--- title: "Loyalty & Referrals VIP Tiers" slug: "loyalty-referrals-vip-tiers" tags: ["Loyalty and Referrals"] updated: 2025-12-05T11:56:25Z published: 2025-12-05T11:56:25Z canonical: "support.yotpo.com/loyalty-referrals-vip-tiers" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.yotpo.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Loyalty & Referrals VIP Tiers Products Loyalty & Referrals ###### Supported plans Premium, Enterprise ###### eCommerce Platform N/A > [!NOTE] > Is this article for me? > > **Shopify only:** > > - The VIP Tiers program is a legacy program. If you’re on Shopify or Shopify Plus and joined Yotpo Loyalty & Referrals **after August 11, 2025**, please refer to the [Loyalty Tiers guide about the new program](https://support.yotpo.com/docs/create-loyalty-tiers-program). > - If you’re interested in **migrating to the new program**, please reach out to your Yotpo representative. Motivate your most loyal shoppers to engage more meaningfully with your brand with Yotpo Loyalty & Referrals’ flexible tiered programs. Building your own custom VIP Tier loyalty program is a proven way to boost customer engagement, retention, and overall customer lifetime value. By offering different rewards per tier, customers are incentivized to earn loyalty points via predetermined milestones such as referring a friend or spending a certain amount in exchange for VIP perks, discounts, and more - effectively creating a win-win program for you and your customers alike. #### To access VIP Tiers From the Yotpo Loyalty & Referrals main menu, go to **Manage Program** > [**VIP Tiers Program**](https://loyalty-app.yotpo.com/vip-tiers). ## Global settings Build sophisticated VIP tiers based on customizable tier requirements and thresholds needed to enter, retain, and re-enter each tier. #### Tier Term Tier term lengths refer to the length of time a customer will keep their VIP Tier status once found eligible. Note If you change your tier term from Calendar Year to Rolling Year and click APPLY TO TIERS, the tier expiration dates for existing customers will be updated according to the 12-month rolling period. | Name | Tier Term | | --- | --- | | Calendar Year | Once a tier is entered, customers will retain the tier for the remainder of the current calendar year **and** the following year. For example, a customer who entered a calendar year-based tier in November 2018 will retain that tier until Dec 31st, 2019. | | Rolling Year | A 12-month timer is activated once a customer enters a tier. For example, a customer who crossed the tier entry threshold on March 3rd, 2019 will retain that tier until March 3rd, 2020 (assuming all other requirements are met). | | Customer Lifetime | Once a tier is entered, customers will retain it for the entire duration of their customer lifetime without the possibility of being downgraded to a lower tier. **Note:** Customers may be downgraded **only** in cases of refunded purchases. | #### Eligibility period start date Checking this box applies a start date to your tiers' eligibility. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/f3c2ab59-fe4c-4f93-9614-2872f40e8aa7/Images/Documentation/c4daba66-1af0-43c9-8b6f-a95d88cfd356.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-31T10%3A43%3A24Z&se=2026-10-31T11%3A43%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=TEEmBuyFMi3E9sTyV1ioxtwLRHQXRVeGn4uH6Az8lBY%3D) For example, any tier actions (*e.g. amount spent, points earned, referrals completed, etc.*) that occurred **prior to the eligibility period will not be counted**. #### Tier entry eligibility period This setting allows you to choose the eligibility period that customers can earn towards a tier. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/f3c2ab59-fe4c-4f93-9614-2872f40e8aa7/Images/Documentation/402895d2-b411-47ee-a1da-2fad88737cba.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-31T10%3A43%3A24Z&se=2026-10-31T11%3A43%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=TEEmBuyFMi3E9sTyV1ioxtwLRHQXRVeGn4uH6Az8lBY%3D) For example, a spend-based condition set to **Calendar Year** will only consider the amount spent between January 1st and December 31st of that year. | Name | **Tier Entry Eligibility Period** | | --- | --- | | Calendar Year | Only actions from the past **calendar year** will be counted toward tier eligibility | | Rolling Year | Only actions from the past **12 months** will be counted toward tier eligibility | | Lifetime | **All actions ever performed** by the customer will count toward tier eligibility | Examples: If we choose the *28th of