How do I set up reward points for customers?

Reward points bring customers back without discounting everything for everyone. Customers earn points on what they spend and use them on a later visit. Reward points are included on every RetailPOS Studio plan.

Before you start

Decide four numbers. Work them out on your margin, not on a guess:

• Earn rate: how much a customer spends to earn one point.
• Point value: what one point is worth when redeemed.
• Minimum to redeem: the points needed before they can be used.
• Expiry: how long points last.

For example, one point per unit of currency spent, each point worth one cent, redeemable from 500 points, expiring after 12 months, gives back about 1% of spend.

Step by step

1. Go to Settings → Business settings → Reward point settings.
2. Turn on Enable reward points and give the program a display name, such as “Shop points”.
3. Enter the amount spent per point and the minimum order total that earns points.
4. Enter the redeem amount per point, the minimum order total to redeem and the minimum points to redeem.
5. Set the maximum points per order if you want a cap.
6. Set the expiry period.
7. Save.

Using points at the counter

1. Add the customer to the sale. Walk-in customers can’t earn points, so always pick or create the customer.
2. The POS shows their available points. To redeem, enter the points to use; the discount applies to the total.
3. Complete the sale. Points earned print on the receipt.

Common problems

• No points were earned. The sale was to the default walk-in customer, or the total was below the minimum order.
• Customers forget their points. Print points on the receipt and mention them when you ask for the phone number.

Tips

• Ask every customer for their mobile number. It’s how most shops in the UAE and Pakistan find a customer quickly.
• Review the points liability in reports every quarter so you know what is owed.
• Announce the program at the counter and on your online store. Points nobody knows about change nobody’s behavior.
• Keep the rules simple enough that a cashier can explain them in one sentence.