How tiers work
A tier is a status level defined by a milestone — a threshold of points, spend, or custom metrics that a member must reach to qualify. Once a member crosses a tier’s milestone, they are upgraded and begin enjoying that tier’s benefits and earning multipliers for all subsequent transactions. Tier evaluation runs on a daily automated schedule. Members are promoted or demoted based on their current qualifying activity against configured thresholds.Why tiers work
Tiers create a loyalty loop. Members who are close to the next tier threshold increase their spending to qualify — a behaviour sometimes called “tier chasing.” Once at a higher tier, members are motivated to stay there. This increases both transaction frequency and average spend.Tier structure
A typical Loyalife program has a base tier (the entry level every member starts in) plus two to four levels above it:| Tier | Milestone (lifetime points) | Multiplier | Upgrade benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver (base) | 0 | 1.0× | — |
| Gold | 5,000 | 1.5× | 200 bonus points |
| Platinum | 15,000 | 2.0× | 500 bonus points + exclusive voucher |
| Diamond | 50,000 | 3.0× | Premium concierge benefit |
Qualification methods
Loyalife supports multiple approaches to determining tier eligibility:| Method | How it works |
|---|---|
| Points (Lifetime) | Counts all points earned since enrollment — members never lose qualification once reached |
| Points (Rolling period) | Counts points earned within a recent window (e.g., past 12 months) — members must maintain activity to keep their tier |
| Aggregated attributes | Qualifies members based on custom metrics configured in the Rule Engine — for example, total spend, account balance, or number of transactions |
| Both points and attributes | Members must satisfy both points and attribute thresholds simultaneously |
Tier retention period
The Tier Retention Period defines how long a member stays in a tier after they qualify. This is separate from the qualification method and lets you offer grace periods before downgrading members who dip below a threshold.| Setting | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Retention disabled | Members are evaluated against the threshold continuously — downgrade happens as soon as qualifying activity drops below the threshold |
| Retention enabled | Members who drop below the threshold keep their tier status for the configured number of days before being downgraded |
Tier benefits
Benefits are awarded when a member first achieves a tier’s milestone. They are not awarded to members already in the tier when you configure or edit the benefit.| Benefit type | Description |
|---|---|
| Bonus points | A fixed number of points credited on tier achievement |
| Point multiplier | A percentage increase applied to all future point earnings (e.g., 1.5× means 50% more points per transaction) |
| Custom benefits | Vouchers, service upgrades, or exclusive access configured outside the points system |
Manual vs automated assessment
| Mode | When to use |
|---|---|
| Automated | Loyalife evaluates and updates tiers daily based on configured criteria — suitable for most programs |
| Manual (Tier API) | Your external system calls the Tier API to set a member’s tier — suitable when tier logic lives in your platform |
| Manual (Rule Engine) | Campaign-driven tier changes based on custom Rule Engine flows — for programs with complex conditional tier logic |
Real-world tier examples
Hotel loyalty — nights-based tiers
Hotel loyalty — nights-based tiers
Qualification: number of nights stayed in a rolling 12 months. Retention: 2-month grace period before downgrade. Benefits: priority check-in, room upgrades, lounge access at higher tiers.
Bank rewards — balance-based tiers
Bank rewards — balance-based tiers
Qualification: combined average daily balance over a rolling 3-month window (aggregated attribute). Rolling evaluation with a 3-month grace period. Benefits: fee waivers, higher cashback rates, dedicated relationship manager.
Retail loyalty — lifetime spend tiers
Retail loyalty — lifetime spend tiers
Qualification: lifetime points accumulated. No rolling window — once Gold, always Gold (lifetime basis). Benefits: early sale access, free shipping, birthday bonuses.
Next steps
- Configure tiers — enable tiers and set up your qualification method and base tier
- Manage tiers — add, edit, and delete tier levels