How should I structure different VIP tiers for SMS flash sales?

A tiered approach ensures your best offer goes only to your most loyal customers, which preserves the exclusivity that makes VIP programs work. Sending everyone the same blanket discount wastes the psychological power of the program.

Your top VIP tier — customers who have placed at least three orders in the last 90 days — gets the strongest offer: 30 percent off, free shipping, and a 30-minute early access window before the sale opens to everyone else. That early access window might seem small, but psychologically it signals that she's in the inner circle. Rising VIPs at two or more orders in 120 days get 20 percent off at the normal start time. Win-back customers whose last purchase was over 90 days ago get 15 percent off plus free shipping — for this segment, the shipping incentive does the heavy lifting.

Consider also adding a total revenue condition to your segments. A customer who orders twice a year but spends $300 each time may be more valuable than someone who has bought three small accessories. Frequency alone doesn't tell the whole story — the relationship and order value matter too. Each tier should receive a different text with different language tailored to their level of engagement.