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BigCommerce Loyalty Program: Top 9 Apps to Boost Your Store

July 24, 2024
Written and researched by experts at AvadaLearn more about our methodology

By Sam Nguyen

CEO Avada Commerce

Nowadays, every online store owner will need to organize a loyalty program to manage their clients effectively. This article will explore the top BigCommerce loyalty program apps designed to skyrocket your online store’s customer engagement and retention.

What is a loyalty program?

A loyalty program is a marketing strategy where businesses reward customers for their continued support. Customers earn points or rewards for making purchases, which they can then redeem for discounts, free products, or special perks, encouraging them to shop more often and stay loyal to the brand.

Benefits of creating a loyalty program

After testing and running several loyalty programs for the last few years, here are some of the key benefits that we found in a loyalty program:

  • Increased customer retention: Repeat customers spend more and cost less to acquire than new ones.
  • Boosted customer lifetime value: Loyal customers tend to spend more over time, increasing your overall revenue.
  • Enhanced brand advocacy: Happy, loyal customers become brand ambassadors, spreading positive word-of-mouth.
  • Valuable customer insights: Loyalty programs provide data on customer behavior and preferences, aiding targeted marketing efforts.
  • Competitive advantage: A well-structured loyalty program can set you apart from competitors.
  • Improved customer engagement: Regular interactions with customers through rewards and exclusive offers foster a stronger relationship.
  • Increased sales and revenue: Loyal customers tend to purchase more frequently and spend more per transaction.
  • Reduced marketing costs: Focusing on retaining existing customers can be more cost-effective than acquiring new ones.
  • Stronger brand image: A loyalty program reinforces your brand’s commitment to customer satisfaction and appreciation.
  • Ability to personalize offers: Tailor rewards and incentives based on individual customer preferences and purchase history.

Quick Comparison Table

App Name Vendor Rating Pricing (Monthly) Logo Action
1. Annex Customer Loyalty Cloud

👉 More Info

Annex Cloud 5.0 ⭐️ ✔ Custom Pricing Get app!
2. Gratisfaction: Loyalty. Giveaways

👉 More Info

Maverick Mav Pty Limited 5.0 ⭐️ ✔ From $49.95
✔ Free plan: Yes
Get app!
3. Lootly Loyalty & Referrals

👉 More Info

Lootly 4.0 ⭐️ ✔ From $299
✖ Free plan: No
Get app!
4. Smile.io

👉 More Info

Smile.io 5.0 ⭐️ ✔ $49, $199, or $999
✔ Free plan: Yes
Get app!
5. S Loyalty

👉 More Info

S Loyalty 4.0 ⭐️ ✔ $19.99
✔ Free plan: Yes
Get app!
6. Yotpo Loyalty & Referrals

👉 More Info

Yotpo 4.0 ⭐️ ✔ From $15
✔ Free plan: Yes
Get app!
7. Zinrelo

👉 More Info

Zinrelo 5.0 ⭐️ ✔ Custom Pricing Get app!
8. Marsello

👉 More Info

Marsello 5.0 ⭐️ ✔ From $125
✖ Free plan: No
Get app!
9. ReferralCandy

👉 More Info

ReferralCandy 5.0 ⭐️ ✔ From $59
✖ Free plan: No
Get app!

9 Best BigCommerce Loyalty Programs Apps In 2024

Annex Customer Loyalty Cloud

About the app

Annex Customer Loyalty Cloud builds strong customer relationships for manufacturers and B2B companies. It rewards every purchase, whether made on your website, through third-party retailers, or Amazon. This loyalty program is designed to foster customer loyalty across various purchasing platforms.

