How to Use Surprise-and-Delight Tactics to Increase Customer Loyalty and Retention

August 29, 2025

A Proven Retention Strategy for DTC and Shopify Brands

For ecommerce brands, especially those on Shopify, retention isn’t just about email flows and discount codes. Long-term loyalty is built through emotional connection—through moments that feel human. That’s where surprise-and-delight marketing comes in.

Surprise-and-delight tactics are small, intentional gestures that create joy, build trust, and differentiate your brand in a crowded market. When executed with purpose, they deepen customer loyalty, increase repeat purchase rates, and generate organic word-of-mouth.

To help you implement this systematically, we’ve created the Surprise-and-Delight Checklist—a downloadable resource to plan, track, and scale high-impact, low-cost moments that make your brand unforgettable.

Download the Surprise-and-Delight Checklist

What Is the Surprise-and-Delight Checklist?

This checklist is a strategic retention tool designed by the team at Sticky Digital. It helps ecommerce teams build consistent surprise-and-delight programs that don’t rely on guesswork. Inside, you’ll find:

A curated list of low-cost, high-impact ideas
Suggested timing and audience for each tactic
A logging system to track who received what and when
Operational guidance to scale the program without losing authenticity

It’s built to plug into your retention marketing strategy, improve loyalty program performance, and drive customer lifetime value through genuine connection.

Why Surprise-and-Delight Works

Emotional loyalty is stickier than transactional rewards. When customers feel seen and appreciated, they’re more likely to:

Buy again—even when cheaper alternatives exist
Refer friends and family without being prompted
Leave positive reviews and user-generated content

In fact, studies show that unexpected positive experiences increase brand affinity by up to 40%. When you surprise customers in thoughtful ways, you create stories—and those stories get shared.

Use Cases: When to Deploy Surprise-and-Delight Tactics

The best time to surprise your customers is when they least expect it. Here are a few strategic moments recommended in the checklist:

After first or third purchase – Send a handwritten thank-you card or a bonus product sample
On the customer’s birthday – Email a gift code or include a small gift in their next order
Following a customer support ticket – Send a personalized apology with a discount or gift
After a social media mention – DM a thank-you and offer early access to a drop
To your top 1% spenders each quarter – Upgrade their next order to express shipping or include a premium sample

These touchpoints can be automated in part via Klaviyo or tracked manually using the checklist’s built-in logging template.

How to Use the Surprise-and-Delight Checklist

1. Choose the Right Tactics for Your Brand

Start by reviewing the included list of surprise-and-delight ideas, which span low-cost gestures, scalable automations, and high-touch moments. Highlight those that align with your margin structure, brand tone, and fulfillment capacity.

2. Segment Your Customers Strategically

Don’t send surprises to everyone. Focus on:

Loyalty program tiers
Subscribers or first-time buyers
High-LTV segments from your email or SMS platform

The checklist includes a segmentation column so your team can document the “why” behind each gesture.

3. Plan Timing and Frequency

Use the suggested timing recommendations in the checklist to balance impact and operational load. Aim for:

1–2 gestures per week to start
Quarterly campaigns for top-tier customers
Lifecycle triggers based on key moments (e.g., reorder anniversary)

4. Track Execution and Results

Log each gesture in the provided tracking sheet. This helps you avoid duplication, identify high-performing moments, and train your team to personalize authentically at scale.

Examples of Surprise-and-Delight That Work

Here are a few real-world examples that consistently deliver retention value:

A DTC skincare brand includes handwritten notes in all first-time orders from customers who spend over $100
A supplement company surprises customers with upgraded two-day shipping during their birthday month
A luxury candle brand gifts a travel-size scent in every third order and tracks redemption in Klaviyo

Each of these moments is small—but they get remembered, talked about, and repaid with loyalty.

Benefits of Surprise-and-Delight Marketing

Brands that use our checklist consistently see:

Increased repeat purchase rate from targeted customer segments
More social mentions and brand advocacy
Higher open and click rates from personalized follow-ups
Greater engagement with loyalty and referral programs
Emotional brand affinity that isn’t tied to discounts or promotions

In a competitive ecommerce market, these emotional advantages compound into long-term customer value.

Download the Checklist and Start Building Brand Love

Smart retention strategy goes beyond automations. It creates brand moments that are too good not to share. The Surprise-and-Delight Checklist helps your team plan and deliver those moments with consistency, clarity, and care.