The story
The nursery that grew into a national gardening brand
Creekside Nursery has long been known as a gardener’s destination, both in person and online. Run by Jenny and Jerry Simpson, the 8.5-acre North Carolina nursery has blossomed into a direct-to-consumer brand with a national footprint, supported by a popular YouTube channel, expert growing content, and a deeply engaged community of returning customers.
After scaling their eCommerce business alongside the in-person experience, the next step was clear: turn loyal followers into lifelong customers across every channel they shopped.
The challenge
Community-first brand with no loyalty to match
Creekside already had a devoted customer base thanks to their YouTube channel, educational content, and expert growing knowledge. Many customers returned season after season, but the Simpsons wanted to build on that momentum with a formal rewards and referral program that would recognize loyalty and deepen engagement.
The challenge was unifying that experience across two very different shopping environments. Creekside’s customers move fluidly between browsing online, watching tutorials, and visiting the nursery in person. The loyalty program needed to feel like a single experience across the website and the in-store point of sale, without adding friction for customers or extra work for the team at the register.
The expert strategists at ECD Digital Strategy put together a comprehensive retention strategy for Creekside, and Smile was selected to power the new loyalty experience. The team at ECD Digital Strategy worked closely with Creekside and Smile to design a tiered VIP loyalty program that would incentivize and encourage repeat purchases from existing customers, while also being a desirable influence for new shoppers discovering the store for the first time.
Creekside Nursery already had the kind of customer loyalty most brands are trying to build. The lift came from turning that loyalty into a connected, revenue-driving strategy. Smile was the powerhouse foundation that made the loyalty program possible.
The solution
Integrating loyalty online and in-store
To create a connected experience, ECD implemented Smile’s loyalty program across both the online store and Shopify Point of Sale (POS), with rewards designed to feel like a natural part of the Creekside community rather than a bolted-on promotion.
Because Creekside has such a loyal following, rewarding repeat customers felt like a natural next step. The program was designed to recognize the customers who already showed up season after season and to give in-store shoppers the same instant gratification that online buyers expect.
How the program comes to life across channels:
- Staff training: the Creekside team is trained to promote rewards to every in-store shopper, making the program feel like a holistic part of each visit
- Recurring Double Points Days: a monthly Double Points event keeps the program top of mind and encourages repeat visits
The stack
Shopify, Shopify POS, Klaviyo
The results
Loyalty members spend more and come back more often
Creekside’s loyalty program quickly proved to be a powerful revenue lever. Customers who engaged with loyalty have an average LTV of $884, compared with $386 for those who don’t. Smile users placed an average of 4.62 orders in 365 days, compared with 1.42 for non-users, and the program continues to drive increasingly more measurable revenue through redemptions and repeat purchases.
Beyond the headline metrics, the operational story is just as important. Loyalty has become part of how the Creekside team welcomes shoppers in person, and the in-store QR sign-ups, Klaviyo email and SMS flow notifications, and POS redemptions work together as one connected experience instead of two parallel programs.
ECD Digital Strategy built around how Creekside Nursery’s customers actually shop, connecting Klaviyo flows, in-store checkout, and retention strategy to turn customer loyalty into measurable growth
Why Smile
A win for loyalty and long-term growth
ECD Digital Strategy and Smile helped Creekside extend its warm, community-first brand into a loyalty ecosystem that pays off, both for the business and for its customers. As Shopify continues to emphasize POS innovation, Creekside’s integrated approach offers a compelling blueprint for omni-channel rewards done right.