Annex Customer Loyalty Cloud 
Annex Customer Loyalty Cloud 

Main features

  • Customizable Rewards: This feature lets you offer diverse rewards, like coupons, products, and gift cards. It aims to engage different customer demographics effectively.
  • Integrated Social Actions: It rewards customers for linking their social profiles and promoting your brand. This boosts your brand’s social media presence and engagement.
  • Online Checkout Redemption & Coupon System: The system enables easy reward redemption at checkout. It simplifies the customer process, encouraging ongoing participation in the loyalty program.
  • Purchase History (RFM) Analysis: By analyzing recency, frequency, and monetary data, you can segment customers more accurately. This helps in tailoring campaigns to engage specific groups effectively.
  • Comprehensive Reporting and Analytics: Gain insights into how your loyalty program performs. Understand customer engagement and adjust your strategies based on what incentives resonate the most.
  • Seamless CRM Integration: Essential for B2B companies, this integration keeps communication consistent. It ensures customers stay actively engaged with your brand through well-designed loyalty programs.

Pros & Cons

ProsCons
Omnichannel loyalty programs (online, in-store, social)

Tiered VIP programs

Referral programs

Gamification elements

Robust analytics and reporting
Can be complex to set up and manage

Higher price point

User Reviews

  • “Annex has some of the most attentive and knowledgable Customer Success individuals (shout out to Jake!) Every email is followed up promptly and usally the answer is quickly attained. Any improvements we have asked for have been worked on or put in the roadmap. Overall the entire platform is easy to use and clearly show MoM growth in both loyalty members and in revenue.”
  • I would like to see a better analytics portal so that I dont have to export everything and manipulate it in excel. But it is on their roadmap, which is good.”

Reviewed by Ali P. on G2 Review

Gratisfaction

About the app

Gratisfaction is an all-in-one BigCommerce loyalty program platform perfect for enhancing your marketing strategy with loyalty, referrals, giveaways, and more. With ready-to-use templates, it’s designed to skyrocket sign-ups, traffic, and overall customer engagement, especially during the holiday season.

Gratisfaction demo 
Gratisfaction demo 

Main features

  • Events and Milestone Celebrations: Celebrate customer milestones like birthdays and anniversaries. Offering rewards for these events drives repeat visits and purchases.
  • Rewards for Various Actions: Customers earn points or instant prizes for activities such as purchases, social media engagement, and account signups. This boosts conversions, sales, and overall engagement.
Rewards for Various Actions
Rewards for Various Actions
  • Referral Programs: Implement effective referral schemes, rewarding participants for bringing in new customers. This increases your customer base and encourages loyalty.
  • Dynamic Giveaways and Sweepstakes: Run engaging viral campaigns such as giveaways, sweepstakes, and instant win contests. These campaigns significantly increase your brand’s visibility and customer engagement.
  • Comprehensive Reward Redemptions: Allows members to redeem their points for various rewards, from coupons to physical items. This flexibility encourages continued participation in your loyalty program.
  • Versatile Engagement Options: Reward customers for a broad spectrum of actions, from visiting your site to engaging with your brand on social media. This holistic approach fosters a deeper connection with your audience.

Pros & Cons

ProsCons
Gamified rewards system

Social media integrations

Customizable rewards

Referral programs

Integrates with email marketing platforms
Limited integrations with other apps

Some users find the interface confusing

User Reviews

  • “A fantastic app with exceptional customer service. The features on the app are awesome and easy to understand and integrate with Big Commerce. Various loyalty options allows us the flexibility to tailor make and reward our customers on multiple fronts. I was truly impressed with the level of customer service extended to us and the support team helped us trouble shoot some initial hick ups we faced and going out of way to ensure we were thoroughly satisfied. I would certainly recommend the app.”

A review from BigCommerce App Store

Lootly

About the app

Lootly is a comprehensive BigCommerce loyalty program, referral, and VIP platform designed to forge exceptional relationships between eCommerce brands and their customers. It enables the easy launch of feature-rich, customizable loyalty programs accessible and affordable for businesses of all sizes. 

Lootly demo 
Lootly demo 

Main features

  • Diverse Earning Actions: Lootly offers over 12 ways for customers to earn points, enhancing engagement with your brand. This includes boosting your social media, reviews, and blog engagement. 
  • Customized VIP Tiers: Create VIP tiers with exclusive perks for your top customers. This feature allows you to set milestone requirements and tailor rewards and designs to align with your brand.
  • Brand Ambassador Referrals: Transform existing customers into brand ambassadors. They can earn rewards by referring friends, enhancing your customer base and loyalty.
  • Complete Brand Customization: Extensive customization options include the design of on-site displays, emails, and reward pages. Full HTML editors are available for technical needs, offering total design freedom.
  • Unlimited Growth Potential: With Lootly, there are no limits on orders, customers, integrations, or users. This all-inclusive approach ensures your brand can scale without additional costs.
  • Seamless Integration and Accessibility: Customers use their existing accounts, making it effortless to access their loyalty information through an on-site widget. This convenience ensures a smooth user experience.

