Introduction
A well-structured VIP Tier system can greatly enhance customer engagement and loyalty by creating a sense of exclusivity and progression. VIP tiers automatically reward your most valuable customers with exclusive perks, special discounts, and recognition as they reach spending or engagement milestones.
Your VIP tier program can be configured to track customer progress based on points earned, amount spent, number of orders placed, or number of products purchased. Customers automatically advance through tiers as they meet your criteria, and you can choose from different program periods including lifetime achievement, calendar year cycles, or rolling year periods.
This article will walk you through setting up your VIP tiers, configuring qualification criteria, defining rewards and benefits, and managing your program settings to create an engaging loyalty experience.
✨ VIP Tiers are available on supported paid plans. See pricing →
Editing VIP Tiers
When you first open the VIP Tiers, you will see that there are already three VIP tiers configured: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. You can edit these tiers by following the steps below.
From your Rivo Dashboard, go to Loyalty > VIP Tiers.
Click Edit on the tier you’d like to configure.
Tier Name
It’s important to choose your tier names wisely. It pays to do some initial fieldwork researching successful loyalty programs. Take a look at Starbucks (Starbucks Rewards), Sephora (Beauty Insider) and E.L.F. (Beauty Squad) for inspiration. Even though these are large, established brands, taking note of how they’ve structured and designed their programs will be really helpful in building yours.
Goal to achieve tier
Specify the threshold that a customer must meet to unlock this tier. You can choose from four different qualification methods:
Points Earned – Customers qualify based on the total loyalty points they’ve earned through various activities like purchases, referrals, and social actions.
Amount Spent – Customers qualify based on their total purchase amount. You can choose to calculate this using order subtotals (excluding taxes and shipping) or total amounts (including taxes and shipping).
Orders Placed – Customers qualify based on the number of orders they’ve completed, regardless of order value.
Number of Products Purchased – Customers qualify based on the number of matching products they’ve purchased.
The entry tier always stays at a goal of 0 and cannot be changed.
Defining clear, achievable goals gives your customers targets to strive towards, adding an element of gamification that motivates increased engagement with your store.
Rewards to Unlock
Add exclusive rewards that customers automatically receive when they achieve a VIP tier. These rewards are instantly granted to customers upon tier qualification and can be redeemed immediately.
The types of VIP tier rewards available are:
Amount Discount – Provide a fixed dollar amount off an order or specific collection (e.g., $10 off next purchase).
Percentage Off – Offer a percentage discount on an order or specific collection (e.g., 15% off all items).
Free Shipping – Grant free shipping on future orders, removing shipping costs as a purchase barrier.
Free Product – Select specific products from your store to offer as complimentary gifts.
Reward Strategy Tips:
Make higher tier rewards significantly more valuable to encourage progression
Consider your profit margins when setting discount amounts
Use free products strategically to introduce customers to new items
Combine multiple reward types for maximum impact (e.g., discount + free shipping)
Creating VIP-only gift-with-purchase offers
You can create VIP-only gift offers in two common ways, depending on how you want customers to receive the offer:
Free gift when a customer reaches a tier: Add a Free Product reward to the VIP tier. When customers unlock that tier, they receive a reward for the selected product or variants. The product must be in the cart before checkout for the reward to apply.
Ongoing discounted gift for current tier members: Use Shopify VIP tier tagging and the VIP customer segment to create a Shopify discount for the gift product or collection. This is best when the gift should be available only while the customer remains in that VIP tier.
Rivo does not split a single product purchase between loyalty points and another payment method at checkout. If you want customers to pay part of the price, use a fixed amount or percentage discount instead of a points-plus-cash setup.
Giving VIP tiers automatic free shipping
If you’re replacing a Shopify Script that gave VIP customers free shipping, use a Shopify automatic free shipping discount targeted to your VIP customer segment.
In Rivo, make sure Shopify VIP tier tagging is enabled so customers receive a Shopify tag like
Rivo VIP Tier: Goldwhen they reach that tier.In Shopify, use the VIP tier customer segment for the tier you want to reward. Rivo creates segments named like
Rivo VIP Tier: Gold.In Shopify Discounts, create an automatic Free shipping discount.
In the discount’s eligibility settings, choose the VIP customer segment you created.
Test with a logged-in customer who has the matching VIP tier tag before removing your old setup.
