In 2025, customer acquisition costs have soared by over 60%, making retention the most powerful and cost-effective growth strategy for e-commerce brands. Despite this, a staggering 58% of online retailers still operate without a structured loyalty program.
Most loyalty tools feel disconnected—bolted-on apps that don’t integrate smoothly into your store experience. They miss the mark when it comes to personalization, performance tracking, and real-time engagement. As a result, merchants lose out on repeat business and lifetime value.
This is where the Shopify New Loyalty Framework changes the game. Designed with native integration, advanced segmentation, and cross-channel functionality, it’s built for merchants who want to stop chasing new customers—and start turning first-time buyers into long-term brand advocates.
In this guide, we’ll explore how to get started with Shopify’s loyalty framework, whether you’re launching your first store or optimizing a high-volume Shopify Plus setup. From foundational concepts to advanced tactics, consider this your roadmap to mastering retention in 2025.
The Shopify New Loyalty Framework, launched as part of Shopify’s 2025 updates, is a native system built directly into the Shopify ecosystem to help merchants design, deploy, and manage customer retention programs—without relying on third-party apps.
What is the Shopify New Loyalty Framework?
It’s a built-in loyalty infrastructure that allows store owners to reward customers based on actions like purchases, referrals, reviews, and social engagement. Unlike past models that required external apps, Shopify now gives merchants the power to create seamless, personalized loyalty experiences within the admin dashboard.
Key Features Introduced in 2025
- Native Admin Integration: Manage loyalty programs directly from your Shopify dashboard—no third-party plugins or middleware needed.
- Real-Time Tracking: Monitor customer points, redemptions, and performance metrics in real-time.
- POS Compatibility: Fully integrated with Shopify POS, allowing you to offer loyalty rewards both online and in-store.
- Customer Segmentation: Target rewards based on customer behavior, location, lifetime value, or purchase frequency.
- Omnichannel Support: Sync loyalty data across email, SMS, checkout, and customer accounts.
- Developer Extensibility: Advanced customization options through Shopify Functions and APIs.
How It’s Different from Traditional Loyalty Apps
While traditional apps often function as stand-alone systems, the Shopify New Loyalty Framework is part of the core Shopify architecture. This allows for faster load times, tighter security, more reliable data syncing, and a smoother user experience—for both merchants and customers.
With this new framework, Shopify is signaling a shift toward platform-native retention strategies that prioritize integration, insight, and scale. Whether you’re a small business or an enterprise merchant, this foundation makes it easier than ever to retain customers and boost lifetime value.
For Beginners: Loyalty Programs 101
If you’re new to e-commerce, customer loyalty might feel like a “next step” strategy—something to think about once your store scales. But in reality, loyalty programs can and should be part of your foundation. They help you build repeat business early and create stronger relationships with your very first customers.
The Shopify New Loyalty Framework makes it easier than ever to implement a reward system from day one, even if you have no prior experience.
What Is a Loyalty Program?
A loyalty program rewards customers for actions that benefit your business—purchases, referrals, reviews, and more. It’s designed to encourage repeat visits and deeper engagement by offering value in return.
Types of Loyalty Models
- Points-Based
Customers earn points for every dollar spent and redeem them for discounts, products, or perks. - Tiered Programs
Rewards increase based on customer loyalty level (e.g., Bronze, Silver, Gold), motivating higher spend. - Referral Rewards
Customers get bonuses when they refer friends who make a purchase. - Subscription or Membership Perks
Paid or free programs that unlock exclusive deals, early access, or faster shipping.
Why Start Early?
- Increase Repeat Purchases: First-time buyers are more likely to return when they see a reason to.
- Build Community: Loyalty programs help you create a brand identity that feels inclusive and rewarding.
- Gather Valuable Data: You’ll gain insights into who your customers are and what keeps them coming back.
You don’t need to be a developer or strategist to launch a loyalty program. The Shopify New Loyalty Framework is designed to be intuitive and scalable. From your dashboard, you can create rewards, set up rules, and view performance—all without needing third-party apps or coding skills.
As your business grows, the framework grows with you. It supports more advanced features like segmentation, automation, and omnichannel rewards when you’re ready.
If you’re starting your first store, using the Shopify New Loyalty Framework from the beginning gives you a competitive advantage that many new merchants overlook.
Shopify New Loyalty Framework vs. Traditional Loyalty Apps
As e-commerce continues to evolve in 2025, merchants are faced with a critical decision: Should you rely on third-party loyalty apps or use the built-in Shopify New Loyalty Framework?
