Loyalty and retention, explained

Plain answers to the questions small business owners actually ask about loyalty cards, customer retention and what any of it costs. Every number is sourced.

A customer holding a phone to a card terminal to pay
7 min read

Digital Loyalty Cards: How They Work & How to Create One

A digital loyalty card lives in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, so customers add it by scanning a QR code once. How to create one, what it costs, and what the research says.

Read more →
A small business owner standing behind the counter of her coffee shop
9 min read

Loyalty App for Small Business

A loyalty app that runs your rewards from the customer's phone. Stamps, points or cashback in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet, from £31 a month with unlimited free push.

Read more →
A customer inserting a card into a payment terminal at a counter
4 min read

How Much Does a Loyalty Programme Cost?

A digital loyalty programme costs £30 to £120 a month in software for a UK small business, plus the reward margin. The full breakdown, including the cost most people never calculate.

Read more →
A barista pouring coffee into a cup
6 min read

Points vs Stamps: Which Loyalty Card Should You Use?

Stamps reward frequency, points reward spend. Which one fits your prices, why stamps outperform in practice, and when running both makes sense.

Read more →
Regulars talking over drinks in a busy café
5 min read

Do Loyalty Cards Actually Work? What the Evidence Shows

Loyalty cards work under three conditions and fail without them. The research, the honest failure cases, and the mechanism that does the real work.

Read more →
A payment terminal held out at a counter
4 min read

Apple Wallet Loyalty Cards for Small Businesses

An Apple Wallet loyalty card is a pass the customer adds by scanning a QR code. No app, no account. How it works, what it costs and how it compares to a branded app.

Read more →
Two baristas ready for service behind their coffee shop counter
6 min read

How to Choose a Loyalty App for a Small Business

Four checks decide whether a loyalty app will work for a small business: download requirement, messaging cost, reward types, and whether it shows who has stopped coming back.

Read more →
A barista working at the coffee machine in a café
6 min read

Loyalty App vs Punch Card: Which Is Better for a Small Business?

Paper wins under 30 regulars. Above that, a loyalty app wins because it can tell you who has stopped coming back. The honest comparison, with costs.

Read more →
A barber cutting a regular customer's hair
5 min read

What Is Customer Retention and Why Does It Matter?

Customer retention is the share of existing customers who keep buying over a set period. How to measure it, why it beats acquisition, and what causes customers to leave.

Read more →
A salon client having her hair cut by a stylist
5 min read

How to Reduce Customer Churn in a Small Business

Most customers churn because nothing reminded them to return. How to spot who is drifting, what message brings them back, and why discounts usually make it worse.

Read more →
A hairstylist curling a client's hair in a salon
6 min read

What Is Cashback Loyalty and How Does It Work?

Cashback loyalty returns a percentage of each purchase as credit that only spends with your business. How it differs from discounts and points, and what rate to set.

Read more →