Selecting a loyalty platform determines how effectively a Shopify store converts one-time buyers into repeat customers. According to Shopify's research, repeat customers spend 67% more per order than new customers, making retention infrastructure critical for sustainable growth. While BON Loyalty serves as a straightforward rewards solution for merchants getting started with loyalty programs, Rivo operates as a comprehensive retention platform built specifically for fast-growing Shopify Plus brands. Understanding these fundamental differences—between basic loyalty functionality and enterprise-grade retention infrastructure—helps DTC brands choose the approach that matches growth trajectory and technical requirements.
Key Takeaways
- Rivo delivers an all-in-one retention ecosystem combining loyalty, referrals, memberships, customer accounts, wallet passes, gift cards, store credit, and wishlists—while BON Loyalty focuses primarily on points-based rewards and referral programs
- Brands using Rivo report 52x return on investment based on weighted case study medians, with enterprise clients like Kitsch generating $5.8M in loyalty-attributed revenue with 1.2M activated customers
- The Developer Toolkit provides full REST API access, custom CSS, JavaScript API, and native Liquid metafields—enabling technical teams to build custom branded experiences
- For Shopify Plus merchants processing high order volumes, Rivo maintains 99.98% API uptime with over 6M+ daily API calls, delivering enterprise-grade reliability
- White-glove onboarding includes dedicated customer success managers, Slack Connect channels, and migration assistance from competitors—with some brands completing migrations in 24 hours
- BON Loyalty offers accessible entry-level functionality and multi-language support, serving merchants seeking straightforward loyalty setup
When fast-growing DTC brands evaluate loyalty solutions, the choice between single-purpose apps and comprehensive retention platforms becomes critical. Research from Bain & Company shows that increasing customer retention rates by just 5% can increase profits by 25% to 95%. Rivo and BON Loyalty represent two distinct approaches to customer retention: BON Loyalty provides accessible rewards functionality for merchants starting loyalty journeys, while Rivo delivers a full-stack retention platform engineered for Shopify Plus merchants seeking enterprise-grade capabilities. This comparison reveals why Rivo's comprehensive approach delivers superior results for brands that have achieved product-market fit and need sophisticated retention tools to accelerate growth.
Understanding Rivo: Modern Retention Ecosystem for Shopify Merchants
Rivo positions itself as the modern retention platform built exclusively for Shopify and Shopify Plus merchants. Serving over 9,000 brands, Rivo has generated more than $1.5 billion in revenue for client brands through an integrated suite of retention tools. The platform combines loyalty programs, referral marketing, paid memberships, personalized customer accounts, wallet passes, gift cards, store credit, and wishlists into a unified ecosystem.
The fundamental difference lies in scope: BON Loyalty addresses loyalty as a standalone function, while Rivo approaches retention as an integrated system spanning multiple customer touchpoints.
Comprehensive Product Suite
Rivo's retention ecosystem includes eight interconnected products:
- Rivo Loyalty: Customizable points programs with VIP tier automation, cashback options, and direct checkout redemption
- Rivo Referrals: White-labeled referral marketing with 20+ fraud prevention tools
- Rivo Memberships: Paid subscription programs using Shopify Plus checkout extensions
- Rivo Accounts: Personalized customer account portals with wishlists and recommendations
- Wallet Passes: Mobile wallet integration for loyalty cards
- Gift Cards: Integrated gift card functionality
- Store Credit: Decimal-based store credit management
- Wishlists: Save-for-later functionality driving repeat visits
This comprehensive approach eliminates the need for multiple apps, reducing tech stack complexity while ensuring data consistency across all customer interactions. According to Accenture research, 91% of consumers are more likely to shop with brands that provide personalized offers and recommendations—capabilities that unified platforms deliver more effectively than fragmented solutions.
Targeting Fast-Growing Shopify Brands
Rivo specifically targets fast-growing DTC brands on Shopify Plus, primarily those processing 200+ monthly orders. The Enterprise plan serves brands over $5M GMV doing 2,500+ orders monthly. This focus enables deep Shopify integration that purpose-built platforms cannot match.
