How Apple Wallet and Google Wallet loyalty cards work

An Apple Wallet card is a small signed file the iPhone keeps; a Google Wallet card is saved to the customer's Google account. Either way the card shows your logo and colours, the customer's balance and a code for staff to scan, and it sits next to their bank cards and boarding passes.

The customer never installs anything, and they can't lose the card the way they lose a paper one.

1. Staff scan the customer's card with the Digicard scanner.
2. Digicard records the stamp or points and works out any reward the customer has now earned.
3. Digicard tells Apple or Google the card has changed, and the new balance appears on the customer's phone shortly after.

If the customer turned off updates for the card, or removed it, the balance still counts. It shows again when they re-enable updates or add the card back.

You can put a message on one customer's card ("your free drink is ready") or on every cardholder's card ("new menu this week"). The phone shows it as a notification, and it stays on the card.

• Scanning runs in the browser on any phone or tablet with a camera.
• A dropped connection doesn't stop the counter. Scans made offline are kept on the phone and sync when the connection comes back.
• A mistaken scan can be undone.
• Every branch scans the same card. A customer earns at one branch and redeems at another, and the reward stock is counted per branch.

Stamps or points can expire a set time after they were earned. A paid membership card closes at the end of its term: the wallet marks it expired and staff can't scan it any more.