The story
Turning a passionate community into measurable repeat revenue
HIKOCO is a New Zealand-based Korean beauty retailer with a thriving online store and physical retail presence. They’d built a passionate community of skincare enthusiasts, but needed a way to turn that engagement into measurable, incremental revenue growth.
To deepen customer relationships and drive repeat purchases that wouldn’t have happened otherwise, HIKOCO turned to Smile to launch a loyalty program with points, VIP tiers, and referrals.
The challenge
Strong traffic but no reason to come back
Before Smile, HIKOCO had strong traffic and engagement, but too many customers were one-and-done. The challenge wasn’t getting people in the door. It was giving them a compelling reason to come back. Without a structured retention strategy, HIKOCO was leaving incremental revenue on the table.
They needed a loyalty solution that would integrate with Shopify, work across online and in-store channels, and drive measurable lift in purchase frequency and spend per customer.
We’ve successfully integrated the program into our wider marketing campaigns, including bonus points promotions and exclusive rewards. This adds an extra layer of excitement and value, without relying solely on sale promotions.
The solution
A four-tier VIP program built around aspiration, not discounts
HIKOCO built a four-tier VIP program: Radiant Rookie, Glow Getter, Beauty Boss, and HIKOCO VIB. Each tier adds new benefits, motivating customers to spend more frequently and move up.
The program integrated into Shopify and became a core part of HIKOCO’s marketing strategy, enabling bonus points promotions and exclusive rewards that drive incremental purchases without relying on discounting.
How the program drives incremental behavior:
- Bonus points promotions drive additional purchases that wouldn’t have happened with discounts alone
- In-store staff promote the program at checkout, converting foot traffic into enrolled, trackable repeat customers
- Customers proactively ask about points and rewards, signaling genuine incremental intent to purchase
- VIP tiers create aspirational goals: top-tier members purchase 13x more frequently than base-tier members
- Points redemption increases basket size and drives intentional, repeat purchasing behavior
The program
K-Beauty Playground
01
Radiant Rookie
02
Glow Getter
03
Beauty Boss
04
HIKOCO VIB
The results
Loyalty members who spend more and come back more often
HIKOCO’s loyalty members don’t just buy, they buy more often and spend more per year than non-members. Redeemers show dramatically higher engagement, proving that active program participation drives measurable lift.
With a 60% redemption rate, 99% order earning rate, and 90% reward usage rate, HIKOCO’s program isn’t just passively running. It’s actively driving incremental purchases across their entire customer base.
Smile has helped us foster a stronger sense of community and connection with our customers, turning one-time shoppers into loyal, returning shoppers of HIKOCO.
Why Smile
Proof that loyalty engagement translates to revenue growth
HIKOCO’s results show that a well-integrated loyalty program creates incremental value. Members spend more than non-members, redeemers purchase more often, and every tier of their VIP program shows measurable lift over the base.
