What is Merchant Marketing Software?

Merchant marketing software provides businesses, particularly small businesses, with the ability to market their services to a larger audience than they would otherwise be able to reach. These tools provide these businesses with marketing opportunities at a low cost while leveraging the platform’s large audience to advertise the business’ services. In most cases, these platforms provide a marketplace for a business to advertise a specific discount on a product or a service. Unlike a traditional marketing platform, merchant marketing software provides small businesses with access to marketing services without needing to purchase additional software or dedicating a large amount of time to creating a marketing campaign. The goal is to increase a business’ customer base and customer loyalty while the platform either charges small fees from the business to create a listing or takes a percentage of completed transactions. While the focus on discounts limits a business’ options for marketing, the ease of integration with social media and the option for analytics provides useful tools that may be prohibitively expensive for a very small business. While there is an element of competition that can impede the success of a campaign if there are more attractive deals available from other businesses, the benefits often outweigh the risks. Given that the platform typically takes a portion of completed sales, if no sales are made, there is little risk in creating a listing. However, businesses should be cognizant of their ability to handle increased demand and foot traffic. If a business is unable to handle 500 new customers over the next six months, they should be aware of how many people can purchase the offered deal and when the offer expires and adjust accordingly. Key Benefits of Merchant Marketing Software Access to a larger customer base Marketing tools at a low cost Improvements to customer loyalty Analytics and data on customer demographics and campaign success

Why Use Merchant Marketing Software?

Merchant marketing software is intended to help small businesses market themselves through small-scale campaigns, leveraging the merchant marketing platform’s user base. These campaigns typically revolve around offering an exclusive discount on a product or service that is available only to users of the platform. Furthermore, the campaigns are often low cost and require little work on the part of the small business. Though some platforms have self-service offerings where businesses can create their own campaign, many have dedicated sales and editorial teams who take the business’ information and craft the campaign for them. Businesses may have access to a merchant dashboard or merchant portal that allows them to see various metrics regarding their campaign as well as customer demographics. For most businesses, marketing is both a requirement and a potentially huge expense. Low-cost options can be extremely valuable for businesses, and small businesses in particular, without a lot of extra funds to spend. While merchant marketing software doesn’t provide marketing in the typical sense, these solutions do provide an element of customer outreach. Tools may offer targeted emails, and the discount page is often shareable via social media so the business can use more traditional marketing methods to get the word out about their campaign. Low cost and low effort — Most merchant marketing platforms are easy to use and don’t require up-front payment. This makes them ideal for small businesses and businesses who do not have a large marketing budget. Increased visibility — Many merchant marketing platforms have a dedicated user base always on the lookout for a good discount. By creating a campaign, businesses have access to this user base that they would likely not have been able to target before. Loyalty building — Not only can a business attract new customers, but they can also bring back lapsed customers who need a bit of enticement to return. With each new and returning customer, there is the opportunity to build loyalty so they return to the business again and again.

Who Uses Merchant Marketing Software?

Merchant marketing is typically used by smaller businesses with smaller marketing budgets, but anyone can use merchant marketing platforms. If creating a campaign will not put undue stress on your business or your workforce, then it can be a viable marketing option. Leveraging an already loyal customer base can only increase the success of a campaign. Small businesses — Merchant marketing platforms are low cost and low effort on the part of the business, so they easily fit into a small budget. These platforms can also be effectively used to grow a customer base or increase the loyalty of an existing customer base. Businesses trying to move excess inventory — A great way to get rid of excess inventory or unwanted inventory is to discount it. With a merchant marketing platform, businesses can not only discount this inventory but also make it available to customers all over the country or globe. While some platforms may have location restrictions, leveraging their user base to move excess inventory can open up shelves for newer, and better, inventory. Businesses debuting new services — Sometimes it can be difficult to get the word out about an exciting new service or product being offered by a business. By leveraging merchant marketing platforms to advertise these new services, businesses can make new and returning customers aware of a new offering without a large advertising campaign.

Best Merchant Marketing Software: User Reviews from September 2026

Vagaro

Vagaro is the #1 business management software built for professionals in the beauty, wellness, and fitness industries. Whether you're a solo professional, small business, or managing multiple locations, Vagaro provides everything you need to run and grow your business efficiently. Easily manage your schedule with customizable calendars and 24/7 online booking. Reduce no-shows with automated email and text reminders. Accept payments seamlessly using integrated POS tools, manage inventory in real time, and deliver a personalized client experience with detailed profiles, digital intake forms, and notes. Grow your brand with built-in marketing tools, including email and text campaigns, a customizable website, and exposure on the Vagaro Marketplace. Stay on top of performance with advanced reporting and payroll features. Plus, AI-powered tools help you create content, communicate with clients, and automate routine tasks. Join over 220,000 professionals who trust Vagaro to streamline operations, engage clients, and boost revenue—all from one powerful platform.

Average Rating: 4.6/5.0

Total Reviews: 391

How Do G2 Users Rate Vagaro?

Quality of Support: 7.6/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
Ease of Use: 8.8/10 (Category avg: 9.0/10)

Who Is the Company Behind Vagaro?

Seller: Vagaro
Company Website:
Year Founded: 2009
HQ Location: Pleasanton, California
Twitter: @Vagaro
3,843 Twitter followers
LinkedIn® Page: www.linkedin.com
711 employees on LinkedIn®

Who Uses This Product?

Who Uses This: Owner
Top Industries: Health, Wellness and Fitness, Consumer Services
Company Size: 66% Small, 1% Large

What Do G2 Reviewers Say About Vagaro?

AI-generated summary from verified user reviews

Pros

Users find Vagaro to be easy and practical, streamlining appointment booking and client communication effectively.
Users love the easy scheduling and reminder notifications that enhance client management and streamline business operations.
Users appreciate Vagaro for its comprehensive resources and 24/7 support, enabling seamless business management.
Users appreciate the booking ease of Vagaro, allowing clients to schedule and pay effortlessly online.
Users appreciate the easy online booking system of Vagaro, which simplifies scheduling and service options for clients.

Cons

Users are frustrated with missing features in Vagaro, impacting usability and employee motivation significantly.
Users express frustration over limited features, particularly regarding booking flexibility and service organization.
Users experience poor usability with Vagaro, facing challenges in website design, multiple service setups, and security concerns.
Users are disappointed by the lack of features in Vagaro, which limits functionality despite the high cost.
Users report app issues such as login troubles, hard service setups, and disruptive ads affecting their experience.

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Vagaro?

"Vagaro Has Come a Long Way—Easy to Use with a Great Built-In Merchant"

Rating: 5.0/5.0 stars

— Me Time D.

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