August 04, 2025

🏆 SHOPIFY 1% WINS: A $10 Gift Can Beat $70 in Ad Spend (Plus Almost All Loyalty Programs)

21 minutes

They say loyalty is earned. I say it’s often misunderstood. In this episode, I unpack the hard truth: most Shopify “loyalty” programs are just discount addiction disguised as marketing. Punch cards, reward points, all that jazz? They don’t build real loyalty. True brand devotion happens when you do something for your customer that’s unexpected and unforgettable. With over 70 percent of customers admitting they’ll abandon a brand after just one bad experience, this is your invitation to rethink how you create emotional connection. It’s not about the perks. It’s about the surprise. And yes, we talk about free coffee, dead dogs, and why your best customer might be the one yelling at you in all caps.

Key Take-aways

True customer loyalty comes from doing something unexpected and meaningful

Most Shopify loyalty programs don’t build actual loyalty, just habit

Intrinsic motivation creates stronger emotional connection than external rewards

Surprise and delight moments are incredibly powerful for retention

Handwritten notes and small gifts are underused marketing weapons

The best influencers aren’t on TikTok, they’re your customer’s best friends

Thoughtful gifting can outperform paid ads in acquisition and retention

Loyal customers are often created when something goes wrong and you make it right

Angry customers can become your most loyal advocates if you handle it well

Think of kindness as a marketing cost, not a cost of goods sold

🫶 Please support the amazing sponsors that make this show possible 🫶

Omnisend - I personally use Omnisend for every Shopify store I manage! I’ve tried them all and Omnisend is hands down the easiest way to set up email and sms automations and campaigns, leverage segmentation to personalize them, and A/B test everything to optimize conversion. The push notifications and gamified email collection tools are just the icing on the cake 🤌

(plus most report paying about half the price of Klaviyo 🤫)

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Bold Commerce - Maximize your Shopify sales with Bold's suite of powerful apps. From AI Upselling, to powerful Subscriptions, Memberships, and VIP Pricing tools, Bold has everything you need to Maximize your Shopify revenue!

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