Introduction

Customer accounts are the foundation of your loyalty program, enabling customers to earn points, redeem rewards, and engage with your brand. This comprehensive guide will help you understand how to effectively manage customer accounts and maximize participation in your loyalty program.

Shopify offers two types of customer account systems that work seamlessly with your Rivo loyalty program:

Customer accounts - The newer system that streamlines login with secure one-time verification codes instead of passwords, offering a faster and more user-friendly experience.
Legacy accounts - The traditional password-based system where customers register and log in with usernames and passwords.

✨ Rivo is fully compatible with both Shopify's legacy accounts and customer accounts

Understanding Customer Loyalty Status

Every customer in your loyalty program has one of three loyalty statuses that determine their program participation level:

Loyalty Status Types

Guest: Customers who can participate in your loyalty program without creating a full account. They can earn and redeem points through email verification or one-time codes.
Member: Customers who have activated their loyalty membership and have full access to all program features, including account dashboards and advanced features.
Excluded: Customers who have been excluded from the loyalty program (typically through the "Rivo Excluded" tag or manual exclusion).

How Customers Transition Between Status Types

Customer loyalty status changes automatically based on their account activity and your program settings:

Guest to Member: When customers create an account or when you enable "All Program Participants" in your settings, guests automatically become members.
Member to Guest: If a customer's account becomes disabled or if program participation settings change.
Any Status to Excluded: When customers are manually excluded or tagged with exclusion tags.

Points and Credits Management

Your loyalty program offers flexible balance management with both points and credits systems to meet different business needs.

Understanding Points vs Credits

Points: Whole number rewards (e.g., 100 points) typically used for traditional loyalty programs.
Credits: Decimal-based rewards (e.g., $5.50 in store credit) that can represent monetary value.

How Customers Earn Points and Credits

Customers can earn rewards through various activities you configure:

Purchase-based earning: Points or credits for placing orders, with customizable multipliers
Social actions: Following on Instagram, liking Facebook pages, sharing on Twitter, TikTok follows
Account activities: Signing up for the loyalty program, birthday rewards, account anniversaries
Custom actions: Visiting specific URLs, uploading receipts, completing surveys
Referral rewards: Earning when friends make purchases through referral links
Review rewards: Points for leaving product reviews (integrates with review platforms)
Email and SMS subscriptions: Rewards for joining marketing lists

Balance Tracking and Management

Customer balances are automatically tracked and updated in real-time:

Current balance: Shows available points or credits for redemption
Earning history: Complete log of all points earned and spent
Expiration tracking: Automatic management of point expiration based on your settings
Balance synchronization: Ensures accuracy across all customer touchpoints

Points Expiration Management

Configure point expiration to encourage regular engagement:

Expiration timeframe: Set how long points remain valid (default 12 months)
Excluded sources: Certain earning types (like birthday points) can be exempt from expiration
Warning notifications: Automatic emails to customers before points expire
Balance vs expiration window: Choose between different expiration calculation methods

VIP Tier System

The VIP tier system creates progressive rewards that encourage increased customer engagement and spending.

How VIP Tiers Work

VIP tiers are progressive levels that customers achieve based on their activity:

Threshold-based progression: Customers advance based on total spending or points earned
Tier benefits: Each tier offers exclusive perks, multipliers, and rewards
Automatic advancement: Customers are automatically moved to higher tiers when they meet requirements
Tier maintenance: Configure whether tiers are lifetime achievements or require ongoing activity

VIP Tier Benefits

Each tier can offer unique advantages:

Points multipliers: Higher earning rates for tier members
Exclusive rewards: Special redemption options only available to tier members
Early access: Priority access to sales, products, or events
Custom perks: Flexible benefits tailored to your brand

Tier Progression Tracking

Customers can easily track their tier progress:

Current tier status: Display of current tier and benefits
Next tier requirements: Clear indication of what's needed to advance
Progress visualization: Visual progress bars and achievement tracking
Tier history: Record of all tier changes and achievements

Account Activation and Engagement

Account activation is a crucial step that unlocks full loyalty program participation for your customers.

Account Activation Process

Customers can activate their accounts through several methods:

Email verification: One-click activation through email links
Account creation: Setting up a customer account during checkout or registration
First purchase: Automatic activation when customers make their first order
Social login: Activation through Google or Apple sign-in options

Activation Rewards

Encourage activation with immediate rewards:

Welcome bonuses: Points or credits awarded upon account activation
First purchase bonuses: Additional rewards for the first order after activation
Progressive rewards: Increasing benefits for continued engagement

Account Dashboard and Customer Experience

The customer account dashboard is the central hub where customers manage their loyalty program participation.

