Are You Making These Common Errors in Your Retail Loyalty Program?
Let’s be honest: loyalty programs are everywhere. But great loyalty programs? Rare. And often, the difference comes down to the small missteps retailers don’t even realize they’re making.
If your program isn’t delivering the engagement, ROI, or brand love you hoped for, it might be time to take a closer look. Below, we’re breaking down 10 of the most common mistakes we see across the cannabis retail space—plus what you can do to fix them.
1️⃣ Not Taking Time to Segment Your Audiences
We get it—segmentation feels like extra work. But sending the same message to every customer, regardless of behavior or purchase history, is a fast track to irrelevance.
Audience segmentation allows you to:
- Speak differently to new vs. returning customers
- Deliver personalized offers based on product preferences
- Trigger re-engagement flows at just the right moment
With Alpine IQ and support from ESBE, segmentation becomes scalable—and powerful.
2️⃣ Missing the Chance to Personalize Beyond a Name
“Hey [First Name]” isn’t real personalization.
If you’re not tailoring messages around:
- Product categories they love
- Stores they shop most
- Milestones they’ve hit
…you’re missing the opportunity to make customers feel seen.
Real loyalty stems from relevance. Use the data you have.
3️⃣ Sending Image-Only Emails Without ALT Text
Looks great in the inbox. Loads as a blank square on slow connections or screen readers.
Using image-only emails without ALT text:
- Hurts accessibility
- Impacts deliverability
- Risks message loss on key campaigns
Always include live text or at least thoughtful ALT descriptions to ensure your message gets through—visually and functionally.
4️⃣ Awarding Loyalty Points Post-Tax
This one might be costing you more than you think.
By awarding points based on post-tax totals, you’re effectively:
- Giving loyalty credit for the tax portion
- Shrinking your profit margins
Configure your system to award points on pre-tax spend only. It’s a quick adjustment that protects your bottom line.
5️⃣ Letting Points Accumulate Forever
No expiration = no urgency.
When points don’t expire, customers:
- Delay redemptions
- Miss out on benefits
- Become disengaged
We recommend 180–365 day expiration windows to keep your audience motivated and actively involved in the program.
6️⃣ Overlooking Your Hyper-Loyal Customers
These aren’t just shoppers—they’re your superfans.
And they should be treated like it.
Design unique campaigns and perks for your VIPs:
- Surprise gifts
- Early access to new drops
- Personalized thank-you messages
They’re already loyal. Show them you notice.
7️⃣ Guessing at the Best Time to Win Back Lapsed Customers
Why guess when you have the data?
Your loyalty system tracks:
- Last purchase
- Last open or click
- Last redemption
Use these data points to automate smart, timely win-back flows. ESBE helps dispensaries build recovery journeys that feel helpful—not spammy.
8️⃣ Not Updating Customers on Their Points
Few things are more frustrating for a loyalty member than not knowing where they stand.
And yet, many programs fail to:
- Include point totals in SMS/emails
- Trigger updates after purchases
- Remind customers about expiring rewards
If your customers aren’t seeing their points, they’re not thinking about using them.
9️⃣ Failing to Pitch the Program to Every Customer
Your loyalty program is only as good as its visibility.
If your team isn’t mentioning it at checkout—or your onboarding flow doesn’t spotlight it—then you’re leaving signups (and future ROI) on the table.
Train your team. Build it into your scripts. Make it a standard part of the experience.
🔟 Messaging Inactive Customers Without a Strategy
Blasting emails or texts to customers who haven’t engaged in 9+ months isn’t just ineffective—it’s expensive.
Without smart re-engagement flows, you’re:
- Wasting budget
- Hurting deliverability
- Damaging your brand equity
Instead, use Alpine IQ + ESBE strategy to:
- Identify low-engagement segments
- Suppress them from general sends
- Create win-back journeys that re-engage (or gracefully exit them)
Does Any of This Sound Familiar?
If you’re making even one or two of these mistakes, you’re leaving revenue, engagement, and loyalty on the table.
📢 Let ESBE help you fix what’s broken, fine-tune what’s working, and turn your loyalty program into a revenue-driving machine.
Your customers deserve more than points. They deserve a relationship.
Let’s build one.
👉 Contact ESBE today to get started.
