Smile.io powers loyalty programs for Shopify stores. This guide covers setup and optimization for customer retention and increased LTV.
Smile.io Loyalty
Why Smile.io?
Related: Smile.io integration, the Seguno connector, keyword research tool.
Complete loyalty platform:
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Points program | Reward purchases |
| VIP tiers | Exclusive benefits |
| Referrals | Customer acquisition |
| Customization | Match your brand |
| Integrations | Connect marketing stack |
Loyalty impact:
- 40% higher purchase frequency
- 35% higher AOV from members
- 5x more likely to refer
Smile.io Pricing
Related: Yotpo integration, the Privy connector, Top Review Apps.
| Plan | Orders/Mo | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 200 | $0 |
| Starter | 500 | $49/mo |
| Growth | 2,500 | $199/mo |
| Plus | 7,500 | $999/mo |
Plan features:
| Feature | Free | Starter | Growth | Plus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Referrals | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| VIP tiers | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom CSS | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| API access | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
Getting Started
Related: Shopify Judge.me Integration: Affordable Reviews Guide (2025), Shopify Fera Integration: Reviews & Social Proof Guide (2025), Shopify Loox Integration: Photo Reviews Guide (2025).
Step 1: Install Smile.io
- Go to Shopify App Store
- Search “Smile.io”
- Click Add app
- Authorize access
- Choose plan
Step 2: Configure Points
Set up earning rules:
- Points per dollar spent
- Bonus actions
- Sign-up bonus
- Birthday rewards
Step 3: Create Rewards
Define redemption options:
- Discount codes
- Free shipping
- Free products
- Custom rewards
Step 4: Design & Launch
Customize and go live:
- Branding
- Widget position
- Program name
- Launch to customers
Points Program
Earning Points
| Action | Example Points |
|---|---|
| Purchase | 1 point per $1 |
| Create account | 100 points |
| Birthday | 100 points |
| Leave review | 50 points |
| Follow on Instagram | 25 points |
| Share on social | 25 points |
Spending Points
| Reward | Points Required |
|---|---|
| $5 off | 500 points |
| $10 off | 900 points |
| $25 off | 2,000 points |
| Free shipping | 300 points |
| Free product | Varies |
Points Balance
Customers see:
- Current balance
- Points history
- How to earn more
- Available rewards
VIP Tiers (Growth+)
Tier Structure
| Tier | Requirement | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze | 0 points | Base earning |
| Silver | 500 points | 1.5x multiplier |
| Gold | 1,500 points | 2x multiplier + perks |
| Platinum | 5,000 points | 3x + exclusive access |
Tier Benefits
| Benefit Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Earning boost | 2x, 3x multipliers |
| Exclusive access | Early sales |
| Free shipping | Threshold lowered |
| Exclusive products | VIP-only items |
| Birthday bonus | Extra points |
Tier Rules
Configure:
- Points or spend based
- Annual reset (optional)
- Tier maintenance
- Upgrade notifications
Referral Program (Starter+)
Program Structure
| Reward For | Typical Amount |
|---|---|
| Referrer | $10 off or 500 points |
| Friend | $10 off first order |
Sharing Methods
Customers share via:
- Unique referral link
- Email invitation
- Facebook share
- Twitter share
- Messenger
Tracking
Monitor referrals:
- Clicks generated
- Conversions
- Revenue attributed
- Top referrers
Launcher Widget
Widget Elements
| Element | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Points balance | Current status |
| Ways to earn | Encourage actions |
| Available rewards | Redemption options |
| VIP status | Tier progress |
| Referral link | Sharing option |
Customization
| Setting | Options |
|---|---|
| Position | Bottom left/right |
| Colors | Brand matching |
| Icon | Custom icon |
| Text | Custom copy |
| Visibility | Page rules |
Account Page
Customer View
Dedicated loyalty page showing:
- Complete points history
- All available rewards
- VIP tier status
- Referral tracking
- Earning opportunities
Integration
| Method | Implementation |
|---|---|
| Link | Add to navigation |
| Account page | Embed in customer account |
| Include in communications |
Email Integration
Smile.io Emails
Built-in emails:
- Welcome to program
- Points earned
- Reward available
- VIP tier change
- Points expiring
Klaviyo Integration
Sync to Klaviyo:
- Points balance
- VIP tier
- Referral activity
- Redemption history
Use for:
- Points reminder emails
- VIP tier campaigns
- Loyalty segments
Integrations
Email/SMS
| Platform | Integration |
|---|---|
| Klaviyo | Full sync |
| Mailchimp | Basic sync |
| Omnisend | Data sync |
| Postscript | SMS loyalty |
Reviews
| Platform | Integration |
|---|---|
| Yotpo | Points for reviews |
| Judge.me | Review rewards |
| Stamped | Review points |
Other
| Platform | Integration |
|---|---|
| Gorgias | Customer context |
| Recharge | Subscription rewards |
| Afterpay | Payment integration |
Best Practices
Program Design
| Element | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Points value | 1 point = $0.01-0.02 |
| Earning rate | 1-3 points per $1 |
| First reward | Achievable in 1-2 orders |
| Variety | Multiple reward options |
Promotion
| Channel | Tactic |
|---|---|
| Website | Banner, widget |
| Announcement, ongoing | |
| Social | Launch campaign |
| In-package | Insert card |
Engagement
| Action | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Points expiration | Encourage redemption |
| Bonus events | Double points days |
| Tier challenges | Increase activity |
| Birthday rewards | Personal touch |
Analytics
Key Metrics
| Metric | Track |
|---|---|
| Enrollment rate | % customers joined |
| Active rate | Engaged members |
| Redemption rate | Points used |
| Member revenue | Value of members |
| Repeat rate | Purchase frequency |
Reports
Available data:
- Program overview
- Points issued/redeemed
- Member growth
- VIP tier distribution
- Referral performance
ROI Calculation
Example Impact
Before loyalty:
- 20% repeat rate
- $50 AOV
- $75 LTV
After loyalty (members):
- 40% repeat rate
- $65 AOV (30% higher)
- $130 LTV (73% higher)
Program Cost
| Plan | Monthly | Per Order (~) |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 |
| Starter | $49 | ~$0.10 |
| Growth | $199 | ~$0.08 |
| Plus | $999 | ~$0.13 |
Troubleshooting
Points Not Showing
Causes:
- Order not synced
- Customer not enrolled
- Processing delay
Solutions:
- Check customer account
- Verify order status
- Manual points add
- Contact support
Widget Issues
Causes:
- Theme conflict
- JavaScript error
- Not enabled
Solutions:
- Check enable settings
- Verify theme compatibility
- Test in incognito
Smile.io vs Alternatives
| Feature | Smile.io | LoyaltyLion | Yotpo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 200 orders | No | Limited |
| VIP tiers | Growth+ | All paid | Included |
| Referrals | Starter+ | All paid | Included |
| Ease of use | Easy | Medium | Medium |
| Pricing | Mid-tier | Higher | Higher |
| Best for | SMB | Growing | Enterprise |
Next Steps
After setup:
- Configure points - Earning rules
- Create rewards - Redemption options
- Design widget - Match brand
- Set up tiers - If on Growth+
- Promote program - Launch campaign
Shopify + Smile.io implementation checklist (2025)
This section adds practical “make it stable” steps you can use after you install the app/connector. It’s intentionally lightweight: the goal is fewer sync surprises, cleaner reporting, and easier troubleshooting.
1) Quick setup checklist
- Permissions first: grant only the scopes you need (orders/customers/products as required) and document who owns the admin credentials.
- Data mapping: confirm how email, phone, currency, and SKU are mapped between Shopify and Smile.io.
- Historical import: decide how far back to import orders/customers (avoid importing years of data if you don’t need it).
- Deduplication rules: pick one unique identifier per object (usually email for customers, order ID for orders) to prevent doubles.
- Alerts: set a lightweight alert path (email/Slack) for failed syncs, auth expiry, and API rate limits.
2) Data you should verify after connecting
Most integration issues show up in the first hour if you test the right things. Use the table below as a QA checklist (create a test order if needed).
| Data object | What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Customers | Email/phone format, marketing consent fields, duplicates | Prevents double messaging and broken segmentation |
| Orders | Order total, tax, discount, shipping, currency | Keeps revenue reporting and automation triggers accurate |
| Line items | SKU, variant ID, quantity, refunds/returns behavior | Avoids inventory and attribution mismatches |
| Fulfillment | Status changes + timestamps, tracking numbers, carrier fields | Drives customer notifications and post-purchase flows |
| Catalog | Product titles, handles, images, collections/tags | Ensures personalization and reporting match your storefront |
3) Automation ideas for Marketing
- Welcome series: new subscriber → educational sequence + first-purchase offer in Smile.io.
