Customer Loyalty And Rewards Strategy For BFCM And Holidays

BFCM and holiday season sales are popular amongst consumers. 

Customers not only buy from their favorite brands, but also don’t hesitate to buy from new brands to avail discounts and deals.

For brands, this is a great opportunity to add to their customer list. 

However, what brands need to focus on is not just one-time sales, but how to build loyalty for the future.

This blog explores customer loyalty and rewards strategy for BFCM and holiday to help grow your 

10 customer loyalty and rewards strategies for BFCM and holiday season 2024

eCommerce brands see a lot of traffic during the BFCM and holiday season sales. To turn these sales into returning customers and repeat sales, you will have to think strategically. Try these 10 customer loyalty and rewards program strategies you can combine within your BFCM and holiday season sales plans this year. 

1. Double or triple loyalty points during BFCM

There’s intense competition during BFCM and holiday sales. With so many brands offering tempting deals, you could easily lose your customers to competitors. Hence, give them more reasons to shop with you by offering double or triple loyalty points on purchases made during the sale time. 

Use this customer loyalty and rewards strategy for BFCM to increase the chances of customers coming back to your store to use up their reward points. For example, offer 3x or 5x points on all purchases during the BFCM sale.

2. Exclusive early access to BFCM sales for loyalty members

Customers feel special when you make them feel special and give them exclusive deals. One such incentive is early access to BFCM and holiday season offers. When you give your loyalty members a head start, they feel valued. This feeling of exclusivity makes them want to come back to your store for more and stay loyal for a long time.

You could create special campaigns only for your loyalty members to announce these deals via SMS, email, etc. For example, “Shop before anyone else. Exclusive early access to our Black Friday sale only for our loyalty members.”

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3. Exclusive BFCM discounts for loyalty members

Brands offer heavy discounts to everyone during the BFCM sale. But that doesn’t mean you must neglect your loyalty members. You must use this opportunity to make them feel more special. Offer members-only discounts during BFCM to make loyalty members feel special. 

Your loyalty members definitely expect you to offer them something exclusive even during the sale time. For example, you could do this: ‘Members save an extra 15% over and above the BFCM deals! Use this special member code: XXX’

4. Holiday-themed tiered rewards

Another customer loyalty and rewards strategy for BFCM is gamification or tier-based approach. Gamifying your BFCM and holiday season incentives can add that extra excitement customers crave for. For instance, try these holiday-themed tiered loyalty and rewards ideas:

• Create challenges themed around BFCM and holiday season. For instance, set spending thresholds for customers to earn extra rewards – spend $500 and receive back bonus loyalty points
• Offer surprise loyalty points during BFCM sale. This will increase loyalty member excitement. Promote by sending announcement via email, SMS, WhatsApp only to loyalty program members

5. Offer free gift with purchases for loyalty members

Research shows that 90% of consumers say they would purchase more from brands that offer free gifts with a purchase. Adding a free gift with purchases during BFCM and holiday season sales can enhance loyalty members’ experience and make them want to associate more with your brands. 

A few things you could do are: offer a free gift on the purchase of a specific amount or more or offer a free gift code on a purchase after the BFCM sale is over. That way you can ensure customers keep coming back to your store.

For example, ‘Purchase items worth $150 during Black Friday sale and get a free gift.’

6. Reward points for referrals during BFCM

Incorporate referral programs as a customer loyalty and rewards strategy for BFCM. BFCM is also a great time to leverage the high-traffic to your Shopify store for your referral program. For instance, encourage your existing customers to share referrals. In return, offer them incentives. 

For this, you could run a special campaign to combine the referral program and BFCM sale. For instance, ‘Refer a friend and earn 1000 bonus loyalty points.’ Mention this offer during checkout as well as post purchase via email, SMS, etc.

7. Loyalty program sign up incentives

Many new, first-time customers may visit your eCommerce store during the BFCM sale, besides your existing customers. Encourage new customers to join your loyalty program by offering bonus points or an exclusive incentive. 

Ensure you highlight the benefits of joining your loyalty program while shoppers are browsing your product or at the time of checkout. This will increase engagement and spark their interest in your loyalty program, increasing the potential of becoming repeat customers.

For example, ‘Sign up for our loyalty program at checkout and get 1000 bonus points to shop on your next purchase.’

8. Personalized rewards based on purchase history

If you aren’t using your Shopify data to personalize customer experience, you’re missing out on many benefits. Consider using part purchase history to personalize rewards as a customer loyalty and rewards strategy for BFCM.

For example, use data to understand which products loyalty members buy repeatedly. During the BFCM sale, offer rewards and incentives on those specific products. 

You could also segment your loyalty members based on various parameters and send them personalized offers via different channels, such as email, SMS, etc. 

Here’s an example: ‘ As a frequent buyer of X, get 20% off your next purchase on the same product during the BFCM sale.’

9. Holiday gift cards and points for gifting

BFCM and holiday seasons are also a time when people give a lot of gifts. Consider promoting gift cards as a reward within your loyalty program. For instance, offer bonus points to customers who buy gift cards, or allow customers to redeem points for gift cards.

Offering gift cards during the BFCM sale can offer many benefits to retailers – increase brand loyalty, improve customer experience, ensure locked-in income, and can help with stock clearance during sales.

Here’s an example, ‘Earn 500 points for every $50 gift card you purchase during our BFCM sale.’

10. Exclusive holiday-themed rewards

Another customer loyalty and rewards strategy for BFCM is to offer exclusive holiday-themed rewards. For instance, you could create an elaborate campaign focused on holiday-themed rewards.

Introduce limited-period BFCM rewards that can be redeemed through your loyalty program. For example, allow customers to redeem rewards only during holiday sales. This will create urgency and excitement around earning points.

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Best practices for customer loyalty and rewards strategy for BFCM and holiday season

To avoid common mistakes made by eCommerce brands, follow these best practices. 

• Automate your BFCM and holiday seasons campaigns because it would be impossible to manage sales, marketing and promotions at scale. Use an efficient app such as Appstle Loyalty & Rewards app.
• Plan for stock outs as the sale period is when products get sold out fast. To meet high demand and customer expectations, plan your inventory well. Use your Shopify loyalty and rewards app to manage inventory.
• Start early. Most eCommerce brands would be targeting your potential customers. Ensure you have a head start by planning and automating your campaigns early on.
• Use data from your Shopify store to ensure your customer loyalty and rewards strategy for BFCM is based on data. This will enhance your BFCM sale outcome.

Get started with your BFCM 2024 strategies

With the right strategies and efforts, you can boost the customer loyalty and rewards goals from this year’s BFCM and holiday season sales. 

But if you absolutely want to crush it, you will need a smart app to help you. Explore Appstle Loyalty & Rewards app for your Shopify store BFCM strategies and automation.

Here are some stand out features of Appstle loyalty app compared to other apps:

• Create engaging loyalty programs on your Shopify store
• Multiple types of loyalty and rewards programs
• Gamification capabilities for tier-based programs
• In-depth performance analytics and reports
• 24x7x365 customer support for Shopify merchants
• Easy and fast integrations with third-party apps
• High-level customization

No matter what products and services you offer on your Shopify store, Appstle loyalty app can be used across industries. Explore how different brands across industries can use the app to set up loyalty and rewards programs:

1. Beauty, cosmetics, and skincare brands

2. Food and beverage

3. Fashion and apparel

Install Appstle Loyalty & Rewards app on your Shopify store today!