While loyalty apps have historically filled the gap for customer retention, they often come with limitations—extra costs, integration issues, slower site performance, and a fragmented customer experience.
With the Shopify New Loyalty Framework, those barriers are being removed. Let’s break down how it compares to traditional loyalty tools:
Key Takeaways
- Ease of Use: The Shopify New Loyalty Framework works natively, reducing setup time and tech headaches.
- Cost Efficiency: There are no added monthly fees or per-transaction costs, unlike many external platforms.
- Consistency: Customers experience the same loyalty program at checkout, in-store, and in communications.
- Scalability: Whether you’re a small business or an enterprise brand, the framework adapts to your needs.
While traditional apps may still be useful for niche or highly customized loyalty structures, the Shopify New Loyalty Framework offers a powerful and streamlined solution for most merchants especially those looking to future-proof their retention strategy without stacking extra tools.
If you’re still juggling third-party loyalty software, now may be the right time to consider going native with Shopify’s own loyalty system.
Common Implementation Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
The Shopify New Loyalty Framework is designed to simplify and streamline customer retention—but successful implementation still depends on how you use it. Many merchants make the mistake of assuming that simply launching a loyalty program is enough to boost repeat purchases. In reality, small missteps in setup and execution can limit your program’s effectiveness or even turn customers away.
Here are the most common pitfalls to avoid when using the Shopify New Loyalty Framework:
1. Overcomplicating the Reward Structure
Mistake: Offering too many rules, point values, or reward tiers can confuse customers and reduce engagement.
Solution: Keep it simple. Start with one or two clear rewards, such as “Earn 1 point per $1 spent” or “Get $10 off after 100 points.” Add complexity only as needed.
2. Ignoring Profit Margins
Mistake: Offering deep discounts or free products without calculating their impact on profit.
Solution: Use the Shopify New Loyalty Framework to focus rewards on high-margin items or services, ensuring your program drives growth—not losses.
3. Not Aligning Rewards with Customer Behavior
Mistake: Offering rewards that don’t matter to your customers (e.g., discounts on products they rarely buy).
Solution: Use Shopify’s customer segmentation tools to tailor rewards based on past purchases, preferences, or order history.
4. Skipping Mobile Optimization
Mistake: Creating loyalty experiences that aren’t mobile-friendly.
Solution: The Shopify New Loyalty Framework is mobile-compatible by default. Ensure your rewards and status tracking are visible and easy to use on any device.
5. Forgetting to Promote the Program
Mistake: Launching your loyalty program and expecting customers to find it on their own.
Solution: Promote it at every touchpoint—homepage banners, checkout pages, post-purchase emails, and even in-store via POS integration.
6. Failing to Track and Optimize
Mistake: Not measuring how your program performs over time.
Solution: Use Shopify’s native analytics to track engagement, redemption rates, and ROI. Test changes to rewards or messaging to find what works best.
The Shopify New Loyalty Framework gives you the tools—but it’s up to you to use them strategically. Avoiding these mistakes will help you create a loyalty experience that keeps customers coming back and grows more valuable over time.
Step-by-Step: How to Integrate Shopify New Loyalty Framework into Your Store
Implementing the Shopify New Loyalty Framework isn’t just for enterprise-level brands—it’s designed for all merchants, whether you’re launching your first store or upgrading your customer retention strategy in 2025. The best part? You don’t need a developer or advanced tools to get started.
Follow this practical step-by-step guide to integrate and launch your loyalty program successfully:
Step 1: Enable the Loyalty Framework in Your Shopify Admin
- Log in to your Shopify admin dashboard.
- Navigate to Settings > Customer Engagement > Loyalty.
- Click Enable Loyalty Framework.
- Review terms and confirm activation.
Step 2: Define Your Loyalty Program Rules
Decide what actions you’ll reward and how. Popular choices include:
- Points per dollar spent
- Rewards for first purchases
- Referral incentives
- Birthday or anniversary bonuses
Use Shopify’s built-in templates or customize your own rules using Shopify Functions.
Step 3: Create Reward Tiers (Optional but Recommended)
If you want to segment your most loyal customers:
- Navigate to Loyalty > Tiers
- Create Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels
- Assign perks like early access, free shipping, or exclusive discounts
- Define point thresholds or behaviors required to unlock each tier
Step 4: Set Up Redemption Options
Determine how customers can redeem their points:
- Percentage or fixed amount discounts
- Free products or samples
- Shipping upgrades
Configure these under Loyalty > Rewards.
