A well-built membership program transforms one-time shoppers into loyal, repeat customers who keep coming back month after month. For Shopify brands, that means predictable revenue, stronger retention, and a community of engaged buyers who feel genuinely connected to your store.
It’s actually pretty simple when you have the right platform as the foundation of your program, too. We’ll show you how to create a membership program that thrives below - from setting your goals to choosing a model that fits your audience, defining the perks your customers actually want, and keeping it getting better over time.
But like we said, the most important aspect of learning how to start a membership program is choosing a platform. Rivo is the best foundation for your Shopify plus membership program with 50+ out-of-the-box features, deep Shopify checkout integration, and a fully customizable member experience. Take the next step today!
What is a Membership Program?
This is a way for e-commerce brands to offer exclusive perks, discounts, or experiences to customers in exchange for a recurring fee. Or, in some cases, simply ongoing engagement.
Unlike a one-off promotion, memberships create an ongoing relationship where shoppers feel invested in your brand and rewarded for sticking around. You can structure them in a few different ways:
- Paid memberships: Customers pay monthly or annually to access benefits like free shipping, members-only pricing, or early access to product drops.
- Free or opt-in memberships: Signing up grants access to perks without a fee. This is commonly used as a first step to deepen loyalty.
- Tiered memberships: Benefits grow as customers spend more or keep their subscription longer.
The appeal is obvious for members. They get consistent value, be it cost savings, convenience, or special treatment that non-members can’t access. Think priority shipping, early sale alerts, or bonus gifts with purchase.
The best programs make customers feel like insiders - part of an exclusive group that gets more from every interaction with your brand. But, is it worth creating a membership program for YOUR brand?
Is Creating a Membership Program Worth It for YOUR Brand?
The short answer is yes. You should learn how to create a membership program. At least, IF you want more predictable revenue, stronger retention, and you’re willing to do the legwork to get your program off the ground.
Whether you charge a recurring fee or reward customers for ongoing engagement, you’re building a base of committed buyers who return again and again. Members who feel valued tend to spend more, spend higher, and actually go out and serve as advocates for your brand.
But there’s more to it than the customer engagement side of things. Membership data can provide insights into buying habits for your customer base, empowering you to be more precise in how you position promotions, product recommendations, and inventory planning.
There are a few considerations you should keep in mind, though. Running a membership program means constantly providing value for members. That’s easier said than done.
Retention can suffer if perks don’t align with customer expectations or if benefit delivery feels slow. But don’t worry - this is something we’ll help you navigate in our guide on how to start a membership program below.
The biggest thing to consider is your Shopify brand’s internal resources. Creating a membership program is one thing, but actively managing it is another. The right platform can streamline this for you. However, you’ll need to think about everything from content updates to customer support.
You also need to project the long-term ROI to ensure the model fits your margins, as upfront setup costs can vary. All that said, we believe the benefits far outweigh the challenges. This membership program can become one of your brand’s most valuable assets, driving retention, revenue, and customer connection at scale.
So without any further ado, let’s get into how to create a membership program below!
How to Create a Membership Program: Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Membership Program
There’s a few key steps involved in creating a membership program, and we’ll go one-by-one to help you feel confident getting started. Remember, though, the best way to get your membership program off the ground is to connect with our experts at Rivo for a demo on our platform. We’ll show you exactly how you can make the most of it.
In the meantime, here’s how to create a successful membership program.
Step 1: Define Your Goals
Most of the legwork involved in creating a membership program is upfront planning. First, you’ll want to get crystal clear on why you’re launching a membership program in the first place.
Are you looking to increase repeat purchase rates?
Boost average order value?
Create a tighter-knit customer community?
There aren’t necessarily any right or wrong answers. Just know your goals will shape everything from the type of perks you offer to how you measure success. E-commerce brands should tie membership objectives to measurable metrics like retention rate or subscription revenue. This keeps the program grounded in business impact.
Step 2: Identify Your Target Audience
Understand that not every customer will be an ideal candidate for a membership program. Those higher up the customer loyalty ladder are better opportunities for activating into your program.
