From Points to VIP Tiers: Lootly’s Complete BigCommerce Rewards Solution

Aleksandra Velkova on January 12, 2026

Customer acquisition costs are climbing. Competition is fierce. And discount-driven shoppers are everywhere.

If you're a BigCommerce merchant relying solely on promotional discounts to drive sales, you're leaving money on the table. Discounts attract one-time buyers, but they don't build lasting relationships. What you need is a strategy that transforms those first-time purchasers into loyal advocates who return again and again.

That's where a comprehensive loyalty program comes in. The right rewards solution doesn't just incentivize repeat purchases—it creates an emotional connection between customers and your brand. It turns transactions into relationships and customers into community members.

Lootly offers BigCommerce merchants a complete rewards solution that goes far beyond basic points programs. From customizable reward structures to advanced VIP tiers and referral programs, Lootly helps you build the kind of customer loyalty in retail that drives sustainable growth.

Why Loyalty Programs Matter More Than Ever for BigCommerce Stores

The numbers tell a compelling story. According to the SBA's guide to marketing sales, acquiring a new customer costs five to seven times more than retaining an existing one. Yet many ecommerce brands continue to pour resources into acquisition while neglecting retention.

A well-designed loyalty program shifts that balance. When customers feel valued and rewarded for their continued business, they spend more per transaction, purchase more frequently, and become vocal advocates for your brand.

Consider these benefits:

Higher Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): Loyal customers are worth up to 10 times as much as their first purchase. A BigCommerce rewards program encourages repeat purchases by giving customers tangible reasons to return.

Increased Average Order Value (AOV): Shoppers enrolled in loyalty programs tend to add more items to their carts to reach reward thresholds or unlock exclusive perks.

Reduced Churn: When customers are actively earning rewards, they're less likely to shop with competitors. Your loyalty program creates switching costs that keep them coming back.

Brand Advocacy: Happy loyalty members don't just buy more—they refer friends and family, effectively becoming an extension of your marketing team.

Brands across industries are seeing these results. Coffee retailers offer free birthday drinks and surprise rewards. Hotel chains provide exclusive upgrades and experiential perks. These programs succeed because they deliver value that goes beyond simple transactions.

Meet Lootly: The BigCommerce Rewards Solution Built for Growth

Lootly is an official BigCommerce partner built specifically to help merchants increase customer lifetime value through intelligent rewards programs. Unlike basic BigCommerce loyalty apps that focus solely on points accumulation, Lootly provides a complete ecosystem designed to engage customers at every stage of their journey.

The platform combines three powerful features into one seamless experience:

Points & Rewards: Customers earn points for purchases, account signups, birthdays, social follows, product reviews, and dozens of other actions you define.

VIP Tiers: Create exclusive membership levels that reward your best customers with special perks, early access, and unique experiences.

Referrals: Transform satisfied customers into brand ambassadors who actively promote your store to their networks.

What sets Lootly apart is its flexibility. Every element of your BigCommerce loyalty program can be customized to match your brand identity and business goals. Choose your color palette, design your reward structure, create custom tier names, and configure exactly which actions earn points.

The result? A loyalty experience that feels authentically yours while delivering measurable business outcomes.

How Lootly Rewards Work: From Points to VIP Tiers

Building an effective loyalty program requires more than just giving away points. You need a strategic framework that encourages specific customer behaviors while delivering genuine value. Lootly's three-tier approach accomplishes both.

Points & Rewards: The Foundation of Engagement

Points form the backbone of any successful BigCommerce rewards app. With Lootly, you decide which actions earn points and how many. Standard configurations include:

  • Points per dollar spent on purchases

  • Signup bonuses for new members

  • Birthday rewards

  • Social media follows and shares

  • Product reviews and referrals

  • Newsletter subscriptions

Once customers accumulate points, they can redeem them for rewards you define—typically discounts, free products, or exclusive access. The key is making the earning process feel achievable while keeping the rewards valuable enough to motivate action.

VIP Tiers: Creating Aspirational Experiences

While points drive initial engagement, VIP loyalty programs create long-term commitment. Lootly's tier system segments customers based on their spending or engagement level, then delivers increasingly valuable perks as they move up.

You might create three tiers:

Bronze: Entry-level benefits like early sale access and birthday discounts.

Silver: Mid-tier perks including free shipping, exclusive products, and bonus point multipliers.

Gold: Top-tier experiences such as concierge service, personalized recommendations, and invitation-only events.

The beauty of tiered programs is psychological. Customers naturally want to reach the next level, which drives incremental purchases. And once they achieve VIP status, they're incentivized to maintain it.

Lootly makes tier management simple. Create custom names that align with your brand (think "Surf Rookie" and "Surf Legend" instead of generic labels). Add unique icons. Configure entry and lifetime rewards for each level. Set spending or point thresholds that make sense for your business.

Referrals: Turning Customers into Advocates

Your most enthusiastic customers want to share products they love. A BigCommerce affiliate program or referral system gives them an easy way to do so while rewarding both parties.

With Lootly's referral features, existing customers receive a unique link or code to share with friends. When someone makes a purchase using that link, both the referrer and the new customer receive rewards—typically bonus points or discounts.

This creates a virtuous cycle. Happy customers bring in new shoppers. Those new shoppers become engaged members. Some eventually become referrers themselves. Your customer base grows organically while acquisition costs drop.

The best part? Lootly tracks everything automatically. No manual verification or reward distribution required. The system handles attribution, calculates rewards, and updates point balances in real-time.

Deep Integration: How Lootly Works Inside BigCommerce

A loyalty program is only as good as its integration with your existing infrastructure. If customers have to jump through hoops to check their points or redeem rewards, engagement plummets. Lootly solves this through seamless BigCommerce integration.

