Is Your Loyalty Program Worth Joining?
Pick a points system that's complicated, give tiers a name, and throw it on your footer... then wonder why no one really cares.
The ones that actually pull their weight tend to have answered a harder question first, which is what the customer is really buying when they join.
This morning we're looking at two running brands that came to opposite answers, and what each one is built to do. 👇
Loyalty emails have a harder job than they get credit for.
You're not just asking someone to buy a product. You're asking them to opt into a relationship with the brand, which means the email has to make the membership feel valuable before the shopper has actually experienced any of the perks.
Bandit and Tracksmith both use membership emails to sell loyalty, but they take two very different routes. Bandit makes the math feel obvious. Tracksmith makes the identity feel aspirational.
Bandit: Make the Value Stack Impossible to Miss
Subject line: The Bandit Membership
Bandit's email is built around a simple promise: this membership gives you more than it takes.
That's the right move for a paid membership or perk-heavy loyalty program because the first question shoppers are going to ask is, "What do I actually get?" Bandit answers that quickly with a long list of benefits.
The email makes the value feel tangible through:
Early access to drops and restocks
A standing discount and free shipping
A $50 annual gift card
Annual member socks
Partner perks from brands like ASICS, Bathhouse, Therabody, hotels, and The Feed
That partner ecosystem is doing a lot of work. It makes the membership feel bigger than Bandit's own product catalog and positions the program as support for a runner's broader lifestyle, not just a way to save on gear.
The tradeoff is that the email can start to feel dense. There are a lot of perks to process, and some shoppers may need a clearer hierarchy of what matters most. But the core strategy is clear: if you're charging for access, show people the math.
What brands can take from it:
If your loyalty program has concrete perks, don't hide them behind emotional language. Lead with the value, organize the benefits clearly, and make it easy for shoppers to understand what they're getting back.
Tracksmith: Make Membership Feel Like an Identity Upgrade
Subject line: Excel as an Amateur with the Hare A.C.
Preheader: Benefit from expert advice, free shipping, and more
Tracksmith's Hare A.C. email takes a more elevated approach.
Instead of leading with a long list of perks, the email frames membership around becoming part of a more serious running experience. The headline positions the club as a reimagined running club, and the copy talks about expert advice, professional-level support, exclusive experiences, and access to elite marathoners.
The value here is less about instant savings and more about proximity:
Proximity to better training
Proximity to experienced runners
Proximity to the Tracksmith team
Proximity to product releases and exclusive experiences
Proximity to a more committed version of the sport
That's why the physical welcome elements matter. The singlet, welcome letter, and membership number give the program a sense of ceremony, which helps make the membership feel less like an account upgrade and more like joining something with status.
The opportunity is that the practical value could come forward a little more. The email makes the membership feel elevated, but someone deciding whether to join may still want a tighter read on the most useful benefits.
What brands can take from it:
If your loyalty program is built around access, community, or identity, don't reduce it to a discount list. Show shoppers what membership lets them become part of, then back that up with enough practical value to make the decision feel easy.
The Difference Is What Each Brand Has to Prove
Bandit has to prove the membership is worth the money. Tracksmith has to prove the membership is worth belonging to.
That difference shapes the whole email. Bandit stacks benefits until the value feels hard to ignore, while Tracksmith builds a more aspirational case around support, access, and the feeling of being inside the club.
Use Bandit's approach when:
The membership has a clear dollar-value story
Perks are the main reason to join
Partner benefits make the program feel bigger
Shoppers need to justify the cost quickly
Use Tracksmith's approach when:
The membership is tied to identity or community
Access matters as much as savings
Physical welcome elements can create ceremony
The brand has enough authority to sell belonging
When you're writing a loyalty email, it's not enough to say "join." You have to make the shopper understand what joining changes.
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