Decision table
Start with the customer behavior you actually see. The table describes useful selection signals, not universal rules.
| Decision signal | Stamp-card fit | Points fit |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase pattern | One repeatable item, service, or qualifying visit | Different items, order values, or earning actions |
| Basket variation | Low variation; the milestone matters more than spend | Spend or activity varies enough to affect earning |
| Reward choice | One clear reward at a fixed threshold | Several rewards with different point costs |
| Staff script | “One qualifying purchase earns one stamp” | “Eligible spend earns points at this rate” |
| Customer view | Progress toward the next completed card | An integer balance and the rewards it can unlock |
| Operational review | Qualifying action, threshold, and completion behavior | Earn rate, rounding, minimum, cap, reward cost, and refunds |
How each model works
Digital stamp cards
- Define the purchase amount or action that qualifies.
- Issue the configured number of stamps after a qualifying purchase.
- Complete the card when the threshold is crossed.
- Carry any remainder into the next card when more than one completion is earned.
Rewardfinity currently supports a required stamp count, an optional number of stamps per purchase, and an optional minimum purchase amount. The merchant still needs to define the customer-facing reward and staff script.
Loyalty points
- Set an integer earning rule per whole currency unit.
- Choose the rounding rule and any minimum order or per-order cap.
- Record earned points in the member balance.
- Recompute and claw back the applicable amount after a refund.
Rewardfinity stores money in integer cents and point movements as integer ledger entries. Corrections add an auditable adjustment or clawback instead of silently rewriting prior activity.
Two illustrative program examples
A café with one repeat purchase
Assumptions: most eligible visits include one core drink, qualifying purchases are easy for staff to identify, and the reward is fixed.
Selection signal: a stamp card makes the next milestone visible without asking the customer to translate a balance into value.
A shop with varied baskets
Assumptions: order values vary, customers buy across more than one category, and the merchant wants several reward costs.
Selection signal: points can reflect eligible value and support more than one reward, provided the earn rule remains concise.
Seven-question selection worksheet
Answer from observed operations, not the program you hope to have later. Record the reason beside every answer.
- 01Are most purchases the same item or service?Yes is a stamp signal; no is a points signal.
- 02Do basket values vary materially?Yes is a points signal; no is a stamp signal.
- 03Do customers need multiple reward choices?Yes is a points signal; no is a stamp signal.
- 04Must earning work across ecommerce and in-store?Yes is a points signal to review; confirm the exact live integration before deciding.
- 05Can staff explain the rule in one sentence?No is a complexity warning for either model.
- 06Is a visible milestone more motivating than an abstract balance?Yes is a stamp signal; no is a points signal.
- 07Does migration require preserving an existing points balance?Yes is a points signal unless a reviewed conversion protects value.
Count the signals for stamps and points. A lead of two or more identifies the model to test first. A difference of zero or one means review a hybrid or simplify the program. A hybrid is useful only when each mechanic has a distinct purpose and both can be explained without extra staff work.
Migration checklist
- Freeze the current rule and record the effective date of the new rule.
- Choose and publish a conversion method before changing any customer value.
- Preserve the source balance and use auditable adjustment entries for corrections.
- Test zero, partial, threshold-crossing, refund, and replay cases.
- Explain the conversion in plain language before the first affected transaction.
- Keep a support path for customers who believe their value changed incorrectly.
Implementation checklist
- Write the qualifying rule in one sentence.
- Set the milestone or earn rate using integer values and clear rounding.
- Confirm reward cost and merchant-funded economics.
- Prepare the staff explanation and customer-facing terms.
- Test the QR or member flow with a controlled transaction.
- Test refunds, corrections, duplicate delivery, and redemption boundaries.
- Choose a measurement window and define what evidence will change the rule.
Questions merchants ask before choosing
Are loyalty points better than stamp cards?
No model is inherently better. Points fit varied value and reward choice; stamps fit a repeatable action and a visible fixed milestone. The clearer operating rule is usually the better first test.
Can a business use points and stamps together?
Yes, when each mechanic has a separate purpose customers can understand. If both reward the same action in different ways, the hybrid can add explanation and support work without adding useful choice.
How should existing stamps convert to points?
Define the value of a completed card, decide how incomplete progress will be protected, publish the method, and record the conversion through auditable adjustments. Do not erase progress silently.
Which loyalty model is easier for staff?
A fixed qualifying action is often easier to explain as a stamp. Points can remain simple when the earn rate, eligible value, and reward costs fit one short script.
Do digital stamp cards work for Shopify stores?
The program decision and the integration decision are separate. Confirm the current Shopify earning, refund, member, and in-store paths before promising one balance across channels.
Choose the model, then test the rule.
Review the current product surfaces and plan boundaries before configuring a live program.