Email marketing has an average open rate of around 20%. SMS is more expensive and customers increasingly block it. Social networks throttle organic reach in favor of paid ads.

Wallet notifications are different. The average open rate runs between 80 and 90%. Why? Because they appear exactly where the customer spends the most time: on the phone’s lock screen.

How do Wallet notifications work technically?

Every card in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet is a live document. The venue can send a card update at any time: change the number of stamps, add a discount, or send a text message.

That update appears to the customer as a push notification right on the lock screen. The customer taps, opens the card, and sees the message or the new status.

No app, no email. A direct connection.

When to send notifications (and when not to)?

Wallet notifications are a powerful tool, but like any tool they can be used badly. Customers who feel overwhelmed delete the card, and with it the whole contact.

Good reasons for a notification:

  • The customer reached the halfway point to a reward: “You have 5 of 10 stamps! 5 more and you get a free coffee.”
  • The customer is near the venue (geofencing): “You’re just around the corner. We have fresh croissants today.”
  • The customer hasn’t been in for 30+ days: “We miss you! As a thank-you, you get an extra stamp this week.”
  • A special promotion or holiday: “Today we’re celebrating the café’s birthday. Come in for a free dessert.”
  • The customer has a full card and can redeem a reward.

When not to send a notification:

  • Every week with no specific reason
  • The same content repeatedly
  • Outside opening hours

Why does geofencing increase returns?

One of the most powerful features of Wallet cards is geofencing: an automatic notification when a customer physically gets close to the venue.

You set a radius (for example 200 meters from the address) and customers who have your card get an alert the moment they enter the radius. This feature is a native part of both Apple Wallet and Google Wallet; it requires no app and no special hardware.

The result: a customer who was walking past decides to stop in. Impulse visits are among the most valuable for cafés, restaurants and retail.

How to segment customers without complexity?

Not all customers are the same. The Wallet system enables segmentation by behavior:

  • New customers (1–3 stamps): welcome them and explain how the program works
  • Active customers (regular visits): reward loyalty with extra bonuses
  • Dormant customers (30+ days without a visit): send a special offer to reactivate
  • VIP customers (repeatedly redeem rewards): invite them to exclusive events

Communication targeted this way doesn’t feel like spam; it feels like a service.

What results can you expect?

Venues using Wallet notifications systematically report:

  • +25 to 40% growth in repeat visits after launching a reactivation campaign
  • 2× higher footfall on the day of a geofencing notification compared to average
  • Lower churn thanks to a regular reminder before the reward is reached

The key is not the number of notifications sent, but their relevance. One message at the right time is worth more than ten messages sent at random.

External sources

Want to set up smart Wallet notifications for your venue? Reach out to us – we’ll show you concrete examples. You set it up yourself in a few minutes through the wizard.