Pros & Cons

ProsCons
User-friendly interface

Customizable rewards

Points for purchases and social actions

Referral programs

Integrates with popular email marketing platforms
Limited features compared to other apps

Not suitable for large-scale loyalty programs

User Reviews

  • Lootly helps to get customers attention through referral and gives profits over their purchases. Lootly helps to promote business by increasing repurchase rates and this can be integrated with applications easily. The customer points, referrals, rewards and discounts were reasons for frequent usage. Lootly is a user-friendly platform and helps to connect through live chat support.
  • Lootly has high subscription prices for monthly and annual plans. Customizations, payment methods and sharing methods were different for pro and advanced plans.

Reviewed by Garaga Y. on G2 review

Smile.io

About the app

Smile.io powers your BigCommerce loyalty program, helping to boost repeat purchases through points, referrals, and loyalty campaigns. It offers a seamlessly branded rewards experience from the first visit to checkout, enabling you to launch a comprehensive loyalty program in minutes.

Smile.io demo
Smile.io demo

Main features

  • Comprehensive Rewards Program: Launch a rewards program that offers exclusive perks and discounts. This encourages customers to engage with your brand every time they shop.
  • Loyalty Points System: Customers earn points for various actions, such as making purchases or social sharing. Points reminders help recover abandoned carts. Redeem points for discounts or gifts at checkout.
  • Referral Program: Boost your store’s social proof with word-of-mouth marketing. Personalized referral links make it easy for customers to share your store. 
  • VIP Tiers: Enhance customer retention through VIP statuses and perks. Motivate customers to achieve higher tiers for greater rewards.
  • Real-time Rewards Panel: A dynamic rewards button and panel integrate directly with your store, simplifying email capture and new member signups. Customize to match your store’s design for a cohesive look.
  • Seamless Integration: The loyalty program integrates with your BigCommerce marketing tools and store design. This creates a unified customer experience, from account login to rewards access.

Pros & Cons

ProsCons
Easy to set up and use

Wide range of features

Points for purchases, referrals, and social actions

VIP programs

Excellent customer support
Limited customization options

Can be expensive for larger stores

User Reviews

  • “Moved from Wix to Bigcommerce and they were so easy to work with!! Great app!”

A review from the BigCommerce App Store

S Loyalty

About the app

S Loyalty elevates the shopping experience in BigCommerce stores by integrating a sleek rewards program designed to deepen customer engagement. S Loyalty supports multiple languages, including English, French, and Spanish, to enhance the shopping experience for a global audience.

S Loyalty demo 
S Loyalty demo 

Main features

  • Branded Loyalty Programs for Desktop and Mobile: Offer notifications that match your brand, informing customers about the latest rewards and their points balance. This increases customer engagement and loyalty.
  • Event-Based Campaigns: Boost customer retention with special promotions during key shopping times. Offer double or triple points to encourage purchases during holidays and weekends.
  • Automated Personalized Rewards: Delight customers with automatic rewards for milestones like birthdays and welcoming new shoppers. This personal touch enhances customer satisfaction.
  • Customizable Program Features: Tailor your loyalty program with custom names for loyalty points and select a signature theme. This customization enhances the program’s appeal to your customer base.
  • Targeted Engagement for Shoppers: Strategically Display rewards information to attract new and returning customers. This helps in capturing the attention of first-time visitors and rewarding loyal shoppers.
  • Multi-language Support: Present your loyalty program in the languages of your storefront. This feature, powered by dedicated integration with Weglot App, ensures a localized experience for international customers.

