Skip to content

Our Points & Tiers Policy

Blog post cover image with the words Our Points & Tiers Policy and a picture of Brook the Artisans Cooperative chicken mascot tucking into a slice of blueberry pie

[UPDATED 1/16/24]

In this post, we’re presenting the details of our innovative Points & Tiers policy. This policy is a critical component of our Ownership Model and the key to implementing our Handmade Policy. Together, these three policies represent an intertwined trinity that forms the basis of our unique Business Plan.

The purpose of the Points & Tiers system is to incentivize member engagement, equitably value and reward all kinds of contributions (not just cash), and help the co-op be successful. 

It accomplishes this by: 

  1. Valuing all patronage activities for all members in a consistent currency called points
  2. Accepting member buy-ins using points as well as cash to increase accessibility for all who want to join
  3. Distributing financial benefits (dividends) by tiers, which is a flexible grouping of all members by total points earned, regardless of member class

Patronage activities are the “uses” of a co-op. They are the contributions members make to the co-op to make it successful for all. For us, patronage includes things such as buying and selling on the marketplace, hours spent on membership asks, financial aid, and activities like handmade verifications. 

This system unites all contributions and all members into one successful co-op rather than dividing members by “class” (Artisan, Supporter, Staff). 

The Points & Tiers system comes in two parts: 

1) The Policy is a part of our Member Agreement and lays out the framework for implementation. We do not expect it to change often, although it will need to be updated when the co-op is ready to accept its first Staff member. The policy was developed in community during the creation of the Ownership Model Canvas. 

2) The Schedule provides the specifics of implementation: what contributions are included, how many points each is assigned, and what rules group members into tiers. We expect to adjust this from time-to-time as we receive actual usage data. 

The schedule was developed by a task force in the General Circle. The task force created a simulation to test the proposed values in the absence of actual data by using a fictional group of 20+ personas. Each persona had a particular strength, or represented the extremes of the policy: the very highest engagement or the very lowest engagement. The simulation showed how many points each persona would earn under the schedule, and which resulting tiers the personas would be in. This simulation allowed the task force members to adjust the values for equity, fairness and practicality. 

We’re eager to hear your thoughts on the Points & Tiers policy. Share your reactions and questions in the comments below! 

Policy Version History

1/16/24 v2 Extended points pledge period from 6 months to 12 months and clarified the window begins after member application approval. Created a Board of Directors review exception if a member were to use the points pledge grace periods uncooperatively, such as re-applying multiple times without earning any points. Clarified the difference between Buy-in Points and “Lifetime Points” for tiers placement, and that tiers are determined by the percentile of lifetimes points amounts, not percentile of memberships (which would have duplicate values). Version 1 can be viewed here.


About Artisans Cooperative

We are growing an online handmade marketplace for an inclusive network of creatives: a co-op alternative to Etsy.
Shop the marketplace!

8 thoughts on “Our Points & Tiers Policy”

  1. Pingback: Now Enrolling Members! Join An Authentic Handmade Marketplace | Artisans Cooperative

  2. Pingback: How To Earn Points Through Member Activities | Artisans Cooperative

  3. Pingback: The Policy Trinity Supporting Our Co-op | Artisans Cooperative

  4. Pingback: Our Data And Points Tracking Plan | Artisans Cooperative

  5. Pingback: Our Ownership Model | Artisans Cooperative

  6. I am interest in Selling wood blank slices for crafting supplies. I go out looking for fallen tree and tree branches to cut my wood slices. Crafters use them for painting, engraving, Pyrography, etching and more. My customer would buy them for supplies.

    Thank you

  7. Pingback: 2023 Year In Review | Artisans Cooperative

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *