Want more repeat customers? Now you can reward them automatically

For small businesses, attracting new customers is only half the battle. What's important is to keep them coming back. That's why many businesses have loyalty programmes to increase sales.

Running a loyalty programme sounds like a great idea for many small business owners until it comes to actually setting one up. Between customer service, managing stock, and staying on top of bookings or orders, there's rarely time to design a system. This also involves keeping track of stamps or points and chasing after repeat visits.

That's where SumUp Loyalty comes in. Designed with busy entrepreneurs in mind, SumUp Loyalty is a built-in feature that allows you to reward customers automatically without paper punch cards or third-party tools. With just a few clicks in your dashboard, your loyalty programme will be ready.

Loyal customers are the secret to any successful business. They don't just spend more; they tell their friends, return often and support your business during low seasons. And now, with SumUp Loyalty, you can show them love in return without creating more work for yourself.

Whether you run a café, a beauty salon or a weekend market stall, SumUp Loyalty helps you turn occasional visits into regular habits. It's easy to set up, simple for customers to use and the best part is that it's included in your SumUp system.

Let's explore what SumUp Loyalty is, how it works, why it matters for your business, and how to start using it today.

What is SumUp Loyalty?

We give you a way to thank your regular customers and give first-time customers a reason to come back. It's specifically designed for small businesses that want to offer rewards but don't have the time, technology or staff to manage a traditional loyalty programme. Some of the key features of the SumUp Loyalty programme include:

Two customisable reward types

You can choose between a stamp card setup, like 'buy six coffees and get one free', or a points-based system, like 'earn ten points per £1 spent'. This flexibility allows you to match your loyalty offer to your business model, whether it's product-based, service-based or a mix of both.

Automatic tracking with no extra hardware

When a customer pays by card, their reward is tracked automatically using their phone number. There is no need to issue a plastic card or hand out physical stamp cards. All the records are stored safely within our system.

Seamless integration with your existing tools

SumUp Loyalty is part of your dashboard, right alongside your sales, invoices and customer insights. There's nothing new to learn and no additional cost to use it. Just set it up and create your reward terms.

Completely free to use

SumUp Loyalty is not a complicated CRM or large-scale marketing system. It's a simple, merchant-friendly rewards tool that helps you retain customers. And the best part is that it's built into the tools you already use to run your business.

How it works (step-by-step)

Setting up and running a loyalty programme might sound complicated, especially if you're short on time or run a small team. But SumUp Loyalty is easy to activate; you can set it up with a few clicks and let the programme work in the background while you focus on your business. Here’s how to set it up and how it works:

Step 1: Activate Loyalty in your SumUp dashboard

First, log in to your SumUp dashboard from your laptop or mobile device. In the Tools menu, you'll find a tab labelled Loyalty. Activating it is as easy as toggling a switch. There is no lengthy signup process, no apps to download and no technical installation required. As soon as Loyalty is activated, you're ready to start rewarding your customers automatically.

Step 2: Choose your reward setup

The next step is to choose how your loyalty programme will work. You have two options:

• Stamp-based system: Ideal for businesses with repeat purchases of similar value, like coffee shops, takeaway food vendors, beauty salons and dog grooming businesses. A good example is 'book four treatments, get the fifth half-price' or 'buy 6 coffees, get your 7th for free.' 

• Points-based system: Ideal for businesses where spending varies among customers, such as fashion boutiques, hair salons, or fitness studios. Example: 'Earn 100 points for every £10 spent' or 'get a £10 voucher after 500 points'. 

This flexibility means you can tailor your loyalty programme to your pricing model and customer habits. Better still, you can update or edit the programme anytime as your business grows.

Step 3: Customers enter their phone number

At checkout, the customer will enter their mobile number either into the SumUp card reader or through the SumUp Pay App. That number becomes their digital loyalty ID; no plastic cards, printed vouchers or stamps are needed. Their rewards are then linked to this number, and every eligible payment automatically adds points or stamps.

Step 4: Each card payment adds points or stamps automatically

With every card payment, the system instantly adds the appropriate reward to the customer's account, with no manual entry on your part. It's completely seamless, and your team doesn't have to do anything else at the till. Whether someone is buying a £3 latte or having a £60 haircut, their points or stamps are updated automatically.

Step 5: Customers track rewards in the SumUp Pay app

Your customers can see their loyalty progress in real-time through the SumUp Pay App, which they can download for free. They'll also receive push notifications when they're getting close to a reward, reminding them to come back soon. This creates a gentle nudge that drives return visits, all without extra marketing effort from you. Once the customer has earned a reward, they can redeem it at your business and the system resets their progress for the next round.

Why it matters for your business

Customer loyalty is an important part of the growth strategy for any small business. Loyal customers will spend more per transaction, visit more frequently and recommend your business to friends and family. You will also receive positive reviews and feedback. Most importantly, loyalty is cheaper than acquisition. Getting a new customer costs more time, money and effort than keeping an existing one. With SumUp Loyalty, you can increase retention without increasing your admin.

A loyalty programme can help small businesses:

• Encourage repeat visits: A clear and visible reward motivates customers to come back sooner. Whether it's that sixth latte or next haircut, they're more likely to choose you again.

• Stand out from the competition: In a crowded marketplace, offering a simple reward can tip the scales in your favour.

• Save time: Traditional loyalty schemes can be difficult to manage. Our automated setup removes the need for manual stamp cards, spreadsheets or guesswork.

• Strengthen relationships: By recognising loyal customers, you create a deeper connection. It's a small gesture that goes a long way in building trust and emotional loyalty.

What your customers see

Your customers want to feel valued, and we help you do just that with the Loyalty programme. Here is what your customers can access through our SumUp Pay App:

• Loyalty progress is visible: As soon as a customer makes a purchase and enters their phone number, their points or stamps are automatically updated in the app.

• Push notifications when they're close to a reward: When customers are close to unlocking a reward, they'll get a friendly reminder to come back. That small nudge often results in one more visit to cash in the reward.

• Business branding stays visible: When customers check their loyalty progress, they see your business name, reward setup and past transactions.

The digital setup means customers never have to worry about losing a punch card or forgetting how close they are to a reward. Everything is tracked in one place with zero effort on their part.

Ready to build Loyalty the easy way?

SumUp Loyalty is proof that you don't need a full-scale marketing team or expensive software to build lasting relationships with your customers. You can create an automated loyalty programme with just a few clicks. With the reward options, the system is flexible enough to fit your business. Since it is built right into your business account, you don't need to learn how the system works, and you don't pay extra fees to access the programme. If you're ready to reward your best customers, boost repeat sales and stand out from competitors, activate your Loyalty today.