It all started when my dad asked for help getting customers to come back to his shoe store. He had customers, sure—but getting them to return was becoming harder. That got me thinking about how most businesses try to keep customers: discounts, promotional emails, random sales. Honestly, none of it really works long-term. It feels outdated.
So I started looking into loyalty programs. At first, it sounded like a good idea, until I realized how broken they all were. I was signed up for at least 10 different programs. I had punch cards shoved into every bag, points scattered across apps and emails, and yet I never really got anything valuable out of it. Most of the time, you’d only get rewarded after your 10th purchase or once you hit 500+ points which, let’s be honest, rarely happens. It didn’t feel rewarding. It felt like a chore.
80% of consumers prefer cashback over point-systems, and 84% stick with brands that offer loyalty programs – Queue-it, 2025.
That’s when I realized the system didn’t really work. It did not work for customers nor for merchants. It was time for something better.
So I decided to take matters into my own hands. I teamed up with my childhood friend, and we started working on a loyalty program that actually made sense. One that was fair, rewarding, in one place and easy for everyone to use. After months of researching and testing theories and reward systems, we finally found it. The idea that clicked. The one.
That’s how Loya was born.
Loya is a reimagined loyalty program, built right into the checkout process.
For customers it gives you 5% instant cashback—every single time they make a purchase—into a digital wallet they can only use at that same store. That’s where the loyalty comes in. No points. No waiting. Just real value, instantly.
For merchants, it works like a commission. They cover the 5%, but it stays in their ecosystem—it gets reinvested into their store by bringing that same customer back again. It’s a win-win.
Now with Loya, I’ve thrown away all my old punch cards, stopped chasing useless points, and finally feel like I’m getting something back when I shop. As a customer, I know how frustrating the old system was. Loya changes that. It gives us more purchasing power—especially important in today’s economy. It’s almost like getting free money, but better.
So that’s the story. That’s how Loya started.
And hopefully, it’ll become the one for you too.
It all started when my dad asked for help getting customers to come back to his shoe store. He had customers, sure—but getting them to return was becoming harder. That got me thinking about how most businesses try to keep customers: discounts, promotional emails, random sales. Honestly, none of it really works long-term. It feels outdated.
So I started looking into loyalty programs. At first, it sounded like a good idea, until I realized how broken they all were. I was signed up for at least 10 different programs. I had punch cards shoved into every bag, points scattered across apps and emails, and yet I never really got anything valuable out of it. Most of the time, you’d only get rewarded after your 10th purchase or once you hit 500+ points which, let’s be honest, rarely happens. It didn’t feel rewarding. It felt like a chore.
80% of consumers prefer cashback over point-systems, and 84% stick with brands that offer loyalty programs – Queue-it, 2025.
That’s when I realized the system didn’t really work. It did not work for customers nor for merchants. It was time for something better.
So I decided to take matters into my own hands. I teamed up with my childhood friend, and we started working on a loyalty program that actually made sense. One that was fair, rewarding, in one place and easy for everyone to use. After months of researching and testing theories and reward systems, we finally found it. The idea that clicked. The one.
That’s how Loya was born.
Loya is a reimagined loyalty program, built right into the checkout process.
For customers it gives you 5% instant cashback—every single time they make a purchase—into a digital wallet they can only use at that same store. That’s where the loyalty comes in. No points. No waiting. Just real value, instantly.
For merchants, it works like a commission. They cover the 5%, but it stays in their ecosystem—it gets reinvested into their store by bringing that same customer back again. It’s a win-win.
Now with Loya, I’ve thrown away all my old punch cards, stopped chasing useless points, and finally feel like I’m getting something back when I shop. As a customer, I know how frustrating the old system was. Loya changes that. It gives us more purchasing power—especially important in today’s economy. It’s almost like getting free money, but better.
So that’s the story. That’s how Loya started.
And hopefully, it’ll become the one for you too.
It all started when my dad asked for help getting customers to come back to his shoe store. He had customers, sure—but getting them to return was becoming harder. That got me thinking about how most businesses try to keep customers: discounts, promotional emails, random sales. Honestly, none of it really works long-term. It feels outdated.
So I started looking into loyalty programs. At first, it sounded like a good idea, until I realized how broken they all were. I was signed up for at least 10 different programs. I had punch cards shoved into every bag, points scattered across apps and emails, and yet I never really got anything valuable out of it. Most of the time, you’d only get rewarded after your 10th purchase or once you hit 500+ points which, let’s be honest, rarely happens. It didn’t feel rewarding. It felt like a chore.
80% of consumers prefer cashback over point-systems, and 84% stick with brands that offer loyalty programs – Queue-it, 2025.
That’s when I realized the system didn’t really work. It did not work for customers nor for merchants. It was time for something better.
So I decided to take matters into my own hands. I teamed up with my childhood friend, and we started working on a loyalty program that actually made sense. One that was fair, rewarding, in one place and easy for everyone to use. After months of researching and testing theories and reward systems, we finally found it. The idea that clicked. The one.
That’s how Loya was born.
Loya is a reimagined loyalty program, built right into the checkout process.
For customers it gives you 5% instant cashback—every single time they make a purchase—into a digital wallet they can only use at that same store. That’s where the loyalty comes in. No points. No waiting. Just real value, instantly.
For merchants, it works like a commission. They cover the 5%, but it stays in their ecosystem—it gets reinvested into their store by bringing that same customer back again. It’s a win-win.
Now with Loya, I’ve thrown away all my old punch cards, stopped chasing useless points, and finally feel like I’m getting something back when I shop. As a customer, I know how frustrating the old system was. Loya changes that. It gives us more purchasing power—especially important in today’s economy. It’s almost like getting free money, but better.
So that’s the story. That’s how Loya started.