Step 5: Customize the Customer Experience
Use Shopify’s built-in tools to:
- Display loyalty points on account pages
- Show available rewards in checkout
- Embed loyalty widgets on product or cart pages
These features are mobile-optimized and work across online and POS channels.
Step 6: Test Before You Launch
Run a test transaction using a customer account:
- Make a purchase
- Verify point accrual
- Test redemption
- Confirm tier movement if applicable
Make sure all touchpoints (email, POS, dashboard) reflect accurate loyalty data.
Step 7: Announce and Promote
Let your customers know:
- Add banners to your homepage and product pages
- Send an email announcement
- Use post-purchase messaging to explain rewards
- Add an FAQ section about your program
Step 8: Monitor, Optimize, and Scale
Use the Shopify analytics dashboard to track:
- Program participation rate
- Redemption rates
- Lifetime value increase among loyalty members
Adjust rules, tiers, or rewards based on performance insights.
By following this process, you’ll fully unlock the value of the Shopify New Loyalty Framework—without relying on third-party apps or manual workarounds. Start simple, then build as you grow.
Thinking of Migrating to Shopify? Let Oyecommerz Help You Unlock the Loyalty Advantage
f you’re running your store on platforms like Magento, WooCommerce, or Squarespace, and you’re struggling with outdated or disconnected loyalty systems, now is the right time to migrate to Shopify.
With the release of the Shopify New Loyalty Framework, merchants finally have a native, scalable solution to build customer retention into the core of their business. But to take full advantage of this innovation, your migration must be done right—from backend setup to customer data transfers and loyalty integration.
That’s where Oyecommerz comes in.
Why Choose Oyecommerz for Shopify Migration?
At Oyecommerz, we specialize in seamless, secure, and strategic migrations to Shopify. Our team ensures your store is not only moved correctly—but optimized from day one to leverage powerful Shopify features like the new loyalty framework.
Our Migration Services Include:
- Product, customer, and order data migration
- Design replication or redesign based on Shopify themes
- Loyalty program mapping and setup within Shopify’s native framework
- App audit and replacement with Shopify-native solutions
- Post-launch support and performance tuning
Unlock Retention From the Start
Whether you’re migrating from Magento or rebuilding from scratch, our experts will help you set up the Shopify New Loyalty Framework as part of your store launch—ensuring your customers can immediately start earning and redeeming rewards.
Don’t just migrate. Migrate smart—with retention built in from the ground up.
Ready to future-proof your business?
Explore our Shopify migration services and start your journey with Oyecommerz today.
Contact to Migrate your Site to Shopify Now
Conclusion
In 2025, customer retention isn’t a bonus—it’s a necessity. With rising acquisition costs and increased competition, e-commerce brands that thrive are the ones that focus on building lasting customer relationships. The Shopify New Loyalty Framework is a game-changer in this space, giving merchants of all sizes a built-in, scalable way to reward loyalty, boost repeat purchases, and increase lifetime value.
Whether you’re just starting your e-commerce journey or looking to optimize an existing store, integrating this new framework can give you a powerful edge—without the complexity of third-party tools.
From setup to scale, the opportunity to make loyalty a core part of your growth strategy has never been more accessible. Start simple, stay consistent, and let your customer retention strategy evolve alongside your brand.
If you’re planning to migrate to Shopify or want help integrating loyalty from the ground up, Oyecommerz is here to guide your success. Now is the time to transform one-time buyers into lifelong customers.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Shopify New Loyalty Framework is a built-in loyalty program system integrated directly into Shopify stores. It helps merchants reward customers for purchases, referrals, and other engagement, improving retention without relying on third-party apps. The framework offers real-time tracking, omnichannel support, and customizable reward tiers.
Setting up the Shopify New Loyalty Framework is simple through your Shopify admin dashboard. You can enable the framework, define reward rules, create tiers, and customize redemption options—all without coding. This native integration streamlines loyalty management for merchants of all sizes.
The Shopify New Loyalty Framework offers seamless integration with Shopify POS and online stores, better performance, no extra subscription fees, and enhanced security. Unlike many third-party loyalty apps, it ensures consistent customer experiences and real-time analytics directly within Shopify.
Absolutely. The Shopify New Loyalty Framework is designed to be scalable and user-friendly, making it ideal for small businesses just starting with loyalty programs. It allows them to build customer retention strategies early, increase repeat purchases, and gather valuable customer insights without technical complexity.
By leveraging the Shopify New Loyalty Framework, merchants can offer personalized rewards, automate engagement, and create tiered loyalty programs that motivate repeat buying. In 2025, this framework is a cost-effective solution to combat rising customer acquisition costs and strengthen brand loyalty.
