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Business Owner & Manager Reference

Business Guide

Everything you need to set up, run, and grow your loyalty programme on Stackd.

How Stackd works

Stackd lets your business run a stamp or points loyalty programme with zero app installation for your customers. The entire flow happens in a browser.

  1. 1

    Print your QR code

    One QR code is generated for your business. Print it and place it at your counter. It never changes.

  2. 2

    Customer scans

    The customer scans the QR with their phone camera — no app download. It opens a simple check-in page in their browser.

  3. 3

    Customer enters their contact detail

    Email address or phone number. First-time customers enter their name to create a loyalty account.

  4. 4

    Operator generates a PIN

    Your staff member (operator) uses the Operator POS screen to generate a PIN for this transaction. The PIN is shown on screen for 90 seconds.

  5. 5

    Customer enters the PIN

    The customer types the PIN shown on the operator's screen into their phone. This links the transaction to the customer.

  6. 6

    Reward is awarded

    The system awards a stamp or points automatically. The customer sees their updated loyalty balance on screen.

Transaction types

A transaction type represents a specific action a customer can take that earns a reward — for example "Coffee purchase", "Hair treatment", or "Grocery shop". You can create as many transaction types as you need.

Each transaction type is linked to exactly one rule (either a stamp rule or a points rule) that determines how rewards are awarded when that transaction type is processed.

Example setup for a coffee shop:
Transaction type "Coffee purchase" → Stamp rule (earn 1 stamp per visit, free coffee at 10 stamps).
Transaction type "Merchandise purchase" → Points rule (earn 1 point per R10 spent).

You manage transaction types under Account Settings → Transaction types. You can activate or deactivate them at any time.

Rule types: stamps vs points

There are two types of loyalty rules. Each transaction type uses exactly one. You choose based on what suits your business model best.

Stamp card

Each visit earns 1 stamp regardless of the transaction amount. When the customer reaches the stamp threshold, they earn a reward.

Best for:

Businesses with consistent visit values — cafés, salons, gyms, car washes.

Points

Points are awarded based on the amount spent. Higher spend = more points. Customers redeem accumulated points for rewards.

Best for:

Businesses with variable transaction sizes — retail stores, restaurants, service businesses.

Stamp rules — in depth

Set up under Account Settings → Transaction types (rule type: Stamp). Configure the following:

Stamp threshold

Required

The number of stamps needed to earn a reward. Example: 10 stamps = 1 free coffee. Customers see their progress as a bar on the confirmation screen.

Reward

Required

The reward the customer earns when they reach the threshold. Defined in the Rewards section. Example: "Free large coffee".

Redemption mode

Required

Immediate: the reward is triggered as soon as the threshold is reached. Deferrable: the customer can choose when to redeem (useful for seasonal rewards).

Hard cutoff stamps

Optional

A safety net. If a customer somehow accumulates stamps beyond threshold + cutoff (e.g. a system error), their progress is reset and the reward is marked as lost. Leave blank for no cutoff.

What happens at threshold: The system creates a reward redemption record. If mode is immediate, the operator is notified on the POS screen and confirms the reward to the customer. The stamp counter resets to 0 and the cycle starts again.

Points rules — in depth

Set up under Account Settings → Transaction types (rule type: Points). Configure the following:

Points per unit

Required

How many points the customer earns per unit of spend. Example: 1 point per unit.

Unit amount (cents)

Required

The spend amount in cents that equals 1 unit. Example: 1000 cents (R10.00) = 1 unit. So a R50 purchase earns 5 points.

Notification threshold

Optional

If set, the customer receives a notification when their total points balance exceeds this number. Useful for prompting redemption.

Formula: Points awarded = floor(spend_amount ÷ unit_amount) × points_per_unit.
Example: R75 spend, R10 unit, 2 points per unit = floor(75 ÷ 10) × 2 = 7 × 2 = 14 points.

Choosing the right rule type

Situation Recommended rule Why
Customers visit regularly and buy roughly the same thing each time Stamp Simple, visible progress. Customers understand "10 coffees = 1 free" immediately.
Transaction amounts vary widely between customers Points Rewards bigger spenders fairly. A R200 purchase earns more than a R20 purchase.
You want to encourage repeat visits over spend amount Stamp Every visit earns 1 stamp — amount irrelevant. Drives frequency.
You want to encourage higher spend per visit Points More spend = more points. Customers are incentivised to add to their basket.
You have multiple different product categories Points or multiple stamp rules Create separate transaction types per category, each with their own rule.
You want a simple, physical-card replacement Stamp Stamp cards are the direct digital equivalent of a paper loyalty card.

