Use points, not stamps, once your price list spans more than roughly 2x between services
A salon should switch from a stamp card to a points card once its price list spans a wide range — say, a 40 SAR trim next to a 300 SAR full color — because a stamp card treats every visit identically regardless of price, rewarding a client who only ever books the cheapest service exactly as much as one who consistently spends 7x more.
Points tied to riyals spent fix this automatically: a client earns proportionally more toward her reward from a 300 SAR color than from a 40 SAR trim, which is fairer to the salon's margin and, done well, still feels rewarding to the client.
Stamps vs. points, side by side
The core trade-off is fairness versus simplicity: stamps are easier for clients to understand at a glance ("one more visit to your free treatment"), while points require converting a riyal amount into a points balance, adding a small layer of abstraction most clients adapt to quickly.
| Factor | Stamp card | Points card |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | Uniform-priced services | Wide-ranging price list |
| Client understanding | Immediate — one stamp per visit | Requires a conversion rate, slightly less intuitive |
| Fairness to margin | Rewards cheap and expensive visits equally | Rewards proportional to spend |
| Plan requirement | Available on Free and up | Growth plan or above |
A concrete reward-sizing example
Set points at roughly 1 point per riyal spent, with a reward threshold at 1,000 points (equivalent to 1,000 SAR of spend) redeemable for a 150 SAR treatment — a 15% giveaway rate consistent with the target range for stamp-based rewards, but now scaling fairly across a 40-300 SAR price range instead of assuming every visit is worth the same.
A client who mixes a 40 SAR trim and two 300 SAR colors across three visits earns 640 points toward that 1,000-point threshold — proportional to her actual spend, something a stamp card counting "3 visits" could never reflect.
- 1 point per SAR spent is a simple, easy-to-explain conversion rate
- Set the redemption threshold to keep the giveaway near 10-15% of spend, same target as stamp cards
- Points cards are a Growth-plan feature, alongside balance and discount card types
- Both mechanics run on the same Apple Wallet / Google Wallet card, across all your branches
The one case where stamps still win on a varied price list
If your varied pricing is actually two distinct service tiers rather than a smooth range — say, basic services and a separate premium tier — running two simple stamp cards (one per tier) can be clearer for clients than one points card blending both, since each tier's stamp progress stays intuitive. This works only if clients rarely cross between tiers; if they do, points still handle the mixing better.
Switching from a stamp card to points
If you're already running a stamp card and your price list has grown more varied over time, moving to points doesn't require losing existing client history — see switching providers without losing history for the general approach, which applies just as well to switching card types within Waya as to switching platforms entirely.
- Step 1: audit your price range
Compare your cheapest and most expensive regular services.
- Step 2: decide if points fit better
If the range exceeds roughly 2x, points are usually the fairer mechanic.
- Step 3: set your points-per-riyal rate
1 point per SAR is a simple default most clients understand quickly.
- Step 4: set the redemption threshold
Aim for a giveaway rate near 10-15% of the threshold spend, similar to stamp-card targets.
- Step 5: communicate the switch clearly
Explain the new points system in the welcome message for existing clients moving over.
Why the reward threshold math is the same either way
Whether you run stamps or points, the underlying goal is identical: keep the giveaway near 10-15% of the spend required to earn it, and match the earning cycle to how often clients actually book. See how many visits before a free treatment for the stamp-card version of this same sizing exercise — the logic transfers directly to setting a points threshold, just measured in riyals spent instead of visit count.
Bridal or occasion spending is worth handling separately from either mechanic — a single 800 SAR bridal package would otherwise dominate a points balance in a way that distorts the reward for routine clients, so most salons exclude occasion bookings from the regular points or stamp cycle entirely and treat them as a one-off campaign instead.
Frequently asked questions
Should a salon use a stamp card or a points card when treatments vary in price?
Use points once the price range between services exceeds roughly 2x — for example, a 40 SAR trim next to a 300 SAR color. Points tied to riyals spent reward proportionally to what a client actually spends, which a flat stamp card can't do.
What points-to-riyal ratio should a salon use?
1 point per SAR spent is a simple, easy-to-explain default. Set the redemption threshold so the reward's value stays near 10-15% of the required spend, similar to the target giveaway rate for stamp cards.
Is there a case where stamps still work for varied pricing?
Yes, if your pricing forms two genuinely separate service tiers that clients rarely mix — running two simple stamp cards, one per tier, can stay clearer than a single points card in that specific case.
Does a points card cost more than a stamp card on Waya?
Points cards are a Growth-plan feature alongside balance and discount cards, while a basic stamp card is available on the Free plan — factor that into your decision if you're currently on Free.
Can I switch from stamps to points without losing client history?
Yes — switching card types within Waya doesn't require losing enrolled client data, following the same approach used when switching platforms entirely: keep the client list, reset the reward mechanic, and communicate the change clearly.