Featured clients span beauty (Kitsch, OSEA Malibu, Thrive Cosmetics), fashion (True Classic, Princess Polly), cookware (HexClad, Caraway), and beverage (Aloha, Partners Coffee) verticals—demonstrating versatility across DTC categories.
Understanding BON Loyalty: A Straightforward Rewards Solution
BON Loyalty operates as a focused loyalty and rewards application with over 1,700 reviews on the Shopify App Store. Founded in 2021, BON serves merchants seeking straightforward points programs, VIP tiers, and referral functionality with strong multi-language support across major languages including English, German, Spanish, French, and Japanese.
Core BON Loyalty Features
BON Loyalty provides essential loyalty program functionality:
- Points Programs: Basic earning rules for purchases, account creation, and social follows
- VIP Tiers: Customer segmentation based on spending or points accumulated
- Referral Programs: Standard referral functionality with sharing links
- Rewards Management: Discount code generation and free shipping rewards
- Multi-language Support: Interface translations for international merchants
- Integration Options: Connections to popular email and review platforms
BON Loyalty focuses on delivering core loyalty mechanics without the expanded retention toolset that Rivo provides. The platform serves merchants who prioritize simplicity and are in early stages of retention strategy development.
Target Merchant Profile
BON Loyalty targets small to mid-sized merchants who:
- Are implementing first loyalty programs
- Process moderate order volumes
- Need basic points and rewards functionality
- Prefer template-based setup over custom development
- Operate in markets requiring multi-language support
The application provides an entry point for merchants exploring loyalty concepts before potentially scaling into more comprehensive retention platforms as business complexity increases.
Architectural Advantage: Rivo's Shopify-Native and Open Platform Approach
Rivo differentiates itself as the first open platform for Shopify loyalty and referrals, emphasizing developer-friendly architecture versus legacy competitors. This technical foundation enables customization that template-based solutions cannot achieve.
Modern Shopify Integration
Rivo integrates directly into Shopify's infrastructure using:
- Theme app extensions loading in under 100ms
- 8+ checkout extensions for seamless payment integration
- Shopify Flow integration for automated workflows
- Native Shopify Plus features including stackable discounts and checkout extensibility
The platform avoids legacy workarounds like Shopify Scripts or checkout.liquid, instead leveraging modern Shopify capabilities. This architectural approach ensures performance and future compatibility as Shopify evolves.
Empowering Developers with Flexibility
The Developer Toolkit provides technical teams with:
- REST API with unrestricted access on Enterprise plans
- JavaScript API for custom frontend implementations
- Native Liquid metafields for theme integration
- Webhooks for real-time event handling
- 5x rate limits on Enterprise tier
With 850+ development teams using the platform globally, Rivo enables brands to build experiences that align with unique requirements—whether custom loyalty widgets, headless implementations, or complex automation workflows.
BON Loyalty focuses on template-based customization suitable for merchants who prefer configuration over code. For brands requiring deep customization, Rivo's open architecture provides significantly more flexibility.
Maximizing Customer Lifetime Value with Rivo Loyalty and VIP Tiers
Rivo Loyalty provides fully customizable points-based systems with VIP tier automation, designed to increase customer lifetime value through strategic reward structures. Harvard Business Review research demonstrates that properly designed loyalty programs can increase customer lifetime value by 30% or more when paired with personalized engagement strategies.
Customizing Rewards and Purchase Experience
Rivo Loyalty's earning and redemption capabilities include:
Earning Rules:
- Points for purchases, reviews, and social follows
- Birthday rewards and custom actions via API
- VIP tier progression based on spend, points earned, or orders placed
Redemption Options:
- Discount codes and store credit
- Free products and free shipping
- Direct checkout integration—customers spend points as a payment method
The checkout integration proves particularly valuable: allowing customers to redeem points directly at checkout reduces payment processing fees while creating a seamless experience. Embedded widgets display points on navigation bars, product detail pages, and post-purchase screens.
