The quick rule: between 6 and 10
In most businesses a card with between 6 and 10 stamps works well. Below 6 the reward gets expensive; above 10 the reward looks so far away that customers stop trying. Within that range, the exact number depends on two things: what the reward costs you and how often your customer comes in.
First, work out the real discount
A stamp card is a disguised discount. If the tenth coffee is free after nine paid ones, you’re actually giving a 10% discount to customers who complete the card. The maths is simple:
Real discount = 1 ÷ (paid stamps + 1)
With 9 paid and 1 free: 1 ÷ 10 = 10%. With 5 paid and 1 free: 1 ÷ 6 ≈ 17%.
And that discount is on the selling price, but it only costs you the cost of the product. A coffee you sell for €1.50 costs you much less, so the real «10%» for your till is even lower.
Also bear in mind that not everyone completes the card. Those who stop halfway haven’t cost you anything and, even so, have come back more often than usual.
Then, look at how often your customer comes back
The reward has to come soon. A good benchmark is for a regular customer to complete the card in one or two months. If it takes six months, they forget.
| Business | Typical visit | Recommended stamps |
|---|---|---|
| Café | Several times a week | 8 to 10 |
| Bakery | Almost daily | 8 to 10 |
| Fast food | Once a week | 6 to 8 |
| Hair salon or barber | Every 3 to 6 weeks | 5 to 6 |
| Beauty salon | Every 2 to 4 weeks | 5 to 8 |
| Laundrette | Every week or two | 8 |
If your customers don’t come often, lower the number of stamps or switch to points, where every euro counts and not just every visit.
The halfway reward trick
A small gift halfway through gets more people to the end. For example, on a 10-stamp card, a pastry or a small discount at the fifth. The customer sees progress and has a reason to come back even though the big reward is still far off.
Another trick that works: give the first stamp on sign-up. Starting at 1 of 10 instead of 0 of 10 gives a sense of progress from day one.
Common mistakes
- Copying the competition’s number without looking at your price or cost.
- A reward nobody wants. «5% off» motivates far less than «a free coffee», even if they cost about the same.
- Changing the rules halfway for customers who already have stamps. If you do, respect what they’ve collected.
- Stamps that never expire in high-turnover businesses. A generous expiry of 6 to 12 months avoids forgotten cards without annoying anyone.
Test and adjust
The great thing about a digital card is that you see the data: how many customers complete the card, how many stop halfway and at which stamp they give up. If hardly anyone reaches the end, remove a stamp or add a halfway reward. If everyone gets there in two weeks, you may be too generous.
If you want a starting number for your case, the loyalty advisor calculates it with your average ticket and visit frequency.
Frequently asked questions
How many stamps should a café use?
Usually between 8 and 10. With 9 paid and the tenth free, the real discount is 10%.
Is it better to give the reward on the last stamp or the next visit?
Both work. «Complete 10 and the next one is free» is very easy to understand; what matters is explaining it the same way on the card and at the counter.
Can stamps expire?
Yes, if you want. An expiry of 6 to 12 months avoids forgotten cards without bothering regular customers.