How to properly test your BLOOP referral program before launch

Launching a referral program is exciting, but before you share it with real customers, you need to make sure everything works exactly the way it should. Testing isn’t just about checking for errors, it’s about experiencing the journey the same way your customers would. Here’s a clear step-by-step process you can follow:

1. Create a safe testing environment

Depending on your store, you’ll want to test in different ways:

• For established stores with sales:

• Add the referral popup/widget to a hidden page that only you can access.

• Use our demo store at https://demo-bloop-referrals.myshopify.com/ (Password: 1).

• Or, create a development store where you can safely test without confusing real customers (this is safer if you have high traffic and don’t want to risk confusing people).

• For new stores:

Use Shopify’s test payment mode to run trial purchases without spending real money. To enable the test mode, read HERE.

👉 The goal here is to test in a safe space, without messing with real orders or annoying real customers.

2. Walk through the referrer flow (the one who shares the link)

Your existing customers are the “referrers”. Their experience needs to be smooth, or they won’t bother sharing your store. Check these steps:

• When a customer joins the program, do they instantly get a referral link or code to share?

• If their friend actually buys something, does the referrer receive an email confirming their reward?

• Can the referrer use that reward at checkout without any issues (discount automatically applies, no error messages, etc.)?

Note: A referral is only considered successful when the referee’s order status is Paid. For COD orders, this ensures the reward is only given after payment is completed, helping prevent issues with cancellations or returns.

Make sure referrers can easily find and share their referral link

👉 Imagine yourself as a happy customer who just referred a friend. If it feels easy and rewarding for you, you’re on the right track.

3. Walk through the referee flow (the friend who gets invited)

The new customer (referee) should feel welcomed and encouraged to make their first purchase. Test it from their perspective:

• When the referrer sends an invite, does the referee actually get the email in their inbox?

• After signing up, does the referee get their discount code clearly explained?

• When they add products to their cart, is the discount applied smoothly at checkout?

Referee reward email: show the code clearly and make redemption simple

👉 First impressions matter. If the referee has to “figure things out,” they may drop off and never buy.

4. Test with real people (user experience)

Don’t just test by yourself - you already know the system too well. Instead:

• Ask a co-worker, friend, or family member to pretend to be a referrer and referee.

• Watch where they get stuck or confused.

• Take note of any unclear instructions or awkward wording.

• Collect honest feedback about whether the process feels natural.

👉 Their feedback is gold. Sometimes it’s not a technical bug, it’s the copywriting or design that makes things hard to understand.

Test with real users to uncover usability issues you might not notice yourself

5. Check the email automation

Emails are the backbone of your referral program. They guide customers at every step. Test carefully:

• Are the right emails being sent at the right times (sign-up, reward issued, purchase confirmed, etc.)?

• Do those emails land in the primary inbox instead of spam?

If they end up in spam, tweak things:

• Subject lines → make them clear, not salesy.

• Sender name → use something familiar like your store’s brand name.

• Content → keep it short, friendly, and personal.

👉 Remember, if people don’t see your emails, your referral program won’t work - no matter how great the rewards are.

Referral emails are the backbone of your program — test them carefully.

Once you’ve walked through all these steps, you’ll know for sure whether your referral program is ready to launch. When both referrers and referees have a smooth, rewarding experience, they’re much more likely to actually use it, and that’s when your referral program starts driving real growth.