How to create a digital loyalty card
Paper stamp cards get lost, fade, and never tell you who your best customers are. A digital loyalty card lives in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, updates silently after every visit, and gives you real data about repeat business. This guide walks you through picking loyalty program software, designing the card, and running your first free loyalty program in about ten minutes.
Pick loyalty program software that issues wallet passes
You need software that can issue both Apple Wallet (.pkpass) and Google Wallet passes from a single dashboard — otherwise half your customers are excluded. Free loyalty cards from tools that only support one wallet mean re-issuing every card later. Notchd issues both natively and signs each pass with cryptographic serials so screenshots can't be reused.
Design the digital stamp card
Upload your logo (square, transparent PNG works best), pick a brand colour, and write the reward in plain language: 'Buy 9 coffees, get the 10th free' beats 'Earn 100 points'. Set the stamp threshold (typically 8–12) and you're done designing. This is the digital replacement for the paper stamp card at the till.
Distribute via QR code or WhatsApp
Print the join QR code on a small card by the till. Customers scan it with their phone camera, tap 'Add to Wallet', and the card is in their wallet forever. For online or remote signups, send the join link over WhatsApp — one tap, no app store, no account creation.
Notch every visit
At checkout, the customer pulls up their pass, you scan its barcode in the merchant app, and tap notch. The wallet card updates silently. When the customer hits the threshold, their lock screen fires a notification: 'Your reward is ready.'
Watch the data, not the cards
Once you stop counting punch holes you can see what actually matters: how often customers come back, which week of the month is slowest, who is one notch away from redeeming. Use that to time promotions and reward your most loyal customers personally — the whole reason to move off paper loyalty cards in the first place.
Issue your first 5 wallet passes free
Notchd ships an Apple & Google Wallet loyalty card for your business in minutes — no developer, no app, no card to carry.
GET NOTCHD FREE →