Industry · Paints
Loyalty programs for paint brands, dealers and painters
A paint loyalty program rewards the dealers who stock and tint your products and the painters and contractors who choose them on site. IMAST 360 runs both on one platform — dealer schemes, painter QR scan-to-earn, WhatsApp engagement and rewards — connected to the orders in your DMS.
- Dealer slab and focus-range schemes
- Painter QR scan-to-earn on every can
- Rewards to UPI and bank, TDS handled
The basics
What is a paint loyalty program?
In paints, the brand rarely meets the person who decides. Dealers decide what to stock and push at the counter; painters and contractors often decide which brand goes on the wall, especially in repaint jobs where the homeowner leaves the choice to them. A paint loyalty program rewards both groups for the behaviour you want: dealers for volume, premium ranges and tinting throughput, painters for using your products job after job.
Most paint programs run two tracks. The dealer track uses slab, target and focus-range schemes, settled on purchases. The painter track usually works through a QR code on each can or bucket: the painter scans after the job, earns points and climbs tiers that unlock better rewards.
Running the two tracks on one platform matters because they influence each other. A painter scheme that pushes a premium emulsion only works if dealers have it in stock and are willing to tint it, and dealer schemes are easier to justify when you can see painter demand building in their area.
The challenge
Where paint channel programs leak
The problems we hear most often — and what changes on IMAST 360.
01
Painters switch brands job to job
Tiers, streaks and leaderboards give painters a reason to stay with your brand, not just a one-off reward.
02
Paper coupons get reused
Unique QR codes on each can replace coupons; AI flags duplicate scans and unusual activity.
03
Dealer schemes settled late
Purchase data from Distribution+ flows into LoyaltyBoard, so dealers see scheme progress during the period, not weeks after.
04
Peak season is short
Launch season schemes from the scheme engine and announce them on WhatsApp in the painter's language.
How it works
How a paint loyalty program runs on IMAST 360
Loyalty, distribution, field sales and rewards working on one platform.
- 1Enrol
Partners join
Dealers, retailers and trade influencers join by QR code, WhatsApp, app or through your field reps in Sales Track, with Digital KYC before redemption.
- 2Earn
Earn on real sales
Painters scan the QR code on each can; dealers earn on purchases from Distribution+ or OCR-verified invoices, by slab, range or target.
- 3Engage
Keep them active
Tiers, leaderboards, scratch cards, spin wheels and WhatsApp nudges in 10+ Indian languages.
- 4Redeem
Pay out safely
Reward Max delivers 10,000+ rewards including UPI and bank transfers, with TDS on rewards handled under Section 393 (formerly 194R).
Scheme ideas
Schemes that work in paint
Examples you can launch from the LoyaltyBoard scheme engine without a developer.
| Scheme | How it works | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Premium range bonus | Extra points on premium emulsions and finishes | Moves the mix towards higher margin |
| Season push | Bonus points during peak painting months | Captures demand when it peaks |
| Scratch card per scan | Instant-win reward on each can scanned | Daily engagement for painters |
| Dealer tinting target | Reward for tinted volume above a monthly slab | Keeps tinting machines busy with your shades |
| Painter tiers | Silver, Gold, Platinum with better rewards | Long-term loyalty |
Designing it
How to design a paint loyalty program
Start with the painter, because that's where brand switching happens. Keep earning simple — one scan per can, with clear points per pack size — and make the first reward reachable quickly so new painters see value in their first few jobs. Painters often work in crews, so decide early whether the contractor or each painter earns.
For dealers, tie schemes to the behaviours that move your business: premium ranges, new launches and tinting volume. Because Distribution+ purchase data flows into LoyaltyBoard, dealers can earn on what they actually bought, which removes most disputes at settlement.
Plan rewards around how painters want to be paid. Many prefer cash, so include UPI and bank transfers alongside gift vouchers and merchandise, and keep KYC in place before the first redemption.
- One scan per can, clear points per pack size
- Decide whether contractors or crew members earn
- Dealer schemes on premium ranges, launches and tinting
- Cash rewards via UPI and bank, with KYC first
- Season schemes announced on WhatsApp
Measuring it
What to measure — and what to avoid
Track active painters — those who scanned in the last 30 or 90 days — not just enrolled painters; a large enrolled base with few active members means the program has stalled. Watch premium-range share among enrolled painters compared with the rest of your volume.
For dealers, compare scheme participation and premium-range purchases before and during each scheme. Review fraud alerts every week during the season, when scan volumes and the temptation to misuse codes are both highest.
The most common mistake is changing painter rules mid-season. Announce changes ahead of time, honour points already earned, and use the scheme engine to run new rules alongside the old ones until the switch-over date.
- Active painters, not just enrolled painters
- Premium-range share among members
- Dealer scheme participation
- Weekly fraud review in peak season
- Don't change painter rules mid-season
Knoxy · AI Chief of Staff
Knoxy runs alongside your paint program
Knoxy, the AI Chief of Staff in IMAST 360, watches loyalty, distribution and field data together and tells your team what needs attention.
Meet Knoxy- Suggests schemes for districts where painter scans are slowing
- Forecasts dealer orders and inventory ahead of the season
- Flags duplicate scans and unusual claims before payout
- Reminds painters before points expire
FAQs
Paints loyalty program FAQs
What is a paint loyalty program?
A program that rewards paint dealers for stocking and selling a brand and painters or contractors for using it on site, usually through purchase-based schemes for dealers and QR scan-to-earn for painters.
How do painters earn points?
By scanning the unique QR code on each can or bucket, or by uploading an invoice that AI-powered OCR verifies.
Can dealers and painters be in the same program?
Yes. Each member type has its own earning rules, tiers and reward catalogue on one platform.
Do painters need a smartphone app?
No. Painters can enrol and get point alerts on WhatsApp or be enrolled by your field rep; a branded app is available for those who want it.
Can schemes use our DMS data?
Yes. LoyaltyBoard integrates natively with Distribution+, so dealer purchase data flows in for scheme calculation. Other systems connect through REST APIs on the Enterprise plan.
Which languages are supported?
LoyaltyBoard runs in 10+ Indian languages across the app and WhatsApp.
How do you stop fake claims and duplicate scans?
Members complete Digital KYC with PAN and Aadhaar eKYC before redeeming, OCR checks catch edited invoices, and AI flags duplicate claims, unusual redemption speed, shared devices and location anomalies before payout.
How is TDS handled on partner rewards?
Since 1 April 2026, TDS on business benefits falls under Section 393 of the Income-tax Act, 2025 (formerly Section 194R): 10% on the full value once a recipient's benefits exceed ₹20,000 in a financial year. Reward Max tracks rewards per recipient, verifies PAN and deducts TDS automatically. Confirm specific cases with your tax adviser.
See IMAST 360 for paint brands
Bring one scheme you run today — we'll show it running on LoyaltyBoard, Distribution+ and Reward Max.