SpaWish Simplifies Loyalty Program

SpaWish.com has launched a new loyalty program that trumps the old one with its simplicity and ability to keep customers engaged.

The new program tracks the amount consumers spend each month at its Web site, then rewards them with a gift certificate based on 10% of that spending. Loyalty members receive the awards each month via e-mail to spend at the site.

Spenders are divided into four levels: Level One must spend more than $50 to earn a $5 reward; Level Two spends more than $150 to receive a $15 reward; Level Three spends $500 or more to get a $50 gift certificate and Level Four earns a $75 reward for spending $750 or more.

"The new loyalty program is very, very simple," said Joyce Newnam, president of SpaWish.com, Mount Laurel, NJ. "We decided to get back to the basics."

She said the original loyalty program had been too complex and didn't offer large enough rewards. She said customers weren't reminded each month about the program and tended to forget about it.

"If we got a new customer they weren't incentivized with a reward to come back and purchase more, there was nothing instant," she said. "Here we're rewarding even the new customers that during a month may only spend $50. It's a reminder every month of the customer and company relationship."

Customers were notified of the new program via a series of e-mails that also gave away a free $20 gift certificate redeemed through a promotional code at the site. Members will begin receiving their first rewards next month.

Newnam founded SpaWish.com in 1996 where consumers and corporations can purchase gift certificates that can be redeemed by the recipients at any of its 1,500 day spas in the network. The gift certificates arrive with a printed directory identifying the participating spas.

"They can use it like cash," she said.