Paper stamp cards or a digital loyalty card?
Paper stamp cards are cheap and everyone understands them. They also get lost, copied and forgotten, and they tell you nothing about who your regulars are. Here is how the two compare.
The Corner Cup
Hi James
46points
14 points to £3 off
Show this at the till
C9P3 6LDK
Side by side
Both reward people for coming back. The difference is everything around the reward.
| Question | Paper stamp card | Digital card |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to start | Printing the cards and a stamp | A monthly fee, no printing |
| Customer loses it | The stamps are gone | It is on their phone, and staff can find them by the last 4 digits of their mobile |
| Copied or faked stamps | Easy with a similar stamp | Points are added by your staff at the till only |
| Who your regulars are | You cannot tell | A list of who comes in and who has gone quiet |
| Sending offers | Not possible | Texts to customers who agreed to offers |
| Rewards bigger baskets | One stamp per visit, whatever they spend | Points per pound, so bigger baskets earn more |
| Customer needs | Their wallet | A phone, no app |
When each one makes sense
Paper still works if
You sell one main thing at one price, like a coffee, you don't want to send offers, and losing the odd card doesn't bother you.
Digital is better if
Baskets vary in size, you want to know your regulars, or you want to tell people about offers without a WhatsApp group.
Switching over
Honour the paper cards people already have. Add their stamps as a welcome bonus when they join, then stop printing new ones.
Questions
Are paper stamp cards still worth it?
They are cheap and simple, so they can work for a single product like coffee. They get lost and copied, though, and they tell you nothing about your customers or let you send offers.
Can a digital card work like a stamp card?
Tillkeep gives points for each pound spent rather than a stamp per visit, so bigger baskets earn more. A café can set it up so a typical drink earns enough points for a free one after about ten visits.
Do customers need to show their phone at the till?
No. Joining takes a phone with a web browser, but after that staff can find any member by the last 4 digits of their mobile, so a flat battery is not a problem.
How do I move customers from paper cards?
Keep honouring existing paper cards, and when someone joins, add their stamps as a welcome bonus so nobody loses out.
See it working in your shop
Free while we set up our first shops. No contract, and we agree a price with you before anything is charged.