Most salons should set the free treatment at visit 6 to 8, not lower
A salon stamp card should require 6 to 8 paid visits before a free treatment, a threshold that keeps the giveaway's cost under roughly 15% of the client's total spend across that cycle while still being close enough to feel achievable — a threshold above 10 visits tends to feel too distant to motivate behavior.
The right number ultimately depends on your real visit cycle: a service most clients book every 3-4 weeks supports a higher threshold than one clients book every 6-8 weeks, since the total time to earn the reward stays reasonable either way.
The math behind the 15% giveaway ceiling
At a 150 SAR average ticket, a free treatment at visit 6 gives away 150 SAR against 750 SAR of prior spend (5 paid visits x 150 SAR) — a giveaway rate of 20%, a touch above the target ceiling. Pushing the threshold to visit 8 brings prior spend to 1,050 SAR (7 paid visits), dropping the giveaway rate to about 14%, comfortably inside the target range.
| Threshold (visit #) | Paid visits before reward | Prior spend | Giveaway rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 4 | 600 SAR | 25% |
| 6 | 5 | 750 SAR | 20% |
| 8 | 7 | 1,050 SAR | 14% |
Why lower thresholds still make sense for some services
A lower threshold, like every 5th visit, can be the right call for a high-frequency, lower-ticket service — a blowout at 60-80 SAR, for example, where a fast reward cycle drives habit formation and the smaller ticket keeps the absolute giveaway cost low even at a higher percentage rate. The stamps vs points comparison covers when to switch mechanics entirely for a wide-ranging price list.
- 6-8 visits balances achievability with a sub-15% giveaway rate at a 150 SAR ticket
- High-frequency, low-ticket services (blowouts) can support a 5-visit threshold
- Wide-ranging price lists usually need points, not a fixed stamp threshold, at all
- A threshold above 10 visits risks feeling unreachable and losing motivational power
What the dashboard tells you about your current threshold
If most clients redeem the reward but rarely re-engage afterward, the threshold may be too easy relative to your reward's cost. If very few clients ever reach the threshold, it's likely too high for your actual visit cycle. The dashboard's redemption data over a full quarter is the clearest signal — don't judge threshold sizing off a single month.
Setting the right threshold in five steps
Work through your own numbers rather than copying a default.
- Step 1: check your average ticket
Use the specific service's price, not your overall salon average.
- Step 2: decide your target giveaway rate
10-15% of prior spend is a reasonable range for most salons.
- Step 3: calculate the threshold
Divide your reward's value by the target rate, then by ticket price, to estimate visits needed.
- Step 4: check against your real visit cadence
Make sure the resulting threshold translates to a realistic number of months.
- Step 5: monitor redemption over a full quarter
Adjust if redemption is unusually high or unusually rare.
Setting up the threshold on Waya
Stamp thresholds are set when you build the card in the dashboard, available on the Free plan as well as Growth and Premium — you don't need to upgrade just to change a threshold, only to unlock points or balance card types as an alternative to stamps.
Pair the threshold with a welcome message that states it plainly, something like "Your 6th visit is on us — 1 stamp logged today." A client who understands the reward math from the first visit is more likely to keep coming back specifically to reach it, rather than discovering the reward by accident on a later visit. See the salon loyalty program guide for more on setting up welcome and stamp-added triggers together.
Frequently asked questions
How many paid visits should come before a free treatment on a stamp card?
Most salons should set the threshold at 6 to 8 visits, which keeps the reward's cost under roughly 15% of the client's prior spend at a typical 150 SAR ticket while staying achievable enough to motivate return visits.
Why not set a lower threshold, like every 5th visit?
A 5-visit threshold at a 150 SAR ticket pushes the giveaway rate to around 25% of prior spend, above the target ceiling — though it can still make sense for high-frequency, lower-ticket services like blowouts.
What if my stamp threshold feels too high — clients rarely reach it?
Check your real visit cadence. If clients book every 6-8 weeks and your threshold is 8 visits, that's over a year to earn a reward — lower the threshold or switch to a shorter cycle service for the card.
Does the threshold change if my price list varies widely?
A fixed stamp threshold works best for uniformly priced services. If treatments range widely in price, a points card tied to riyals spent is usually the better mechanic instead of a stamp count.
Can I change the threshold after launching the card?
Yes, from the card settings in the dashboard, available on any plan including Free. Review your redemption data over a full quarter before adjusting, rather than reacting to a single slow or fast month.