Skip to main content

Burning Options

warning

This page covers the Legacy Rules Engine. For the new engine, see Burning Methods.

In the legacy engine, customers can spend their points in several ways. The two primary methods are Score Exchange (cashback on purchases) and Rewards catalog. Additional redemption methods depend on program configuration.

Redemption Methods Overview​

MethodDescription
Score Exchange (cashback)Convert points into a monetary discount applied at checkout
Vouchers/CouponsPoints redeemed for a coupon that unlocks a future discount
Rewards catalogExchange points for physical goods, digital services, or experiences
DonationsDonate points to selected NGOs or charities
Exclusive accessUse points for limited-edition products, VIP events, or early access
Membership upgradesRedeem points to move to a higher loyalty tier or membership
Third-party subscriptionsPoints for subscriptions to partner services (streaming, meal delivery, etc.)

Score Exchange (Cashback)​

The Score Exchange lets customers redeem available points as a monetary discount at checkout. Each currency must have its own Score Exchange configured.

Configuration​

Go to Loyalty β†’ Cashback β†’ New Cashback.

FieldDescription
NameDescriptive name for this exchange configuration
CurrencyThe currency this exchange applies to. Each currency can have only one Score Exchange
Amount (conversion rate)Monetary value of 1 point. Example: 0.01 means 1 point = €0.01

Company-configurable discount cap​

The maximum discount that can be applied using points is configurable at the company level (range: 0%–100%). Many programs use 50% per item as the default, but this is a configuration choice, not a fixed system rule.

If the configured cap is 50% and the cart line total is €100, the maximum cashback discount for that line is €50 regardless of available points. If the configured cap is 100%, the same line can be fully redeemed when the customer has enough available balance.

:::note Combined discounts The cap applies to the sum of promotional discounts plus cashback on each line. If the configured cap is 50% and a product already has a 20% promotional discount, cashback can add at most 30% more. If the configured cap is 100%, cashback can add up to 80% more. :::

Cashback Thresholds​

Cashback thresholds set minimum requirements for point redemption:

ThresholdDescription
Minimum pointsThe smallest number of points a customer must have before they can redeem for a discount
Minimum spendThe minimum purchase amount required to be eligible for point redemption

These thresholds encourage customers to accumulate a meaningful balance before redeeming, and can be configured per company.

How It Works​

  1. Configure a Score Exchange for each currency used by your program.

  2. At checkout, the POS calls the Loyal Guru API. Two options:

    • Automatic distribution β€” specify cashback_score_desired in the request. The API calculates how to distribute points across eligible lines (use -1 to apply the maximum allowable points automatically).
    • Manual distribution β€” send a cashbacks array in the request specifying exactly how many points and what discount to apply per line. You are responsible for validating the calculations.
  3. The system verifies the points balance, applies limits, and returns the discount calculation.

  4. The POS applies the discount and sends the completed cart.

  5. The customer's points balance is reduced accordingly.

:::tip Use the Simulation API first Before finalizing a cart, use the simulation endpoint to preview how points would be distributed: POST /activities/simulate. This lets you show the customer their discount before committing. :::

Returns and Cashback​

When a customer returns a product from a purchase where points were used for a cashback discount, the system adjusts both the discount and the points balance:

  • Points earned from the returned line are deducted from the customer's balance.
  • Points spent on cashback for the returned line are restored to the customer's balance.

The adjustment is proportional to the returned item's value relative to the original cart.


Rewards Catalog​

Customers can also exchange points for catalog rewards (physical items, digital rewards, experiences). Rewards are configured under Loyalty β†’ Rewards. See Rewards for full details.

Points-Redeemable Coupons (Wallet Campaigns)​

A specific redemption pattern combines points and coupons:

  1. Create a Reward with redemption type set to generate a coupon (configure Points to redeem and select the target coupon).
  2. Create a Wallet (under Scores β†’ Wallet β†’ New wallet) with a points goal and assign the reward.
  3. When a customer reaches the points goal, clicking Assign coupons triggers an automated process: the system identifies eligible customers, redeems the reward on their behalf, and delivers the coupon as a voucher.

:::note Wallet campaign processing The assign-coupons process runs across the entire customer database and may take time. During processing, some customers' points may change β€” if a customer's balance drops below the required threshold before redemption completes, the system logs the failure in the task history. :::