Pros & Cons

ProsCons
Fully customizable loyalty programs

Multiple earning and redemption options

Integrations with popular marketing tools

Advanced analytics and reporting
Can be complex for beginners

Limited customer support

User Reviews

  • “Worst app company on in the market STAY AWAY I recommend Contact me anytime for more information.”

A negative review from the BigCommerce App Store

Yotpo Loyalty & Referrals

About the app

Yotpo Loyalty & Referrals, formerly known as Swell Rewards, enables brands to develop customer-focused loyalty and referral programs. These programs are designed to boost lifetime value and encourage new customer acquisition. Yotpo offers customizable campaigns, VIP perks, and reward options with its enterprise-grade software. 

Yotpo Loyalty & Referrals demo 
Yotpo Loyalty & Referrals demo 

Main features

  • Increase Lifetime Value: Yotpo designs immersive loyalty experiences. These experiences aim to maximize engagement and elevate your brand.
  • Rewards: Create a dynamic rewards program with extensive customization options. Yotpo offers 15 pre-built campaigns, rewarding customers for actions vital to your business.
  • Referrals: Utilize your brand advocates to gain new users and reduce acquisition costs. Yotpo’s referral experiences are optimized to deliver exceptional results.
  • Email Acquisition: Expand your mailing list significantly with incentives. Yotpo uses time-optimized and exit-intent popups to capture email addresses effectively.
  • Influencers: Manage a vast network of influencers with ease. Yotpo supports customizable direct payouts to major influencers, building brand awareness and consumer trust.
  • Comprehensive Analytics: Analyze your loyalty program’s performance deeply. Understand customer interactions and identify optimization opportunities. This understanding helps refine your loyalty strategy for better ROI.

Pros & Cons

ProsCons
Comprehensive loyalty and referral program features

Points for purchases, referrals, reviews, and social actions

Tiered VIP programs

Integrates with popular marketing platforms

Extensive customization options
Can be expensive for smaller stores

Some users find the setup process complex

User Reviews

  • We work closely with customer succes manager Tal Barak, who really thinks in the best interest of our company. With new ideas we can improve the program every time. The loyalty and review program helped us grow in the last year and we can’t wait what this year can bring.
  • Collecting reviews grew exponentially when we implemented Yotpo. It’s easy for our customers to leave a review as well as receiving points with the loyalty programm. We see growth every month since starting with Yotpo a year ago. The user generated content widget is amazing for us with which we can show our customers with our products.

Reviewed by Tommy A on G2 Review

Zinrelo

About the app

Zinrelo is a cutting-edge BigCommerce loyalty program platform that boosts repeat sales and per-customer revenue through comprehensive customer engagement. It promotes loyalty across transactional, social, referral, and more dimensions. Businesses can expect an 80% increase in repeat sales by seamlessly integrating Zinrelo with BigCommerce. 

Zinrelo loyalty campaign
Zinrelo loyalty campaign

Main features

  • 360 Degree Customer Engagement: This includes transactional, social, and behavioral aspects, engaging customers from every angle.  The goal is to deepen loyalty and increase sales.
  • Built-in Referral Program: Encourages customers to refer friends. This reduces acquisition costs and grows your customer base organically.
  • Reward Tiers: Offers multiple levels of rewards. This not only motivates customers to engage more deeply with your brand but also increases customer lifetime value.
  • Powerful Marketing Promotions Engine: Enables targeted marketing promotions. This feature helps in boosting specific customer actions and sales.
  • Fully Customizable Member Dashboard: Provides a brandable and customizable dashboard. This enhances the customer experience with your loyalty program.
  • Omni-Channel Program Implementation: Ensures a consistent loyalty experience across all channels. This approach increases customer engagement and loyalty no matter where they interact with your brand.

Pros & Cons

ProsCons
AI-powered personalization

Gamified rewards system

Points for various actions, including purchases, referrals, and social media engagement

Integrations with popular marketing tools

Advanced analytics and reporting
Can be expensive for smaller stores

Some users find the interface overwhelming

User Reviews

  • “Best loyalty program so far”
  • “The pricing was much better. And they have endless possibilities of customization both the program and the design.”

