The true price of loyalty

Whether you’re tapping your membership card at the supermarket or getting a stamp for a free coffee at your local cafe, the promise of the rewards program is simple: loyalty is rewarded with discounts and special offers.

But with so many brands clamouring for our attention, it’s hard to know which schemes are worthwhile. And lengthy terms and conditions about expiration dates and data collection only add to the confusion.

“Picking the programs that are going to deliver the best value can be tricky because we’re saturated with them,” says Stacey Lyons, marketing director at Loyalty & Reward Co. “A good-quality loyalty program needs to be simple to join, simple to understand and simple to use.”