Dashboard Features

Customers can access comprehensive account management tools:

Balance overview: Current points, credits, and tier status
Earning opportunities: Available ways to earn more rewards
Redemption options: Browse and redeem available rewards
Activity history: Complete transaction and earning history
Referral management: Share referral links and track referral rewards
Profile settings: Update personal information and preferences

Widget Integration Options

Flexible integration options for different customer touchpoints:

Floating widget: Persistent loyalty access on all pages
Account page integration: Embedded loyalty section in customer accounts
Checkout integration: Loyalty options during the purchase process
Custom placement: Flexible widget positioning throughout your store

Mobile Wallet Integration

Seamless mobile experience with digital wallet passes:

Apple Wallet passes: iOS loyalty cards with real-time balance updates
Google Wallet passes: Android loyalty cards with push notifications
Automatic updates: Balance and tier changes reflected instantly

Switching to customer accounts

The customer accounts offer several advantages over legacy accounts:

Faster checkout with secure magic links instead of passwords
Higher conversion rates with simplified login process
Enhanced security with one-time verification codes
Improved customer experience with seamless account access

To manage a Loyalty program compatible with customer accounts, it's essential to understand how Rivo integrates within Shopify’s current structure.

📝 Note: If you switch from legacy accounts to customer accounts, all your customers will be guests unless they had previously enabled a legacy account. In that case, the customers will remain as members.

A new customer profile created from the new login page (email + one-time verification code) will have the loyalty status Guest
A customer who never enabled a legacy account and logs in through the new login page will keep the Loyalty status Guest
A customer who enabled a legacy customer account will now use the new login page to access their account but will keep their loyalty status Member.

Changing your loyalty program participants for customer accounts

By default, Rivo sets program participants to members only, applicable solely to stores using the legacy accounts. To enable customer accounts to join the loyalty program, please follow the steps below.

Go to Settings > General
Under Program Participants, switch from Members to All customers
Check the option Customers are eligible for all loyalty programs (VIP Tiers and Emails)
Click Save.

Feature comparison: Loyalty program capabilities by account type

Feature	Legacy accounts	Customer accounts
Loyalty status	A customer who signs up from the `/account/register` page is a `Member`. A customer who hasn't enabled an account yet is a `Guest`	All new customers are flagged as `Guest`
Earn points through: Sign up	Only members	No
Earn points through: Share and like on social media Celebrate a birthday Complete a referral Visit a URL	Only members	Yes
Earn points through: Place an order Post a product review Custom Actions Rivo Actions set up in Shopify Flow	Only members unless you change the program participants to 'All customers'	Yes
Redeem points	Only members	Yes
Refer friends (Legacy version)	Only members	Yes
Refer friends (Referral campaigns)	Both members and guests regardless of your program participants	Yes
Join the VIP program	Only members unless you change the program participants to 'All customers'	Yes
Receive Rivo email notifications	Only members unless you change the program participants to 'All customers'	Yes
Access Loyalty data through the Dedicated Page and Floating Widget	Only members	Yes
Access Loyalty data through the `/account` page	Only members	Yes

📝 Important Note: Make sure to enable the settings for supporting new customer accounts in your Loyalty program.

Program Participation Settings

Configure who can participate in your loyalty program to maximize engagement while maintaining program integrity.

Participation Options

Members Only: Traditional approach where only activated members can participate
All Program Participants: Modern approach allowing all customers to participate regardless of account status
Custom Exclusions: Exclude specific customers or groups using tags or manual selection

Managing Customer Exclusions

Control program access when needed:

Tag-based exclusion: Use the "Rivo Excluded" tag to remove customers from the program
Manual exclusion: Individual customer exclusion through the admin interface
Bulk management: Exclude multiple customers simultaneously
Re-inclusion process: Easy restoration of excluded customers when appropriate

Integration and Marketing Features

Enhance your loyalty program with powerful integrations and marketing automation.

Email Marketing Integration

Seamlessly connect with popular email platforms:

Klaviyo integration: Sync customer data and trigger automated campaigns
Mailchimp integration: Segment customers based on loyalty status and activity
Postscript SMS: Send loyalty updates and promotions via text
Custom integrations: API access for other marketing platforms

Referral Program Management

Leverage customer networks for organic growth:

Referral link generation: Unique links for each customer
Reward structure: Configure rewards for both referrer and referee
Tracking and attribution: Monitor referral performance and success rates
Social sharing: Easy sharing across social media platforms

Analytics and Reporting

Gain insights into program performance:

Customer segmentation: Analyze behavior by loyalty status and tier
Engagement metrics: Track earning, redemption, and activation rates
Revenue attribution: Measure loyalty program impact on sales
Trend analysis: Identify patterns and optimization opportunities

Best practices for managing customer accounts in your loyalty program

Optimize Customer Onboarding

Enable "All Program Participants" to reduce friction and increase participation
Offer immediate welcome rewards to encourage account activation
Use clear, compelling messaging about program benefits
Implement progressive disclosure to avoid overwhelming new customers

