Retail is evolving at full speed.
Physical commerce is shifting towards e-commerce, contact points are multiplying, and consumers are more volatile than ever.
As a result, customer loyalty for a retail brand is becoming a major challenge.
For a long time, the loyalty card fulfilled its role.
Slipped into the wallet or scanned at the checkout, it symbolised brand affiliation.
But this model, effective at the time, no longer meets today's needs.
Customers expect something else. More than just collecting points, they want real recognition.
A fluid, connected, personalised experience. In short, a strong link with brands.
This is where new programs like those powered by Loyoly come in.
No more plastic cards forgotten at the back of a drawer.
Loyalty is going digital, becoming part of the overall customer experience and a powerful retention tool.
In this article, we give you the keys to understanding these issues, identifying the limits of traditional programs and discovering modern solutions designed for today's retail.
It's simple, a loyalty program for retail is used to reward regular customers.
It gives them a good reason to come back, to buy more often, and above all, to remain loyal to one brand rather than another.
Traditionally, the principle is well established.
The customer presents their card at the checkout, collects points each time they shop, and then receives discounts or gifts.
This model has been working for years, particularly in supermarkets and specialised stores.
But it has its limitations. It sometimes lacks the flexibility to adapt to new uses.
Customer journeys are increasingly digital, interactions are multiplying, and expectations are changing.
As a result, traditional programs are struggling to keep up.
And yet, when properly designed, a loyalty program becomes a real strategic lever. It is no longer just about distributing benefits.
It is about creating a real relationship between the brand and its customer.
This is where things get interesting. Because loyalty is not just a points system. It is a way of maintaining a link.
Of making the brand part of its customers' daily lives. Of making them come back, again and again.
And this link also has a direct impact on business. Keeping a loyal customer costs much less than acquiring a new one.
Better yet, a committed customer spends more and more often. Each checkout becomes more profitable, each interaction more valuable.
So yes, a well-thought-out loyalty program can transform a transactional relationship into a lasting one.
And in a context of strong competition, it is a real strength.
The classic loyalty program is now reaching its limits. It is based on a rigid, not very personalised scheme.
As a result, customers are losing interest.
They forget their card, don't understand how it works or don't clearly perceive the added value.
But why is it no longer working? Because the model has remained fixed while usage has changed completely.
By dint of lacking originality and adaptability, loyalty becomes invisible.
It no longer retains, it misses its primary mission, to bring customers back.
Too often, the experience is disconnected from the rest of the journey.
This lack of fluidity is detrimental to engagement.
And in a context where consumers are quick to switch, every friction can result in the loss of a customer.
Another weakness is the lack of an emotional connection.
An overly impersonal program does not create a relationship.
And without a relationship, there is no lasting loyalty.
No retention.
On the data side, brands have difficulty exploiting the information collected.
The data is there, but it is misused.
The result is that loyalty becomes a vague concept, difficult to measure, impossible to activate effectively.
Behaviour changes quickly.
Today's consumers expect more recognition, more personalisation, more meaning.
They want tailor-made, coherent experiences, accessible in-store and online.
Rethinking your program is not just about making new from old. It's a real strategic choice.
To improve retention, reduce acquisition costs, and build a sustainable competitive advantage.
Brands that digitise their program get a head start.
They offer a more engaging, more fluid, better integrated experience.
This is exactly what a solution like Loyoly, designed for the uses and expectations of today's retail, enables.
In a world where consumers are constantly solicited, loyalty can no longer be summed up as a simple accumulation of points.
Brands have to deal with new challenges: digitisation, an explosion of channels, expectations of a fluid and tailor-made experience.
As a result, loyalty programs have to evolve to be more innovative, more engaging and, above all, more connected to current practices.
The challenge is no longer just to reward, but to make people want to come back, both in-store and online. To do this, three levers are needed.
The plastic card is on its way out.
The modern retail loyalty program is now based on a digital customer account.
Accessible from a smartphone, an app or a customer area, it is directly integrated into the brand's digital ecosystem.
This approach paves the way for a much richer experience.
There is no need to think about your card when you reach the checkout. Everything is automated, connected and seamless.
For the brand, the advantages are considerable. Each interaction becomes a source of data.
It is possible to follow the customer journey precisely, analyse behaviour and better understand purchasing habits.
Digitalisation also makes loyalty programmes more responsive.
Brands can adapt their offers in real time, send an instant reward, or notify a discount as soon as a threshold is reached.
This is an essential lever for creating continuous, frictionless loyalty.
This is the core of any effective retail loyalty program today.
Thanks to the data collected, brands can tailor their offers to each customer: their purchase history, their preferences, their average order value or even their level of engagement.
This targeting paves the way for more refined and relevant customer loyalty!
Each customer receives the right messages, at the right time, on the right channel, and the result is... personalised offers!
On the brand side, this personalisation allows for advanced segmentation.
Automated scenarios can be created according to customer typologies, gamification can be integrated, or changes in behaviour over time can be monitored.
Loyalty is no longer based solely on reward. It becomes a personalised experience that values the customer and makes them feel unique.
And that changes everything when it comes to engagement.
Today, it is impossible to talk about a retail loyalty program without mentioning omnichannel.
Customers are constantly switching between mobile and store, e-commerce site and social media.
They expect continuity and fluidity between each point of contact.
A good loyalty program must keep up with this pace.
It must be valid online as well as in-store.
Points should be accumulated wherever you shop.
Offers should be visible on all media.
To achieve this, integration with CRM tools, transactional emails or mobile applications is essential.
