Skip to content
Admin login
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

Understanding the difference between Member Search and Contact Search

One of the most common questions from new Loyco users is why there are two different search tools. The short answer: they look at two different sets of people. The long answer is in this article.

The quick distinction

  • Member Search — Searches only people who are active loyalty program members. Use this when you want to look up someone's loyalty status, bonuses, tier, or member profile.
  • Contact Search — Searches your entire contact database — members and non-members alike. Use this when you're looking for someone but you're not sure if they've joined the program.

Why two searches exist

Your contact database typically grows much larger than your member database. You might have:

  • Newsletter subscribers who never joined the loyalty program.
  • Past customers who haven't engaged in years.
  • Inquiries, leads, or guests who provided their email but didn't sign up.

Most of your daily operations focus on actual members — the people who are earning, redeeming, and engaging. Member Search keeps results focused on these people. Contact Search is the wider net you cast when you can't find someone in Member Search.

When to use Member Search

  • Looking up a member's profile to update their information.
  • Checking a member's tier or bonus balance.
  • Reviewing a member's transaction history.
  • Releasing or reversing a bonus for a specific member.
  • Opening a support ticket for a member.

When to use Contact Search

  • A customer calls but you can't find them in Member Search.
  • Verifying whether a specific person is already in your database before adding them.
  • Looking up a former member or someone who unsubscribed.
  • Auditing your database before a marketing campaign.

Please note: If you find someone in Contact Search but not in Member Search, they're not currently an active loyalty member. They might need to sign up for the program, or there may be a data issue that requires Loyco support.

What happens when you find the same person in both

This is normal. An active member exists in both databases — they're a contact (everyone is) and they're also a member (because they've joined the program). The two records are linked, so updating one updates the other where the data overlaps.