How to Set Up a Stamp Card on Blinko

The stamp card is the most reliable loyalty mechanic in local business. Blinko's digital version runs entirely on autopilot. Customers earn stamps every time they check in at your location, and when they hit the threshold you set, they unlock the reward you chose. No paper cards. No staff involvement. No fraud. This guide walks you through the full setup in under two minutes.

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What is a Stamp Card?

A stamp card is a digital punch card. Every time a customer checks in at your business — by scanning your QR code — they earn one stamp. Once they collect enough to hit your chosen threshold, they automatically get a reward notification and can redeem it on their next visit.

Here's the thing: paper punch cards get lost, faked, and forgotten. Blinko stamp cards don't. Each card ties directly to a customer's Blinko profile, so stamps are never lost, never duplicated, and no staff member ever needs to manually punch anything. The entire cycle — from first visit to reward redemption — tracks automatically.

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When to use it

A stamp card works best when:

• You want to build a repeat visit habit — the stamp card creates a reason to return that exists independent of any promotion
• Your business has a natural visit frequency of once a week or more (cafes, salons, gyms, barbershops, restaurants)
• You want passive loyalty tracking that requires nothing from your staff
• You're starting your loyalty program for the first time — stamp cards are the easiest campaign type to understand and the fastest to explain to customers
• You want to give customers a tangible sense of progress toward something valuable

If customers typically visit less than once a month, pair the stamp card with a win-back campaign to re-engage between visits.

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What you'll get

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How to set it up

You can create a stamp card three ways. Choose whichever fits your automation.

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Option 1: Mobile App

Time to complete: ~2 minutes

Step 1 — Open the Campaigns tab

In the bottom navigation bar, tap Campaigns.

Step 2 — Tap the + button and select Stamp Card

Tap the + icon in the top-right corner. From the campaign type picker, select Stamp Card.

Step 3 — Set your threshold and reward

Configure the two key fields:

• Stamps required: How many check-ins earn the reward. 6–10 is the sweet spot for most businesses — low enough to be achievable, high enough to build a habit.
• Reward: What the customer receives when they hit the threshold. Be specific: "Free regular coffee" outperforms "Special reward" because customers know exactly what they're working toward.

You can also set an optional campaign name (visible in your dashboard) and a description that appears to customers in the app.

Step 4 — Publish

Tap Publish. Your stamp card goes live immediately. Every existing customer — and every new one going forward — will see it in their Blinko app the next time they check in.

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Option 2: Web Portal

Time to complete: ~3 minutes

Step 1 — Go to Campaigns in the left sidebar

Log in at local.blinko.ai and click Campaigns in the left navigation.

Step 2 — Click New Campaign → Stamp Card

Click the New Campaign button (top right of the Campaigns screen). Select Stamp Card from the campaign type list.

Step 3 — Configure your stamp card

• Stamps required: Enter the number of check-ins needed to earn the reward
• Reward description: Describe exactly what the customer receives
• Campaign name (optional): Internal label for your dashboard
• Customer-facing description (optional): A short message that appears under the stamp card in the Blinko app

Step 4 — Click Publish Campaign

Click Publish Campaign. The stamp card activates immediately for all current and future customers.

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Option 3: AI Copilot

The AI Copilot can build and configure a stamp card from a single sentence. Try one of these prompts:

"Create a stamp card where customers get a free coffee after 8 visits."

"Set up a loyalty punch card — 10 stamps earns a free dessert."

"Create a digital punch card for my salon: 6 visits and the 7th blowout is free."

The Copilot drafts the campaign — including the reward description and customer-facing copy — for you to review. Make any adjustments, then tap Activate.

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What your staff need to do

A stamp card has two distinct moments where staff may be involved: stamp collection on each visit, and reward redemption when the threshold is reached.

Stamp collection — usually no action needed

Stamps apply automatically when a customer checks in by scanning your QR code sticker. No staff involvement required. The customer scans, the stamp appears in their app instantly.

But if a customer forgets to scan at the time of visit, a staff member can apply the stamp manually. Open the Blinko Business app → tap Validate → scan the customer's in-app QR code. The stamp records immediately.

Reward redemption — staff action required

When a customer earns their reward, a notification appears and the completed card is highlighted in their Blinko app. At that point:

1. Customer shows the reward screen on their phone
2. Staff open the Blinko Business app → tap Redeem
3. Customer holds up their in-app QR code
4. Staff scan it — redemption is confirmed in the app
5. Staff honour the reward at the register (free item, upgrade, etc.)

The stamp count resets automatically after redemption. No manual reset needed.

Brief your team: "If someone shows a completed stamp card reward in their Blinko app, scan their QR code in the business app before giving them the reward."

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Tips for better results

Set the threshold attainably — but not too low

The right number of stamps requires genuine repeat visits without feeling unachievable. At a coffee shop where customers come 2–3 times a week, 8 stamps takes about 3 weeks — long enough to build a habit, short enough to stay motivating. At a nail salon where clients come every 3–4 weeks, 6 stamps is a far more realistic target.

Make the reward worth talking about

The reward is your advertisement. A vague "free gift" creates no urgency. A specific, desirable reward — "Free large latte", "Free gel upgrade", "Free slice of cake" — gives customers something to mention to friends. Choose your most giftable item, not your cheapest.

Pair with a Welcome Offer for maximum retention

New customers who receive a welcome offer — say, "Your first stamp is already waiting for you — 7 more to go!" — start their stamp card journey with built-in momentum. That small head start dramatically increases the rate at which new customers return for their second visit.

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Frequently asked questions

Does a customer need to download an app to earn stamps? Yes — the Blinko Spots app is free and required for customers. But the sign-up process is frictionless: they scan your QR code, download the app in one tap, and they're enrolled. No account creation form, no email address, no password required.

Can I run multiple stamp cards at once? You can have one active stamp card at a time. If you want to run a seasonal variant (e.g., a holiday version with a different reward), archive the current one and create a new one. Customer stamp counts carry over when you update an existing card rather than replacing it.

What happens when a customer reaches the threshold? They receive an automatic push notification celebrating their reward. The next time they check in and show your staff the notification, you mark it as redeemed in the Blinko app. The stamp count resets and a new cycle begins automatically.

Can I change the threshold or reward after publishing? Yes. Edit the campaign at any time from the Campaigns screen. Existing stamp counts are preserved — customers who are mid-progress will continue toward the new threshold, not lose their existing stamps.