July, 2019* as the **Eligibility period start date**, and *Calendar* as the **Tier entry eligibility period**: - During the remainder of 2019, the only actions taken into consideration will be actions made after the 28th of July - Starting January 1st, 2020, we will only take into account actions made in 2020 (and so forth for each calendar year) If we choose the *28th of July, 2019* as the **Eligibility period start date**, and *Rolling Year* as the **Tier entry eligibility period**: - Until the 27th of July 2020, the only actions that will be counted towards tier eligibility are those made starting from the 28th of July, 2019 - Once we reach July 28th, 2020, only actions made within the last 12 months will be counted toward tier eligibility. ### Advanced settings Expand the Advanced Settings section to configure tier downgrades and eligibility delays. #### Tier Downgrade Use this setting to control what occurs when a customer does not meet the tier retention threshold required to remain in their tier. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/f3c2ab59-fe4c-4f93-9614-2872f40e8aa7/Images/Documentation/58f39cad-6c88-447f-b0ed-8295d0642eef.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-31T10%3A43%3A24Z&se=2026-10-31T11%3A43%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=TEEmBuyFMi3E9sTyV1ioxtwLRHQXRVeGn4uH6Az8lBY%3D) You may opt to downgrade customers to their eligible tier or alternatively, only downgrade customers by a single tier. #### Delay Tier Eligibility (applies to Amount Spent thresholds only) This setting allows you to define a delay between when a customer qualifies for a spend-based tier entry threshold and when they are actually upgraded. The **delay applies to all orders**, even if the spend is not enough to get the customer to a higher tier. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/f3c2ab59-fe4c-4f93-9614-2872f40e8aa7/Images/Documentation/0d908ed5-7265-4a0f-987b-6acdc85d19c1.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-31T10%3A43%3A24Z&se=2026-10-31T11%3A43%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=TEEmBuyFMi3E9sTyV1ioxtwLRHQXRVeGn4uH6Az8lBY%3D) During this delay period, Yotpo verifies that the qualifying purchase is not refunded before applying the tier change. This protects your program from abuse, and we recommend aligning the delay with your store’s return and refund policy. For example, if your delay is set to 30 days and your store accepts returns within 30 days of purchase, Yotpo will only apply the tier upgrade once the return window has passed. **Reducing or disabling delay tier eligibility** If you shorten or remove the delay after it’s been active: - The system will automatically go back and count past purchases as eligible for tiers based on the new timeframe. - If we detect that customers are now eligible for tiers based on that change, they will automatically enter the relevant tier. #### Include actions pre opt-In This checkbox lets you choose whether to include actions the customer made before they [opted into the loyalty program](/v1/docs/loyalty-opt-in#vip-tier-settings) at the point of opt-in. Note This only applies to Amount Spent and Purchases Made thresholds ## Base Tier The base tier is the basic state of your VIP Tier program. Every new shopper who [opts into your loyalty program](/v1/docs/loyalty-opt-in) will automatically enter this tier. The feature allows you to segment shoppers by customer tags on supported platforms and analyze tier behavior via the [VIP Tier Performance dashboard](/v1/docs/vip-tiers-dashboard). You can enable the tier by activating the toggle next to it and clicking the **Apply to Tiers** button. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/f3c2ab59-fe4c-4f93-9614-2872f40e8aa7/Images/Documentation/e4f90a55-b925-4524-93f6-e9f98c755676.gif?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-31T10%3A43%3A24Z&se=2026-10-31T11%3A43%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=TEEmBuyFMi3E9sTyV1ioxtwLRHQXRVeGn4uH6Az8lBY%3D) Note Once the feature is enabled, every new shopper who opts into your loyalty program will enter the base tier according to your [opt-in strategy](https://support.yotpo.com/docs/loyalty-opt-in). If you wish to retroactively add shoppers, please contact your Yotpo representative or [our Support team.](https://loyalty.yotpo.com/contact-support) **The Tier Term settings do not apply to the base tier**. Shoppers will stay in this tier until one of the following events occurs: - They earn a higher tier. - The base tier feature is disabled. - The shopper opts out or is excluded from the loyalty program. #### Base Tier settings You can set a name and add a description to your tier. The **Earned History Title** allows you to change the text shown in the ‘My activity’ module and customer profile within the loyalty admin that shows that a tier was earned. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/f3c2ab59-fe4c-4f93-9614-2872f40e8aa7/Images/Documentation/55d8066b-b747-40d9-957c-52708258a6f4.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-31T10%3A43%3A24Z&se=2026-10-31T11%3A43%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=TEEmBuyFMi3E9sTyV1ioxtwLRHQXRVeGn4uH6Az8lBY%3D) #### Disabling the Base Tier To disable the base tier, deactivate the toggle next to it and click the **Apply to Tiers** button. If you choose to disable the base tier, all the shoppers belonging to it will lose their tier status and will not be associated with any tiers. Shoppers will not receive any notification about this change. ## Creating new VIP tiers Once you've set up your Tier Term lengths, eligibility periods, and tier downgrade policy. It's time to start creating your individual tiers and setting conditions and thresholds for each one. #### To create a new tier: 1. Click on ***Add New Tier*** 2. Name your tier *e.g. Platinum, Gold, Silver...* 3. Add a tier description 4. Include the **Earned History Title** **Earned tier title view:** ![](https://cdn.document360.io/f3c2ab59-fe4c-4f93-9614-2872f40e8aa7/Images/Documentation/0db826d6-fd9a-4eb2-be31-91f2eff6e44c.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-31T10%3A43%3A24Z&se=2026-10-31T11%3A43%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=TEEmBuyFMi3E9sTyV1ioxtwLRHQXRVeGn4uH6Az8lBY%3D) ### Tier Entry Tier entry thresholds define the requirements a customer must meet to enter a tier for the first time. These thresholds are usually set higher than the requirements for retaining or re-entering a tier. **Example**: If the Bronze tier entry threshold is $50, a customer must spend at least $50 to enter Bronze. If they qualify for a higher tier based on their activity, they will skip Bronze and receive only the entry reward for the highest tier they qualify for. Entry rewards are not granted for skipped tiers. Tip To get the most out of your program, we recommend setting multiple threshold types and conditions. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/f3c2ab59-fe4c-4f93-9614-2872f40e8aa7/Images/Documentation/d4025535-74a6-4fc6-9444-1391f7841a66.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-31T10%3A43%3A24Z&se=2026-10-31T11%3A43%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=TEEmBuyFMi3E9sTyV1ioxtwLRHQXRVeGn4uH6Az8lBY%3D) 1. Click **Add threshold** and select a Tier Entry **Threshold Type.** 2. Enter the required threshold **value.** *Note: Values cannot be zero* 3. Add any additional desired threshold types and values. 4. Define **AND / OR** rules. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/f3c2ab59-fe4c-4f93-9614-2872f40e8aa7/Images/Documentation/a6c6fe9e-df27-4e7f-aaae-cf1364190365.gif?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-31T10%3A43%3A24Z&se=2026-10-31T11%3A43%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=TEEmBuyFMi3E9sTyV1ioxtwLRHQXRVeGn4uH6Az8lBY%3D) 5. Choose whether to apply the same Entry Threshold type and values to tier retention and re-entry. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/f3c2ab59-fe4c-4f93-9614-2872f40e8aa7/Images/Documentation/7b590ec2-0605-4ba6-bd64-5b42a709a4b0.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-31T10%3A43%3A24Z&se=2026-10-31T11%3A43%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=TEEmBuyFMi3E9sTyV1ioxtwLRHQXRVeGn4uH6Az8lBY%3D) Note Currency type is automatically determined according to your Loyalty & Referrals settings. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/f3c2ab59-fe4c-4f93-9614-2872f40e8aa7/Images/Documentation/d499a174-41b4-4760-b00b-838911f62017.