Setting up a loyalty card scheme takes an afternoon of planning and a print order. The best small-business schemes are simple: customers understand them in one sentence and staff can run them without training. Here is how to set one up.
1. Pick one clear reward
“Buy nine coffees, get the tenth free” or “£5 off when you have spent £50” is easy to explain. Work out the cost: the reward should be worth having but affordable at your margins.
2. Choose stamp or points
- Stamp cards: staff stamp or punch the card on each visit. No system needed.
- Barcode or contactless cards: staff scan the card and your till or loyalty software tracks points.
See plastic loyalty cards vs loyalty apps if you are deciding between a card and an app.
3. Decide how you will track it
Stamp cards track themselves. For scanned cards, check your till system has a loyalty feature and ask which card format it reads.
4. Write short terms
One stamp per visit or per purchase over a set amount; whether the card expires; whether rewards can be exchanged for cash (usually not). Print the key points on the back.
5. Design and print the cards
Front: your logo and the offer. Back: stamp boxes or barcode, plus short terms. Plastic cards last longer than paper stamp cards and look worth keeping.
6. Launch it
- Offer a card at every till transaction for the first month.
- Give a starter stamp so customers feel they are already on their way.
- Mention it on social media and on your website.
7. Review after three months
Count cards issued and rewards claimed. If few customers reach the reward, make it easier to earn.
For more ideas, read loyalty card ideas for small businesses.
Options and prices
Options include QR codes, barcodes, numbering, magnetic stripe, signature panel, contactless chips, hole punch, spot UV, and a matt or gloss finish. Every file is checked and proofed, and nothing is printed until you approve the proof.
Loyalty cards are sold in packs: 15 for £30, 30 for £45, 60 for £80 and 120 for £160, with 45, 75 and 90 packs in between. Magnetic stripe, NFC contactless and RFID versions cost the same. Prices are for full-colour print from supplied artwork and exclude delivery. We are not VAT registered, so no VAT is added. For larger runs, contact us for a quote.
See all loyalty card options, features and prices on our Loyalty cards page.