Smile.io Loyalty Program Setup for Shopify

Most Shopify brands launch Smile.io with the default points program and leave it there. The app is easy to install, but real loyalty growth comes from the right earning rules, VIP tiers, rewards, and Klaviyo flows. Shero configures Smile.io so the program encourages repeat purchases instead of just tracking points.

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16+

Years in business

500+

Projects Delivered

50+

Team Members

98%

Client Retention

100K+

Merchants using Smile.io

Smile.io is used by 100,000+ Shopify merchants across DTC, B2B, and retail, from early-stage brands on the free plan to high-volume Plus merchants on Smile Plus. It is the only loyalty provider with both the Built for Shopify badge for app quality and Shopify Technology Partner certification for enterprise readiness.

20-40%

Repeat purchase rate lift from well-run loyalty programs

Well-designed loyalty programs lift repeat purchase rate by 20 to 40 percent and increase customer lifetime value by 30 to 60 percent. The lift comes from program design: the right earning rules, the right tier thresholds, and Klaviyo flows that trigger at loyalty milestones rather than generic promotional sequences.

98%

Client Retention

98% of Shero's clients stay on retainer after their project closes. Smile programs need ongoing tuning: tier thresholds adjusted as the customer base grows, Klaviyo flows updated as the program evolves, and overage monitoring ahead of high-volume periods to prevent billing surprises.

Shopify

Premier Partner

Shero holds Shopify Premier Partner status, one of fewer than 150 agencies globally. Smile configurations on Shopify Plus involving checkout redemption, Recharge subscription integration, and Klaviyo loyalty milestone flows require the platform depth that Premier status reflects.

Since partnering with Shero Commerce, our eCommerce revenue has grown by 200%. Their support and solutions have been game changers for our business.

James McKenna, Senior Commerce and CX Manager, STX

What Smile.io does and what the setup requires

Smile runs three mechanics: points for purchases and actions, VIP tiers that unlock escalating rewards as customers spend more, and referrals with double-sided rewards. Shero designs the program structure and selects the plan tier before any configuration begins.

  • Smile.io points program setup: earning rules, redemption options, and reward values
  • VIP tier configuration: tier thresholds, escalating benefits, and tier-based Klaviyo flows
  • Referral program setup: double-sided rewards, fraud prevention, and referral tracking
  • Checkout redemption configuration for Shopify Plus stores
  • Klaviyo integration with Smile loyalty events for milestone and retention flows
  • Overage monitoring and plan tier management for high-volume periods

Why brands work with Shero on Smile.io setup

Earning rules set too low give away margin to customers who would have bought anyway. Set too high, the program is invisible. Shero maps the thresholds to the brand's actual repeat purchase rate before touching Smile.

01

Program design before platform configuration

A loyalty program that gives away too much margin attracts point-stackers. One that is too hard to earn from does not change behavior. Shero maps the earning rules, redemption values, and tier thresholds to the brand's repeat purchase rate and average order value before configuring anything in Smile. The program design determines the ROI. The platform configuration follows from it.

02

VIP tiers configured to drive real tier progression, not cosmetic levels

VIP tiers work when the benefits at each level are meaningfully different and the threshold to reach the next tier is achievable but not trivially easy. Tiers with no tangible benefit difference produce no behavioral change. Shero configures tier thresholds based on the brand's order frequency and AOV data so the majority of active customers are within reach of the next tier at any given time.

03

Klaviyo flows connected to Smile loyalty events

Smile passes loyalty events to Klaviyo: points earned, tier achieved, reward redeemed, referral completed, and points expiring. Each event is a trigger for a distinct retention flow. A customer who just reached Gold tier gets a different message than one whose points are about to expire. Shero connects Klaviyo as part of the Smile setup so loyalty data drives retention email sequences from the first order.

04

Checkout redemption configured correctly for Shopify Plus

Smile's checkout redemption, which lets customers apply points directly at checkout rather than generating a separate discount code, requires Shopify Plus and Checkout Extensibility configuration. It is the highest-converting redemption experience because it removes the friction of leaving checkout to get a code. Shero configures checkout redemption as part of the Plus implementation rather than leaving it as a post-launch addition.

05

Overage fees monitored ahead of high-volume periods

Smile's Standard and Growth plans charge overage fees when monthly orders exceed the plan limit: $20 per 100 orders on Standard, $5 per 100 on Growth. A strong promotional campaign or BFCM period can double the monthly bill without notice. Shero monitors order volume approaching each plan's threshold and recommends tier upgrades before overages accumulate rather than after the billing cycle closes

06

Referral program configured to acquire customers who actually convert

Smile's referral program gives both the referrer and the referred customer a reward. The conversion rate depends on the reward value, the timing of the referral ask, and whether the landing experience matches the referral offer. Shero configures the referral mechanics and the post-referral flow so new customers complete their first purchase rather than landing on a generic homepage.