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-31T10%3A43%3A24Z&se=2026-10-31T11%3A43%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=TEEmBuyFMi3E9sTyV1ioxtwLRHQXRVeGn4uH6Az8lBY%3D) ### Tier Retention This is the amount required to retain a certain tier level. For example, if you've set your Bronze Tier retention threshold to $30, a customer must spend $30 within the designated tier term in order to retain their Bronze Tier status. If your VIP program requires **Tier Retention** conditions that are *different* from your **Tier Entry** conditions, provide the required values for each threshold type. ### Tier Re-entry This is the amount required to re-enter a lost tier status. For example, if you've set your Bronze Tier re-entry threshold to $20, a customer who previously held a Bronze Tier status will only need to spend $20 to re-enter that tier versus the $50 tier entry threshold for customers who have never held Bronze Tier status. If your VIP program requires **Tier Re-entry** conditions that are *different* from your **Tier Entry** conditions, provide the required values for each threshold type. Tip Tier re-entry conditions work best when combined with the **Rolling Year** tier term length. Important - Customers will receive a tier entry reward when they first enter a tier and when they re-enter a tier. **They will not receive a reward when maintaining the tier**. - For Yotpo Loyalty & Referrals to automatically rank your tiers in a hierarchy, the same thresholds **must** be used across all tiers and all conditions *e.g. Points Earned / Purchases Made / Amount Spent / Referrals Completed* - Each Threshold Type cannot require the same value set in a different tier. For example, an **Amount Spent** entry threshold, can not require the same spending amount as the **Amount Spent** threshold defined in a different tier. ## Tier actions and threshold types Expand each section below to learn more about specific tier actions and threshold types. ****Points Earned**** - Use this option to build tiers based on an array of different point-earning actions. For example, Points for Purchase, Instagram Follow, Facebook Share, Goal Spend, etc. - This option encourages customers to be brand advocates not only by shopping at your store, but by sharing their stories on social media, reviews, and more. ****Amount Spent**** - Use this option to base tiers off of your customer's lifetime spend, or pick a specific Eligibility period start date from which the amount spent counts towards a tier status. - This option encourages higher AOV to earn rewards gated to specific spending thresholds. ****Purchases Made**** - Use this option to base your tiers on the total number of purchases a customer made at your store. - This option promotes repeat purchases, regardless of value! ****Referrals Completed**** - Use this option to level up your Referral Program by encouraging specific referral thresholds. For example, "refer 5 friends and get X, refer 10 friends and get Y" - Boost your customer acquisition strategy by incentivizing brand advocates and enthusiasts to invite their friends and social circles to shop at your store. ****Campaign Completed**** Use this option when implementing the [Membership Program](/v1/docs/set-up-your-yotpo-loyalty-referrals-membership-program-with-a-paid-membership-earning-rule) - Allow customers to purchase access to exclusive benefits. It is a great way to bump revenue and increase customer lifetime value. #### **Points Multiplier** Reward your top customers by allowing them to earn extra points for their purchases. You can set any multiplier you’d like (e.g., 2x, 3x, or more), so VIP members can accumulate points faster while shopping in your store. Extend this multiplier to work with other campaigns as well, such as Referral Programs, Account Creation, Goal Spend, and Twitter Follow. **![](https://cdn.document360.io/f3c2ab59-fe4c-4f93-9614-2872f40e8aa7/Images/Documentation/3753d74b-819d-488e-883a-4bee311169d5.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-31T10%3A43%3A24Z&se=2026-10-31T11%3A43%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=TEEmBuyFMi3E9sTyV1ioxtwLRHQXRVeGn4uH6Az8lBY%3D)** > [!WARNING] > Important > > The points multiplier cannot be applied to the [new Referral Program](https://support.yotpo.com/v1/docs/configuring-your-referral-program-settings-for-shopify). ## **Aligning marketing collateral** Your tiers are completed, now let's make sure that you have all the proper notifications in place so that your customers are aware of their tier status. The two main places you'll want to ensure that your customers are aware of their tier status are on-site and in your email marketing: #### **On-Site** To include a specific customer's VIP tier information on site, use [our javascript/SDK](https://loyaltyapi.yotpo.com/reference#get-vip-tier-data) to present your tiers on your rewards page or add the VIP tier name in important touchpoints, such as on your account page. #### **Email Marketing** Be sure to communicate the coming launch of your VIP Tier program along, as well as enable your VIP Tier email notifications either through Loyalty & Referrals Email Notifications or through a [Loyalty & Referrals Email Marketing Integration](/v1/docs/customizing-yotpo-loyalty-referrals-triggered-emails)To enable the email in Loyalty & Referrals: 1. From the main menu, go to Emails. 