you can create a tiered loyalty program with rewards that offer value to customers and keep them engaged. However, it's important to remember that a loyalty program is only effective if you're doing other things to support it and build a strong brand relationship with your customers.

Read more: 7 Steps To Building A Profitable Loyalty & Rewards Program

Quick links:

• • • 1. They use the right tool for the job
    • 2. They use customer data for lazer-focused personalization
    • 3. They give compelling reasons for customers to opt in (and stick around)
      
      

Massive international businesses like Dominoes, Sephora, Uber, and Airbnb are all using SMS to increase their revenue and efficiency. By leveraging text marketing, they have been able to reach their customers, boost engagement, and drive sales. If SMS marketing didn't work, these brands would not be using it.

So what do they know that we don’t?

We’ve looked at some of the world’s most successful brands to look at the anatomy of an SMS strategy that converts.

What did we learn? 

1. The science behind running high-performance SMS marketing campaigns actually isn’t as complicated as it looks.

2. By not leveraging SMS marketing, we’re missing out on a powerful tool that can help us reach our business goals faster and more efficiently.

So, we’ve wrapped up the know-how in this article, so you can see how they’ve cracked it. Inside you’ll find practical tips and strategies that you can use to create high-performance SMS campaigns that deliver results.

Best of all, it won’t cost you much to give the big-brand tricks a go.

1. They use the right tool for the job

Big box retailers aren’t afraid to try something new or unorthodox if they think it will get the job done. They just ask—what is the best way to reach our customers to achieve this goal?

This is one of the biggest perceived challenges for SMBs. When you’re time-poor, it’s easier just to stick to what you know.

The reality is, it doesn’t cost much (time or money) to test a new channel like SMS. And the learnings are worth their weight in gold. If you chat to one of our SMS experts, you can even be in to win 1000 free credits to play with.

Email or SMS?

When choosing between sending an email or sending a text, the main consideration should be time. Does the customer need to act on this right away? If so, use SMS.

If you’re running lots of these time-sensitive campaigns, though, be careful that you’re not overloading your customers. SMS is extremely targeted and almost always opened, so it should be used sparingly for one-off blast campaigns. We’d recommend sending no more than 2 of these to your customers per month.

Another good way to use SMS is for notifications. These only trigger when customers act, so they won’t be as intrusive or annoying (customers will understand why they’re receiving the message). While emails can be used too, they can sometimes get lost in the inbox. SMS will ensure important messages get where they’re meant to go in a near-instant fashion.

Chatbots or SMS?

Chatbots are great when a customer is looking for answers in real time. They work well on messaging apps (Messenger, WhatsApp) and on your website. This is mostly inbound, although you may have a chatbot notification to communicate something when customers visit your online shop.

SMS is better for outbound notifications, like when you’re running a sale or have a personal, time-sensitive invitation or offer to share. You can also use SMS for automated messages, for example, let a customer know delivery updates on their order.

Digital advertising or SMS?

I’ve heard merchants say, “Why would I send a text when it’s so much cheaper to run ads on social media?” I’d respond to this in two parts.

Firstly, is it really cheaper? On average, it costs $17.60 to reach 1000 people on Facebook. For Instagram, it’s $8.30. SMS sits almost bang in the middle—from around $10.00 per 1000 recipients. And that’s not even taking cost per conversion into account. 

Secondly, it depends on what you’re trying to achieve. For example, SMS can drive conversions through high personalization. You have more scope to get really specific to the customer; you know more about them because they’re in your database.

You could use this same idea for secret menu items or order freebies too.

2. They use customer data for lazer-focused personalization

If you’re tracking sales (i.e., if you have a digital POS system and/or an online store) you own a lot of customer purchase data. Now, let’s put it to use!

I’ve just been looking at a merchant account where they’ve automated more than 25% of the revenue. That’s purely just from sending campaigns when customers hit specific criteria or make a particular action.

This business is sending automated emails and SMS messages to customers who haven’t shopped in a while, giving them a small discount, and generating revenue from that.

They’ve also got automated SMS campaigns going out to their loyalty members, letting them know when they have points they need to redeem, or when they’ve unlocked a reward.

This is exactly what the big brands do—they put their data to work. It’s really exciting seeing smaller retailers take that concept and run with it. The set-up time is so minimal, especially because SMS doesn’t require any design work. And the results are incredible.

