Breakdown of Gymshark's Loyalty Program
Gymshark's loyalty program launched in May 2025 after years of customer requests. Their "Experience Points" system rewards both spending and lifestyle activities like workouts and app engagement.
Program Structure: Four-tier system with points earned through purchases and non-purchase activities including workouts, app downloads, and communication signups.
Core Innovation: Points awarded for completing workouts in their training app, integrating fitness activities directly into the loyalty framework.
This guide includes:
1. General thoughts and notes (with visual examples)
2. Tier Structure: The Psychology of Progress
3. Points Mechanics: Beyond Transactional Rewards
4. Community Features: Building Belonging
1. General thoughts and notes
Verdict: A for Effort, B for Execution
Gymshark’s concept of rewarding workouts alongside purchases is bold and aligned with the brand. It’s a great idea on paper, but the execution stumbles. Beyond basic vouchers, the purpose of the program is unclear, and the heavy use of “coming soon” messaging causes more confusion than excitement.
Rating: 4/10
That score might seem harsh, but with so much still undefined at launch, it reflects the current reality. There’s clear potential if Gymshark defines the structure and starts delivering on its promises. At the moment, members don’t really understand what they’re working toward.
While the four-step model is easy to grasp, it lacks a clear motivational anchor. Ideally, the third tier should act as a golden level, where most members aim to land. It should feel rewarding and attainable. The fourth tier can then serve as a more exclusive level with significant benefits. It could even be followed by a secret or invite-only tier to drive deeper engagement and aspiration.
Summary of notes (with visual examples):

Too many discounts: becomes a devaluation of the clothes

Excessive discounting can damage brand perception and customer expectations. When customers become accustomed to frequent sales, they start waiting for discounts rather than purchasing at full price, which erodes profit margins. This also creates a psychological devaluation where customers begin to question the true worth of products if they're constantly marked down.

Refer a friend incentive is good!

Refer a friend incentive is good!

Should be for members as a good thing they offer to members

Exclusive benefits and offers should be positioned as valuable perks that demonstrate the brand's appreciation for loyal customers. This creates a sense of privilege and special treatment that makes membership feel worthwhile, rather than appearing as standard promotional activity.

15% Student discount is good (even though I don't recommend discounts in general)

15% Student discount is good (even though I don't recommend discounts in general)

Good sign in popup

Good sign in popup

Love that it's not just about buying but that workout sessions give points too

This highlights one of Gymshark's key innovations: rewarding lifestyle behaviours alongside purchases. By giving points for workouts, they're encouraging the healthy habits their brand represents, creating deeper engagement beyond transactions, and building loyalty through shared values rather than just spending.

Feels unfinished and having 'coming soon' on all tiers feels just lazy The extensive use of coming soon across multiple tiers creates an incomplete user experience. It suggests the program was launched before all benefits were ready, which can frustrate users who join expecting immediate value but find placeholder promises instead.

If you think about airlines, it's clear that with gold status you get lounge access, it's clear and exclusive. Here it says 'exclusive access coming soon.' Exclusive access to what? This makes an excellent point about benefit clarity. Airline programs succeed because they offer specific, tangible perks like lounge access, priority boarding, and seat upgrades. Gymshark's vague exclusive access promises don't give customers a clear understanding of what they're working towards, which reduces motivation to advance through tiers.

Nice and smart that you get points for opting in for SMS etc and downloading the app

This recognises the strategic value of rewarding permission-based marketing actions. By giving points for SMS opt-ins and app downloads, Gymshark builds their direct communication channels whilst providing immediate value to customers, creating a win-win situation for both engagement and marketing reach.

2. Tier Structure: The Psychology of Progress
Gymshark uses a four-tier system with clear progression thresholds and escalating benefits.
What Gymshark Does:
They structure membership levels with specific point requirements and corresponding rewards:
Tier Level
XP Threshold
Key Benefits
Tier 1
0-1,249 XP
Birthday rewards, exclusive offers
Tier 2
1,250-2,999 XP
£10 reward + Tier 1 benefits
Tier 3
3,000-4,999 XP
£15 reward + previous benefits
Tier 4
5,000+ XP
£20 reward + annual member reward
How They Do It:
  • Starting point: All members begin at Tier 1 with immediate access to basic benefits
  • Progression gaps: Each tier requires increasing point accumulation
  • Benefit structure: Monetary rewards increase alongside tier-specific perks
  • Future benefits: Multiple tiers include "coming soon" features
How You Can Apply It:
  • Structure achievable milestones - Set first tier advancement within early interactions
  • Create distinct benefit levels - Ensure each tier offers notably different perks
  • Plan future value - Use upcoming benefits to maintain long-term interest

