Loyalty programs are one of the best ways to build your brand community. They are the ultimate retention tool for businesses in any industry.
In the past, we’ve compiled lists of excellent loyalty program examples in several industries. Still, we thought it was time to create a more extensive collection of the best ecommerce loyalty and rewards programs in every industry.
The following list was put together to inspire you to create your loyalty program and brand community, no matter what you sell or what stage you’re at.
Best loyalty programs in the Arts & Crafts industry
Wallack Art Supplies’ Orange Circle Rewards
Program highlight: meaningful, value-added rewards
Making your rewards program a natural extension of your brand is a must, and Wallack’s Art Supplies does that perfectly through its Orange Circle Rewards loyalty program. From a branded explainer page, clever VIP tier names, and on-theme language such as “Rewards Designed For You”, customers know the loyalty program closely aligns with the brand values. Wallack takes it further with meaningful value-added rewards for its best customers, such as presales to demos and classes, free access to specific demos, and VIP shopping events.
Diamond Art Club’s Diamond Insider Rewards
Program highlight: incentivized user-generated content
Social proof is an invaluable asset in an industry as visual as the arts and crafts industry. Diamond Art Club incentivizes this type of user-generated content in its loyalty program by offering reward points for product reviews and additional points for photo and video reviews. Customers not only get to show off their artwork to a like-minded community and inspire others—they get rewarded for doing so!
Best loyalty programs in the Beauty & Cosmetics industry
Blume’s Blumetopia
Program highlight: branded immersive explainer page
Skincare and personal care brand Blume takes the cake for one of the best rewards program explainer pages we’ve seen. When customers visit this page, they’re taken on a virtual journey to Blumetopia through visual and audio effects and inviting, playful language. Blume offers community-driven experimental rewards through its tiered VIP program, which includes access to the brand’s close friends’ Instagram stories and a private Facebook group.
Sephora’s Beauty Insider
Program highlight: reward exclusivity
Sephora’s Beauty Insider is undoubtedly one of the best ecommerce customer loyalty programs. Most of the community’s success stems from their VIP tiers’ high level of exclusivity and a variety of status-based rewards. VIB Rouge members are rewarded based on their status in the program, including invites to parties and community events. Community members can unlock access to VIB Rouge (the highest tier in their program) and its incredible benefits after spending $1,000 in one calendar year, showing their status as fully dedicated members of the Beauty Insider community.
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Best loyalty programs in the Clothing & Fashion industry
Nordstrom’s Nordy Club
Program highlight: luxurious experiential rewards
While Nordstrom’s Nordy Club offers many features that make the loyalty program great, one stands out—its comprehensive portfolio of luxurious experiential rewards. With 3 VIP tiers, Nordstrom rewards its top tier VIP members with unique experiences like in-home stylists, various double points days, and invites to events IRL like its annual Mother’s Day brunch or seats at fashion shows. This example of aspirational marketing at work is great because it reflects the community member’s desire to be part of an exclusive club.
Esther & Co’s Royal Rewards
Program highlight: supercharged point earning from sharing
Esther & Co. has built one of the most rewarding brand communities with their Royal Rewards program. They’ve created standard VIP tiers that provide more points per dollar spent as you move through the ranks, but the most valuable part of their program comes from how they’ve made it so rewarding for members to help build the community. With a $10 reward per successful referral and 50 points per social share, it’s easy to see how they’ve built such a strong brand community.
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Best loyalty programs in the Electronics industry
Casey’s VIP Rewards Program
Program highlight: rewards catalog
Phone case and accessory brand Casely has done a great job at making its rewards program exciting to generate repeat purchases in a low purchase frequency industry (how often do you buy a new phone case, after all?). Community members can earn points for completing various actions, including signing up in the first place, completing a purchase, or following on social media. The best part, however, is the rewards catalog, which lets community members spend points on merchandise instead of simply getting a traditional discount. Offering these “points products” is a great way to create a loyalty program that feels exclusive and gets community members invested in the brand so they keep returning for more.
Nintendo’s My Nintendo Rewards
Program highlight: gamification at every stage
As the creator of some of the most iconic video games of all time, such as Mario Kart, Zelda, Minecraft, and more, Nintendo has turned its customer loyalty program into an exciting game. The My Nintendo Rewards program gives customers various ways to earn digital Gold or Platinum point tokens, just like in virtual games. By playing Nintendo apps or purchasing eligible digital games, My Nintendo members can cash their coins in for in-app items, tangible exclusive My Nintendo store products, or even eligible games through the various e-stores. From the points currency to program branding, Nintendo’s loyalty program feels just like another one of its famous games.
