Thinking about leaving Smile.io? You're not alone. Whether it's the pricing, the limited language support, or the need for a native Shopify experience, thousands of merchants have made the switch to Anchor. Here's exactly how to do it without losing a single customer point.
Before You Start
Migration anxiety is real. The fear of losing customer data or disrupting your loyalty program keeps many merchants stuck with apps that don't serve them. But here's the truth: switching loyalty apps is simpler than switching email providers.
Here's what you'll need:
- Access to your Smile.io admin
- About 30 minutes of focused time
- That's it. No developer. No technical skills.
Step 1: Export Your Smile.io Data (2 minutes)
In your Smile.io dashboard:
- Go to Settings → Data Export
- Select Customer Points
- Choose All Time for the date range
- Click Export CSV
This file contains your customer email addresses and their current point balances. Keep it safe—this is your migration key.
Step 2: Install Anchor (30 seconds)
Visit the Anchor Loyalty Shopify App Store page and click Install. Anchor uses native Shopify authentication—no separate account needed. You'll be in your dashboard in under a minute.
Step 3: Configure Your Program (5-10 minutes)
In Anchor's setup wizard, configure your:
- Points earning rules: Match or improve on your Smile.io setup
- Rewards: Set up your discount tiers
- VIP tiers: If you had tiers in Smile.io, recreate them
- Widget appearance: Match your brand colors
Pro tip: This is a good time to simplify. Many merchants find they were overcomplicating their Smile.io setup.
Step 4: Import Customer Points (2-3 minutes)
In Anchor's admin:
- Go to Settings → Import Data
- Upload your Smile.io CSV export
- Map the columns (email, points balance)
- Click Import
Anchor will match customers by email address and credit their existing points. No points lost. No customers confused.
Step 5: Test Your Widget (2 minutes)
Before going live:
- Preview your widget on your storefront
- Test with a staff account to verify points display correctly
- Check that earning and redemption work as expected
Step 6: Uninstall Smile.io (1 minute)
Once Anchor is working perfectly:
- Go to your Shopify Admin → Apps
- Find Smile.io and click Remove
- Done
What About Customer Communication?
Your customers don't need to do anything. Their points are preserved, and the new widget will appear automatically. For maximum transparency, consider sending a brief email:
Subject: Your rewards are getting an upgrade!
Hi [Name],
We've upgraded our loyalty program to give you a better experience. Your points have been preserved—you still have [X] points ready to redeem.
Same rewards, better experience. Check out the new widget on our site!
Why Merchants Switch from Smile.io
The most common reasons we hear:
- Price: Anchor offers VIP tiers at $9.99/mo (Smile: $199/mo)
- Languages: Anchor supports 25+ languages automatically (Smile: 12, manual setup)
- Native experience: Anchor lives inside Shopify Admin (Smile: separate dashboard)
- Performance: Anchor's lighter script means faster page loads
Need Help?
Migration should be painless. If you run into any issues, our support team can help with data mapping or configuration questions. You can also check out our detailed migration guides for specific scenarios.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my customers lose their points when I switch from Smile.io?
No. You can export your customer points from Smile.io and import them directly into Anchor. We provide a CSV mapping tool that preserves all point balances.
How long does it take to migrate from Smile.io to Anchor?
Most merchants complete the migration in under 30 minutes. The actual data import takes about 5 minutes, with the rest being configuration and customization.
Do I need a developer to migrate from Smile.io?
No. Anchor installs with one click and requires no coding. The migration process is entirely self-service through our admin interface.
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