There are also businesses who are dipping their toe in the water, giving SMS a go with a one-off campaign, and being absolutely blown away at the impact.

Pinjarra Bakery is an example that comes to mind. This is an example of a merchant taking a step back and thinking: what’s the best channel for this campaign?

Every month or so, they’ll make a once-only, off-menu meat pie. They wanted to let their regulars know about it, but the promotion needed to reach them at exactly the right time.

So they sent an SMS, just before lunch time, to encourage customers to come in and try this one-off pie.

After just two SMS campaigns contributed to 15% of revenue over a 3-month period… it’s safe to say, SMS marketing is yet another Pinjarra success.

“Sometimes, I've got to look twice and go—Is this actually real?”

“Sometimes, I've got to look twice and go—Is this actually real?”

- Daniel Pantaleo, Pinjarra Bakery

Another bonus learning: Don’t just track customer purchase data, track the brands and products they’re buying too. With SKU-level data, you can pitch co-marketing campaigns to wholesalers, negotiate better stock prices, and just generally deepen your relationship with your vendors.

3. They give compelling reasons for customers to opt in (and stick around)

If you already see the value in texting your customers, your next challenge is: how do build my SMS database?

The big brands know that people will sign up to get an offer, but will opt out if they aren’t promised continuous benefits. If you want people to stick around (and you want to keep reaping the rewards of high conversion rates), you have to make an offer they can’t resist.

Case study: Sephora

Sephora has a finely-balanced strategy to keep a regular stream of SMS subscribers coming in, while sending exclusive offers and insider info to keep them there long-term.

Opt-in incentive: Sephora uses a 10% discount code to get customers signed up for SMS marketing.

Continuous benefits: Then, Sephora shows the value of being on the list. Their SMS subscribers and beauty insiders get access to all sorts of exclusive offers, as well as being kept in the loop with new stores and events.

Case study: Domino’s

Domino's takes a slightly different approach. The incentive to sign up is access to the deals themselves… and they’re very good deals.

Opt-in incentive & continuous benefit: Exclusive access to time-sensitive deals.

These deals are so good, you wouldn’t find much better. While smaller retailers and hospitality businesses can’t compete with the big brands on price, you can still use this method. Even if you don’t want to offer 50% discounts, your database will still appreciate a $5 voucher or small freebie.

Finally, to make a lasting impression on your audience, don’t be afraid to lean on your customer experience, product quality, and level of service as your point of difference in these kinds of campaigns.

How SMB Merchants Can Leverage SMS Marketing

1. Build Your SMS List: Start by building your SMS list by obtaining your customers' opt-in consent. You can do this by offering a discount or promotion in exchange for their phone number.
2. Expire Discount Codes: When you use discount codes for campaigns, make sure you set an expiry date to make the offer time sensitive.
3. Personalize Your Messages: Use customer data to personalize your SMS messages and offers. This could be based on their purchase history, location, or interests.
4. Time Your Messages: Send timely and relevant messages to your customers to maximize their impact. This could be about promotions, new products, or special events.
5. Keep It Short and Sweet: Keep your messages short and concise, with a clear call-to-action. This will encourage your customers to take action and engage with your brand.

Meet with one of our experts and be in to win 1000 free SMS credits.

Discuss how SMS could work best for your business. Meet with an SMS expert before the end of June and be in to win 1000 SMS credits.

Standard T&Cs apply. Additional competition terms: 1) Offer not available for SHAFT-regulated merchants. 2) To be eligible, you must book and complete a call with a Marsello SMS expert before UTC 11:59pm, 30th June, 2023. 3) Only one entry per eligible business will be accepted.

Read more: 7 Steps To Building A Profitable Loyalty & Rewards Program

Quick links:

• • • 1. The Very Secret Sale

    • 2. Mystery Discounts

    • 3. Secret Menu Items or Freebies

    • 4. Pop-Up Store Google Maps Link

    • 5. The Birthday Offer

    • Before you begin: Tips From The Experts
      
      

    • Win 1000 Free SMS Credits

      
      

We all know what bad marketing looks like. It’s the emails we bulk delete, the text message that gets us up on the wrong side of the bed, and the intrusive ad in the middle of your Facebook message inbox.

We sign up for things left right and center, opting into emails when we buy something, accepting SMS marketing when we make an appointment… Then before we know it we’re inundated with marketing messages and we’re subjected to a total advertising overload.

