Simplifying loyalty: CashClub’s take on e-commerce savings

In a landscape where online shopping is booming but loyalty solutions are scattered, CashClub is reshaping the way consumers and merchants think about savings. Founded in Romania in 2020, the company is building a unified platform that combines cashback, coupons, and price comparison, bringing clarity and efficiency to a fragmented space.

With over 1,000 e-commerce partners, 70,000+ users, and trusted by brands like Pluxee, Edenred, and Up, CashClub is proving that loyalty can be both simple and scalable. As they prepare for their next phase of growth, we spoke with Alexandru Foaie, the founder and CEO, to learn more about the company's journey, vision, and what lies ahead.

1. Let’s start with the problem: what gap in the loyalty market did you first notice when you decided to start CashClub?

When we launched CashClub app we had the same goal as today: to close the gap on financial awareness for all online shoppers. The learning here is simple: instead of redirecting their marketing budgets to Paid Ads or other marketing channels, shoppers can take a piece of that budget for themselves.

Loyalty programs were fragmented, limited, and brand-specific, forcing users to juggle dozens of accounts, apps, and point systems that rarely delivered real value. Meanwhile, cashback systems were either clunky, outdated, or opaque, with unclear terms, slow payouts, and often little integration into daily financial behavior.

Most importantly, there was no modern, user-first platform that helped consumers earn real money effortlessly across brands, while also being transparent and accessible, like Revolut did for banking.

Not loyalty points. Not one-brand-only perks. Just cashback that works like magic — across all retailers, across all countries.

That was the gap. And CashClub was born to fill it.

2. CashClub brings together cashback, coupons, and price comparison. Why is this bundling important for both users and partners?

As of day 1, we decided that our mission is to maximize all benefits for the consumers while we maximize sales for our partners. If you are looking for a specific product, this is the perfect mix: Instead of jumping between apps or browser tabs, users get everything in one place: they find the product, compare prices, apply a code, and earn cashback — all in a few taps. This can bring up to 30-40% budget optimization in the long run and creates a smarter, more rewarding shopping journey, helping users save both time and money — not just once, but every time they shop. And by integrating this into a mobile-first, intuitive app, we’ve made it accessible and fun, not just functional.

For Partners (Retailers & Brands) we deliver higher-converting, better-informed traffic — shoppers who are ready to buy and already trust the platform. Price comparison increases transparency, which builds trust — and brands who win on price or product can stand out clearly. Bundling discounts and cashback also means more ways to incentivize users, without relying solely on margin-cutting promos. Finally, by owning the full funnel — from discovery to purchase — we give partners richer data and more touchpoints to engage users.

Bundling these tools creates a win-win — users shop smarter and partners sell more efficiently in a highly competitive environment.

3. Many platforms focus only on B2C, what made you pursue both B2C and B2B2C from the beginning?

This comes from our always constructive mindset: instead of competing them, make them your partners. We realized quite early that competing with big companies that don’t have loyalty business as their core business might not make a lot of sense. So, we started reaching out to some of them and it was no surprise that this is an actual business need in the market.

Most cashback or loyalty platforms focus only on B2C, trying to acquire individual users one by one. But from the start, we knew that to scale fast and deliver real impact, we needed to go beyond that. This allows us to have a distribution leverage so we instantly gain access to hundreds of thousands of users who already trust those ecosystems.

When large B2B solutions (banks, fintech, benefit providers, etc) offer CashClub as a perk, we get a stamp of approval that accelerates adoption and usage.

Rather than choosing between the two, our B2B2C motion fuels our B2C engine. It brings high-quality, low-Customer Acquisition Cost users into the ecosystem — and from there, we can scale organically through referrals, word of mouth, and in-app incentives.

4. You’ve partnered with major players like Edenred and Pluxee. How did those collaborations start, and what have you learned from them?

Some of them have quite funny stories. We started with a cold reach asking for a commercial proposal as a potential customer just to request the right contact within the company. But the people we first talked with were nice enough to redirect us to the relevant contacts. We discovered that the Romanian branches of these companies have very well-prepared professionals in key positions, easy to talk with, smart enough to understand very fast what we are proposing.

But this is not enough, you also need to have patience when you enter the corporate world. It can take even more than 1 year from the initial conversation to the first transaction, going through all the commercial, legal, financial, cybersecurity filters.  

5. With 4 million+ consumers in your B2B network, can you share with us some success metrics or use cases you’re most proud of?

This is indeed a high number of consumers that we can reach out to, but that involves very targeted actions. All in all, we managed to generate below sales values for our trusted partners:

• 161,143 sales in total from the launch moment until today, growing sales volumes and number of users every day

• More then 1 million clicks from our users, routing them to our partners

• 6,275,842.88 Euros (approx. 32,000,000 lei) in sales for our partners

• Almost 1 million lei (955,000 lei) paid to our active users in cashback

• In only one sales campaign last Black Friday, we generated 1,000 sales in one day for one of our partners.  
  