So, look at your order history, average spend, and customer lifetime value to spot your most engaged buyers. From there you can build member personas based on their needs, whether that’s early access to drops, exclusive discounts, or a more personalized shopping experience.
Our blog has more tips on loyalty status segmentation if you want to learn more.
Step 3: Decide on the Membership Model
Remember, there are a few different models you can choose from when creating a membership program. This is the point in our guide on how to create a membership program where you’ll need to nail it down to just one.
Paid memberships can generate recurring revenue and encourage higher commitment, while free loyalty-based memberships are easier to scale and attract casual shoppers.
We know what you’re thinking…can you do both at the same time? Definitely! Hybrid models - where a free tier leads to a paid VIP level - let you capture both audiences. Just be prepared to dedicate more resources since you’ll have more moving pieces.
When in doubt, think about how willing your audience is to pay along with your long-term revenue strategy. Your goals matter here, too. If it’s revenue you want, then a paid program obviously makes more sense. If you’re trying to nurture a higher LTV, you may go free.
Step 4: Develop Your Perks and Benefits
This is one of the most important aspects of learning how to start a membership program. Your perks need to feel worth it. Think beyond standard discounts. Consider free shipping, members-only product lines, early access to restocks, or exclusive events.
The best benefits tap into what your customers value most. Not what’s easiest for you to offer.
It’s not a bad idea to poll some of your most loyal customers and ask them what they’re interested in. You may be surprised to learn they’re less motivated by monetary perks and want digital exclusives like member-only content or limited product releases.
Step 5: Choose Your Pricing Structure
Assuming you decide on creating a paid membership program, you’ll need to figure out what you’re going to charge for it. You can bill monthly, annually, or offer both.
Then, you need to figure out what it’ll cost your customers. There’s a fine line here, as price should balance perceived value with your business goals. Too low, and customers won’t take it seriously; too high, and adoption will lag.
Factor in acquisition costs, churn rates, and the tangible value of your perks when setting pricing. You can look to peers in your industry and see what they’re charging if you’re not sure where to start.
Step 6: Select a Platform or App to Power Your Program
Your tech stack will make or break the member experience. Look for a platform that integrates seamlessly with Shopify, supports both free and paid membership tiers, automates reward distribution, and lets you customize branding to match your store.
Real-time analytics, marketing integrations, and flexible reward logic are must-haves if you want to scale. It also has to make sense from an ROI standpoint. Fortunately, your search ends here at Rivo.
You can leverage stackable discounts, checkout extensions, and all the modern tech Shopify Plus has to offer. You don’t have to stress about clunky Shopify Scripts, checkout.liquid or any other legacy workarounds that are being wound down, either. It takes just a few clicks.
Our implementation team will work with you to fully customize your membership program so it feels like a seamless extension of your brand. Take the next step by connecting with our experts today!
Step 7: Plan Your Marketing and Launch Strategy
At this point you’re almost ready to go live with your program. You just need to make sure you’re dedicating resources towards spreading awareness on launch day.
The marketing plan should speak to both existing customers and new prospects. Email flows, onsite banners, and post-purchase messaging are effective for current customers. Attract new audiences by pairing social ads with influencer partnerships or UGC campaigns.
You might consider a special launch-day promotion. For instance, the first 100 members get in at half off. Limited-time bonuses for sign-ups can drive urgency.
Step 8: Monitor, Analyze, and Improve
Membership programs are living systems that should evolve with your brand. They’re not set-it-and-forget-it campaigns. Track KPIs like retention rate, average order value, and engagement with perks.
Survey members regularly to see what’s working and where you can improve. Use these insights to adjust benefits, tweak pricing, or introduce new reward structures. The best membership programs are like fine wine, they only get better with time!
Final Words on How to Start a Membership Program
That does it for our guide on how to create a membership program. Use these tips to deepen customer loyalty, increase lifetime value, and create a steady stream of recurring revenue for your ecommerce brand.
You can learn more about the customer acquisition journey or find unique customer referral program ideas in our blog. Otherwise, it’s time to take the next step with Rivo today and turn casual shoppers into brand advocates who stick around for the long haul!