That’s why, as business owners, we’re hesitant to send too many emails, or annoying texts, or set up pesky retargeting ads that don’t turn off even when customers have already bought the dang thing.

However, when marketing is done well, we don’t see it as marketing. We see it as a story, or a relatable anecdote, or a club we are genuinely excited to be part of.

So how do we take SMS—one of the more intrusive forms of marketing—and make it exceptional? How do we make SMS marketing so good that customers will be throwing their mobile numbers at us, begging to be part of our list?

The fact is, SMS has a reputation as one of the most annoying forms of marketing because it is the most direct. It comes right to the user's personal device, without the need for an internet connection or mobile data. It’s almost guaranteed to be delivered and opened. There’s really no barrier shielding the recipient from an annoying message if they’re opted in.

But what makes SMS annoying also gives it its edge.

So here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to design 5 creative, tantalizing & clever SMS campaigns that you can use or modify and promote as part of your brand’s customer experience.

Ready to say goodbye to SMS opt-outs?

Goal: To attract new text subscribers and build up a marketable database for SMS. 

Benefit: Better engagement, higher read rates, and more return on your marketing investment.

Understand that these campaigns should be exclusive (or at the very least first access) to text message subscribers. In return for their mobile number and marketing consent, you want to make it well worth their while. Customers need to know that opting out means they will no longer have access to these incredible offers and campaigns.

Here are 5 SMS Campaigns That Will Have Customers Eager To Share Their Number.

1. The Very Secret Sale

Every month, 1 text subscriber is chosen randomly to participate in a secret sale. This creates hype and excitement within your database, and you can use it in your list of amazing things your subscribed customers get access to. This campaign creates a sense of exclusivity and urgency, while also encouraging customer engagement, referrals and social shares.

Yep, it’s pretty much just a one-off discount or voucher for one person, once a month. But make the offer tantalizing enough that everyone wants it.

Steps: 

1. Export a list of your SMS subscribers as a CSV file (or download a full list, and sort by SMS subscribers, deleting the rest).
2. Use a Random Name Picker like this one, where you can upload a CSV file of your database
3. Pick a name at random (or as many as you like).
4. Create a campaign list or segment with that customer.
5. Generate a single-use or customer-specific discount or voucher code. Adding a time limit or expiry date creates urgency.
6. Send an SMS campaign (copy the text below and modify to your liking).

Message copied to clipboard!

Now paste into your next SMS message.

[YOUR COMPANY]: Hey [name]! You're in the Secret Sale! Here’s your code for [$50 off]: [XXXX]. But hurry, it expires in 24hrs! T&C Apply.Reply STOP to opt-out

Copy message

2. Mystery Discounts

This campaign creates a sense of excitement and anticipation for customers, as they wait for periodic messages with surprise discount codes. By keeping the value of each code a mystery, you’ll incentivize customers to jump online and add items to their cart to apply the code.

You can use this type of campaign alongside other campaigns and releases, for example for early access to new collections, to further increase customer engagement.

Message copied to clipboard!

Now paste into your next SMS message.

[YOUR COMPANY]: Mystery Code Alert: [XXXX]. Will you get 10% off, 20% off, or even more? It's a mystery! Expires in 8hrs! T&C Apply.Reply STOP to opt-out

Copy message

3. Secret Menu Items or Freebies

In one of the most creative SMS campaigns we’ve seen, Pinjarra Bakery promotes exclusive meat pies to their local customers. They’ll create whacky recipes and do a one-off batch, then send a text just before lunch to let customers know.

Campaigns like this are great. they’re time-sensitive, they’re fun, and they get customers excited to try something new and different.

Message copied to clipboard!

Now paste into your next SMS message.

**LIMITED TIME** [SECRET MENU ITEM]. Visit [YOUR COMPANY] today. Hurry, we always sell out fast!Reply STOP to opt-out

Copy message

You could use this same idea for secret menu items or order freebies too.

Message copied to clipboard!

Now paste into your next SMS message.

Say “[PASSWORD]” when you order from [YOUR COMPANY] today and we’ll add a large fries to your order for free. Offer ends 5pm today.Reply STOP to opt-out

Copy message

4. Pop-Up Store Google Maps Link

Running a pop-up store? Offer first access to the pop-up store Google Maps location to SMS subscribers. When promoting your pop-up store, you can create a landing page or add a form to your Link In Bio. Ask customers to add their mobile number to receive the location 24 hours before the store opens.

