Question 1

What is Regalo?

Accepted Answer

Regalo is a loyalty app for shops in Zamboanga City. You earn stamps every time you visit participating shops. Once your stamp card is full, you get the reward the shop set (a free coffee, a discount, a complimentary item, whatever they chose). Think of it as the old paper buy-10-get-1-free card, but on your phone with no paper to lose.

Question 2

Is Regalo free for me?

Accepted Answer

Yes. No fees, no subscriptions, no premium tier. Everything you can do as a customer is free.

Question 3

Do I have to download an app from the App Store?

Accepted Answer

No. Regalo runs in your phone browser. Open regaloapp.ph in Chrome or Safari, sign up, you are ready. You can Add to Home Screen from your browser menu for a faster experience.

Question 4

Which languages does Regalo support?

Accepted Answer

English, Tagalog, Chavacano, Cebuano, and Tausug. Switch from the top right of any page.

Question 5

How do I earn a stamp?

Accepted Answer

Visit a participating shop, ask for your stamp, and the shop owner scans your personal QR code. One stamp per visit per day at each shop. Your card fills up over time, and once it hits the goal the shop set, you can claim the reward.

Question 6

Where is my personal QR code?

Accepted Answer

Tap the floating QR button in the bottom right of any page. Your QR opens full screen. Show it to the shop owner.

Question 7

The shop forgot to give me a stamp. What now?

Accepted Answer

Go back to the shop within 7 days and ask. The owner can manually add a stamp for past visits. After 7 days, most owners will not retroactively stamp because they cannot verify the visit. Always ask for your stamp before you leave.

Question 8

Can I share my QR with friends so they earn stamps for me?

Accepted Answer

Technically yes, but the system detects impossible patterns (stamps at distant shops within minutes) and flags the account. Just have your friends sign up themselves. It takes 30 seconds.

Question 9

Regular stamp cards vs Tingi cards?

Accepted Answer

Regular cards give one stamp per visit. Fill 8 to 10 stamps, get the reward. Tingi cards give stamps based on how much you spent (for sari-saris, water refills, fish vendors). If a sari-sari uses 1 stamp per 10 pesos and you buy 50 pesos worth, you get 5 stamps in one visit.

Question 10

What is the Bulawan tier?

Accepted Answer

Bulawan means gold in Tausug and other Mindanao languages. It is the highest customer status in Regalo, reached after you accumulate 200 total stamps across all shops. Some shops show exclusive vouchers to Bulawan customers. There is no expiration. Once Bulawan, always Bulawan.

Question 11

Do my stamps expire?

Accepted Answer

Stamps on an active stamp card never expire on their own. If a shop ends a stamp card, your existing stamps still count toward the original reward. To be safe, claim rewards within 6 months of reaching the goal.

Question 12

What are vouchers?

Accepted Answer

Vouchers are limited-time offers shops post. Different from stamp cards. A voucher might be 20 percent off this week or free dessert this Friday. You unlock a voucher by completing a small action the shop requires.

Question 13

My stamp card is full: how do I get my reward?

Accepted Answer

Show your QR code to the shop. They will give you the reward in one of two ways, depending on what the shop chose: either right away at the counter (for example a free coffee handed to you now), or as a voucher saved to your wallet to use on your next visit (for example 20% off your next meal). If it goes to your wallet, you will get a notification and the voucher appears in your Wallet, ready to show next time. Either way your stamp card then resets so you can start collecting again.

Question 14

What actions unlock vouchers?

Accepted Answer

Most common are leaving a Google review for the shop, following on Facebook or Instagram, sharing a TikTok video, or showing a receipt from your last visit. After you do the action, tap I did this and the voucher unlocks.

Question 15

I did the action but the voucher did not unlock.

Accepted Answer

The shop might require manual approval. Submit the proof (a screenshot, a photo) and the shop owner has up to 48 hours to approve. If they reject, you get a reason and can resubmit.

Question 16

What if a shop refuses to honor my voucher?

Accepted Answer

Check the voucher is still active and not expired. If valid and the shop still refuses, report it in the app under Dispute this voucher. We mediate within 48 hours.

Question 17

How do I know if a shop is Halal?

Accepted Answer

Look for the green Halal badge. A green badge with a checkmark means the shop uploaded a current NCMF certificate and we verified it. A green badge without a checkmark means the shop self-declared as Halal but has not uploaded a certificate. Use the Halal filter in Discover to show only certified shops.

Question 18

Will Regalo notify me at prayer times?