Reviewed by Raphael F. on Capterra Review

Marsello

About the app

Marsello is a powerful BigCommerce loyalty program app designed to help businesses foster profitable customer relationships. It combines innovative loyalty and marketing tools to increase customer engagement and sales.

Marsello 
Marsello 

Main features

  • Loyalty & Rewards Program: Marsello encourages repeat purchases, referrals, and social activity. It does so with a flexible loyalty and referral program that functions both in-store and online.
  • Email & SMS Campaigns: Personalize your communication with email and SMS campaigns. These campaigns are tailored to boost your revenue. Marsello’s tools make it easy to design and send impactful messages.
  • Marketing Automation: Marsello offers pre-set email and SMS workflows. These are optimized for effectiveness, but you can also customize your own.
  • Google Review Manager: Enhance your online reputation with positive Google reviews. Marsello streamlines generating and managing customer feedback directly from your admin panel.
  • Social Media Management: Manage your social media presence efficiently. Schedule posts across various platforms. Marsello links with your BigCommerce and POS systems to track sales driven by social media posts.
  • Comprehensive Analytics: Gain valuable insights into your loyalty program’s performance. Understand how customers interact with your brand. Use this data to fine-tune your loyalty and marketing strategies for better engagement and sales.

Pros & Cons

ProsCons
Comprehensive marketing platform with built-in loyalty features

Email marketing, SMS marketing, and automation tools

Personalized customer segmentation

Abandoned cart recovery
Loyalty features are not as robust as dedicated loyalty apps

Can be expensive for smaller businesses

User Reviews

  • “marsello is a great loyalty system with a lot of marketing features (4 out of 5 stars rating)

Reviewed by Adel A. – G2 latest review

ReferralCandy

About the app

ReferralCandy powers word-of-mouth marketing for over 3000 online stores, making it a key component of any BigCommerce loyalty program. It simplifies the process of incentivizing customers to refer friends, significantly boosting sales through referrals. The system is designed for ease, requiring no coding skills for setup. 

ReferralCandy demo
ReferralCandy demo

Main features

  • No Developer Needed: ReferralCandy is ready to use right out of the box. It does not require any developer skills or coding, making setup seamless.
  • Full Branding and Customization: Tailor every aspect of your referral program. Use the Theme Editor to customize emails, landing pages, and pop-ups to match your brand perfectly.
  • Control of Rewards and Incentives: Choose how you reward your customers. Options include cash, coupons, or custom gifts. Automate the rewards process to save time.
  • Five-Star Customer Support: Get support whenever you need it. The customer success team is available 24/7 to help set up and optimize your referral sales.
  • 14-Day Risk-Free Trial: Test ReferralCandy for 14 days without any risk. There’s no charge to start so that you can see the benefits for yourself.
  • Effective Word-of-Mouth Channel: Unlock a powerful marketing channel. ReferralCandy makes it easy for your customers to spread the word about your business, driving up profits efficiently.

Pros & Cons

ProsCons
Easy to set up and use

Customizable referral programs

Automated referral tracking and rewards

Integrations with popular e-commerce platforms
Limited to referral programs, no other loyalty features

Some users find the branding options limited

User Reviews

  • “Good app for referrals”

Reviewed by Sowmya S. from GetApp

How To Create A Loyalty Program For Your BigCommerce Store?

Creating a loyalty program for your BigCommerce store can significantly enhance customer retention, increase lifetime value, and boost sales through repeat purchases. Follow these step-by-step instructions to set up an effective loyalty program tailored to your business needs.

Step 1: Set Clear Goals

  • Identify Desired Outcomes: Decide what you want your loyalty program to achieve. This could include increasing customer retention, boosting average order values, or encouraging frequent purchases.
Possible goals of loyalty programs
Possible goals of loyalty programs
  • Define Success Metrics: Decide on specific outcomes like “Increase repeat customer visits by 20% within six months.”

Step 2: Understand Your Customers

  • Segment Your Audience: Break down your customer base into groups based on purchase behavior, preferences, and needs. This helps tailor your loyalty program effectively.
  • Gather Customer Insights: Use surveys, feedback forms, or direct interactions to learn what rewards and features your customers value most in a loyalty program.
Loyalty program survey form
Loyalty program survey form

Step 3: Choose the Type of Loyalty Program

  • Points System: Customers earn points for purchases that can be redeemed for discounts, products, or perks.
  • Tiered System: Customers unlock rewards based on spending or engagement, encouraging more purchases to reach higher tiers.
  • Referral Program: Reward customers for referring new customers, expanding your customer base, and rewarding loyalty.