Examples To Be Inspired By:
Industry
Strategy
Implementation Example
Sports/Fashion
Exclusive product access
NikePlus early access to limited drops
Beauty/Cosmetics
Educational experiences
Sephora VIP masterclasses & tutorials
Music/Entertainment
Premium experience tiers
Spotify ad-free listening for Premium
Gaming
Status-based progression
Xbox achievement system with gamerscore
Food/Beverage
Lifestyle integration
Starbucks rewards for daily coffee ritual

Implementation Note: Visual progress indicators can show advancement status within your app interface.

Btw, do you need help building or improving your loyalty program?
Book a call and we'll take a high-level view of how you can create more loyal customers.
3. Points Mechanics: Beyond Transactional Rewards
Gymshark's Experience Points system includes both purchase-based and engagement-based earning opportunities.
What Gymshark Does:
They operate dual earning pathways that extend beyond transactions:
Purchase-Based Earning:
  • 8 XP per £1 spent (standard rate)
Engagement-Based Earning:
  • 50 XP for downloading shopping app
  • 50 XP for downloading training app
  • 10 XP per completed workout (max 50/week)
  • 25 XP for email signup 25 XP for text signup
Patagonia designs customer journeys that educate and inspire rather than just sell. Every touchpoint reinforces their environmental mission while building deeper connections.
How They Do It:
  • Multiple earning channels: Points available through various customer actions
  • App adoption incentives: Download rewards equivalent to £6.25 in spending
  • Activity limits: Weekly caps on workout points to manage point inflation
  • Permission-based rewards: Communication opt-ins build marketing channels whilst providing points
How You Can Apply It:
  • Map customer actions - Identify valuable non-purchase behaviours in your user journey
  • Set engagement values - Assign point values to different actions based on business value
  • Implement activity limits - Use caps to prevent system gaming whilst encouraging regular use
  • Reward onboarding - Make initial setup actions immediately valuable
Examples To Be Inspired By:
Industry
Strategy
Implementation Example
Health/Wellness
Behaviour-based rewards
Headspace points for meditation streaks
Fitness/Sports
Activity tracking rewards
Strava segments & achievement badges
Education/Learning
Progress milestone bonuses
Duolingo streak rewards & league system
Productivity
Usage habit reinforcement
Notion template rewards for daily use
Food/Delivery
Frequency-based incentives
Uber Eats points for regular ordering
4. Community Features: Building Belonging
Gymshark integrates community-oriented actions into their points system structure.
What Gymshark Does:
They embed community values into their reward mechanisms:
  • Workout completion rewards align with fitness lifestyle
  • "Shop, share, show up" brand messaging reflected in program structure
  • Communication channel participation rewarded through signup points
  • Training app integration connects loyalty with core brand purpose
How They Do It:
  • Brand value alignment: Points awarded for actions reflecting company mission
  • Community participation rewards: Email/text signups create engagement opportunities
  • Lifestyle integration: Workout rewards connect daily habits with brand interaction
  • Organic engagement: Community building through shared interests rather than forced participation
How You Can Apply It:
  • Identify brand values - Determine which customer behaviours reflect your company mission
  • Reward community participation - Points for forum posts, event attendance, peer assistance
  • Create shared objectives - Team challenges, collective milestones, group achievements
  • Build social proof - Showcase member achievements and community stories
Examples To Be Inspired By:
Industry
Strategy
Implementation Example
Fitness/Wellness
Community-driven engagement
Peloton leaderboards & group challenges
Travel/Hospitality
Host community building
Airbnb Superhost status & exclusive perks
Technology/Dev
Contribution recognition
GitHub contribution graphs & achievements
Social/Networking
Professional development
LinkedIn skill endorsements & profile strength
Gaming/Entertainment
Guild-based cooperation
Discord server communities & role rewards

Do you need help building or improving your loyalty program?
Book a call and we'll take a high-level view of how you can create more loyal customers.