Loyalty Programs

[L Creek]

I have 3 questions:

Is there any loyalty program functionality in shopify? (can a web
store allow users to enter a loyalty program number at the time of
purchase- and can purchases be tracked by that number)

Also, can we create coupons on the fly through the API? (and is there
a limit to the number of coupon codes)

Lastly, how does the Shopify cart recognize a customer when they
return (is it by cookies, email address, billing address?)


I am trying to get to a very individual marketing level, offering
discounts and promotions down to the single person level. So If
someone bought a soccer ball recently, but not cleats, I could send
them a coupon code for $5 off soccer cleats (but not the rest of my
customers). I also need to understand how shopify identifies a
returning customer, because I need to make sure my app aggregates all
of the customer's purchase activity together (so shops can decide
exactly who they want to offer promotions/rewards to).

Thanks in advance for your help with these 3 questions.

[David Underwood]

1. The closest we have for this is an app called PunchTab, give it a try.
2. Not yet, but we're working on it. No ETA at the moment though.
3. Customers are identified by their email, or through their customer account if that's enabled on the shop.

-David Underwood

 Developer Advocate, Shopify

 1-888-746-7439 x771

[L Creek]

Thanks for the answers, have more questions (of course)

1. Can I pull coupon info from the API? (Which ones have been set up and what the specifics are)

2. Is there any way to set up a webhook for a new coupon being created?

3. Anyway to push for an ETA of the coupon generation?

Here is my case for making the coupon building feature available through the API. Right now you guys don't have a loyalty feature. As part of my App suite, there will be a stand alone product which can automatically track all purchases (and apply any rules the shop owner wants such as bonuses for frequency or volume of purchases, purchases of qualified products etc). The user won't have to present any cards or type in any numbers, it will all be based on shopify identifying them as an existing customer.

What I CAN'T DO, however, is perfrom two key functions. First, if my app could create coupons on the fly, the shop owner would not only be able to customize the rules for how customers accrue points, but would let them set up the rules for how they could select their rewards. Maybe the reach a point total, and they can get a $5 coupon or select a free product from a rewards collection. I would need to be able to create that coupon on the fly through the API (with the appropriate expiration date etc.), so that all of this could be set up through rules and then require no more work from the shopkeeper. Without being able to do that through the API, administration of the rewards becomes a very cumbersome and time consuming chore for the shopkeeper.

Second, I can't easily let the shop owner's customers get rewarded for passing along coupons to their friends. If I can create a coupon for a customer (with a unique code) and let them send that out into the world (by facebook, email, blog text... whatever). I can reward them for each coupon that gets redeemed. "Get a friend to redeem this coupon and we'll give you a free XYZ!". My app creates the custom coupon, tracks how many times that gets redeemed (and links their account to their friends), and then sends the original customer another coupon for the free XYZ (since their friends made a purchase). Again, I can't do any of this without being able to create the coupon via the API.

So- here is the deal. If you guys allow the API to make coupons, I will give you a fully custom, rules-based loyalty program which is fully automated (once the customers sign up for the shop's loyalty program, everything else is fully automatic, they just make purchases like normal and accrue award points), allows the shop owner to create as many reward coupons as they like, and essentially creates an "affiliate" program with existing customers. Being able to do all of that with one app seems like something that could really help Shopify differentiate itself.

[Edward Ocampo-Gooding]

The Discount API and Order creation API are our top priorities right
now, but no ETA is public.

Trust me, I’m really looking forward to it being released :)

Edward Ocampo-Gooding
Developer Advocate, Shopify

[L Creek]

Thanks for the reply. What about pulling coupons info via the API (I know you are working on the creation part, but is there currently the ability to get a list of coupons already set up)? And is there a webhook available for new coupons created (I'm looking for work-arounds until you get the new functionality set up)?

[Denis Odorcic]

There are no Discount API endpoints whatsoever, and no webhooks for them either yet. As soon as it's released, we'll definitely notify the mailing list and a write a detailed blog post, though.

Denis Odorcic

Developer - Shopify