2021 is coming to a close and it’s time to look back at what made this year one to remember. It’s time to celebrate the brands that made shopping with them a top-notch experience. It’s time to announce the top customer loyalty programs of the year! Before diving into the who, let’s look at some quick reasons why brands even provide loyalty programs for their customers in the first place: Create a brand community for the customers to feel a sense of belonging Motivate shoppers to provide email and other data for future marketing opportunities Customers that are part of a rewards program are less likely to shop with a competitor Loyalty program members spend more, and more often You can launch an on-brand, engaging rewards program in literally minutes Let’s dive into the best loyalty programs of 2021! Top 10 Customer Loyalty Programs of 2020 It’s that time of year again – time to take a look at the brands that made beinga customer in 2020 not just a tolerable experience, but a rewarding one. Whatare the top customer loyalty programs of the year? Before diving into the who, let’s look at some quick reasons why brands evenprovide loy. The Smile.io BlogTim Peckover Solo Stove Customers have access to more information than ever before, and they look at all of it. This is why your loyalty program has to be on-brand, well-thought-out, and valuable. One brand that seamlessly ties in their rewards program to their brand is Solo Stove. This outdoor brand sells small portable fire stoves for camping and fittingly named their loyalty program, Firestarter Rewards. The point of any loyalty program is to make your customers feel special and let them know you appreciate them. Birthday points are a great way to do this—it doesn’t get much more personal than someone’s birthday. Solo Stove rewards up to 3000 birthday points (a $30 reward value) to their highest-tiered customers in their VIP program—one of the most generous birthday gifts we’ve seen from a loyalty program! Firestarter Rewards continues the personalized experience with custom redemption offerings. Customers can select how many points they want to redeem, with 100 points = $1. This lets customers save points up for a big purchase or use just a few for a little discount. The point is, customers can spend their points however they want and that’s how you deliver a rewarding customer experience. The Body Shop The Body Shop’s Love Your Body Club has been a staple in their brand for years, standing out for the social causes tied into their program. With the ability to use loyalty points for monetary donations to various charities, customers can feel good about shopping with The Body Shop. As the world continues to recover from the impacts of Covid-19, brands are changing how they communicate with customers based on what matters most. The Body Shop does this by choosing relevant charities based on trending issues in the broader social environment. For example, customers can now donate to Black Lives Matter and NO MORE, which supports victims of domestic violence, a rising issue as people were at home more than ever during the pandemic. Love Your Body Club has also veered away from the typical “exclusivity” messaging that is common with VIP loyalty programs. With a message saying “There’s room for everybody at the club”, The Body Shop reflects the new social norms of acceptance and inclusivity. One way to build a great brand community is to encourage everyone to join and make sure they all feel welcome. Unbound Merino Having a loyalty program in the fashion industry is almost a must these days. However, having a loyalty program and effectively using your loyalty program to create a thriving brand community are two different things. American men’s clothing brand, Unbound Merino does a great job at the latter, making it one of the best loyalty programs of 2021. Unbound Merino uses referrals as part of their Unbound Rewards to build their brand community, with their “Give $25, Get $25” ref...