6. You’re planning to expand into 4–5 countries a year. How are you approaching European growth?

Expanding into 4–5 countries a year isn’t just about speed — it’s about smart, scalable execution. Here’s how we’re approaching it:

• Playbook-Driven Expansion

We’re building a repeatable launch playbook: Identify countries with strong e-commerce penetration, high price sensitivity, and a growing demand for financial optimization (e.g. Poland, Spain, Italy).

Partner early with local affiliate networks, fintechs, and payment platforms. We also localize everything — language, offers, payment methods, and consumer behavior insights.

• B2B2C as a Launchpad

Just like in Romania, we’re entering new markets through strategic B2B2C partnerships with benefit providers, neobanks, and superapps. This gives us instant user access and brand trust — helping us avoid the typical high Customer Acquisition Cost pitfalls of entering new geographies.

• Lean Teams + Local Ambassadors

Rather than opening big offices, we will work with agile teams and local growth managers, supported by centralized tech and operations. This keeps costs low and speed high.

• Pan-European Brand, Locally Relevant

Our vision is to build a pan-European loyalty layer — one app, one wallet, one user experience — but always adapted to local needs, pricing habits, and shopping patterns.

7. What role does technology play in enabling quick partner onboarding and cross-border launches?

Technology plays a pivotal role in enabling quick partner onboarding and cross-border launches for us by:

• Streamlining Onboarding Processes: our tracking solution partners offer a fast onboarding, allowing partners to be already listed in our platform in less than 24 hours. They receive approvals in real-time, significantly accelerating the process.

• Enabling Cross-Border Payments and Currency Management: Technology facilitates instant currency conversions, international payment processing, and compliance with local financial regulations, making cross-border launches smoother.

• Providing API Integration: APIs allow seamless connection between CashClub’s systems and partners’ platforms, ensuring real-time data exchange, synchronization, and operational efficiency.

• Supporting Scalability and Flexibility: Cloud infrastructure and scalable tech solutions permit rapid deployment in new regions without significant physical infrastructure, allowing quick entry into multiple markets.

• Data Analytics and Reporting: Advanced analytics help us monitor onboarding metrics, identify bottlenecks, and optimize processes to enable faster launches and operations.
  

8. What are the biggest challenges when it comes to loyalty adoption in Europe? How is CashClub positioned to overcome them?

Although most European countries are part of the EU, we noticed a Diverse Regulatory Environment with varying laws across countries regarding data privacy (like GDPR) and marketing practices.

When running market research, we found a very fragmented market and consumer preferences: Europe’s diverse cultures and preferences mean loyalty programs need to be highly localized, which can be complex and resource intensive. There are also rising concerns over data security that can impact consumer willingness to participate in digital loyalty schemes.

But CashClub is well positioned to overcome these challenges. CashClub employs robust compliance measures aligned with GDPR and regional laws, ensuring secure and lawful data handling, which builds trust and facilitates adoption.

Our platform offers customizable and flexible loyalty solutions tailored to specific markets and customer segments, enhancing relevance and engagement. We also leverage advanced digital infrastructure, making it easier for partners to integrate and offer seamless, user-friendly loyalty experiences regardless of existing systems.

Emphasizing strong data protection practices reassure consumers and partners, encouraging participation, while by providing creative, omnichannel engagement options, CashClub helps brands stand out in a crowded marketplace and foster loyalty more effectively.

9. Finally, why is now the right time for investors to support CashClub?

Now is an ideal time for investors to support CashClub due to several compelling reasons:

• Growing Digital Payments and Loyalty Market: The global shift towards digital financial services and mobile-first solutions is accelerating, creating a substantial demand for innovative platforms like CashClub that enable seamless transactions and loyalty programs.

• Increasing Cross-Border Commerce: As international trade and e-commerce expand, CashClub’s capabilities in supporting cross-border launches and payments position it to capitalize on this global growth trend.

• Regulatory Evolution: With evolving regulations that favor secure, compliant, and flexible financial solutions, CashClub’s technology-driven approach aligns well with current compliance frameworks, lowering barriers to market entry.

• Enhanced Consumer Engagement Expectations: Consumers increasingly expect personalized and frictionless loyalty experiences, which CashClub’s adaptable and innovative platform can deliver efficiently.

• Strong Digital Transformation Trends: The ongoing digital transformation across industries means more organizations are eager for integrated financial and loyalty solutions, making CashClub’s offerings highly relevant.

• Strategic Positioning and Growth Potential: With its technology, market expertise, and readiness to scale, CashClub is poised for rapid growth in a burgeoning market, offering attractive opportunities for early investors.

Supporting CashClub now allows investors to participate in this dynamic sector at an opportune moment, leveraging the platform’s innovative edge and market trends for potential long-term returns.

Explore the opportunity.