Rewards

A reward is what a customer earns when they complete a loyalty rule. Manage rewards under Account Settings → Rewards.

Name

Required

What the customer sees on screen. Example: "Free large cappuccino", "R50 discount voucher".

Description

Optional

Extra detail visible to the operator when confirming redemption.

Type

Required

stamp — linked to a stamp rule threshold. points — redeemed by spending accumulated points.

Points cost

Points rewards only

How many points a customer must spend to redeem this reward. The points are deducted from their balance.

Stock

Optional

Limits total redemptions. Once stock reaches 0 the reward cannot be redeemed. Leave blank for unlimited.

QR code & PIN flow

Your QR code is generated once when your account is set up. Find it under Account Settings → QR Code. You can regenerate it if needed (e.g. after a rebranding) but this invalidates the printed version — reprint if you do.

The QR code encodes the URL: https://stackdrewards.co.za/c/{your-slug}

PIN security: Each PIN is a random 4-digit code (5-digit on busy days) valid for exactly 90 seconds. It is unique to your business for the day. Once used it cannot be reused. This prevents customers from sharing PINs.

PIN generation: The operator generates a PIN on the Operator POS screen by selecting a transaction type and entering the spend amount (for points transactions). The PIN is displayed in large text with a countdown timer.

PIN storage: PINs are stored hashed — never in plain text. This protects customer privacy even if the database were ever accessed.

Operator POS screen

Access at /operator. This is the screen your staff member uses during a transaction. The flow is:

  1. 1 Select the transaction type (e.g. "Coffee purchase").
  2. 2 If it's a points transaction, enter the customer's spend amount.
  3. 3 Click "Generate PIN" — a 4-digit PIN appears with a 90-second countdown.
  4. 4 Read or show the PIN to the customer. They enter it on their phone.
  5. 5 The screen automatically detects when the customer has entered the PIN and shows a confirmation (every 3 seconds it checks for consumption).
  6. 6 If the customer has earned a reward, an alert is shown on the POS screen.

Dashboard & transaction history

Access at /operator/dashboard. From here you can:

  • View all recent transactions with customer name (masked), transaction type, amount, and stamps/points awarded.
  • Search by customer email or phone.
  • Void a transaction if an error was made (e.g. wrong amount entered). Voiding reverses the award — stamps are decremented, points get a negative ledger entry.
  • Download a PDF receipt for any transaction.
  • Process a standalone redemption — allow a customer to spend their accumulated points for a reward without a new purchase.

Customer management

Access under Account Settings → Customers. You can view your customer list (name, contact, join date). Customer contact details are masked in the operator view for privacy — operators see j***@example.com not the full address.

POPI/GDPR note: When a customer first registers they are given the option to consent to having their loyalty summary (stamp count or points balance) shown on the check-in screen when they type their number. If they don't consent, they see only a generic "welcome back" message. After entering the correct PIN, they always see their full balance — the PIN acts as proof of identity.

Branding & logo

Upload your business logo under Account Settings → Branding. The logo appears:

  • At the top of the customer check-in screen (above your business name).
  • On the confirmation screen after a successful transaction.
  • On all customer-facing screens throughout the loyalty journey.

Accepted formats: JPG, PNG, WebP. Recommended: square image, minimum 200×200px. Maximum file size: 2MB.

Billing & subscription

Manage your subscription under /billing. Stackd uses PayFast for secure payment processing.

Free trial

New accounts get a 14-day free trial (30 days if you sign up via a referral link). No credit card required to start.

Monthly vs annual

Choose monthly or annual billing. Annual billing is charged at 10× the monthly rate — effectively 2 months free.

Invoices

A tax invoice is generated automatically for every payment. Download from the billing portal. VAT at 15% is included.

Past due

If a payment fails you have a 7-day grace period. You'll receive email reminders on day 1, 3, and 7. Update your payment method before day 7 to avoid interruption.

Referral programme

Every Stackd account has a unique referral link. Share it with other business owners.

  • The business you refer gets a 30-day trial instead of the standard 14 days.
  • You earn 1 month free credit when the business you referred makes their first successful payment.
  • Credits are stackable — refer multiple businesses and bank multiple free months.
  • Credits are applied automatically to your next invoice.
  • Credits never expire.

Staff & roles

Role Can do Cannot do
Owner Everything — manage rules, rewards, staff, billing, branding, QR code. N/A
Manager Manage transaction types, rewards, customers, view reports. Cannot manage billing or delete the account.
Operator Generate PINs, process transactions, view transaction history. Cannot change rules, rewards, or billing.
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