Dear Friends and Neighbors:
This is a long-overdue update on our loyalty program:
We have calculated rewards for the first two quarters and are also issuing rewards for the third quarter as it stood through August. Since there were four weeks left in the third quarter, we lowered the number of bottles needed to get a reward for the third quarter.
Reward recipients will be notified separately. If you earned a reward but cannot use it for whatever reason, or do not wish to redeem it, you may donate your rewards to the one of the two local mutual aid groups (Clinton Hill Fort Greene Mutual Aid and Bed Stuy Strong) we have supported. Simply reply to the notification email that you’d like to donate your rewards and we’ll take it from there.
Going forward, we will be using a rewards tracker that is baked into our point of sale system. You will earn a point for every dollar spent, and get $15 rewards for every $250 spent. The biggest change is that any and all purchases apply towards rewards.
Why are we changing the program (again)? It’s easier to implement and more fair to all Tipsy customers.
How’s it more fair? Our original rewards program was designed to encourage folks to try new bottles; our second iteration privileged wine drinkers. This iteration is more inclusive to all customers, regardless of their product preferences, and it doesn’t have a time limit. So whether you like to buy weekenders, whiskey, or whisker glass charms, you’ll get points towards your rewards.
Why is it easier to implement? Because our system does it automatically! It won’t require any manual tallies or updates. When you earn the credit, it’ll register on your account and can use it whenever you wish. You can also save up credits for a special purpose. This will save many hours of labor and also yield instant gratification once you hit your target.
Will the system recognize me or my credit card? We don’t have that kind of creepy system—none of your financial data is stored in Shopkeep—so please do let the sales associate know you’re in the rewards program when you check out.
Anything else? In the coming months, we’ll be updating records with both email and phone number to minimize the possibility of duplicates or incorrect point assignments. We may also ask about your birthday so we can give you a present. We will never, ever share your data with anyone else.
We also plan to pilot a new e-commerce site that would also connect to our point-of-sale system; all purchases made through that platform would also count towards your rewards. We’ll announce this shift separately after we’ve finished testing it.
Why did this take so long? The pandemic hit at the end of the first quarter and amid the total chaos of those early weeks—throughout the second quarter, steering the business and supporting our community through the continuing crisis was our top priority.
Thank you for being such a loyal customer. And thanks for your patience while we tended to our business and our community.