Why Use Points Expiry?
Points expiry creates urgency. A customer who knows their points are expiring has a concrete reason to return and use them, turning a dormant balance into an active purchase.
Re-engage customers who have accumulated points but have not returned to redeem them
Reduce long-term points liability. Unspent points represent future discounts on your books
Create regular touchpoints with customers through expiry reminder emails
Encourage faster redemption cycles, keeping customers active in your program
ℹ️ Note
Points expiry works best as an engagement tool, not a cost-cutting measure. If customers feel their rewards are being taken away unfairly, it damages loyalty rather than building it. The guidance in this article will help you use it the right way.
Enable Points Expiry
From your Shopify admin, open the Mage Loyalty app.
In the left menu, click Loyalty.
Scroll to the Points Expiry section at the bottom of the page.
Check the box labelled Enable points expiry.
Select an expiry mode: "Time after points are acquired" or "Customer's last purchase date".
Select a expiry reminder. If emails templates or integrations such as Klaviyo, Omnisend or Klaviyo are enabled, you can optionally send expiry reminders. If none of these are enabled, no reminders are sent.
Enter a number in the Points expire after field.
Click Save.
ℹ️ Note
Setting the days field to 0 means points never expire, the same as leaving expiry disabled. Always enter a value greater than 0 when enabling this setting.
Choose an Expiry Mode
After enabling points expiry, you can choose how the expiry clock works. This controls what the expiry countdown is based on.
Time After Points Are Acquired (Default)
Each batch of points expires independently, based on when they were earned. If a customer earns points on January 1st and again on February 1st with a 90-day expiry, the January points expire on April 1st and the February points expire on May 1st.
This is the default mode and works well for most stores.
Customer's Last Purchase Date
Every purchase resets the expiry clock for all of the customer's active points — not just the points earned from that order. As long as a customer keeps purchasing within the expiry window, their points never expire.
For example, a customer has 500 points set to expire on March 27th. They make a purchase on March 25th with a 90-day expiry setting. All 500 points now expire on June 23rd. If they purchase again before June 23rd, the expiry moves forward again.
This mode rewards purchase frequency and recurring orders without forcing customers to redeem their points within a fixed window.
Which mode should I choose?
Mode | Best for | How it works |
Time after points are acquired | Most stores. Simple, predictable expiry. | Each earning event has its own independent expiry date. |
Customer's last purchase date | Stores that prioritise repeat purchases and want to reward buying frequency. | Every purchase extends the life of all active points. |
ℹ️ Note
You can switch between modes at any time. When switching to "Customer's last purchase date", existing points keep their current expiry dates until the customer makes their next purchase, which will reset all of them.
Choosing the Right Expiry Window
The window you set should reflect your customers' natural purchase cycle. Too short and you risk frustrating loyal customers. Too long and the urgency effect is lost.
Store Type | Suggested Window | Reasoning |
Consumables / replenishment(beauty, supplements, food) | 180–365 days | Customers buy regularly: 6–12 months is fair and still creates urgency. |
Fashion / apparel | 365 days | Seasonal buying patterns mean customers may only shop 2–4 times a year. |
General ecommerce | 365 days | Safe default for most stores. One year gives customers ample time. |
High-frequency / subscription | 90–180 days | Customers buy often: a shorter window is reasonable and drives faster redemption. |
Not recommended | Under 90 days | Very short windows frustrate customers and generate negative sentiment. |
✅ Tip
When in doubt, start with 365 days. You can always shorten the window later. It is much harder to rebuild trust after frustrating customers with a surprise expiry.
Points Expiry Email Notifications
Mage Loyalty automatically sends customers a Points Expiring email before their balance is due to expire using the time window set. This gives them time to return and redeem before losing their points.
The notification is sent automatically, no manual action needed from you.
You can customise the email content and send timing in Email Templates in the Mage Loyalty app.
Optionally you can fire a Klaviyo, Omnisend or Postscript event.
✅ Tip
The Points Expiring email is one of the most effective re-engagement emails in your loyalty toolkit. Make sure the template is compelling. Remind customers what they can redeem their points for and include a clear link back to your store.
How Points Expiry Works
How the expiry clock works depends on the mode you have selected:
Time after points are acquired: Points expire per batch. Each group of points earned starts its own expiry clock from the date they were awarded.
Customer's last purchase date: All active points share the same expiry date. Every purchase resets the clock for all points, including points earned from non-purchase actions like signups, birthdays, and social follows.
In both modes:
Points earned before expiry was enabled are grandfathered in and will never expire. Only points earned after the setting is turned on will have an expiry date.
Expired points are permanently removed from a customer's balance and cannot be reinstated automatically.
Customers can view their points balance and expiry dates in the loyalty sidebar.
Important
If you are enabling expiry for the first time on a store with existing customers who have accumulated points, those customers will immediately see an expiry clock on their balance. Consider sending a loyalty member email to give them advance notice before the setting goes live.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
⚠️ Common Mistake
Setting an expiry window under 90 days: Very short windows erode trust. Customers who earn points on a purchase and find them expired before their next visit are unlikely to re-engage with your program.
⚠️ Common Mistake
Enabling expiry without notifying existing customers: Customers with large accumulated balances will see their points suddenly have an expiry date. Communicate the change before it takes effect.
⚠️ Common Mistake
Manually reinstating expired points frequently: If you regularly add back expired points as goodwill gestures, your expiry window is probably too short. Adjust the setting rather than managing exceptions.
Troubleshooting
Customers are not receiving the expiry reminder email
Check that the Points Expiring email template is enabled in Email Templates.
Confirm the customer's email address is valid and their account is active.
Ensure in your Klaviyo, Omnisend or Postscript integration page that you have enabled the points expiry event.
A customer's points expired but they believe they should not have
Check the customer's points history in the Customers section to see when points were earned and when they expired.
If appropriate, add points manually as a goodwill gesture via Customers > Manual Points Adjustment.
I want to disable points expiry
Go to Loyalty > Points Expiry, uncheck Enable points expiry, and click Save.
Points that have already expired are not reinstated. Only unexpired points are preserved going forward.
🗨️ Still need help or can’t find the answers you’re looking for? Reach out to the Mage Loyalty team through our live chat support.