Features / member perks and loyalty

Perks that make membership worth keeping.

Member prices at checkout, perks at partner venues and brands, and rewards for showing up. All tied to your membership tiers and built into your own app, so members see what their membership gives them every time they use it.

Harbor ClubGold member

Saved$0.00

Member priceClub hoodie, $66.99
Partner perk15% off at Corner Coffee
Reward9 of 10 visits

A member checks out. Their price is already applied.

What members get

A reason to open the app.

Member prices

Members see their own prices in the shop and at checkout, with what their membership saves them.

Partner perks

Discounts and extras at partner venues and brands, shown in the app and redeemed with a tap or a code.

Rewards for showing up

Visits, events and purchases can count toward rewards, such as a guest pass after ten visits.

Tiers that mean something

Each tier has its own perks, so upgrading has a reason and members can see what the next tier adds.

Points plugin or connected perks

Points reward purchases. Perks reward membership.

Loyalty plugins give points for orders in one store. When people pay to be a member, the perks work better as part of the membership itself.

How a loyalty plugin compares to perks built into your own app
When	A loyalty plugin	Perks in your own app
A member shops	A member shops They collect points, or enter a discount code.	Their member price is already applied, and they see what they save.
They visit a partner	They visit a partner A code in an email that anyone can forward.	A perk in the app, tied to their membership and redeemed once.
They come often	They come often Only purchases count toward rewards.	Visits, events and purchases all count.
They upgrade their tier	They upgrade their tier Loyalty and membership are two separate systems.	New perks unlock the moment the membership changes.
You review what works	You review what works Points earned and spent in the store.	Which perks each tier uses, next to renewals and visits.

How it works

From a tier to a perk, without codes.

Membership and tierEvery perk starts from who the member is and which tier they're on.
Your perk rulesYou set prices, partner perks and rewards per tier in the admin.
Applied where it countsAt checkout, at a partner or at the door, without codes to remember.
The member sees itWhat they saved and what they've unlocked, right in the app.
You see what's usedWhich perks get used, by which tier, next to renewals.

Example

Pass prices in the Jackalope shop.

In the new Jackalope app, launching in 2027, holders of the JACKALOPE Pass get their own prices in the shop. The bag shows what the Pass saves on the order, and people without a Pass see what it would save them.

The same Pass carries discounts on merch from Jackalope and its partner brands, and early access to drops.

Read the Jackalope case study

Bag in the Jackalope app showing member prices and how much the Pass saves

What it takes

What perks need behind them.

Perk rules you control

An admin where your team sets member prices, partner perks and rewards per tier, and changes them without a developer.

A connection to your store

Member prices are applied in your own checkout. With Shopify, the app works with your existing products, discounts and orders.

A way for partners to redeem

A code or QR code in the app that a partner can check, with a simple partner view when you want to count redemptions.

Numbers on what gets used

Each redemption is recorded with the member and tier, so you can see which perks matter and which nobody uses.

Loyalty plugin or your own app

When a loyalty plugin is enough.

Loyalty plugins like Smile.io or Yotpo add points to an online store quickly, and for a store on its own they're the cheaper choice. Perks in your own app make sense when they're part of a membership.

A loyalty plugin is probably enough if

You want points for purchases in an online store.
There's no membership or tiers behind it.
Perks only apply in the shop, not at venues or partners.
A monthly plugin is easier than a project.

Perks in your own app make sense when

Perks are part of what members pay for.
Tiers decide prices, partner perks and early access.
Visits and events should count, not only purchases.
Partners are part of what you offer members.

Want a membership card in your members' wallet? See digital membership cards.

Checking members in at the door? See member check-in.

Selling through Shopify? See Shopify store apps.

Building a membership app? See how I approach membership apps.

Questions

About member perks and loyalty.

Is this a points program?

It can be, but it doesn't have to be. Points work well for stores. Membership businesses often do better with clear perks, such as a member price, a partner discount or a guest pass after ten visits. We choose what fits how your members already behave.

Does it work with Shopify?

Yes. The app reads your products and prices from Shopify and applies member prices in your Shopify checkout, so orders, taxes and shipping stay as they are.

How do partners redeem a perk?

With a code or a scan. Members show the perk in the app. A partner can check a code by eye, or scan a QR code in a simple partner view when you want each redemption counted and limited.

Can perks differ per tier?

Yes. Each tier has its own prices, partner perks and rewards. When a member upgrades, the new perks are available right away, and the app can show what the next tier would add.

Do Apple or Google take a cut?

Not on physical products or real-world perks. App store fees apply to digital goods and subscriptions sold inside an app. Products you ship, and discounts at venues and partners, go through your own checkout or happen in person.

Can we see which perks get used?

Yes. Every redemption is recorded with the member and their tier. You can see which perks are used most, which partners members visit, and how perk use relates to renewals.

What does it cost?

Apps start at $20,000. Perks and loyalty are usually one part of a membership app, priced into the fixed price for the project. For points in an online store alone, a loyalty plugin is the cheaper choice, and I'll tell you if that's the case.

How long does it take?

It's built alongside the app. Most apps launch in two to four months. Perks, tiers and the admin to manage them are part of that timeline, not an extra phase.

Start a conversation

Let's talk about the app you're imagining.

A clear vision or a feeling that your business is ready for something more is a good place to start. We'll explore what it could look like, what it would take and whether Phico is the right fit.

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