Accepted Answer

If you set your language to Tausug or Sama, prayer time awareness is on by default. The next prayer time shows in the corner of your screen. You can disable this in settings. For other languages, the feature is off by default but you can turn it on.

Question 19

Does the app change during Ramadan?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A banner reminds you of iftar times. Shops that serve iftar specials show those vouchers more prominently. Shops closed during fast hours stay closed in the app until iftar.

Question 20

What data does Regalo collect about me?

Accepted Answer

Your email, name, language, and a record of which shops you visited and when. Rewards claimed. That is it. We do not access your contacts, location history, photos, or messages.

Question 21

Does Regalo track my location?

Accepted Answer

Only when you actively use the map feature. The app asks permission first. Outside of the map view, location tracking is off. No background tracking.

Question 22

Can I delete my account?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Go to Profile, Settings, Delete Account. You type your email to confirm. Your account and personal data are permanently deleted within 7 days. Anonymous aggregate stats stay.

Question 23

I forgot my password.

Accepted Answer

On the login page, tap Forgot password. Enter your email. We send a reset link within 30 seconds (check spam folder). The link is valid for 1 hour.

Question 24

The app is slow on my phone.

Accepted Answer

Close other browser tabs. Restart your phone. Try a different browser. If still slow, clear browser cache from phone settings, then reload Regalo.

Question 25

My phone broke and I got a new one. Do I lose my stamps?

Accepted Answer

No. Your account lives in our system, not on your phone. Open regaloapp.ph on the new phone, log in with the same email, everything is there.

Question 26

My account got blocked.

Accepted Answer

Most common reasons: disposable email at signup, impossibly distant stamps in short time (shared QR pattern), or repeated rejected disputes. Email hello@regaloapp.ph if you believe the block is a mistake. Aaron reviews personally.

Question 27

What does it cost to join?

Accepted Answer

Nothing during the pilot phase. No setup fee, no monthly fee, no commission on sales. We make money in the future from a small optional premium tier, but the base offering stays free for pilot vendors.

Question 28

How do I sign up?

Accepted Answer

Two paths. If a Regalo ambassador referred you, tap their link. Or sign up directly at regaloapp.ph/merchant-signup. Either way, you provide shop name, address, category, contact.

Question 29

How long until I am approved?

Accepted Answer

Within 24 hours guaranteed, usually within 6 hours during business hours Zamboanga time. You get an email when active.

Question 30

What if my application gets rejected?

Accepted Answer

Rare. Most common reasons: address not in Zamboanga, restricted category (tobacco-only, firearms, adult content), or duplicate submission. You get an email with the reason and resubmission instructions.

Question 31

What do I need to upload?

Accepted Answer

Eight things to get qualified. Shop name. Logo. Address with GPS. Phone in Philippine format. Verified email. Opening hours. Category. Cover photo of storefront or interior. The dashboard shows green checkmarks as you complete each one.

Question 32

My shop has no logo.

Accepted Answer

Use a clean photo of your storefront sign. If none, take a new photo today with good lighting and crop it square. A clean storefront photo works perfectly during the pilot.

Question 33

Can I have multiple shop locations?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Each location is a separate business in Regalo but you manage all with the same login. Customers stamping at one location earn stamps for that location only, unless you specifically merge cards.

Question 34

How do I create my first stamp card?

Accepted Answer

Dashboard, Stamp Cards, New Card. Choose card type (regular or Tingi), set how many stamps complete the card, write the reward, save. System generates a QR poster to print and put at your counter.

Question 35

Should the reward be given now or on the next visit?

Accepted Answer

When you create a regular stamp card, you choose how the reward is delivered. 'Reward now' means you hand it over at the counter the moment the card is full: best for things consumed on the spot, like a free coffee or a free dessert. 'Reward on next visit' automatically saves a voucher to the customer's wallet when the card is full, which they show you next time: best for 'come back' offers, like 20% off their next meal. Pick whichever fits your offer; you can have different cards with different settings.

Question 36

Regular card vs Tingi card from my side?

Accepted Answer

Regular: one visit equals one stamp, regardless of spending. Good for cafes, barbers, salons. Tingi: stamps based on peso spent. Good for sari-saris, water refills, fish vendors where spending varies per visit. Tingi requires entering the peso amount, but rewards big spenders.

Question 37

How many stamps should I require?

Accepted Answer

8 to 10 for regular cards (more and customers give up). For Tingi cards, set the goal at 5 to 8 average customer visits worth of spending. Be generous on the first card. You can make the second harder once customers are hooked.