- Abandoned cart: cart started but not purchased → reminder email/SMS from Smile.io (timing based on your AOV).
- Post-purchase: order created → delivery/usage tips + cross-sell for complementary products in Smile.io.
- Win-back: no purchase in 60–90 days → reactivation campaign using Smile.io segments.
- VIP: customer hits LTV threshold → move into VIP tier and trigger perks via Smile.io.
API sanity check (Shopify Admin API)
If your integration UI says “connected” but data isn’t flowing, a quick API call helps confirm whether the store is accessible and returning the objects you expect.
# List the 5 most recent orders (GraphQL)
curl -X POST "https://your-store.myshopify.com/admin/api/2025-01/graphql.json" \
-H "X-Shopify-Access-Token: $SHOPIFY_ADMIN_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d "{\"query\":\"{ orders(first: 5, sortKey: CREATED_AT, reverse: true) { edges { node { id name createdAt totalPriceSet { shopMoney { amount currencyCode } } customer { email } } } } }\"}"Tip: keep tokens/keys in environment variables, and test in a staging store/site before rolling changes to production.
4) KPIs to monitor (so you catch problems early)
- Sync freshness: how long it takes for a new order/customer event to appear in Smile.io.
- Error rate: failed syncs per day (and which object types fail most).
- Duplicates: number of merged/duplicate contacts or orders created by mapping mistakes.
- Revenue parity: weekly spot-check that Shopify totals match downstream reporting (especially after refunds).
- Attribution sanity: confirm that key events (purchase, refund, subscription) are tracked consistently.
5) A simple 30-day optimization plan
- Week 1: connect + map fields, then validate with 5–10 real orders/customers.
- Week 2: enable 1–2 automations and measure baseline KPIs (conversion, AOV, repeat rate).
- Week 3: tighten segmentation/rules (exclude recent buyers, add VIP thresholds, handle edge cases).
- Week 4: document the setup, create an “owner” checklist, and set a recurring monthly audit.
Related integration guides
More marketing tools: Klaviyo Shopify Integration: Setup Guide (2025), Shopify Mailchimp Integration: Complete Email Marketing Guide (2025), Shopify HubSpot Integration: Sync Ecommerce and CRM Data (2025).
Common issues (and fast fixes)
Even “simple” integrations fail in predictable ways. Use this as a quick troubleshooting playbook for Shopify + Smile.io.
- Duplicate customers/orders: usually caused by running two connectors at once. Pick one source of truth and dedupe by email (customers) and order ID (orders).
- Currency/timezone drift: confirm store timezone and reporting currency match what Smile.io expects, especially if you sell internationally.
- Missing permissions: if data is partially syncing, re-check API scopes (orders vs customers vs products) and re-authorize the app.
- Webhooks not firing: look for blocked callbacks, disabled webhooks, or a stale token. If possible, test with a fresh order and watch for events.
- Rate limits & delays: large imports or high order volume can queue syncs. Stagger imports, reduce lookback windows, and monitor retry queues.
- Refund/return mismatch: clarify whether refunds create separate objects or adjust the original order record (finance teams should agree on the model).
Privacy & compliance notes (2025)
Integrations often touch personal data (email, phone, address). Keep this lightweight checklist in mind:
- Least privilege: only grant the data scopes you actively use; remove unused apps quarterly.
- Consent fields: treat marketing consent separately from transactional messaging (especially for SMS).
- Data retention: define how long you keep customer event data, and who can export it.
- Access review: restrict admin accounts and rotate keys/tokens if staff changes.
Suggested rollout plan
- Connect in staging (if possible): validate mapping on a small dataset.
- Import a short history window: start with 30–90 days unless you have a clear reason to import more.
- Run side-by-side QA: compare a handful of orders across systems (totals, taxes, shipping, refunds).
- Go live gradually: enable 1–2 automations first, then expand once you trust the data.
Change control (keep it maintainable)
- One owner: assign a single owner for the integration (who approves mapping and workflow changes).
- Log changes: track what you changed (fields, filters, timing) and why, so you can roll back quickly.
- Monthly audit: re-check scopes, API tokens, and error logs—especially after major store/theme/app changes.
For reviews integration, see Yotpo integration. For email marketing, check Klaviyo integration.