Building Customer Loyalty with Mobile Apps: Boost Retention & Sales

Posted On 04 October 25
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Building Brand Loyalty with Mobile Apps with BuildeCom

Attracting new customers and creating brand awareness among a new group of audiences costs several times more than retaining the existing or past buyers. As the world is moving forward, it’s tough to attract new visitors among so many competitors. A recent study showed that the cost to acquire new customers rose by almost 60%. 

However, the same study also mentioned that more than 70% of the revenue of bigger brands comes from repeat buyers. So, it’s understandable why you need to value your past clients. Here, user-friendly mobile apps help users come back to the brands and perform direct engagement with the storefront. 

So, creating a seamless store software is one of the key brand loyalty strategies. Our experience in this industry says an ecommerce app can help to acquire almost 20% more retention rate than the brands with no loyalty program apps. Mobile loyalty programs with applications are preferred by 46% of the online shoppers.

Today, we will tell you everything about branded apps for customer loyalty and how to create a customer loyalty program for B2B and B2C companies. Let’s begin. 

Why Mobile Apps Are Better at Building Loyalty Than Websites or Email

The best way to offer customer loyalty programs is to create a versatile mobile app with an optimized buyer’s journey. Shoppers can easily access your store with just one tap. They can walk through your collections and make purchases with simple steps. 

During the walkthrough, you can offer personalized offers or discounts to encourage purchases from the visitors. After every successful purchase, you can send the buyers push notifications with custom offers that could make them feel special in your shopping app. 

Apps often save the information for payment, delivery, preferences, etc. So, buying from a platform you used in the past is pretty easy. 

Feature

Mobile App

Mobile Website

Email

Home Screen Presence

Yes, always visible

No, requires a bookmark

No, buried in the inbox

Push Notifications

Direct and instant

Limited or none

Opens to spam risk

Offline Access

Partial functionality

None without internet

None

Device Integration

Uses a camera, GPS

Basic only

None

Engagement Rate

High, 23% higher retention

Medium

Low

Conversion Rate

Faster checkout, higher AOV

Slower load times

Click-through needed

Personalization

Deep, based on behavior

Surface level

Generic batches


Core Loyalty Mechanics You Should Use in Your App

There are different types of brand loyalty strategies to encourage repeat visits in customer loyalty apps. You need to start with the basics that fit your business model. You can also combine a few tactics together to change the result. 

But remember to track results from the start of your branding. Adjust your brand loyalty strategies based on data. Mobile loyalty programs succeed when they reward buyers without any complexity. 

Points & Tiered Loyalty Systems

Customers earn points for each purchase in these setups. They advance through levels like silver, gold, or platinum. Higher tiers unlock better perks such as free shipping or extra discounts. Always set points per dollar spent. Include milestones for bonus rewards. And renew tiers yearly to keep motivation high.

Starbucks uses this in their app. Users collect stars per purchase. They reach gold status for free drinks. This boosts the repeat purchase rate. Monitor tier conversion rate. Aim for 20-30% moving up levels. Loyalty programs for retailers like this increase sales by 15-25%.

Push Notifications for Re-Engagement

Send targeted messages to bring users back. Remind them about abandoned carts. Suggest products based on past buys. Offer VIP early access to sales. Segment users by behavior. Time sends for peak hours. But you should limit notifications to 1-3 per week. Before sending, test multiple variations for the best results.

Dunkin' app notifies users of daily deals. This raises click-through rates. Personalized push messages improve conversion from push by 4x. Track push CTR and related sales to forecast your sales. Best customer loyalty apps use this to lift retention by 20%. Avoid overload to prevent opt-outs.

In-App Coupons & Exclusive Offers

You can provide app-only discounts to make users download your app and increase the chance of coming back. Send birthday coupons. Use location for nearby deals. Set expiration dates to create urgency. Sync with inventory. Make redemption simple at checkout. This draws users back regularly.

Sephora offers app-exclusive samples. Coupon redemption rate hits 30% here. Average order value lifts by 15%. Mobile app analytics tools help measure this. Customer rewards app features like these build habits. Track usage to refine offers.

Gamification: Missions, Badges, & Spin-to-Win

Add fun elements like daily check-ins. Award badges for streaks. Include spin wheels for prizes. Use progress bars for goals. Apply to cart recovery or installs. Limit to avoid fatigue. This increases engagement frequency.

Nike Run Club gives badges for runs. Retention cohort lifts by 25%. Apps for customer loyalty with gamification see higher daily use. Measure engagement metrics. Brand loyalty examples show 18% more logins. Balance with real value.

Subscription & Membership Models

Charge for premium access. Offer free shipping or point multipliers. Suit niches with frequent buys. Provide early product drops. Cancel easily to build trust. This creates steady revenue.

Amazon Prime mobile app includes fast delivery. Subscription churn stays low at 7%. The lifetime value of members doubles. B2B customer loyalty programs adapt this for bulk deals. Track LTV and retention.

Social Proof & Community Features

Let users share content. Reward reviews. Build referral systems. Create feeds for discussions. This fosters belonging. Encourage advocacy through shares.

Ulta's app rewards user-generated content. Referral conversion rate reaches 25%. UGC volume grows 40%. Customer behavior analytics reveal trends. B2B customer loyalty uses this for partner networks.