Maximize Engagement

Regularly review and update earning opportunities to maintain interest
Use tier systems to create aspirational goals for customers
Implement point expiration strategically to encourage regular activity
Personalize communications based on customer behavior and preferences

Maintain Program Health

Monitor redemption rates to ensure rewards remain attractive
Regularly audit customer exclusions and re-evaluate as needed
Track key metrics like activation rates and customer lifetime value
Gather customer feedback to continuously improve the program experience

Configure your loyalty widgets for optimal engagement

The on-site loyalty experience is crucial for customer engagement. Rivo offers multiple widget options to help your customers interact with the loyalty program:

Floating Widget: A widget that appears in the corner of your store, giving customers quick access to their loyalty program information
Account Embed Widget: Integrates loyalty program information directly into customer account pages
Account Widget: Provides a comprehensive customer account experience with loyalty features

✨ Pro tip: When using customer accounts, enable the Account Embed Widget to seamlessly integrate loyalty information into Shopify's account pages.

Technical Considerations

Ensure loyalty widgets are properly integrated across all customer touchpoints
Test account creation and activation flows regularly
Monitor integration health with email marketing and other platforms
Keep customer data synchronized across all systems

Communicate account changes to your customers

If you're switching from legacy accounts to customer accounts, it's important to communicate this change to your customers:

Send an email explaining the benefits of the new account system and how it affects their loyalty program participation
Add a banner to your store announcing the change
Update your FAQ page with information about the new login process
Consider offering bonus points for customers who log in using the new system

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell which customers are using legacy accounts versus customer accounts?

In your Shopify admin, customer accounts don't explicitly show which system they're using. However, within Rivo, customers who were created or have only logged in using the new system will have the "Guest" loyalty status, while those who activated through the legacy system will show as "Member" status.

What happens when I switch from "Members Only" to "All Program Participants"?

When you enable "All Program Participants," existing guest customers automatically become eligible for all loyalty program features. They can earn and redeem points without needing to complete a separate activation process. This typically increases program participation significantly.

How do customers access their loyalty account without a password?

Customers can access their loyalty information through email verification links, one-time codes sent to their email, or through Shopify's customer account system if they have one. The loyalty widget also provides access to account information when customers are logged into their Shopify account.

Can customers lose their VIP tier status?

This depends on your VIP tier configuration. You can set tiers to be lifetime achievements or require ongoing activity to maintain status. Rolling year and calendar year options allow tiers to reset based on recent activity, while lifetime tiers are permanent once achieved.

What happens to points when a customer is excluded from the program?

When customers are excluded, they retain their existing point balance but cannot earn new points or redeem rewards. If they are re-included in the program later, their previous balance and history are restored.

How can customers track their referral rewards?

Customers can view their referral activity, including successful referrals and earned rewards, through their loyalty account dashboard. They can also generate and share new referral links directly from their account.

I use the customer accounts (new account experience), can my customers become members?

No. Internally, Shopify does not differentiate a customer account that logged in with a one-time verification code from an account that has never logged in. For now, all customers will remain as guests, unless they had previously enabled a legacy account.

Is there a workaround to have guests activate as members?

If a customer logs in / activates their account using a feature such as Rivo Accounts, it would convert them to a member. This is possible due to the use of Shopify Multipass.

My store is on the legacy account but I want guests to earn points, what can I do?

Please update your program participants to 'All customers' to make your guests earn points. If you want them to also be eligible for joining a VIP tier and receiving emails, please check the additional option.

I'm using the customer accounts, how can I add Loyalty data to the new /account page?

Go to your checkout editor, click on the 'Apps' section, and add the 'Loyalty Status' extension to your profile and/or orders page. You will be able to display your the customer's points balance and VIP tier.

I switched to the customer accounts, what will happen with the 'Sign Up' and 'Sign In' buttons on my onsite displays?

If you change to the customer accounts, both links will redirect customers to the new login page (email + one-time verification code).

How do I encourage customers to engage with the loyalty program when using customer accounts?

Since all customers using the new system start as guests, consider highlighting the loyalty program in your store with prominent widgets, email campaigns about available points, and special promotions. Making the program visible encourages participation even without the traditional account activation.

Will my existing loyalty program automations and flows still work with customer accounts?

Yes, all your loyalty program automations, including point accrual for purchases, birthday bonuses, and referral rewards, will continue to function with customer accounts. Just make sure you've enabled the "All customers" setting for program participants.

How often do customer balances update?

Customer point and credit balances update in real-time when customers earn or spend rewards. The system automatically synchronizes balances across all touchpoints to ensure accuracy.

What earning opportunities work best for customer engagement?

The most effective earning opportunities typically include purchase-based rewards, social media actions, referral programs, and birthday bonuses. Custom actions like visiting specific URLs or uploading receipts can also drive targeted engagement based on your business goals.