Pop-up stores can offer an air of mystique and exclusivity. They’re outside your usual store location, run for a limited time, and often promise the best deals and last-of-run items.

I was recently out shopping and needed a different size in the hoodie I wanted. I was told that there was only one left, that it wasn’t available online or in any of the physical other stores, but that it would be at the pop-up, happening later that week. Plus, the store assistant whispered as an aside, it would be half the price.

I got there on the day and the line was halfway down the street.

Pop-ups and markets are a popular way for stores to run sales and move stock quickly. Having everything for sale in one place, and for a limited time, creates urgency and demand. They are also great for ecommerce/DTC brands who want temporary, cheaper floorspace to build their brand presence in a particular market.

Message copied to clipboard!

Now paste into your next SMS message.

**THIS WEEK ONLY**[YOUR COMPANY] pop-up store.Location: [LINK]. Open 10-5 until Friday or while stocks last. Reply STOP to opt-out

Copy message

5. The Birthday Offer

Last but certainly not least! Most customers expect birthday offers when signing up for a loyalty program or marketing emails these days. But why not offer something extra to SMS subscribers?

This campaign creates a personalized experience for customers, making them feel valued and appreciated on their special day. Additionally, by setting a time limit on the offer, you’ll create urgency and encourage customers to take advantage of the offer before it expires.

Message copied to clipboard!

Now paste into your next SMS message.

Happy Birthday Frances! Enjoy a coffee at any Flora's Cafe this week, on us! Just show this text at the counter. Reply STOP to opt out

Copy message

Before you begin: Tips From The Experts

Above: Wildfang leads with the benefit of opting in when promoting their SMS marketing program at checkout.

1. Be upfront. Dominoes lead the charge in transparency, letting customers know before they subscribe to expect no more than 6 text messages a month. If you’re open, people know what they’re signing up for and will be less likely to opt-out.
2. Lead with the benefit. Retailer Wildfang asks customers to opt-in by self-selecting whether or not they want a discount. Be clear under the initial copy/headline that customers are signing up for SMS marketing, and make sure you deliver the discount in the first SMS message you send them (automate it to be extra certain).
3. Keep compliant. Make sure you’re staying within global, regional and industry SMS legals. While we stay up-to-date with the rules and regulations, we’re not legal experts, so make sure you check the TCPA and other legislation and guidelines to make sure your campaigns don’t miss the mark.

Final words

SMS marketing campaigns can be highly effective if they are designed well, creating a sense of excitement and exclusivity among customers. As SMS is the most direct form of marketing, it is important to ensure that campaigns are designed with care to avoid being seen as intrusive. The campaigns outlined above all offer creative and tantalizing options for customers to engage with a brand through SMS. By providing exclusive access to offers and campaigns, customers are more likely to opt-in to SMS marketing, leading to higher engagement and return on investment.

Meet with one of our experts and be in to win 1000 free SMS credits.

Discuss how SMS could work best for your business. Meet with an SMS expert before the end of June and be in to win 1000 SMS credits.

Standard T&Cs apply. Additional competition terms: 1) Offer not available for SHAFT-regulated merchants. 2) To be eligible, you must book and complete a call with a Marsello SMS expert before UTC 11:59pm, 30th June, 2023. 3) Only one entry per eligible business will be accepted.

Read more: 7 Steps To Building A Profitable Loyalty & Rewards Program

With over 800 plugins listed in the WooCommerce extension marketplace, it can be overwhelming to choose which ones to use. That's why we've compiled a list of the 9 best plugins to help you grow your WooCommerce store.

From boosting sales and customer loyalty to improving the user experience and site performance, these plugins can help take your store to the next level in 2023.

1. Marsello: Seamless In-store & Online Loyalty
2. Klaviyo: Email & Text Marketing
3. Zapier for WooCommerce
4. WooCommerce Product Table
5. Google Product Feed for WooCommerce
6. LiveChat for WooCommerce
7. Tiered Pricing Table for WooCommerce
8. WooCommerce Wishlists
9. Back In Stock Notifications
   
   

9 Best WooCommerce Apps to Grow Your eCommerce Store in 2023.

1. Marsello for WooCommerce: Seamless in-store & online loyalty

Know your customer, no matter how they shop. Marsello is the only loyalty platform that integrates with a range of POS apps. This means you can track every sale, in-store or online, to a customer profile.