8 Top Loyalty Program Apps in Retail for 2025

Personalization: The Engine Behind Loyalty

Tailor experiences using data. Recommend products from history. Send custom pushes. Change home screens dynamically. Follow the user lifecycle from welcome to retention. Respect privacy with clear consent.

For example, a welcome push says, "Hi Alex, try these based on your first buy." Activation messages encourage a second purchase. Retention offers re-engage lapsed users. Mobile app personalization boosts engagement by 3x. Personalized recommendations increase AOV by 20%. Gather consent upfront. Use tools for segmentation. This drives loyalty in customer loyalty mobile app setups.

Measurement: KPIs That Prove Loyalty

Focus on key numbers to assess progress. Retention rates show users returning on day 1, 7, 30, and beyond. Whereas churn measures leavers. 

Repeat purchase rate tracks buys over time. Purchase frequency counts orders per user. LTV calculates the total value. AOV shows spend per order. Redemption rates for rewards. Referral rate for shares. NPS gauges satisfaction.

Run tests with control groups. Compare gamified users to the standard. Use promo codes for attribution. 

KPI

Definition

Target

How to Improve

Retention Rate

% returning after period

20-40% D30

Better onboarding

Churn Rate

% leaving

<10% monthly

Re-engagement pushes

Repeat Purchase Rate

% buying again

30-50%

Tier incentives

LTV

Total revenue per user

3x CAC

Personal offers

AOV

Spend per order

+15% lift

Bundles

Redemption Rate

% using rewards

25-40%

Easy process

NPS

Loyalty score

>50

Feedback loops

Note: Follow this A/B test plan: Pick one mechanic. Split users 50/50. Run for 30 days. Compare metrics. Scale winners. Mobile app analytics tools like Mixpanel help.

Implementation Options: No-code vs Custom

At this point, decide based on needs. No-code platforms speed up launch for small businesses. They cost less and need no developers. On the other hand, custom builds give full control but take time and money. 

If your store is WooCommerce-based, BuildeCom's no-code app builder will be the best choice for you. You can build an app without coding for MVP here. 

Test loyalty features fast. You can move to custom development for unique needs later. SEO for mobile apps also helps increase visibility in SERPs. App store keyword research aids downloads from search.

How BuildeCom Helps You Launch a Loyalty-Driven WooCommerce App Fast

BuildeCom is a drag-and-drop app builder platform for WooCommerce stores. It requires no coding skills. Users create apps easily from the platform’s dashboard. 

To launch your app with BuildeCom, start with design. Then pick the right template. And link to WooCommerce data to sync with your website without hours of setup. Finally, add features you want to offer to obtain loyal customers. 

BuildeCom, as a WooCommerce mobile app builder, streamlines the whole process without requiring developers. If you don’t believe me, then start your 14-day trial period in BuildeCom by clicking here

Practical Launch Checklist

  1. Define clear goals first. 

  2. Pick KPIs like retention and LTV. 

  3. Choose 1-2 mechanics to start. 

  4. Integrate push setup. 

  5. Create test coupons. 

  6. Pilot with a small group. 

  7. Run A/B tests on variations. 

  8. Review data weekly. 

  9. Adjust offers based on findings. 

  10. Scale successful parts. 

Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

Sending too many notifications annoys users. Cap at 2-3 weekly. And make segments of the notifications carefully.

Rewards that cost more than they are worth will hurt profits. Set some standards of rewards first. Calculate LTV impact. 

Make sign-ups on your platform very easy. Integrate social login for one-click registration. 

Ignoring privacy leads to issues. Get consent clearly. Follow laws overall. 

Legal & Privacy Considerations

Follow GDPR for European users. Get consent for tracking. Use clear language in policies. For CCPA in California, allow opt-outs. Disclose data use in loyalty. Set coupon terms upfront. For gamified elements, check sweepstakes rules.

Retain data only as needed. Keep user data secured. App privacy requires transparency. GDPR app push consent means explicit agreement. Recommend legal review for contests. This protects your program.

FAQs

Do mobile apps really increase customer loyalty?

Yes, they do when you tie them to rewards and personalization. Apps boost retention by 23% after three months. Users prefer them for easy access to perks.

How many push notifications are too many?

Limit to 1-3 per week based on user segments. More causes opt-outs. Test frequency to find the sweet spot for your audience.

Can I add loyalty to my WooCommerce store without coding?

Yes, tools like BuildeCom let you build without code. Drag-and-drop features add pushes and rewards quickly. Integrate with plugins for points.

What KPIs should I track first?

Start with retention rate, repeat purchase rate, and redemption rate. These show whether users return and use rewards. Add LTV later.

Are there good b2b customer loyalty programs?

Yes, b2b versions focus on memberships and referrals. They offer volume discounts or partner perks. Track referral rates for success.

Final Thoughts

You won’t earn loyalty overnight. It takes days of good service, USPs, and a seamless platform with UX optimization. 

If you can’t afford building a custom app at this stage, go with BuildeCom. Pick a standard plan, start making your app without any expert help, and deploy with zero hassles. You can edit and add anything you want in your WooCommerce mobile app with BuildeCom. 

To know more about BuildeCom, click here


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