Drive Store Foot Traffic with Card-Linked Offers

As more retail brands face rising acquisition costs and shrinking in-store traffic, finding reliable ways to drive store foot traffic is becoming mission-critical. With headlines continuing to spotlight store closings, retailers must shift from hoping for walk-ins to creating value-driven reasons for shoppers to return in person.

That’s where card-linked offers (CLOs) come in.

By linking merchant-funded incentives directly to the payment card, CLOs allow brands to influence behavior and reward real-world purchases—bridging the gap between digital marketing and physical store visits.

Why In-Store Foot Traffic Still Matters

Despite ecommerce growth, in-store retail remains vital—especially for categories like fashion, beauty, big-box, and quick service restaurants. In-person visits drive higher basket sizes, faster upsells, and deeper brand engagement.

But foot traffic is volatile. Shoppers are more selective with where they go and when they buy. To drive store foot traffic, brands need a model that’s both targeted and measurable.

CLOs offer exactly that: no promo codes, no coupons—just seamless, reward-driven incentives tied to real purchases.

Drive Store Foot Traffic with a Pay-for-Performance Model

Rakuten Card Linked Offer Network (RCLON) enables merchants to reach consumers at the point of purchase using a pay-for-performance model. That means you only pay when a customer makes a qualifying purchase in-store using their linked card.

Here’s why this model works:

• Understand shopper trends by spend behavior or location

• Incentivize in-store purchases with cash back or exclusive perks

• Measure ROI with transaction-level data

• Avoid over-discounting by setting custom thresholds (e.g., spend $50, get $10 back)

Whether you’re recovering from store closings or planning for peak foot traffic periods, CLOs put control back in the hands of merchants.

How RCLON Helps Merchants Drive Store Foot Traffic

Rakuten Card Linked Offer Network (RCLON) gives advertisers and merchants the ability to activate CLOs across a broad publisher ecosystem—including financial institutions, airline loyalty programs, and lifestyle platforms.

With RCLON, you can:

• Reach high-intent shoppers across multiple verticals

• Flexible reward structures based on margin goals and budgets

• Track in-store redemptions

• Leverage seasonal events to boost foot traffic when it matters most

RCLON gives you more offer control—with no onboarding delays, technical setup, or internal resources required to launch.

Use CLOs to Turn Online Reach Into In-Store Action

Consumers browse online but still shop offline. A CLO campaign allows you to meet them in the middle.

By linking a reward to a shopper’s card and rewarding them for visiting your physical location, you turn passive engagement into foot traffic—and foot traffic into revenue.

This direct-to-store strategy is especially effective during key retail moments and promotional periods when competition is high, and attention is fleeting.

Ready to Drive More Store Visits?

In an economy where in-store shopping is more intentional, the brands that succeed will be the ones that connect online intent with offline action. A card-linked offer strategy helps you drive store foot traffic, deliver real value, and pay only when results happen.