This allows for centralised data, orchestrated journeys and a consistent end-to-end experience.
Want to learn more about omnichannel marketing? Read our article on omnichannel marketing and how to implement it.
There is no single loyalty model. Each brand can draw on several types of programs to create a tailor-made experience.
What matters is consistency with the overall strategy and the expectations of its customers.
Digitalisation has completely transformed these mechanisms.
Where we used to stamp a cardboard card, we now check our points using an app.
The benefits are more varied, the actions more engaging, and the analysis much more detailed.
Kookaï is an excellent example of this.
The brand has rethought its loyalty scheme to adapt to current practices while retaining the essence of an effective program.
Need inspiration to create a model tailored to your objectives? Take a look at our comprehensive guide on how to create the best loyalty program.
This is the classic, but with an upgrade.
The customer can accumulate points with each interaction or purchase, but this time, everything is done online.
The customer area or mobile application allows you to check your points in real time, and take advantage of the rewards much more easily.
At Kookaï, creating an account already entitles you to points.
A simple first step that values commitment.
The challenge is clear: to encourage the customer to come back to use their points, and thus activate a cycle of repeat purchases.
The whole thing is based on an automated system, much more fluid than the old paper models.
The idea is simple: part of the amount spent is returned to the customer's account in the form of a credit.
This format works very well online because it encourages customers to come back quickly to take advantage of their reward.
Kookaï customers can exchange points they have already earned for vouchers.
It is an effective mechanism for accelerating sales and generating a sense of immediate benefit.
Here again, the simplicity and visibility of the credit are key to activating customer return.
This model is based on a system of levels.
The more the customer spends, the higher he or she moves up the ranks.
And the higher he or she moves up, the more he or she is rewarded. Silver, Gold, Platinum... these statuses echo a certain prestige.
Kookaï has adopted this principle with bronze, silver and gold statuses.
Each level unlocks exclusive benefits, such as private sales, free deliveries, or birthday gifts.
The customer feels valued, recognised, and belongs to a more privileged circle.
This sense of belonging naturally reinforces loyalty.
Loyalty is no longer achieved solely through purchase.
More and more brands are also rewarding interactions: leaving reviews, sharing on social media, referrals, or following social media accounts.
At Kookaï, an Instagram story or a subscription to the TikTok account can earn points.
This model encourages a more lively and participatory relationship.
The customer becomes an ambassador, and the brand maintains an ongoing connection with its community.
It's a more emotional form of loyalty, creating attachment beyond the product.
Last but not least: referrals.
They create a two-way loyalty system, for both the referrer and the referee.
And above all, they create a natural viral effect.
Kookaï offers a referral link to share.
Each new customer receives a discount voucher, and the referrer is also rewarded.
This double benefit reinforces the incentive to share, while attracting new qualified customers.
It is a formidable method of combining acquisition and loyalty without burdening the marketing budget.
Pssst... You might find this interesting!
You want a loyalty programs tailored for your retail business ? We can probably help. Check out our platform!
Here are 3 examples of retail loyalty programs that illustrate how brands can strengthen their relationship with customers with a well-thought-out system.
Céladon Paris, a brand specialising in traditional Portuguese tableware, has developed a loyalty program that is perfectly in line with its refined and committed universe.
Each purchase allows customers to accumulate points, which can be converted into vouchers to enrich their collection of everyday objects.
But the experience doesn't stop there: Céladon also values the commitment of its community by rewarding reviews, sharing on social media and newsletter subscriptions.
The program also includes a referral system, encouraging lovers of fine dining to introduce their friends and family to the brand while enjoying exclusive benefits.
Cigoire, a concept store dedicated to designers and beautiful discoveries, offers a loyalty program designed for its curious and committed customers.
Each purchase allows you to accumulate points that can be converted into vouchers, thus offering a concrete advantage for lovers of unique objects and handicrafts.
But the experience goes further: Cigoire also rewards interaction with the brand, whether it's signing up for the newsletter, sharing an opinion or engaging on social media.
Cigoire also offers a VIP status system, giving the most loyal customers access to exclusive benefits and even more generous rewards as they shop, to reinforce their sense of belonging.
The program also includes a referral system, encouraging customers to share their favourites with those around them, while benefiting from exclusive rewards.
The men's ready-to-wear brand Serge Blanco has set up a simple and effective loyalty program designed to encourage both purchases and customer engagement.
For every euro spent, the user earns 4 points, giving access to exclusive discounts.
But the loyalty programme doesn't stop there: a relational dimension is introduced with the completion of various missions to earn even more points (opt-ins, reviews, engagement on social media, creation of UGC, etc.).
Serge Blanco also incorporates a community dimension with a referral system.
Customers can invite their friends and family and be rewarded in return, creating a virtuous circle of engagement and recommendations.
A mechanism that combines immediate benefits and long-term loyalty, while strengthening the bond between the brand and its customers.
A loyalty program for a retail brand is not a tool to be activated at the end of the chain.
It is a strategic lever in its own right.
It enriches the experience, strengthens engagement, and activates the right levers at the right time.
The brands that are successful today are those that think of loyalty as a relationship to be built, not as an isolated mechanism.
And for that, you need tools adapted to new behaviours.
That's exactly what Loyoly offers.
A solution designed for brands that want to go further in personalisation, omnichannel and customer engagement.
Find out how Loyoly can boost your loyalty program.
Loyoly is a loyalty and referral platform combined with UGCs, which helps to engage customers in 40+ ways to increase LTV and social proof, while reducing CAC.