Best loyalty programs in the Food & Drink industry
Starbucks Rewards
Program highlight: mobile app
No list of the best ecommerce customer loyalty programs would be complete without Starbucks’ Rewards Program. The community they’ve created around the Starbucks brand experience is incredible and rewarding, offering members free in-store refills, free foods and drinks, and the ability to order ahead through the mobile app. Customers track their progress towards reward levels through the same app, view weekly bonus star challenges, and even earn bonus stars for linking an eligible payment method. With the ability to access the entire program at your fingertips, Starbucks Rewards has created an excellent customer loyalty experience.
EATABLE Popcorn’s Pop Perks
Program highlight: flexible redemption values.
The food and beverage industry is the perfect candidate for a points program. With high purchase frequency and the potential for solid brand loyalty, gourmet snack brand EATABLE Popcorn leveraged the power of points. Co-founder Charlene shares, “Since our inception, we’ve increased our customer repeat purchase rate significantly—over 10% lift.” One way EATABLE keeps customers returning is by offering a flexible rewards redemption configuration where 100 points = $1 off. A relatively low-priced product saves customers a few bucks each time they shop or bank their points for a vast popcorn haul!
Best loyalty programs in the Health & Supplements industry
Jimmy Joy Rewards
Program highlight: memorable, branded VIP tiers
Your customer loyalty program should be the same if your entire brand is about evoking upbeat, positive, happy emotions. One brand that understands this more than anyone is the health and supplement brand Jimmy Joy. With the word “joy” in the name, Jimmy Joy Rewards keeps the good vibes through bright colors, branded icons, playful language, and funny VIP tiers customers can strive for. From Earthling to Time Traveler, customers can reach higher status with more exclusive perks.
Lumity’s LumityCollective Rewards
Program highlight: generous referral rewards
When it comes to your health and well-being, you will do your research before trying any old product. This is why the power of a referral from someone you know and trust is so valuable in the health and supplement industry. U.K.-based supplement brand Lumity takes advantage of this with a generous referral program, which is part of its LumityCollective Rewards. Both parties involved in a successful referral receive a £40 reward—making product trial less risky for newcomers and giving existing customers a nice discount on a product they love!
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Best loyalty programs in the Home & Garden industry
Indigo’s Plum Rewards
Program highlight: points earning integrated into the entire website
Indigo’s Plum Rewards helped the brand build an online community by offering additional points for community members to purchase online and in-store. The best thing is that customers can see how many points they will earn with every purchase they make on their website, and any bonus points are up for grabs. Indigo also holds regular online-only point multiplier events, further motivating customers to spend money on their website (with higher margins) rather than in-store.
Sage x Clare’s Whole Lotta Lovers Loyalty Club
Program highlight: inviting and playful language on the explainer page
Just as you wouldn’t let your product range go out of style, you shouldn’t let your loyalty program communications get out-of-date. Sage x Clare is a homeware store with an eclectic collection of boho, handmade artisanal products. With bright, colorful, unique designs, it lives and breathes its brand slogan, “With a Whole Lotta Love.” Its appropriately named customer loyalty program carries this ethos by using playful, friendly language on every aspect of its explainer page. From its CTA of “ rewarding, delicious taste with super special perks” to cute points earning explanations like “a li’l love on your birthday” and “leave us a review.” Flattery will get you everywhere,” Sage x Clare delivers the information clearly and memorably.
Best loyalty programs in the Furniture industry
IKEA Family
Program highlight: customer-oriented program benefits
Millions around the globe love the legendary Swedish furniture store IKEA for various reasons, from its affordable, simple, good-quality designs to its customer loyalty program, IKEA Family. IKEA is loved by a broad demographic of customers, from college students to first-time parents, because the products are simple enough to appeal to tastes and styles. IKEA recognizes this through the benefits offered to its IKEA Family members. From extra time in the playground for parents shopping with kids to access to its as-is online marketplace for eco-friendly or price-conscious consumers, there is a benefit that speaks to everyone.
Debongout’s Loyalty Program
Program highlight: healthy points ROI for customers
Furniture is an industry with a famously low purchase frequency—but that doesn’t mean you can’t create a great customer loyalty program. The key here is proper rewards program configuration, and French vintage furniture store Debongout has cracked the code. Through its points program, customers can earn 5 points for every euro spent and redeem 100 points for 1 euro off their next purchase. Applying a little loyalty program math, that is a 5% ROI for every euro spent with the brand, well within Smile’s recommended range of 3%-10%! This will be enough to keep customers thinking of Debongout’s for its next big furniture purchase while protecting the brand’s margins.
Best loyalty programs in the Jewelry and Accessories industry
Swarovski Club
Program highlight: status-based VIP tiers
In an industry as luxurious as jewelry and with a brand as elite as Swarovski, status is everything. This is why a tiered VIP program is the perfect addition to its Swarovski Club customer loyalty program. Customers can work their way up from the bronze tier, through silver, to gold based on their annual spending. Not only does it unlock more prestigious benefits, but the perceived status is a reward for Swarovski’s most privileged customers!
