Case Study: Ulta Beauty achieves loyalty program growth and 50% higher AOV with Extole

Ulta Beauty, the largest specialty beauty retailer in the United States, drives loyalty program growth with Extole

Ulta Beauty, the largest specialty beauty retailer in the U.S., operates 886 stores and a robust ecommerce site and serves millions of loyalty members through its Ultamate Rewards program. Facing the challenge of turning its most engaged customers into a scalable acquisition channel, Ulta wanted a refer‑a‑friend program that rewarded advocates, attracted high‑value new members, and worked seamlessly across both online and in‑store channels.

Ulta partnered with Extole to launch a $10/$10 refer‑a‑friend campaign (friends get $10 off first $30+ purchase; advocates get $10 off next $30+), with share options across email and social and support for in‑store redemption. Since launch, 100,000+ members shared referrals, driving 27,000 new loyalty signups (10% of all Ultamate Rewards acquisitions); referred members spend ~50% more and 70% of referred members redeem rewards in‑store.

Ulta Beauty