A loyalty card does one job. It gives a customer a reason to buy from you again instead of from the cart beside you.

You do not need a marketing plan to start one. You need a reward, a number, and a way to count visits. This guide covers the five decisions to make before you hand out your first stamp.

1. Pick a reward your regulars already want

The best reward is the thing people already buy from you. A free cup of coffee, a free order of siomai, a free loaf of bread. Customers understand it right away, and you already know what it costs you to make.

Avoid rewards that need explaining. "10% off your next purchase above ₱200" is a rule to remember. "Your 10th cup is free" is a promise.

Keep it to one reward. You can add more later, once you see how customers use the first one.

2. Set how many stamps earn the reward

"Buy 9, get the 10th free" is a good place to start. It is easy to say, and the math is easy to do: you give away one item for every nine you sell.

The right number depends on how often people buy from you and what the free item costs you to make. We cover that in how many stamps for a free item.

3. Decide what counts as one stamp

Write the rule down before a customer asks. There are two usual choices.

  • One stamp per visit. This is the easiest rule to follow, and it is fair for a cart where most orders are about the same size.
  • One stamp per item. If one person often buys for a whole office, this rule works better.

Pick one and keep it. A rule that changes from one day to the next makes customers feel cheated.

Decide one more thing while you are here: whether a customer can earn two stamps a few minutes apart. Most shops say no. Say so on the card or the sign.

4. Choose paper or QR

A paper punch card costs little to start and needs no phone. It also gets lost, gets wet, and tells you nothing about who your regulars are. Each new batch is another printing bill.

A QR loyalty card lives on the customer's phone. With LoyaltyHero, you print one QR code and put it at your counter. Customers scan it with their phone camera after each purchase, and their loyalty card opens in the browser. They do not download an app.

You need an internet connection to record a stamp. A basic mobile data plan is enough.

If you are not sure which one fits your shop, read paper punch cards or QR loyalty cards.

5. Tell every customer, every time

A loyalty card that nobody knows about brings nobody back. Three habits work at a small counter.

  • Put the sign or the QR code where people wait, not behind the display.
  • Say one line at payment: "Scan this. Your 10th one is free."
  • Name the reward. "Free milk tea" is clearer than "loyalty points."

The first week matters most. Every customer who gets a first stamp has a reason to choose you next time. Ask everyone, including the regulars you already know by face.

What to check after the first month

Look at two things: how many customers came back for a second stamp, and how many rewards you gave away.

If few people came back, the reward is probably too far away, or your staff do not mention the card. If you gave away more than you can afford, raise the stamp count or change the reward. Tell your customers before you change it, and honor the cards that are already close to full.

With paper, you count all of this by hand. With LoyaltyHero, the dashboard shows your total scans, your new and returning customers, and your most frequent customers.

Start this afternoon

LoyaltyHero takes one afternoon to set up. You sign up, enter your shop name and your reward, and print your QR code. You can change the reward later.

It is free for 30 days. After that it is ₱299 / month, with no per-transaction cut.