Step 4: Select the Right Technology Platform

  • Evaluate BigCommerce Compatible Apps: Research loyalty program apps compatible with BigCommerce, like Yotpo, ReferralCandy, or Smile.io, considering features, integration ease, and budget.
  • Integration: Choose a platform that integrates seamlessly with BigCommerce and other tools you use, such as email marketing software.
Smile.io, an example of a loyalty program app
Smile.io, an example of a loyalty program app

Step 5: Design Your Rewards and Incentives

  • Offer a Variety of Rewards: Create a mix of immediate and long-term rewards to cater to customer preferences and encourage continuous engagement.
  • Ensure Rewards Align with Goals: Ensure the rewards you offer align with the goals you set in Step 1, such as increasing order values or boosting customer retention.

Step 6: Set Up the Loyalty Program on Your BigCommerce Store

  • Install Your Chosen App: Once you’ve selected your loyalty program platform, install it directly from the BigCommerce App Marketplace to your store.
Install your chosen app 
Install your chosen app 
  • Customize the Program: Use the app’s dashboard to tailor the loyalty program to your business. Set rules for how customers earn points, design the tiers and decide on the rewards.
Customize the loyalty program
Customize the loyalty program

Step 7: Promote Your Loyalty Program

  • Announce the Launch: Use email, social media, and your website to inform customers about your new loyalty program. Highlight the benefits and how they can join.
  • Educate Customers: Clearly explain how the program works, including earning points and redeeming rewards. Use FAQs, tutorial videos, or a dedicated landing page for detailed information.

Step 8: Monitor, Analyze, and Adjust

  • Track Program Performance: Regularly review how your loyalty program is performing against the goals you set. Use the analytics tools provided by the loyalty app to gather data.
Track program performance
Track program performance
  • Gather Customer Feedback: Continuously collect feedback from your customers about the program. Use this information to understand what’s working and what needs improvement.
  • Iterate and Improve: Based on performance data and customer feedback, make necessary adjustments to your program. This might involve changing the rewards, adjusting point earning rates, or adding new features.

Step 9: Foster Community Engagement

  • Encourage Social Sharing: Motivate customers to share their rewards and experiences with your loyalty program on social media. This can help increase visibility and attract new participants.
  • Host Exclusive Events: Consider organizing events or online forums exclusively for loyalty program members. This can strengthen the community around your brand and enhance customer loyalty.

See more: Top 10 BigCommerce Subscription Apps

FAQ

Yes, but using a third-party app from the BigCommerce App Marketplace is highly recommended. At the same time, it's technically possible to run a basic form of a loyalty program manually or through custom development.

When choosing a loyalty program app for your BigCommerce store, consider factors like compatibility with BigCommerce, ease of integration, features offered, customization options, and pricing.

Yes, loyalty programs can be effective for various e-commerce businesses, from small to large, and across various industries. The key is to design a program that resonates with your specific audience and business model.

The time it takes to see tangible results from a loyalty program can vary based on several factors, including how well the program is promoted, the attractiveness of the rewards, and how engaged your customer base is.

While the primary goal of a loyalty program is often to enhance customer retention, it can be a powerful tool for customer acquisition. Referral programs, which reward existing customers for bringing in new ones, are a great example of how loyalty programs can drive acquisition.

In conclusion

Selecting the right loyalty program for your BigCommerce website is crucial for the success of your e-commerce business. By understanding the features and benefits of each, you can tailor a loyalty strategy that rewards your customers and aligns with your business goals. 


Sam Nguyen is the CEO and founder of Avada Commerce, an e-commerce solution provider headquartered in Singapore. He is an expert on the Shopify e-commerce platform for online stores and retail point-of-sale systems. Sam loves talking about e-commerce and he aims to help over a million online businesses grow and thrive.