The retail industry has used loyalty programs for hundreds of years<\/span><\/a>, albeit with a slightly different approach than restaurants and coffee shops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Restaurant loyalty programs often have a more narrow focus, emphasizing repeat transactions and frequent purchases. This approach prioritizes only the most frequent fliers, offering them points or discounts for their repeat business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, retail loyalty programs often have a broader, \u201call-inclusive\u201d approach. Their incentives tend to be wider-reaching, with rewards less focused on transaction frequency and more about nurturing an exclusive, members-only experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And, while there\u2019s nothing \u201cwrong\u201d with how restaurants traditionally approach loyalty\u2026 there\u2019s something to be said that the world\u2019s most successful loyalty programs<\/span><\/a> all belong to retail brands like Amazon, Bath & Body Works, and H&M.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this blog, we\u2019ll look at three inspirational retail loyalty programs, identifying the parts of each program that restaurant owners and operators should pay close attention to. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So\u2026 let\u2019s get started, shall we? <\/p>\n\n\n\n The first iteration of lululemon\u2019s loyalty program launched in 2018, offering its Members \u201ccurated experiences, free shipping<\/span><\/a>\u201d and other exclusive benefits for ~90 USD\/month. Now, while this fee might seem<\/em> steep to the average loyalty-seeker\u2026 the brand\u2019s research showed otherwise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In lululemon\u2019s Q4 2018 earnings call<\/span><\/a>, Chief Executive Officer Calvin McDonald said customer response has \u201cexceeded [their] expectations\u201d in both the US and Canada, suggesting customers would pay even more than the original fee of ~$90\/month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c[We] initially tested in Edmonton, and we\u2019ve just recently tested in Denver,\u201d said McDonald<\/span><\/a>. \u201cWe launched at CAD 128 in Edmonton [then] tested USD 148 in Denver and saw wonderful take-up. So, it sort of confirmed our thinking, which is there’s real value in the memberships.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, if there was proof that customers would pay ~$150\/month for a lululemon Membership\u2026 you might wonder why the brand completely changed its Membership in 2024<\/span><\/a>, transitioning to a new, completely free membership offering instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The answer is surprisingly simple:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The post-pandemic world called for new ways to foster community and inclusion and lululemon\u2019 answered with its new Essential Membership. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c[As] we’re moving into post-COVID world, we’re once again connecting with our guests in person while also continuing to leverage new ways to engage digitally,\u201d said McDonald in a Q2 2022 earnings call.<\/span><\/a> \u201cOur new two-tier membership program, which we’ll be launching shortly, is a perfect example of our ability to connect with guests in new ways.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In August 2024<\/span><\/a>, the activewear brand expanded its Essential Membership even further with Partner perks, granting Members access to exclusive deals and discounts at 12 different health and wellness brands<\/span><\/a>, from ClassPass and Sweetgreen to Supergoop! and Erewhon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And, in lululemon\u2019s Q2 2024 earnings call<\/span><\/a>, McDonald said \u201cearly [Perks] feedback from guests has been very positive,\u201d reflecting the brand\u2019s ongoing commitment to building community and fostering loyalty. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c[Strategies like Partner perks] illustrate just a few of the ways we engage with our guests beyond a simple purchase transaction by offering exclusive experiences and benefits and helping them feel their best, all of which drives and deepens loyalty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take a page from lululemon\u2019s loyalty book by creating a membership community for your restaurant\u2019s most loyal diners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n With Craver\u2019s Memberships & Subscriptions<\/span><\/a> feature, you can create custom membership options and tiers for your restaurant, offering your most loyal customers a well-deserved spot in your new, highly exclusive Membership community. Then, reward your Members\u2019 with offers and deals they can\u2019t get anywhere else \u2014 like invitations to private events or reciprocal discounts with other businesses \u2014 to maintain (and grow) their loyalty to you and your brand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n All tiers earn 1 point per $1 spent <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tier 1 – Insider: <\/span>Free to join<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tier 2 – VIB: <\/span>Must spend $350 a year<\/p>\n\n\n\n Same as Tier 1 with a few exceptions and additions: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Tier 3 – Rouge: <\/span>Must spend $1,000 a year<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Same as Tier 1 with a few exceptions and additions: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sephora\u2019s Beauty Insider program first launched in 2007<\/span><\/a> as a single-tier program offering benefits at the Insider level. Not long after the program\u2019s initial launch, Sephora added two more tiers to its program \u2014 VIB in 2009<\/span><\/a> and Rouge in 2013<\/span><\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This marked the first version of the three-tiered Beauty Insider program that Sephora customers know and love\u2026 but it definitely wouldn\u2019t be the last version. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Over the last decade, Sephora has continuously evolved the Beauty Insider program, regularly changing, upgrading, and expanding to better serve the program\u2019s 31 million members<\/span><\/a> (while appealing to prospective members, too).<\/p>\n\n\n\n And, according to Emeline Berlind, Sr. Vice President and General Manager of Loyalty at Sephora, that commitment to continuous improvement is \u201chow you [keep] a vibrant program going.<\/span><\/a>\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c[We] always try to keep in mind [the] two key tenets of giving value and convenience, which is what we are always going back to as we think about new opportunities for the program,\u201d said Berlind<\/span><\/a>. \u201cHaving the program really correspond to why people are shopping at your store in the first place, and rewarding the [regulars]\u2026that\u2019s really the foundation of Beauty Insider.