Stamp cards, points, referrals, or corporate agreements? How to choose the right loyalty program
Learn when to use stamp cards vs. points, and how to leverage digital gift cards, referral partners, and corporate agreements to bring new customers to your store.
Key takeaways · Which loyalty & acquisition tools to activate for your business
- Use stamp cards when you want to reward visit frequency on consistent ticket sizes (coffee, lunch spots, haircuts, pet grooming).
- Use points accumulation when ticket sizes vary widely from one purchase to the next (full-service restaurants, boutiques, jewelry stores, multi-service spas).
- To acquire customers who haven't visited yet, combine proximity lock-screen alerts (geofencing), digital gift cards, commission-based referral partners, and corporate agreements.
Stamp cards vs. points accumulation: the average-ticket rule
Many business owners wonder whether to award one stamp per visit or grant points based on the bill amount. The right choice depends on how consistent your customers' spending is per transaction:
| Feature | Stamp card | Points program |
|---|---|---|
| What it rewards | Visit consistency and frequency | Total amount spent per purchase |
| Best suited for... | Consistent ticket sizes (coffee shops, barbershops, lunch spots, ice cream) | Variable ticket sizes (boutiques, family restaurants, spas, jewelry) |
| Customer clarity | Instant ('3 stamps to go for my free coffee') | Flexible (multi-tier reward catalog based on points balance) |
| Checkout workflow | 1 tap to credit a stamp after scanning the pass QR | Enter sale amount on scan; points calculate automatically |
With Passito you never pay extra to unlock one or the other: both stamp cards and points programs are included in the single all-inclusive plan.
How to bring in customers who have never walked into your store
Stamps and points keep existing customers coming back. But how do you attract new foot traffic without relying solely on paid social ads? Passito includes four built-in local growth engines:
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1. Referral partners with automated commission tracking: Partner with nearby non-competing businesses (like a boutique hotel, gym, or hair salon down the street). Each partner gets their own QR poster; anyone who scans it claims a welcome coupon for your shop in their Wallet. Whenever that coupon is redeemed at your counter, Passito logs the partner's commission (percentage or flat fee) ready for payout settlement.
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2. Corporate agreements with nearby offices: Offices, clinics, and companies near your location want perks for their employees. With Passito you create a corporate agreement and share a single link with HR: employees save a renewable benefit pass in their Wallet, with no plastic badges or outdated spreadsheets at the register.
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3. Shareable digital gift cards: A loyal customer buys a gift card today for a friend. You issue the amount in seconds, share the unique link via WhatsApp, and the recipient saves the gift card directly to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, becoming a registered customer on their first visit.
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4. Lock-screen proximity alerts (up to 10 locations): When a customer holding your pass or coupon walks near any of your locations, their phone displays your pass on the lock screen automatically.
Frequently asked questions
How many store locations can I link to a card for proximity alerts?
Up to 10 locations per card, which is the native technical limit of Apple Wallet and Google Wallet. A single customer card works across all your branches.
How does commission tracking work for referral partners?
Each partner has a dedicated QR code and coupon. Passito only records a commission when a referred customer actually visits your store and your cashier scans and redeems their coupon, so you only pay for real completed visits.
Your complete loyalty and local acquisition suite in one place
Stamps, points, coupons, gift cards, referrals, and corporate agreements: all included in one plan.
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