Loyalty for wine shops

Why loyalty matters in a wine shop

A wine merchant builds a clientele on advice: people come for a bottle for a meal, a gift, a birthday, and return because the advice was right. Yet once the bottle is sold, nothing reminds the customer to come back to you rather than pick something up at the supermarket.

A loyalty card in the phone extends the relationship after the sale: the customer has a concrete reason to return, and you have a way to tell them about a tasting, a new arrival or an offer without going through a social network.

Points or stamps: which one for a wine shop?

The basket ranges from an everyday bottle to a gift box. Points based on the amount spent are therefore fairer than stamps: a customer buying a gift box should not get the same as one picking up a bottle for tonight. KARD supports points (per visit or per euro spent), stamps or both, adjustable from the dashboard.

The examples below are starting points, to adapt to your range and your margin.

• Points: one point per euro spent, a discount on the next purchase at a threshold you set.
• Stamps: for a shop that also sells delicatessen or everyday items, one stamp per visit.
• Both: points for bottle purchases, a stamp for weekend visits.

Low-cost reward ideas

• A discount on the next purchase rather than a free bottle: the customer returns and you stay in control of your margin.
• A seat at a tasting or workshop you already run, to showcase your expertise.
• A free accessory (stopper, decanter, gift bag) that goes with the purchase.
• A birthday message with a small perk, sent automatically from the Pro plan.
• A welcome reward at sign-up, so the first purchase already counts.

Communicate carefully: alcoholic drinks

Advertising for alcoholic drinks is regulated in France (the Évin law). Before sending a notification, find out what you may write and to whom: a tasting announcement, a new arrival or an event may not follow the same rules as a promotional offer. If in doubt, ask your trade federation or a lawyer.

KARD provides the sending tool; the content of the messages remains your responsibility.

Launch the program in five steps

Mistakes to avoid

• A reward that encourages drinking: prefer a discount, an accessory or an experience.
• A program the customer must fill for too long before the first perk: they give up.
• Only mentioning the card to those who ask: the invitation should come from you, at every sale at first.
• Sending messages without checking what the regulations allow.

Measure what the programme changes

The dashboard shows visits, rewards earned and the customers who have not been back for a while. For a wine shop, the inactive-customer list is the most useful: it tells you who to invite to a tasting or tell about a new arrival.

Watch three things: how many cards are created (adoption), how often card-holders come back, and the list of customers who have not returned for several weeks. Detailed analytics are included from the Pro plan. Give it a full month before judging: a loyalty programme is measured on habits, not on one day.

What KARD costs, and what you keep

KARD starts at €29/month (Starter: 1 shop, 2 checkout staff, unlimited customers, Apple and Google Wallet). The Pro plan at €39/month adds automations (win-back messages for inactive customers, birthdays), the dashboard and analytics, unlimited push notifications and full customer history. The Business plan at €59/month covers up to 3 shops with unlimited staff.

There is no commission on your sales, no set-up fee, and a 14-day free trial with no commitment: you can create your card, add it to your own phone and test a checkout before you decide.