Points programs and memberships solve different retention problems. Here’s how each changes buying behavior, what each costs you, and how to pick one.
People don’t join memberships to save money. They join for access, identity, and relief from deciding — and a discount answers none of the three.
Run a storewide sale without giving members a second discount on top. Zendra’s product discount perks can now skip items that are already on sale.
Membership needs its benefits — but those benefits don’t have to be discounts! Milestone rewards are a powerful way to thank members for their loyalty while also motivating more spending. Give store credit, complimentary memberships, or other benefits to make members feel seen.
Gate products, collections, shipping, or discounts on Shopify for members. You’ll create a sense of exclusivity, reduce buying friction, and close more sales, depending on which gates you choose.
On the surface, member discounts and member access feel like very different approaches to your membership program. Using both can help create both purchase urgency as well as long term retention for your membership.
When merchants start designing a membership program, discounts are often the first idea on the table. They’re familiar, easy to explain, and feel like an obvious way to reward loyal customers. The problem is that flat discounts tend to do the opposite of what most membership programs are meant to do. Instead of building long-term affinity, they quietly reshape customer behavior in ways that are…