2. Under Triggered Emails, scroll down to the VIP Tier Earned email. **![](https://cdn.document360.io/f3c2ab59-fe4c-4f93-9614-2872f40e8aa7/Images/Documentation/53ad9345-4c36-42fe-8b84-721e20615107.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-31T10%3A43%3A24Z&se=2026-10-31T11%3A43%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=TEEmBuyFMi3E9sTyV1ioxtwLRHQXRVeGn4uH6Az8lBY%3D)** 1. Click Customize on the email to personalize the email to your brand's voice 2. Once you're satisfied, click **Enable Notification** Note New customers who enter the base tier will only receive an email notification if you're using an [ESP integration](https://support.yotpo.com/docs/emails-1) or our [webhook event](https://loyaltyapi.yotpo.com/reference/vip-tier-earned). ## **Launching your VIP tiers program** Once you're done setting up your VIP tiers, it's time to take your program live. 1. By default, your VIP Tiers configurations are **Paused.** 2. While paused, clicking **Apply to tiers** will save changes but won't bear any impact on customers. 3. When you're ready to launch your program, toggle your VIP Tiers program from Paused to Active. **![](https://cdn.document360.io/f3c2ab59-fe4c-4f93-9614-2872f40e8aa7/Images/Documentation/29853833-f8a3-4692-bcdb-fd69fc1340f0.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-31T10%3A43%3A24Z&se=2026-10-31T11%3A43%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=TEEmBuyFMi3E9sTyV1ioxtwLRHQXRVeGn4uH6Az8lBY%3D)** **Note** Clicking on the Apply to Tiers button saves the settings for any future action. If you wish to apply the VIP Tiers to actions taken before you clicked the button, please reach out to your Yotpo representative or [the Support team](https://loyalty.yotpo.com/contact-support). 1. A launch popup will appear: **![](https://cdn.document360.io/f3c2ab59-fe4c-4f93-9614-2872f40e8aa7/Images/Documentation/5b8602f7-1723-4330-80dd-e5947d00cecb.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-31T10%3A43%3A24Z&se=2026-10-31T11%3A43%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=TEEmBuyFMi3E9sTyV1ioxtwLRHQXRVeGn4uH6Az8lBY%3D)** - Future Actions Only - Choosing this option will set the Eligibility period start date to today's date, and the system will only include actions that are taken from this date on - Include past Actions - Choosing this option will not check the Eligibility period start checkbox Your tiers are now active. Customers will begin to fall into the tiers based on the parameters you set up. We recommend also sending a VIP Tier Program Announcement email to your customer base to get them excited about the program you built for them ## **Managing existing VIP tiers** If you're making changes once tiers are live, be sure to click the Apply to Tiers button for changes to apply to future actions. This action will not affect the status of any of the customers who have already earned their VIP Tier status. Important A refund triggers a recalculation action that could result in a customer losing their VIP Tier status due to a change in the eligibility settings. This means that a customer who would have been eligible to be in a VIP Tier despite the refund will lose their VIP Tier status because of the new settings. For example, a customer earned VIP Tiers status for spending $450 when the threshold was $400. If the threshold was changed to $450 and in that time they received a refund of $10, they would no longer be eligible to be part of the VIP Tier. ## **FAQ** **What will happen if I delete a tier?** When a tier is deleted, all the customers with that tier status will drop out of it and have no tier (not even a base tier). On the customer's next action/purchase, their tier status will be recalculated and they will enter the correct tier. **Do refunded purchases impact a customer's tier eligibility and status?** Once a refund is successfully processed, the customer's tier eligibility is automatically recalculated. If the customer is no longer eligible for their tier status as a result, they will be downgraded according to your Tier Downgrade settings. **![](https://cdn.document360.io/f3c2ab59-fe4c-4f93-9614-2872f40e8aa7/Images/Documentation/58f39cad-6c88-447f-b0ed-8295d0642eef.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-31T10%3A43%3A24Z&se=2026-10-31T11%3A43%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=TEEmBuyFMi3E9sTyV1ioxtwLRHQXRVeGn4uH6Az8lBY%3D)**