Retail Chain Replaces Paper Punch Cards with Wallet Loyalty

The challenge

A multi-location specialty retailer ran a paper punch card program that suffered from a common problem: customers forgot their cards at home. Staff had no way to look up a customer’s progress, and there was no way to send a reminder when a reward was close.

The solution

The retailer created a single loyalty pass template in Passinstance, attached a stamp-card mechanic, and issued passes via a QR code at point of sale. Customers added the pass to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet in one tap. Each scan at the counter added a stamp; the pass updated live on the device.

What changed

Because the pass lives in the phone, the lost-card problem disappeared. The team could push a lock-screen notification when a customer was two stamps from a reward, driving return visits without an app or email campaign. Redemptions were logged automatically, giving the team accurate data on which locations and products drove the most engagement.