Actionable Insights from Analytics
Rivo's analytics dashboard provides 20+ reports covering:
- Program performance metrics
- Points liability tracking
- Redemption trends and patterns
- VIP tier distribution and progression
VIP tier data syncs automatically to email service providers like Klaviyo for advanced segmentation. Points expiry rules trigger automated reminder emails, recovering engagement before balances lapse.
Amplify Reach: Rivo Referrals and Memberships for Strategic Growth
Beyond loyalty, Rivo provides specialized tools for referral marketing and paid membership programs—two powerful retention mechanisms that compound customer value.
Building Trust and Combating Referral Fraud
Rivo Referrals delivers white-labeled referral marketing with dedicated pages and unique sharing links per customer. What sets it apart is comprehensive fraud prevention:
- IP address monitoring (one referral per household)
- Self-referral blocking
- Cookie tracking for attribution accuracy
- New customer verification
- Minimum cart requirements
- Order fulfillment verification before reward distribution
These 20+ fraud prevention tools address a common pain point in referral programs. HexClad demonstrates the impact: the brand generated $450K in referral revenue within 90 days with 92x ROI and 17% higher AOV from referred customers. This cookware brand's success illustrates how sophisticated fraud prevention enables aggressive referral incentives without risk of abuse. The higher average order value from referred customers validates that quality referrals drive more valuable long-term customers than typical acquisition channels.
Tiered referral rewards allow advocates to earn escalating benefits based on successful referrals, incentivizing continued promotion.
Exclusive Benefits with Paid VIP Programs
Rivo Memberships enables paid subscription programs using Shopify Plus checkout extensions and stackable discounts. Features include:
- Recurring monthly or annual billing for membership products
- Segmented discounts at checkout
- Early access to products and sales
- Store credit benefits
Fresh Chile Co's results demonstrate the value: members showed a 156% lift in AOV compared to non-members. The membership product targets brands over $5M GMV and includes dedicated Slack channel access for implementation support.
Performance and Proof: Rivo's Impact Across Diverse Shopify Brands
Rivo's case studies demonstrate measurable impact across verticals, with documented results from brands at various growth stages.
Real-World Success Stories
Kitsch (Beauty):
- $5.8M loyalty-attributed revenue
- 1.2M activated customers
- 8.7x higher repeat purchase rate for top-tier VIPs
- 1.8B points earned with 1M+ redemptions
This beauty accessories brand's results showcase the scalability of Rivo's platform infrastructure. Processing 250,000+ monthly orders through the loyalty program demonstrates enterprise-grade reliability while the 8.7x repeat purchase lift among VIP members validates the effectiveness of tier-based incentive structures.
HexClad (Cookware):
- $450K referral revenue in first 90 days
- 92x ROI from referral program
- 17% higher AOV from referred customers
OSEA Malibu (Beauty):
- 77% repeat purchase rate among redeemers
- $167 AOV—40% above site average
- 5.5x more orders from redeeming customers versus non-members
This clean beauty brand's metrics demonstrate how redemption behavior correlates with increased lifetime value. The 40% AOV premium among redeemers indicates that loyalty members shop differently—adding more items per transaction and selecting higher-value products—validating the strategic investment in retention infrastructure.
Portland Leather Goods:
- 17.4% of revenue tied to loyalty after migrating from Yotpo
Ultra Football (Nike partnership):
- $800K+ loyalty revenue in under 6 months
Industries Benefiting from Rivo
Rivo powers programs across:
- Beauty and cosmetics: Kitsch, OSEA Malibu, Laura Geller, Supergoop, Thrive Cosmetics
- Fashion and apparel: True Classic, Princess Polly, Oh Polly, Billionaire Boys Club
- Cookware and home goods: HexClad, Caraway, Pier 1 Imports
- Food and beverage: Aloha, Partners Coffee, Minor Figures
- Men's grooming: Dr. Squatch, Every Man Jack
- Specialized retail: Ridge wallets, Pit Vipers sunglasses, Bartesian
The platform processes orders for brands ranging from 200 per month startups to 250,000+ per month enterprises like Kitsch.
Strategic Integrations: Rivo's Ecosystem for Enhanced Retention
Rivo's 50+ integrations connect retention data to marketing, support, and operational systems—creating unified customer views across touchpoints.