Our Work

View All
Body jewelry and tattoo supplies

Painful Pleasures

Painful Pleasures is a long-standing supplier of body jewelry and tattoo supplies with a catalog of 40,000+ products. The brand partnered with Shero to complete a stalled Magento to Shopify migration and deliver the complex custom features their business depends on.

Painful Pleasures

Valentine Coffee Co.

Valentine Coffee Co. is a Milwaukee specialty coffee roaster, founded in 2009 and built around top-tier, traceable, small-batch coffees sourced from a dozen regions across four continents, serving both D2C customers and a growing B2B wholesale base.

With an existing Shopify build that no longer reflected their premium positioning, the brand partnered with Shero to deliver a full design and functionality refresh in 8 to 10 weeks, ahead of the holiday season, with a refined dark-mode aesthetic, native RoasterTools integration, and a B2B wholesale flow integrated into the storefront.

Valentine Coffee Co.
Premium Chocolates

Sarris Candies

Looking to scale beyond a custom .NET platform that had become a ceiling rather than a foundation, the family-owned Pennsylvania institution partnered with Shero to migrate to Shopify Plus, delivering a mobile-first storefront, custom personalization features, and advanced ordering capabilities for both gift buyers and bulk purchasers.

Sarris Candies
Sports equipment for lacrosse and field hockey

STX

Looking to scale alongside growing global markets and competitor consolidation, the premium American manufacturer of lacrosse, field hockey, and ice hockey equipment, partnered with Shero to migrate from Adobe Commerce (Magento) to Shopify, delivering a unified D2C and B2B experience, custom ERP integration, and a refined storefront that reflects the engineering quality of their products.

STX

A Smile program on the right plan with the right earning rules consistently lifts repeat purchase rate. Most installs never reach that configuration.

The setup session is free. It maps your repeat purchase rate, AOV, and Klaviyo setup before any Smile configuration begins.

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How a Smile.io implementation engagement runs

01

Program Design

Earning rules, redemption values, VIP tier thresholds, and referral mechanics mapped to the brand's repeat purchase rate and AOV before any Smile configuration begins.

02

Smile Configuration

Points program built. VIP tiers configured. Referral program set up. Checkout redemption enabled for Plus stores. Plan tier selected based on monthly order volume.

03

Klaviyo Integration

Smile loyalty events connected to Klaviyo. Flows built for tier achievement, reward redemption, referral completion, and points expiry. Loyalty data enriches customer profiles.

04

QA and Launch

Points earning, redemption, VIP progression, referral tracking, and Klaviyo event triggers tested before the program goes live.

05

Ongoing Management

Tier thresholds reviewed as customer base grows. Overage risk monitored before high-volume periods. Klaviyo flows updated as the program evolves.

Frequently asked questions.

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What our clients say.

We design experiences that make a difference. See what our clients have to say about working with us.

Painful Pleasures

"Our journey from Magento to Shopify was riddled with complexities and challenges. With a vast catalog and intricate B2B logic, we needed expertise that could navigate through these intricacies. Shero Commerce was our beacon. They not only provided innovative solutions but also utilized their vast Magento knowledge to bridge gaps in Shopify’s native features. Now, our platform is seamless, our costs are reduced, and the headaches are a thing of the past. A heartfelt thank you to the Shero team!"

Patrick Rice

CEO / Painful Pleasures

Swag Golf

"We partnered with Shero for the SWAG site development. The dev was highly nuanced, specialized and complex. The Shero team went above and beyond. They were collaborative, organized and professional, consistently setting expectations clearly and usually exceeding them."

Matt Kaminsky

Co-founder & Managing Director / Swag Golf

Invisible Bead Extensions®

Working with Shero Commerce on our migration from WordPress to Shopify was honestly such a pleasant experience. We’d been on WordPress for five years with tons of content and very specific styling, and moving all of it into one cohesive Shopify site was no small feat — this was a genuinely complex, highly technical migration. But they pulled it off on deadline with zero errors and zero issues. Their team showed up with everything we needed: a project manager, multiple developers, marketing leads, email specialists, and CRO experts, all coordinated through dedicated meetings and a real task management system. They also designed several high impact conversion pages so our digital presence didn’t just function better — it looked beautiful too. Since migrating, we’ve seen an increase in revenue thanks to having one simplified, cohesive platform. I’m so grateful for how seamlessly they executed this, and I’d recommend Shero Commerce to anyone facing a migration like ours.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​“

Jasmine Hadjis

CEO, IBE / Invisible Bead Extensions®

Camera Source

"The Shero team delivered exactly what they committed to for our Magento to Shopify migration project. They met the 3 month timeline, communicated clearly at every step, and the site has been stable since day one."

Chris Triplett

Owner / CEO - Camera Source / Camera Source

And you?

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