Diwali is the biggest shopping season in India, and it’s not just about discounts—brands use this festive period to launch innovative loyalty programs that create long-term customer engagement. Both B2C and B2B loyalty programs come into play, with businesses rewarding their consumers and channel partners alike. Let’s explore some of the best examples of Diwali loyalty programs in India and why they work.

Importance of Diwali Loyalty Programs

Diwali offers brands a golden opportunity to strengthen relationships with customers and channel partners. The festival is culturally tied to purchases of high-value items like gold, electronics, and home goods, making it a key moment for loyalty initiatives. With the right loyalty strategy, businesses can enhance customer retention, increase sales, and build emotional connections that last well beyond the festive season.

Key Elements of a Successful Diwali Loyalty Program

The most successful Diwali loyalty programs share common features:

• Personalized offers tailored to customer preferences.
• Tiered rewards to incentivize high-value or repeat purchases.
• Exclusive festive rewards that go beyond simple discounts, including gift vouchers, cashback, or Diwali hampers.
• Gamification elements such as lucky draws, scratch cards, or festive-themed challenges to make participation fun and engaging.

Diwali Loyalty Program Examples in India

Several top brands in India have rolled out creative loyalty programs for Diwali, offering consumers and businesses something special during this festive season. Here are some of the most notable examples:

1. Flipkart’s Big Billion Days

Flipkart’s Big Billion Days sale is one of the biggest shopping events of the year, coinciding with the Diwali season. The loyalty element here is through Flipkart Plus, the company’s membership program, which offers early access to deals, free shipping, and extra rewards. During Big Billion Days, members earn “SuperCoins” for every purchase, which can be redeemed for discounts, exclusive brand offers, or even third-party services like flight tickets or streaming subscriptions.

What makes Flipkart’s loyalty program work during Diwali is its focus on giving customers tangible benefits that enhance their shopping experience. By offering personalized deals and loyalty rewards through SuperCoins, Flipkart keeps its customers engaged long after the festive season ends.

2. Croma’s Diwali Loyalty Rewards

Croma, one of India’s largest electronics retailers, rolls out its Croma Privileges Program during Diwali, offering customers rewards on every purchase. This Diwali loyalty program provides exclusive offers for Privileges members, like free extended warranties, zero-cost EMIs, and special access to Diwali sales.

Croma also gives additional loyalty points during the Diwali season, which can be redeemed on future purchases, making it attractive for customers who are looking to buy big-ticket electronics during the festival. By rewarding loyal customers with more value, Croma builds a stronger relationship with them, encouraging repeat purchases throughout the year.

3. Reliance Retail’s MyJio Rewards

Reliance Retail, through its MyJio Rewards program, offers loyalty points and cashback during Diwali. Customers earn points on every purchase made at Reliance Fresh, Reliance Digital, and Reliance Trends. These points can be accumulated and redeemed for future purchases or special offers during the Diwali season.

Reliance often runs Diwali-specific campaigns where customers receive bonus points, free gifts, and personalized offers, enhancing their shopping experience. This loyalty program helps Reliance build long-term customer loyalty by providing immediate and future rewards during the festive season.

4. Kalyan Jewellers Loyalty Program

Jewelry purchases during Diwali are significant due to the cultural belief that buying gold brings good fortune. Kalyan Jewellers taps into this by offering its customers special benefits through the Kalyan Loyalty Program. During Diwali, the brand provides extra loyalty points on gold purchases, festive gift hampers, and exclusive discounts for loyalty members.

Kalyan Jewellers also offers installment schemes for high-value purchases, making it easier for customers to buy during the festive season. The emotional value attached to gold purchases during Diwali, combined with exclusive rewards, helps Kalyan build a stronger connection with its customer base.

5. Tata CLiQ’s Festive Shopping Carnival

Tata CLiQ, a leading e-commerce platform in India, launches its Festive Shopping Carnival during Diwali, offering a range of benefits to members of its CLiQ Circle loyalty program. These benefits include additional cashback, early access to Diwali deals, and bonus loyalty points.