Then, turn this 360-degree data into revenue with personalized campaigns and incentives to drive repeat sales—all with one smart loyalty marketing app.

How it can help drive sales:

• With a loyalty program in place, customers are more likely to return to your store and make repeat purchases in order to earn rewards.
• Tiered rewards incentivize customers to spend more in order to reach new ‘levels’ in your loyalty program.
• By connecting your in-store sales data and WooCommerce sales to Marsello, you’ll get deeper insights into customer behavior and preferences, allowing you to optimize your marketing and maximize sales.

Pricing: From $100/month

Start a free trial

2. Klaviyo: Email & Text Marketing for Ecommerce

A unified customer platform for email, SMS, and more. Klaviyo helps you convert data into personalized customer conversions with smart campaigns and automations. Whether you’re sending a drip campaign, a transactional email, or a special holiday campaign, ultra-relevant content can help you boost engagement—and earn more revenue.

How it can help drive sales:

• Personalized messages such as abandoned cart reminders, product recommendations, and post-purchase follow-ups can help you increase conversions.
• The plugin allows you to sync your customer and order data and create more personalized and targeted campaigns.
• Automation tools such as follow-up emails can help you automate your marketing workflows and drive more sales.

Pricing: From $0/month (pricing scales with your business)

View on the WooCommerce Marketplace

3. Zapier for WooCommerce

Zapier enables you to connect your WooCommerce store to over 2,000 apps, automating tasks such as order processing, customer data management, and shipping notifications.

How it helps you drive sales:

• You can create custom workflows based on triggers and actions, such as sending a discount code to a customer who abandons their cart or adding a customer to a specific email list when they make a purchase.
• Automated workflows can help you increase conversions and drive more sales.

Pricing: $59/annum

View on the WooCommerce Marketplace

4. WooCommerce Product Table

The WooCommerce Product Table plugin displays products in a table format, allowing customers to view multiple products at once and compare them side by side.

How it can help drive sales:

• Customers can filter and sort products based on various criteria, making it easier for them to find what they are looking for and reducing the likelihood of them leaving your store without making a purchase.
• The plugin is mobile-friendly and responsive, providing a seamless shopping experience for customers on all devices. Using the WooCommerce Product Table plugin can enhance the user experience on your store, increase conversions, and drive more sales.

Pricing: Paid plans start from $59/month.

View in the WooCommerce Marketplace

5. Google Product Feed for WooCommerce

This plugin creates a product feed for your WooCommerce store that can be used to advertise your products on Google Shopping, allowing you to reach a broader audience and increase sales.

How it can help drive sales:

• This plugin can be used to increase your visibility and drive more traffic to your store.
• It ensures that your product data is accurate, complete, and relevant, which Google favors.
• You can easily manage your product listings and make changes to your data as needed.
• You can tap into a large audience of potential customers who are actively searching for products online.

Pricing: $79/annum

View listing in WooCommerce Marketplace

6. LiveChat for WooCommerce

LiveChat provides real-time customer support and engagement through live chat, improving customer satisfaction and retention.

How it can help drive sales:

• Live chat support provides immediate and personalized support to customers, which can increase customer satisfaction and ultimately drive more sales and repeat business.
  

Pricing: From $20/month.

View in WooCommerce Marketplace

Easily set up individual pricing for various quantity ranges, and your customers can see instantly how the price for one item changes depending on the quantity they have chosen.

How it can help drive sales:

• The plugin allows you to offer bulk discounts to customers who purchase larger quantities of your products.
• By offering these discounts, you can incentivize customers to purchase more products from your store, which will increase your sales and revenue.
  

Pricing: $79/annum

View in WooCommerce Marketplace

8. WooCommerce Wishlists

This plugin enables your customers to create and manage wishlists on your WooCommerce store, increasing engagement and encouraging customers to return to your store to make a purchase.

How it can help drive sales:

• When a customer creates a wishlist on your site, they are more likely to return to your store to purchase the items they have saved.
• By allowing customers to share their wishlists with friends and family, your products get more visibility and can attract new customers to your store.

