The safest way to switch loyalty apps is to run the old and new programs side by side for a few weeks, honor every customer's existing balance on their first visit to the new one, and set a clear end date for the old one. Done that way, your regulars barely notice the change, except that their new card works better.
What makes switching feel risky is the fear of a customer arriving with eight stamps and being told they are gone. This guide is about making sure that never happens.
First, the honest part: there is usually no import
Most owners hope they can export everything from the old app and import it into the new one. In practice that rarely works, for two reasons:
- The old cards belong to the old system. A card in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet is issued and updated by the company that created it. A new provider cannot take over those cards or change their balance. Your customers will need a new card either way.
- Balances do not travel cleanly. Even when an old provider lets you export a customer list, programs count differently: stamps versus points, different reward costs, different expiry rules. A raw number from one system rarely means the same thing in another.
Stallmark has no import tool either. We would rather say so up front than promise a migration that does not exist. The good news is that you do not need one. The plan below moves customers over at the counter, one visit at a time, which is also when you get to talk to them.
Before you switch
A little preparation makes the switch smooth.
Check your contract and dates
Find out when your current plan renews, whether there is a notice period and whether you lose access to data the day you cancel. Plan the switch so your old app is still running for the whole overlap period.
Save what you can
Export whatever the old app allows: customer list, balances, a report of rewards redeemed. Even if you never import it, it is your record if someone disputes a balance later. Screenshots of the dashboard on your last day are better than nothing.
Set up the new program to match
Make the new program feel familiar. If your old card was "ten stamps, free coffee," start with the same. Switching apps and changing the offer at the same time confuses people. You can improve the reward once everyone has moved over. If you are rethinking the stamp count anyway, our guide on how many stamps a punch card should have can help.
Three ways to honor old balances
This is the part that decides whether customers feel looked after. There are three common approaches.
| Approach | How it works | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carry over on first visit | Customer shows their old card; staff add the same balance to the new one | Shops whose old and new programs count the same way | Takes a few extra seconds per customer in the first weeks |
| Flat welcome bonus | Everyone who joins the new program gets the same head start, such as three stamps | When balances are hard to read or programs count differently | Customers who were close to a reward may feel short-changed |
| Let the old card run out | Old card is accepted for redemptions until an end date; new visits earn on the new card | When the old app will keep running anyway | Two cards in circulation at once, which can confuse staff |
Many shops combine them: carry over balances for anyone who shows an old card, and give a small welcome bonus to everyone else.
In Stallmark, staff can add stamps or points when they scan the new card, and owners and managers can use Adjust balance with a note such as "moved from old app", so every carried-over balance is on record with who added it.
Worked example: a coffee shop moving 250 regulars
This is an example with made-up numbers.
- Old program: ten stamps for a free drink. New program: the same.
- A regular shows an old card at seven stamps. Staff add seven stamps to the new card. She is three visits from her free drink, exactly as before.
- A customer from an older points card shows 60 of the 100 points needed for a free drink. That is 60% of the way, so staff add six stamps, 60% of ten.
- The overlap: four weeks of paying for both apps. If the old app costs $50 a month and the new one $39.99, the overlap costs about $90 in total. That is the price of not losing a single regular's progress.
The exact conversion matters less than doing it consistently. Write your rule on a card behind the counter so every staff member applies the same one.
The switch, week by week
Week 0: get ready
Publish the new program, print the new counter QR flyer and decide your end date for the old app. Our punch card template includes a "go digital" counter sign you can adapt.
Weeks 1 to 4: run both
Replace the old QR code on the counter with the new one, so every new customer joins the new program. The old app stays running only for existing customers: they can redeem, and staff move their balance across when they join the new card.
Put a short sign next to the QR code:
"New loyalty card. Scan to add it to your phone. Bring your old card and we'll move your stamps over. Old cards accepted until March 31."
Week 5 onwards: close the old program
On the end date, stop accepting the old card. If your old app lets you, send one last message to its members before you close it, telling them how to get the new card. Then cancel the old subscription.
Keep the export you saved in case a question comes up later.
Brief your staff
Your team will handle every conversation about the switch, so give them a script short enough to remember:
"We've got a new card that lives in your phone. Scan here, and show me your old one so I can move your stamps across."
And three rules:
- Always move the balance across. Never tell a customer their stamps are gone.
- Use the same conversion every time, the one written behind the counter.
- If in doubt, round in the customer's favor. A stamp costs you very little; a regular who feels cheated costs you a lot.
Because each staff member stamps from their own phone, you can see who moved which balances during the overlap. If numbers look off, it is easy to check with the person who added them.
Choosing what to switch to
If you are switching because of price, limits on customer numbers, or because your customers do not want to install an app, compare carefully before you commit. Our loyalty app comparison puts the main options side by side, including where Stallmark is not the best fit, and our pricing page lays out exactly what you pay: 7 days free, then $39.99 a month per store, with unlimited customer cards.
Whatever you choose, start the free trial at the beginning of the overlap, so you see the new program working at your own counter before you commit and before the old one closes.
Common questions
Can I import my customers from my old loyalty app into Stallmark? No. Stallmark has no import tool. Customers join the new program by scanning your QR code, and staff move their balance across on their first visit.
Will customers lose their stamps if I switch loyalty apps? Not if you honor old balances. Carry them over when customers show their old card, or give everyone a welcome bonus, and keep the old card valid for redemptions until a clear end date.
How long should I run both programs? Four to eight weeks is usually enough for your regulars to come in at least once. Shops with less frequent visits, like salons, may want longer.
Do customers need to download a new app? Not with a wallet-based program. The new card goes into Apple Wallet or Google Wallet from a QR code. Our help page on adding a card to your wallet shows customers what to do.
What if my old app keeps charging after I switch? Check the notice period before you start and cancel in time for your end date. Keep a copy of your data before access ends.
Get Stallmark. Try it free for 7 days, then decide. No commitment, cancel anytime.