Tata CLiQ’s focus on offering personalized recommendations and exclusive offers based on customer preferences makes its Diwali loyalty program stand out. This not only increases customer engagement during the festive season but also promotes long-term loyalty by rewarding customers for their loyalty year-round.

6. ICICI Bank’s Diwali Delight Program

ICICI Bank rolls out its Diwali Delight Program every year, offering its customers exclusive rewards for using ICICI credit and debit cards during the Diwali shopping season. Cardholders earn loyalty points for every transaction and enjoy cashback on partner brands like Amazon, Flipkart, and Myntra.

Additionally, ICICI Bank offers festive rewards like bonus points, free gifts, and zero-interest EMIs during Diwali, making it a top choice for consumers looking for financing options. The combination of exclusive offers and long-term benefits through the loyalty points system helps ICICI build lasting customer relationships.

7. Pantaloons Green Card

Pantaloons, a leading fashion retailer in India, runs its Green Card loyalty program, offering exclusive benefits to members during Diwali. Green Card holders receive early access to Diwali collections, personalized discounts, and extra loyalty points on purchases.

During Diwali, Pantaloons often introduces limited-time offers for Green Card members, such as festive gift hampers and additional discounts on ethnic wear, which is highly popular during the season. This approach not only drives sales but also enhances customer loyalty by providing an enriched shopping experience tailored to Diwali celebrations.

8. D-Mart’s Diwali Cashback Offers

D-Mart, a popular retail chain in India, offers cashback on purchases made during Diwali through its D-Mart Ready loyalty program. Customers receive additional cashback and discounts on bulk purchases, which is particularly attractive during the Diwali season when families buy groceries and household essentials in large quantities.

The cashback is credited directly to the customer’s loyalty account, which can be redeemed for future purchases. This encourages repeat visits and builds customer loyalty, as shoppers can enjoy year-round savings while also benefiting from Diwali-specific rewards.

Read More: Why Diwali Is the Best Time for Loyalty Programs for Businesses

B2B Loyalty Programs During Diwali

While consumer-facing loyalty programs dominate Diwali, B2B loyalty programs are also increasingly popular during the festive season. These programs target distributors, wholesalers, and retailers, rewarding them for meeting sales targets, promoting specific products, or achieving market expansion.

For example:

• Asian Paints runs a loyalty program for its dealers and contractors, offering rewards such as holiday packages, bonus points, and gift vouchers during Diwali. These programs incentivize channel partners to push more products during the festive season, resulting in higher sales and greater brand loyalty.
• Havells offers special Diwali incentives for its distributors and retailers, rewarding them with gifts and bonuses for achieving specific sales milestones during the festive period. This not only boosts sales but also strengthens the relationship between Havells and its channel partners.

How to Create a Successful Diwali Loyalty Program

To create a successful loyalty program during Diwali, brands need to focus on personalization, relevance, and ease of participation. Here are a few key strategies:

• Offer personalized rewards: Use customer data to create personalized offers that cater to specific needs during Diwali, such as personalized gift hampers or exclusive discounts.
• Incorporate gamification: Add fun, engaging elements like scratch cards, quizzes, or lucky draws to keep customers engaged and excited about your brand.
• Tiered benefits: Introduce tiered loyalty programs that reward high-spending or long-term customers with extra perks during Diwali, such as early access to sales or exclusive Diwali hampers.
• Easy redemption: Ensure that rewards can be easily redeemed, whether it’s cashback, points, or discounts, so that customers feel an immediate benefit.

Conclusion

Diwali is a key moment for brands in India to enhance customer engagement through well-crafted loyalty programs. From retail giants like Flipkart and Amazon to banks like ICICI and HDFC, businesses have been innovating their loyalty strategies to capture the festive spirit and reward their customers with personalized, valuable rewards. The inclusion of B2B loyalty programs also ensures that brands can strengthen their relationships with channel partners, ensuring a win-win situation for all stakeholders during the Diwali season.