Question 38

Can I run multiple stamp cards at the same time?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A coffee shop might run 10 coffees for 1 free coffee, 5 cakes for 1 free cake, and a Tingi card for 500 pesos spending. Customers see all of them.

Question 39

Can I change a stamp card after stamps were collected?

Accepted Answer

No (would be unfair to existing customers). Instead, deactivate the old card (existing customers still get their reward) and create a new card with new terms. The new card starts fresh.

Question 40

Voucher requirements: which to use?

Accepted Answer

Want more Google reviews: use Google review. Want Facebook growth: use Facebook follow. Want to verify real visit: use Manual proof. Google reviews are most popular in the pilot because they help shops show up in Google Maps.

Question 41

How does my staff stamp customers?

Accepted Answer

Create staff logins from your dashboard (up to 3). Staff log in on shop phone or tablet, open Scan screen, scan customer QR. One tap per stamp. Staff cannot see customer history or sensitive data.

Question 42

Can my staff add fake stamps for themselves?

Accepted Answer

No. The system blocks staff accounts from earning stamps as customers at the same shop. Your barista cannot give themselves a free coffee.

Question 43

A customer says I stamped them but I do not remember.

Accepted Answer

Dashboard, Today tab, see all stamps issued today with timestamps and customer first names. For older dates, Stats tab, filter by range. Every stamp has a record.

Question 44

Can I refuse to give a stamp?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You are the shop owner. You decide. If a customer complains via Dispute this, we ask both sides for context and side with the shop unless there is clear evidence of a mistake.

Question 45

My QR poster got damaged or stolen.

Accepted Answer

Dashboard, QR Poster, re-download the PDF. Print again. The QR never changes for your shop, so reprinting works fine.

Question 46

Can I see who my repeat customers are?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Dashboard, Analytics, Top customers. You see first names and visit counts with date ranges. You do not see emails, phones, or full names (customer privacy). You can offer top 10 customers an exclusive voucher they see next time they open your page.

Question 47

Can I message my customers?

Accepted Answer

No direct messaging. Create vouchers that act like promotions instead. Customers who have you on their stamp card see new vouchers in their voucher list.

Question 48

A customer left a bad review. What can I do?

Accepted Answer

Respond once with a comment the customer sees. Responding professionally to negative reviews often turns critics into loyal customers. If abusive or false, flag the review and we investigate.

Question 49

What is the ambassador program?

Accepted Answer

Anyone with social connections in Zamboanga can become a Regalo ambassador and earn 300 pesos for every shop they successfully refer. The shop signs up via the ambassador link. Once the shop qualifies (full profile plus 1 active card plus 3 customers), the ambassador automatically receives 300 pesos via GCash from us. The shop pays nothing.

Question 50

Can I also become an ambassador?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Apply through your dashboard under Ambassador. You get a unique referral link. Share with shop owners. When they qualify, you earn 300 pesos. Many shops in the pilot do both.

Question 51

When does an ambassador get the 300 pesos?

Accepted Answer

Three conditions must all be true: profile 100 percent complete, at least 1 active stamp card or voucher, and 3 unique customers scanned (or 1 customer completed a full stamp card). When all three are true, the system automatically creates a payout entry. Aaron sends GCash within 3 days.

Question 52

How do I become Halal-certified on Regalo?

Accepted Answer

Dashboard, Halal section, upload your NCMF certificate. We review within 48 hours and either approve (verified Halal badge appears) or ask for clarification. Expired certificates get marked pending until you upload a renewal.

Question 53

I am Halal in practice but not officially certified.

Accepted Answer

You can self-declare as Halal. You get a basic Halal badge without the verification checkmark. Customers see the difference. Many shops in the pilot are in this state, especially small carinderias where formal certification is impractical. Self-declaration is honest and customers respect it.

Question 54

Can I pause my shop?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Dashboard, Profile, Pause shop. Invisible to customers, no new stamps, but existing stamps and vouchers stay. Unpause anytime. Useful for vacation, renovation, or seasonal closures.

Question 55

Can I delete my shop?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Profile, Delete shop, confirm. Permanently removed within 7 days. Customers with pending stamps get email notification with 90 days to claim any pending rewards.

Question 56

What about taxes?

Accepted Answer

Regalo does not interact with the BIR. Stamps and vouchers are not money, they are marketing tools. You file taxes on actual revenue you receive from customers, same as before Regalo. If a tax officer asks, explain that Regalo is a marketing platform similar to a punch card.

Help center

Getting started

Earning stamps

Vouchers and rewards

Halal and prayer times

Privacy and your data

When things go wrong