You can award points in Smile using several different methods, from built-in earning options to more flexible approaches for customized setups. The right method depends on how customers should trigger points and whether you need automation or verification.

This article focuses specifically on custom and flexible earning methods that go beyond Smile’s default ways to earn points, helping you tailor earning experiences to your business needs.

Feature availability:

✅ Some earning methods require specific Smile plans or Shopify capabilities, as outlined below.

Smile supports three main ways to create customized earning opportunities. Each option varies by flexibility, technical effort, and plan availability.

Use this option to reward customers for clicking a link you control, such as a newsletter signup, Google review, survey competition, booking page, or call-to-action.

Best for: Simple engagement rewards

Requires: No code

Available on: Essential and up (all paid plans)

👉 Learn more: Award points for clicking a link

Use Shopify Flow to automatically award points based on Shopify events and conditions, such as order values, repeat purchases, customer tags, or custom workflows.

Best for: Automated point awards tied to Shopify behavior

Requires: Shopify Flow app

Available on: Essential and up, on Shopify plans that support Flow

👉 Learn more: Use Shopify Flow to award points with Smile

Custom activity types let you award points for brand-specific actions that cannot be handled through links or Shopify Flow, such as watching a video, scanning a QR code, or uploading content. This option requires development work to notify Smile when the action is completed.

Best for: Verified or highly customized earning events

Requires: Development work and Smile’s API

Available on: Plus and Enterprise plans

👉 Learn more: Manage custom activity types