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to regularly reinventing the program\u2019s value and convenience positioning, Sephora\u2019s data-driven personalization<\/span><\/a> is another massive driver in the Beauty Insider program\u2019s success. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Take the Beauty Insider program\u2019s birthday gift, for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sephora\u2019s birthday gift is their most successful loyalty reward, not just because people love gifts, but because people love feeling seen, heard, and like they\u2019re special.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n When a Member (of any tier) celebrates their birthday, they get to hand-pick a birthday gift from a selection of high-end products. Sephora\u2019s team hand-selects the birthday products too, showing a dedication to delivering top-notch gifts to its top-tier shoppers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c[Every] time we do consumer research, [the birthday gift is] always the No. 1 benefit. People just love the birthday gift,\u201d explained Berlind.<\/span><\/a> \u201cWe work really hard with the brands that participate to make it a compelling gift each year. And we\u2019ve continued to offer more choice to our clients as well over the years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Offer your restaurant\u2019s customers the Beauty Insider experience with personalized offers and incentives that show you\u2019re paying attention and<\/em> that you care. <\/p>\n\n\n\n With a custom-branded Craver app<\/span><\/a>, you gain access to customer data like order history, customization preferences, and special requests, showing you exactly what they like (and exactly what they don\u2019t). With that customer data guiding your personalization efforts, you can create targeted push notifications, exclusive rewards, and other offers that make your customers feel seen, heard, and special. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Level 1: <\/span>0-999 points<\/p>\n\n\n\n Level 2: <\/span>1,000 – 3,999 points<\/p>\n\n\n\n All Level 1 benefits plus: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Level 3:<\/span> 4,000 – 11,999 points<\/p>\n\n\n\n All Level 2 benefits plus:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Level 4:<\/span> 12,000+ points<\/p>\n\n\n\n All Level 3 benefits plus: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Launched just over two years ago in June 2022<\/span><\/a>, adiClub by adidas is one of the youngest loyalty programs featured in this blog\u2026 but it\u2019s also the most successful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In Q1 2024, adiClub had not only surpassed over 300 million members<\/span><\/a>, but the company\u2019s earnings call credited direct-to-consumer business (like membership sales) as \u201cdriving top-line growth for the company<\/span><\/a>\u201d that quarter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So, adiClub had undoubtedly hit the ground running (bad shoe pun intended)… but why? What makes adidas\u2019 loyalty program stand out from other point-based ones just like it? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Put simply, other brands don\u2019t have the engagement strategy adidas does. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike other points-based loyalty programs, adiClub points aren\u2019t exclusively tied to spending amounts or dollar values (although members do earn 10 points for every $1 they spend).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead, adiClub encourages its members to engage with the brand, earning points by completing unique challenges, attending events, and even sharing photos. Some of the more unconventional ways adiClub engages its members to earn points include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n But, the real <\/em>icing on the adiClub cake is how focused their Membership is on fostering \u201chyperlocal experiences<\/span><\/a>\u201d \u2014 despite being a global company. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEssentially, [we] output unique content [through adiClub] that caters [to] the market itself,\u201d said Claudio Corti<\/span><\/a>, Global Membership Strategy Senior Manager at adidas. \u201c[The] partner portfolio [we have enables our] market representatives to activate local content with local partners that are relevant for the members within that market.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, whether adidas partners with the US\u2019s National Football League<\/span><\/a>, India\u2019s National Cricket Team<\/span><\/a>, or the UK\u2019s Premier League,<\/span><\/a> one thing about the brand\u2019s \u201clocal\u201d efforts is certain: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Every Member will feel like they belong, no matter what \u201clocal\u201d means to them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Entice your customers to engage with your restaurant more meaningfully (and enthusiastically) through unique, never-before-seen reward incentives like adiClub. <\/p>\n\n\n\nRetail Loyalty Case Study 1 \u2014 lululemon <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
lululemon Essential Membership<\/span><\/a> Details<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The Rationale<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"lululemon](\"https:\/\/www.getcraver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/lululemon-instore-activations-and-yoga-classes.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nMake It Happen with Craver <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Retail Loyalty Case Study 2 \u2014 Sephora<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Sephora Beauty Insider<\/span><\/a> Details<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The Rationale<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Sephora](\"https:\/\/www.getcraver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Sephora-Storefront-Promoting-Beauty-Insider.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nMake It Happen with Craver <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Retail Loyalty Case Study 3 \u2014 adidas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
adiClub<\/a> Details <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The Rationale<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Runner](\"https:\/\/www.getcraver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Runner-in-Adidas-shoes-and-the-Adidas-running-app.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nMake It Happen with Craver <\/h3>\n\n\n\n