Seamless Data Flow for Campaigns
Email and SMS integrations:
- Klaviyo with advanced event and data passing
- Postscript for SMS automation
- Attentive, Sendlane, Mailchimp, Omnisend
VIP tier data syncs automatically, enabling segmented campaigns based on loyalty status. Referral events trigger automated follow-up sequences through native integrations.
Connecting Key Marketing Tools
Subscription platforms:
- Skio, Recharge, Loop Subscriptions
- Stay, Ordergroove, Smartrr, Awtomic
Reviews integration:
Support platforms:
- Gorgias, Zendesk, Gladly
Mobile apps:
- Tapcart, Fuego, Reactiv, Venn Apps
Shopify native:
- Shopify Flow for automated workflows
- Shopify POS for omnichannel programs
- Shop Pay integration
This integration depth enables sophisticated automation—such as syncing subscriber status into custom VIP tiers or triggering win-back campaigns based on loyalty activity.
Making the Strategic Choice for Retention Success
Fast-growing DTC brands on Shopify Plus face complex retention challenges that single-purpose loyalty apps cannot fully address. Rivo's comprehensive platform approach provides distinct advantages for brands ready to scale retention infrastructure alongside revenue growth. The integration of loyalty, referrals, memberships, accounts, and supporting tools eliminates data silos while reducing app management overhead—creating unified customer experiences that drive measurable lifetime value increases.
BON Loyalty serves an important role for merchants beginning loyalty journeys, offering accessible functionality and straightforward setup. For brands that have achieved product-market fit and need sophisticated retention infrastructure to scale, Rivo provides the comprehensive platform approach that drives measurable customer lifetime value growth with proven ROI across diverse DTC verticals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main technical differences between Rivo and legacy loyalty platforms?
Rivo integrates directly into Shopify's infrastructure using theme app extensions that load in under 100ms, checkout extensions, and Shopify Flow—avoiding deprecated approaches like Shopify Scripts or checkout.liquid. The Developer Toolkit provides REST API, JavaScript API, native Liquid metafields, and webhooks for custom implementations. With 850+ development teams using the platform, Rivo enables brands to build unique experiences that template-based solutions cannot support.
How does Rivo Referrals prevent fraud while maintaining program effectiveness?
Rivo Referrals includes 20+ built-in fraud prevention tools: IP address monitoring limits one referral per household, self-referral blocking prevents gaming, cookie tracking ensures accurate attribution, new customer verification confirms eligibility, and order fulfillment verification ensures rewards only distribute after legitimate purchases complete. HexClad generated $450K in referral revenue in 90 days with 92x ROI using these protections.
Can Rivo support large enterprise brands with high order volumes?
Yes. Rivo's infrastructure processes 2.9 billion API calls annually with 99.98% uptime and 6M+ daily API calls. The platform powers programs for brands doing nine-figures annually, including collaborations with Nike and celebrity partnerships. Kitsch processes 250,000+ monthly orders through Rivo, generating $5.8M in loyalty-attributed revenue. Enterprise plans include unlimited order volume, dedicated Slack channels, and quarterly strategy sessions.
What is the typical onboarding process for merchants migrating to Rivo?
White-glove onboarding follows a 3-week structured process: Week 1 involves kickoff discussions and asset gathering; Weeks 1-2 cover design and integration build; Weeks 2-3 include stakeholder walkthroughs, migration planning, team training, and go-live. Migration assistance supports transitions from Yotpo, Smile.io, Loyalty Lion, and other platforms. Speed varies by complexity—Teaspressa completed migration in 24 hours, while Partners Coffee migrated in 3 weeks. Plus and Enterprise plans include dedicated customer success managers throughout.
How does Rivo support omnichannel loyalty across online and in-store purchases?
Rivo integrates with Shopify POS for unified omnichannel programs—customers earn and redeem points whether shopping online or in physical stores. The Scale Plan includes 3 POS locations, with higher tiers supporting expanded retail footprints. Wallet passes enable mobile loyalty card storage, while the unified account portal displays point balances and VIP status across channels.