This setup is best for ongoing tier perks because Shopify applies the discount when the customer and cart meet the discount conditions. Use a Rivo VIP free shipping reward instead when you want customers to unlock and redeem an individual reward from their loyalty account.
Additional Benefits
Additional benefits are special perks that enhance the customer experience and create a sense of exclusivity for your VIP tier members. Unlike rewards (which are redeemable discounts), additional benefits are experiential perks that add perceived value to tier membership.
Where Customers See Additional Benefits:
Floating Widget – Displayed when customers view their loyalty account
Loyalty Landing Page – Shown in the VIP Tiers Table (if configured)
Customer Account – Visible in their loyalty dashboard
Email Communications – Included in tier achievement notifications
Examples of Compelling Additional Benefits:
Early access to sales and new product launches
Exclusive member-only events or virtual experiences
Priority customer support with dedicated service
Access to limited edition or member-only products
Personal shopping consultations or styling services
Behind-the-scenes content or brand insider updates
Extended return periods or special policies
Keep in mind that additional benefits are descriptive text that enhance the customer experience rather than clickable actions. They provide a personal touch and boost the perceived value of reaching higher VIP tiers, creating motivation for continued engagement.
📝 Note: Additional Benefits are visible on the Floating Widget and through the Rivo API. To display perks on the Landing Page, create a VIP Tiers Table.
Custom Ways to Earn
💡 Read More: Custom Ways to Earn for VIP Tiers
Custom icon
Custom icons help create visual distinction between your VIP tiers and reinforce your brand identity. These icons appear throughout the customer experience to represent each tier level.
Where Custom Icons Appear:
Floating Widget when customers view their current tier
Loyalty Landing Page in tier displays
Customer account dashboard
Email notifications about tier achievements
To add a custom icon:
Click Add File or drag your image file to the icon container.
Save the tier.
Icon Design Best Practices:
Use consistent design style across all tier icons
Create visual hierarchy (e.g., bronze → silver → gold progression)
Ensure icons are recognizable at small sizes
Match your brand colors and aesthetic
Consider using symbols that represent increasing value or status
💡 Pro Tip: Use a clear square image that stays recognizable at small sizes.
Adding VIP Tiers
Go to Loyalty > VIP Tiers.
Under the VIP Tiers section, click Add VIP Tier.
Enter a unique name for the new tier.
Specify the achievement threshold for the tier. Depending on your program configuration, this could be points earned, total amount spent, number of orders placed, or number of products purchased.
Click Save.
📝 Note: The system will automatically place your new tier in the right sequence, according to the achievement threshold you've specified.
Deleting a VIP Tier
Go to Loyalty > VIP Tiers.
Click Edit on the tier you’d like to delete.
In the top-right corner, click Delete.
Click Continue to confirm the action
📝 Note: Previously issued rewards from this tier will remain available to customers who have already unlocked them.
VIP Program Settings
Configure your overall VIP program behavior and timing to match your business model and customer lifecycle.
Program Start Date
Set when your VIP program begins tracking customer activity. Only customer actions (purchases, points earned, orders placed) after this date will count toward tier qualification. This allows you to launch your VIP program at a specific time or reset tracking for existing customers.
Program Periods
Choose how customer progress is tracked and when tiers reset:
Lifetime – Customer progress accumulates forever from the program start date. Once achieved, tiers are permanent unless manually adjusted. Customers retain permanent tier status in this option, meaning they do not regress to lower tiers, regardless of future activity.
Calendar Year – Customer qualification progress restarts each calendar year (January 1st). You can optionally enable Extended calendar year tier status (carry-over) so earned tiers remain active through December 31st of the following year.
Rolling Year – Customer progress is tracked over a dynamic 12-month window. During the first program year, the window runs from your program start date to today. After the first anniversary, the window becomes the trailing 12 months from today. A customer’s tier entry date is used for retention and optional reset timing, not for the qualification window.
Advanced Program Settings
Tier Reset Options:
Reset After Period End – Automatically move customers back to lower tiers when program periods reset (calendar year or rolling year programs)
No Tier After Reset – Remove customers from all tiers when periods reset, requiring them to re-qualify from the beginning
Extended Calendar Year Tier Status (Carry-Over) – Available when using Calendar Year. Keeps earned tiers active through the following calendar year while customers continue earning in the current year window.