Simple Setup, Automatic Syncing

Getting started takes minutes, not weeks. Install the Lootly app from the BigCommerce marketplace, connect your store, and configure your program settings. No coding required. No developer necessary.

Once connected, Lootly automatically syncs with your BigCommerce data:

  • Customer profiles and order history flow into the loyalty platform

  • Point balances update in real-time as customers take actions

  • Reward redemptions automatically generate discount codes

  • VIP tier changes trigger email notifications

This automation eliminates manual work while ensuring data accuracy across systems.

Embedded Customer Experience

Lootly doesn't force customers to leave your site to interact with their rewards. The platform embeds directly into your BigCommerce storefront through a customizable widget.

Shoppers can check point balances, browse available rewards, track their VIP tier progress, and generate referral links—all without navigating away from your store. This frictionless experience drives higher engagement and redemption rates.

Powerful Segmentation and Personalization

Behind the scenes, Lootly's BigCommerce integration enables sophisticated customer segmentation. Create different reward structures for wholesale versus retail customers. Offer special VIP programs to specific customer groups. Trigger targeted campaigns based on purchase history or engagement level.

This level of customization would be impossible without deep integration. Lootly leverages BigCommerce's customer data to deliver personalized experiences at scale.

Real Impact: The Business Value of a Complete Rewards Solution

Theory is interesting. Results matter more. Merchants using Lootly's complete rewards solution consistently see measurable improvements across key metrics.

Higher Customer Lifetime Value

The primary goal of any loyalty program is increasing CLV. When customers return more frequently and spend more per transaction, your average customer becomes significantly more valuable over time.

Lootly merchants report CLV increases of 30-50% for loyalty program members compared to non-members. The combination of points, VIP tiers, and referral incentives creates multiple touchpoints that keep customers engaged.

Increased Average Order Value

Points-based rewards naturally encourage larger purchases. Customers add extra items to reach point thresholds or unlock VIP tier benefits. This behavior drives measurable AOV growth.

Additionally, tiered programs with spending requirements motivate customers to increase purchase frequency and size to maintain or achieve higher status levels.

Boosted Referral Sales and Retention Rates

Word-of-mouth remains the most trusted form of marketing. Lootly's referral features systematize this organic process, turning casual recommendations into a reliable acquisition channel.

Merchants see referral-driven sales account for 10-20% of total revenue once their programs mature. These referred customers also tend to have higher retention rates, creating compounding value over time.

Reduced Discount Dependency

Perhaps most importantly, a strong loyalty program reduces reliance on broad discount promotions. Instead of offering 20% off to everyone (including customers who would have purchased anyway), you can reserve significant discounts for VIP tier rewards or point redemptions.

This targeted approach protects margins while still delivering value to customers who've earned it through loyalty and engagement.

Why Choose Lootly Over Other BigCommerce Loyalty Apps

The BigCommerce app marketplace includes several loyalty solutions. What makes Lootly different?

Complete Feature Set: Many BigCommerce rewards programs focus solely on points or referrals. Lootly combines both with advanced VIP tiers and customer segmentation, providing everything you need in one platform.

True Scalability: Some loyalty apps charge per customer or transaction, making them prohibitively expensive as you grow. Lootly offers unlimited customers and transactions on all plans, letting you scale without worry.

Transparent Pricing: No hidden fees. No long-term contracts. No surprise charges as your program grows. Lootly's straightforward pricing means you can accurately forecast costs.

Seamless BigCommerce Integration: As an official BigCommerce partner, Lootly is built specifically for the platform. The integration is deeper and more reliable than third-party solutions that support multiple platforms.

Ongoing Innovation: Lootly continuously releases new features and improvements based on merchant feedback. You're not buying static software—you're partnering with a platform that evolves with your needs.

Build Loyalty That Lasts

The most successful ecommerce brands don't just sell products. They build communities. They create experiences. They give customers reasons to return beyond price and convenience.

A comprehensive loyalty program is your tool for building those lasting relationships. It transforms one-time buyers into repeat customers. Repeat customers into VIP members. VIP members into vocal advocates.

Lootly's complete BigCommerce rewards solution gives you everything needed to make that transformation happen—from basic points and rewards to advanced VIP tiers and referral programs. The platform integrates seamlessly with your existing store, scales as you grow, and delivers measurable results from day one.

Ready to move beyond discounts and build loyalty that drives sustainable growth? Discover how Lootly can power your BigCommerce rewards program today.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Lootly's rewards solution for BigCommerce?

Lootly is a comprehensive loyalty platform designed specifically for BigCommerce merchants. It combines points-based rewards, VIP tier programs, and referral marketing into one seamless solution that integrates directly with your BigCommerce store.

How does Lootly integrate with BigCommerce?

Lootly installs directly from the BigCommerce app marketplace and syncs automatically with your store data. Customer information, order history, and reward activities flow seamlessly between systems without requiring coding or developer support.

What types of rewards can I offer with Lootly?

You have complete flexibility in designing your reward structure. Common options include discount codes, free products, free shipping, early sale access, exclusive products, birthday rewards, and custom experiential perks unique to your brand.

How do VIP tiers work in Lootly?

VIP tiers segment customers based on spending or point accumulation, then deliver increasingly valuable benefits as they progress. You can create custom tier names, set unique entry requirements, configure tier-specific rewards, and even build separate programs for different customer segments like retail versus wholesale buyers.

Can Lootly help increase customer retention and lifetime value?

Yes. Merchants using Lootly consistently report higher retention rates, increased purchase frequency, and elevated CLV among loyalty program members. The combination of points, VIP tiers, and referral incentives creates multiple engagement touchpoints that keep customers returning to your store.


Aleksandra Velkova

Aleksandra Velkova

Aleksandra is the Customer Success Manager at Lootly

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