How to choose a reward people actually want

The reward is the destination of the whole programme, and the most common mistake is trying to be interesting.

Give them the usual

The free version of what they already order wins on every axis that matters.

It needs no explanation. Its cost to you is known precisely. And it requires no persuasion, because they have already demonstrated they want it, repeatedly, with their own money.

Why clever rewards fail

A merchandise item, a discount on something unrelated, an entry into a draw. All of these ask the customer to want a new thing at the same time as asking them to join a programme. Two asks instead of one.

They also make the value hard to judge, and a reward whose value is unclear does not motivate anybody to count towards it.

Where a slow-moving product belongs

Not as the reward. Use a promotion instead: a rule that fires at scan time for a bounded period. That lets you push something specific without making it the permanent destination of your programme.

Consistency matters more than generosity

A modest reward that never changes beats a generous one that moves. People are counting. Moving the destination while they count is the fastest way to lose them, and the goodwill you spend doing it exceeds what the change was worth.

One thing worth testing

Whether the reward can be redeemed alongside a normal purchase. A customer collecting a free coffee often buys something with it. A reward structured so they come in, take the free item and leave earns you less than one that fits a normal visit.