Wanderlust + Co Rewards
Program highlight: rewards for reviews and social sharing
The jewelry industry is visual by nature; customers want to see the products before they buy them—not just on models but also on real people. This is why rewarding customers for social sharing and leaving reviews is a great loyalty program tool. Wanderlust + Co. does an excellent job at this by offering 30 points for each social share and 10 points per review. This is an easy way for customers to earn points towards rewards while providing valuable social proof future customers will rely on.
Best loyalty programs in the Pet Supplies industry
Wüfers’ Cookie Coin Rewards
Program highlight: Integrated referral and points programs
Anybody who has a furry friend knows how much pet owners care about their pets. They won’t buy any old product until they know it’s good quality. The pet parent community is highly vocal, so why not use this to your advantage as an ecommerce business? Dog cookie brand Wüfers does precisely this through its Cookie Coin Rewards program. It combines its points program with a referral program to acquire and retain customers cheaply. Existing customers earn 1000 cookie coins ($10 value) for each new customer they successfully refer (who will get $10 off their first purchase themselves). By giving existing customers points instead of a discount, you allow them to save their points for an even more significant discount!
Woof & Wonder’s Wonderfam Rewards
Program highlight: omnichannel loyalty program marketing
Ecommerce loyalty programs are a great customer retention tool, but only when implemented effectively. They are not magic tools and need proper marketing and promotion, just like any other marketing campaign. Dog accessory brand Woof & Wonder understands this and effectively promotes its Wonderfam Rewards through channels that align with customers’ behaviors. With nearly 20K followers on Instagram, Woof & Wonder uses stories to explain how to earn and redeem wonder coins. The results? A happy brand community and successful loyalty program. Founder Lena shares with us, “Customer satisfaction is our top priority, and showing them that we care about their joyful experience has been possible with this program. A happy customer will spread the news to their friends and family!”
Best loyalty programs in the Sports & Recreation industry
Spikeball’s SpikePoints Loyalty Program
Program highlight: reviews increase in value with VIP tiers
Humans have played the same classic sports for over a century—baseball, basketball, soccer, football, etc. But occasionally, a new game is invented that disrupts the game (literally). So, how did a brand like Spikeball get thousands of customers to veer away from the classics? Through the power of user-generated content and its customer loyalty program, SpikePoints was an excellent tool. As customers progress through the 3 VIP tiers, not only do they earn more points per dollar spent, but they also earn more points per review left. New customers will trust experienced customers more than newbies, so this is the perfect mechanism to solicit those valuable reviews and build credibility!
KYDRA Rewards
Program highlight: diversified rewards
The key to any great customer rewards program is, unsurprisingly, great rewards. While you can assume that all of your customers share some similarities, they are still motivated differently. This is why having a wide range of reward types, like athletic brand KYDRA, is beneficial. KYDRA Rewards offers a range of transactional and experiential rewards, including financial incentives like amount-based discounts and more exclusive benefits like free products, early access to sales, previews of new products, and invites to tailored events like workout classes.
Best loyalty programs in the Toys & Games industry
Mastermind Toys’ Perks Program
Program highlight: best birthday rewards
Any innovative toy brand knows that the way into their customers’ hearts is through the smiles on their children’s faces. This is why the Mastermind Toys’ Perks program is one of the best customer loyalty programs in the toy industry. After all, is a day more special to a parent than their kid’s birthday? The brand offers free birthday gifts for their members’ kids and a personalized Birthday Perk and gift guide delivered to their inbox. They also provide free loot bag assembly and expert support to help ensure every birthday is perfect! This is a prime example of designing your loyalty program with your customers’ values.
Cherry Rewards
Program highlight: generous points offered for customer data
Toys aren’t just for children. Many avid toy and playing card collectors search high and low for the missing pieces they need to complete their collections. Cherry is an Australian toy brand that was started by 2 of these collectors. Cherry uses its loyalty program to collect customer data to deliver personalized communications. They offer a generous 1000 cherries for simply signing up for the program and another 1000 for an offer. That may seem very high when considering 1000 cherries equals $10 off. However, having information like a customer’s email address and product preferences allows the brand to send custom communications to its customers when a rare new product is available—something that dedicated collectors will appreciate immensely!
Is a rewards program right for you?
Now that you’ve seen some of the best customer loyalty programs, it’s time to decide if a loyalty program is the missing piece of the puzzle in your customer retention strategy. Review the examples from your industry for inspiration and start configuring a winning customer loyalty program for your ecommerce store today!
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in December 2014 and was updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness on August 25, 2023.
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