{"id":251,"date":"2026-10-09T06:28:23","date_gmt":"2026-10-09T06:28:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/menuatwendys.com\/news\/?p=251"},"modified":"2026-10-09T06:28:23","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T06:28:23","slug":"the-rise-of-loyalty-apps-how-are-they-different-from-the-previous-loyalty-cards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/menuatwendys.com\/news\/sports\/the-rise-of-loyalty-apps-how-are-they-different-from-the-previous-loyalty-cards\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rise of Loyalty Apps: How Are They Different from the Previous Loyalty Cards"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Not long ago, paper cards and physical ink stamps or stickers were a thing, but these have slowly started to disappear. They were first replaced by plastic cards that you could use like any other card and could store your loyalty points there. Then came the era of loyalty apps, which is still present to this day.<\/p>\n<p>In this digital age, making everything an app is no surprise, as it\u2019s a really comfortable way of having all you need in one place, namely, the phone. There is no place we wouldn\u2019t bring our phone, so if in the past we could forget our cards somewhere or struggle to find them among the multitude in our wallet, now, with a few simple clicks, you can access your loyalty app and see your progress.<\/p>\n<p>If you want to know more about how this change has occurred, what these apps truly represent, their purpose and the mechanics that they use, keep on reading!<\/p>\n<h2>How loyalty moved from loyalty punch cards to apps<\/h2>\n<p>Initially, brands would use loyalty punch cards, which were stiff rectangular pieces of paper or cardboard that employees would use by stamping them, putting a hole through them, or making other signs to note that the buyer has made another purchase, that they are a loyal customer, and that they can soon unlock a gift.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-253 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/menuatwendys.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Screenshot_2.jpg\" alt=\"Loyalty Cards\" width=\"624\" height=\"418\" srcset=\"https:\/\/menuatwendys.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Screenshot_2.jpg 624w, https:\/\/menuatwendys.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Screenshot_2-300x201.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 624px) 100vw, 624px\" \/><br \/>\nNow with loyalty apps, we\u2019re talking about a much simpler process with real-time tracking and automated data collection that can easily lead to personalized rewards and other specific information that helps brands.<\/p>\n<p>Companies also split the data they collect into several categories, such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>first-party data: this represents the information that brands can easily collect because it comes from transactions and app activity, and can measure purchase frequency and the quantity of what people buy;<\/li>\n<li>zero-party data: this is the information that brands can collect only if people want to offer personal details through surveys or other quizzes and reflects direct preferences;<\/li>\n<li>behavioral data: here it\u2019s all about device location, clicks and browsing, details which can trigger <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibm.com\/think\/topics\/push-notifications\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">push-notifications<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Tiering<\/h2>\n<p>In the past, maybe tiers were not that big of a deal, but now many loyalty apps and programs base themselves on this concept. They introduce people to a series of levels they have to reach in order to receive specific rewards. These rewards will get bigger in amount once you reach a higher level. These tiers can also have names, usually along the lines of Bronze, Silver, Gold and Diamond or similar examples.<\/p>\n<p>A good example of this theory in action is using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.betbrain.com\/bonus-codes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">BetBrain bonus codes<\/a> to redeem bonuses at the casino. Playing the bonus helps you advance and get more points to reach a higher level of the VIP program. Once you have enough points to go to the next tier, you\u2019ll get the dedicated rewards.<\/p>\n<h2>Personalized rewards<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-254 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/menuatwendys.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Screenshot_3.jpg\" alt=\"Loyalty Cards\" width=\"621\" height=\"418\" srcset=\"https:\/\/menuatwendys.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Screenshot_3.jpg 621w, https:\/\/menuatwendys.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Screenshot_3-300x202.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 621px) 100vw, 621px\" \/><br \/>\nThe rewards can vary depending on the tier that you\u2019re at, but also on the data the brand has collected about you and your preferences. Having a database about the history of a specific person, like you, they can personalize rewards and give you a reward that\u2019s similar to what you bought in the past, once you hit a tier. This way, they know you\u2019ll be pleased with not only the fact that you received something, but also because what you received suits you.<\/p>\n<h2>Push-driven re-engagement<\/h2>\n<p>Remember, we mentioned push notifications when talking about behavioral data. A notification like this is a pop-up message sent from an app or website directly to your mobile device, and it can appear even when the app or site is not actively open.<\/p>\n<p>In this case, we\u2019re talking about an app that will send push notifications to remind you about the brand, the services or products it offers, and the rewards you can earn by continuing to buy. Usually, you\u2019ll get a message like this when you haven\u2019t been active in a while, and they want to get your attention again.<\/p>\n<h2>What does the data collection behind it enable<\/h2>\n<p>By understanding customer preferences and behaviors through analyzing the data they\u2019ve gathered, businesses can create highly personalized and relevant experiences. They have the opportunity to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty and optimize their marketing spend by targeting the right customers with the proper message when the time is right.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, given the volume of data they receive, they can create advanced segmentation with multiple <a href=\"https:\/\/buyerpersona.com\/what-is-a-buyer-persona\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">buyer personas<\/a> to gain a precise understanding of customers. Additionally, the behavioral insights they get help them track peak shopping times, app usage, and redemption patterns.<\/p>\n<h2>Which mechanics transfer across sectors<\/h2>\n<p>No matter the market and the industry, there are a few mechanics that rely on human psychology, so almost all businesses will use them:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>tiered milestones: a topic that we previously discussed, these are the levels that you need to reach so you get the long-awaited rewards specific to the tier you are at (silver, gold, diamond);<\/li>\n<li>points-for-spend: you get an exact number of points for the money you spend. 10 dollars spent can mean 10 points or 1 point, depending on the strategy of the brand. These points add and push you to the next milestone;<\/li>\n<li>surprises: offers for birthdays or milestones offer random engagement spikes and build brand affinity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The mechanics that don\u2019t transfer across sectors depend heavily on the sector we\u2019re talking about and can vary from streaks and daily check-ins, experiential rewards, cashbacks and direct discounts, subscriptions\/paid tiers, and more.<\/p>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>Considering the era we are in, it\u2019s no surprise that more brands are leaning towards creating loyalty apps and programs to keep their existing customers closer and attract those at the beginning of their journey with the brand. Given the immense number of competitors in the market, it\u2019s clear that the main focus is on keeping clients as loyal as possible.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Not long ago, paper cards and physical ink stamps or stickers were a thing, but these have slowly started to disappear. They were first replaced by plastic cards that you could use like any other card and could store your loyalty points there. Then came the era of loyalty apps, which is still present to &#8230; <a title=\"The Rise of Loyalty Apps: How Are They Different from the Previous Loyalty Cards\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/menuatwendys.com\/news\/sports\/the-rise-of-loyalty-apps-how-are-they-different-from-the-previous-loyalty-cards\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about The Rise of Loyalty Apps: How Are They Different from the Previous Loyalty Cards\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":252,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-251","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/menuatwendys.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/menuatwendys.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/menuatwendys.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/menuatwendys.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/menuatwendys.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=251"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/menuatwendys.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":256,"href":"https:\/\/menuatwendys.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251\/revisions\/256"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/menuatwendys.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/252"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/menuatwendys.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=251"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/menuatwendys.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=251"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/menuatwendys.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=251"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}