Overview

Rewards are a key part of any referral program. Choosing the right reward can improve the overall performance of your program and create a positive experience for your users. This guide will walk through the different reward types that are available and questions you may have about these rewards.

Reward Options

Extole offers a range of rewards to fit the structure of your program and business:

Promo Codes / Coupons

Single-use codes are ideal for retailers looking to drive onsite purchases. Your team can upload lists of one-time-use coupon codes that are delivered automatically to customers. Static promo codes are also supported.

Gift Cards & Cash-like Rewards

Extole natively supports a wide variety of gift card rewards, allowing you to easily reward your program participants with no additional integration. For cash-like options, our top-performing rewards include Visa, Mastercard, and Amazon gift cards—though there are over 100 other options to choose from. Our partners include Tango BHN, and Tremendous. International rewards are also available to recognize participants around the world.

Account Credits

Account credits are especially appealing for credit unions, subscription services, fintech companies, and others when it makes sense to offer an internal reward. These credits can take the form of discounts, free months, redeemable points, or statement credits, and are ultimately fulfilled by your organization.

Reward Bank

For smaller-value rewards, we suggest using a reward bank. This allows users to accumulate smaller rewards and redeem them in one transaction, resulting in a higher value and easier redemption process. For more info, check out our Reward Bank documentation.

Charitable Donations

For specific program types or business initiatives, you may want to offer participants the option to donate their reward to a charity of their choice.

Giveaway / Sweepstakes Entries

Looking for a way to better control the reward spend of the program? Consider offering entries into a giveaway as the reward for referring. Each month, your team can identify the winner(s) and Extole can send out a larger reward.

Other Custom Reward Types

If you’re looking to get creative with your rewards, we can work with you to develop custom options. These may include physical gifts, gifts with purchase, loyalty points, or other unique incentives distributed by you or your partners.

Rewards FAQ

Can promo codes have expiration dates?

Yes. Promo code expiration dates and low balance alerts are managed within your platform. You can replace batches of promo codes at any time.

Can I choose the charitable donation recipient?

Extole uses Tango as our charitable donation provider. If your desired charity isn’t available, we can work with your team to set up a report so donations can be submitted on your end.

Is there a rewards cap I should be aware of?

Yes. Any cash amount over $600 is considered taxable income. To avoid the need for 1099 forms, we suggest capping rewards below $600 per calendar year.

How fast is the consumer rewarded? Can I add a reward delay?

Consumers are rewarded immediately. However, a pending period can be added to delay rewards until after a cancellation window, shipping period, etc.

How many promo codes should I upload?

We recommend starting with 10,000 codes. You can then monitor usage and adjust as needed.

When should I set my low-threshold alert for promo codes?

This depends on your team's turnaround time for generating new codes. If it takes a few weeks, set a higher threshold. If codes can be generated the same day, a lower threshold is acceptable.

Are there safeguards to prevent reward gaming?

Yes! Extole has a robust system of checks and balances in place. More details are available at Configuring the Rules of Your Program.

Can I track which rewards have been redeemed?

Yes. Redemption data for coupon rewards is available within the Extole platform. Note that we do not receive redemption data from Tango or Tremendous for gift card rewards.

I work with a POS vendor—can rewards be sent directly to a user’s account?

Yes! We can integrate with your POS system, typically via webhook to your vendor.

Can I set up a tiered reward system based on referral count?

Absolutely! We support a variety of customizations, including tiered systems. Reach out to your CS team to bring your ideas to life.

Can rewards be added to a mobile wallet?

Extole supports adding coupon code rewards to a consumer’s mobile wallet, accessible through the earned rewards email.

Can Coupon Codes be automatically added to my Extole account?

If you are using Shopify/ Shopify Plus, BigCommerce, Salesforce Commerce Cloud (both Site Genesis and SFRA versions), Extole can automatically distribute coupons created in your vendor’s platform. You’ll be able to monitor reward levels and receive alerts when you’re running low on coupon codes.