Pricing: $79/annum

View on WooCommerce Marketplace

9. Back In Stock Notifications

The Back In Stock Notifications plugin allows customers to sign up for alerts when a product they are interested in is back in stock. This can help you gauge demand for out-of-stock products and drive sales when those products become available again.

How it can help drive sales:

• By providing customers with the ability to receive notifications when a product they want is back in stock, you can increase the likelihood of them making a purchase and help prevent them from going to a competitor.
• The plugin integrates with popular email marketing platforms such as Klaviyo, allowing you to easily send targeted emails to customers who have expressed interest in specific products.
• By providing customers with a way to receive notifications when a product is back in stock, you can build stronger relationships with them and encourage repeat business.

Pricing: $49/annum

View on the WooCommerce Marketplace

So, which WooCommerce plugins should I install?

Whether you're a new eCommerce entrepreneur or an established WooCommerce store owner, you'll want to take advantage of the many great apps the WooCommerce Marketplace has to offer.

Before you start your Marketplace search, we suggest you take a moment to reflect on your business goals and needs. Ask yourself these simple questions:

1. What challenges am I facing as a WooCommerce business?
2. What specific tools do I need to address my problems?
3. What does my ideal state look like, and will this plugin help me get there?
4. Does this app have what I need, what is the cost, and am I willing to pay for it?

By answering these questions, you'll gain a clearer understanding of your business objectives, and it will become easy to choose the plugins that align best with your goals.

Remember, with the right tools at your disposal, you'll be poised for success and ready to take your WooCommerce store to new heights. Best of luck with your search!

Next read: 7 Steps To A Profitable Loyalty & Rewards Program

WooCommerce retailers now have access to seamless in-store and online loyalty. 

We are thrilled to announce our latest integration with WooCommerce, an open-source eCommerce platform built for WordPress.

“WooCommerce is one of the most requested integrations we've ever had,” says CEO Brent Spicer. “Retailers want to be able to create a seamless experience for their consumers both in-store and on their WooCommerce online store through Marsello. This is game-changing for many of our current, and future, retailers.”

Ready to get set up? Watch the video.

With Marsello for WooCommerce, you can connect your online sales data with a range of POS providers.

To really know your customer, you need all the data—no matter where they’re shopping. But it's notoriously difficult to track customer behavior seamlessly across in-store and online channels. Until now.

The Marsello plugin for WooCommerce means you can…

• Create a better shopping experience. It's easy for customers to earn and redeem points no matter how they shop.
• Know your customers better than ever before. With all the data you need to send personalized, targeted campaigns.
• Keep customers coming back. Loyalty, email, SMS and automation features are all designed to increase average order size and incentivize repeat sales.

Step-by-step: How to connect Marsello and WooCommerce.

How it works

Marsello is an advanced loyalty and marketing platform that is powered by your eCommerce and point-of-sale integrations. Using offers, sign-up forms and a customizable loyalty program, WooCommerce merchants can now collect invaluable first-party customer data in-store and online. This data syncs to unique customer profiles so you can know your customer and their preferences better than ever before.

As well as loyalty and list-building, Marsello also gives you tools to keep growing those customer relationships (and sales). Emails, SMS campaigns, automations, reviews and more. It’s all possible for WooCommerce and Marsello users.

"We've created a seamless redemption process with Marsello because we’re committed to prioritizing the customer’s experience,” says Product Manager, Kat Williams. “But staff will love it too—there’s much less confusion from customers about how and where they can redeem and earn points. It all just works, whether transactions are in-store or online.”

Senior Software Engineer, Rukshan Dangalla, agrees. "I'm so excited to see this integration launched. The end result will provide a seamless experience for our merchants, and it's a significant milestone for our company. I'm proud to have contributed to its success!"

Your fully integrated tech stack

With Marsello, WooCommerce sales tracking is seamless in-store and online. Marsello has direct integrations with all major POS platforms including Lightspeed Retail, Cin7, Heartland and Shopify POS.

Getting set up

Setting up the integration is a breeze. You can connect Marsello with just a few clicks and start using the platform to create your marketing campaigns. The integration also ensures that your data is synced between your WooCommerce store and Marsello, so you can track your progress and make informed decisions about your marketing campaigns.

Marsello: Seamless in-store and online loyalty. Drive repeat sales with a loyalty and rewards program Send email and SMS campaigns to customers Create set-and-forget marketing automations Track the direct impact of all your marketing on revenue Build a customer database