Calculation Options:
Use Subtotal for Amount Spent – Calculate tier qualification based on order subtotals (excluding taxes and shipping) rather than total order amounts
Customer Experience & Tier Progression
Understanding how customers experience your VIP program helps you optimize engagement and satisfaction.
How Customers Progress Through Tiers
Customers automatically advance through VIP tiers as they meet your qualification criteria. The system continuously monitors customer activity and updates tier status in real-time:
Automatic Upgrades – When customers meet tier thresholds, they’re immediately upgraded and receive tier rewards
Progress Tracking – Customers can see their progress toward the next tier, including how much more they need to spend/earn
Achievement Notifications – Customers receive email notifications when they achieve new tiers
Tier History – The system maintains a complete history of each customer’s tier progression
Where Customers See Their VIP Status
VIP tier information is displayed across multiple customer touchpoints:
Floating Widget – Shows current tier, progress to next tier, available rewards, and additional benefits
Loyalty Landing Page – Displays tier structure, requirements, and benefits in a comprehensive view
Customer Account – Integrated into the customer’s loyalty dashboard with detailed tier information
Email Communications – Tier status included in loyalty program emails and notifications
Checkout Experience – Available rewards and VIP-related messaging can appear during checkout when configured
Managing Customer Tiers
While VIP tiers typically update automatically, you have tools to manually manage customer tier status when needed.
Manual Tier Adjustments
You can manually promote or adjust customer tiers for special circumstances:
Customer Service – Upgrade customers as goodwill gestures or to resolve issues
Special Recognition – Reward loyal customers who may not meet automatic criteria
Bulk Operations – Import tier assignments via CSV for large-scale updates
Tier History – All manual adjustments are tracked with notes for future reference
Tier Downgrades and Resets
Depending on your program settings, customers may experience tier changes:
Period-Based Resets – Calendar year and rolling year programs can reset customer progress
Automatic Downgrades – Customers may move to lower tiers if they don’t maintain qualification levels
Reward Retention – Tier-specific rewards customers already used are not removed, while unused tier-specific rewards may be revoked after tier changes
Communication – Customers receive notifications about tier changes with clear explanations
VIP Tier Best Practices
Maximize the effectiveness of your VIP program with these proven strategies:
Designing Your Tier Structure
Start Simple – Begin with 3-4 tiers to avoid overwhelming customers
Clear Progression – Make tier requirements achievable but meaningful
Compelling Names – Use tier names that resonate with your brand and customer base
Balanced Thresholds – Set requirements that encourage growth without being unrealistic
Reward and Benefit Strategy
Increasing Value – Make higher tiers significantly more valuable than lower ones
Mix Reward Types – Combine discounts, free products, and experiential benefits
Exclusive Access – Use additional benefits to create genuine exclusivity
Regular Review – Monitor tier performance and adjust rewards based on customer behavior
Troubleshooting & FAQ
Common Questions
Why isn’t a customer’s tier updating automatically?
Check that your VIP program is enabled, the program start date has passed, and the customer’s activity meets your tier criteria. Tier updates typically happen in real-time but may take a few minutes to process.
Why does the customer account show “You’re on the null tier”?
This usually means the customer doesn’t currently have a VIP tier name to display. Start by confirming your entry tier is still your base tier with a goal of 0 , and that your lower-tier goals are achievable for new customers.
If you prefer not to show a tier name in that message, update the Loyalty Status subtitle in Customer Account UI Settings to use more general text.
Can customers lose their tier status?
This depends on your program period settings. Lifetime programs maintain tiers permanently, while calendar year and rolling year programs may reset customer progress based on your configuration.
What happens to rewards when tiers reset?
Tier-specific rewards customers already used are not removed. Unused tier-specific rewards may be revoked when tiers reset or customers are downgraded.
Can I change tier requirements after launch?
Yes, you can modify tier thresholds and requirements at any time. Changes will affect future tier calculations, and existing customers will be re-evaluated based on the new criteria.
Can I create a hidden or invite-only VIP tier?
Rivo doesn’t currently have a dedicated hidden or invite-only toggle for VIP tiers. If you want an invite-only experience, set a very high threshold on that tier so customers don’t qualify through regular activity, then manually assign select customers to the tier from their customer profile in Rivo.