Tesla referral program is back!!!!

Tesla Referral Program Returns!!! The Tesla referral program was in the past one of the keys to driving adoption before Tesla was the company it is today. 

Its rewards for getting others to use your referral code both were insightful and extremely successful. It used to reward those with vehicles, chargers, powerwalks and so much more. 

Referrals

But then in the September of 2021, it all ended. Those of us here in Australia did not really benefit from the referral program as it finished just as Australia was really starting to get on board. 

But on Friday 25/2/2023 the referral program came back. This time it came back with a much more practical approach. 

How does it work?

Someone uses your referral code as it was before and you earn credits. The credits can then be used by you and the person who used your code to purchase accessories, upgrades, and supercharger credits. When the code is used, both get benefits. 

These make it much more appealing to your average person. It entices you to purchase through a friend or relative because you get some benefit to you and me when we do. 

Of course, the rewards of new cars and the like do not appear to be here anymore and that is what makes it so sustainable. 

Mobile App

The Tesla Mobile app was recently changed to show a locked chest in the top right-hand corner. When you select the icon, the following page opens. 

Loot Box front page 

This page shows the current credits that you must spend. 

It also shows the free supercharging credits after they are purchased. 

Referral Button

The referral Button when selected asks to be connected to your contacts. You can then send your referral code to all your contacts. 

At the bottom of the page, you have a further 3 icons. 

The original “Loot Box” icon, is consistent with the icon you selected to get to this page. Then a credits icon and finally a redeem icon.

Credits Icon

When selected the credits icon shows the following page. 

The top right is a history tab used to track credit history.

Below this is 3 selections

• Referrer
• Buyer
• Loyalty

Referrer

When sending a referral from this page it shows an image of the credits you receive when you have an appositive referral. This credit would then appear in your credits after the purchase is complete. 

Buyer

When a person uses your referral code not only do you, as the referrer, get credits but so too does the buyer or person who has purchased the vehicles through your referral link. 

Loyalty

This selection shows credits that you get if you already own a Tesla and purchase another through your referral code another vehicle for you. 

Each of these selections will give you the value based on the selection of the vehicle being purchased. 

Redeem

On the Home page of the Loot box, I mentioned there was another icon on the bottom of the page, Redeem.

When selected this page shows the following, a total credit you have earned at the top?

Below this is 4 menu selections

• Featured Products
• Lifestyle
• Accessories
• Upgrades

Feature Products

This selection is about the essential items that tesla wants to promote. It is no surprise then that the Supercharger selection is the main image on this page. 

Lifestyle

The lifestyle selection shows a few items that can be purchased with the credits, from the tesla shop. A beanie, water bottle, t-shirt, and travel mug/tumbler. These will be the beginning of the selections I am sure, and this list will grow over time. 

Accessories

The accessories selection again is pulling items from the tesla shop, but the difference is it is promoting items for the vehicles. The Wall connector, the USB drive, the Pet Liner, Roof Sunshade and Center Console Trays are all featured and offer reasonable credit limits. 

Upgrades 

Upgrades would reference any grades that your current vehicles may not have. I have all the upgrades but would think that premium connectivity is a good example of what to expect here and I am sure cooler tech will appear here in the future. 

Terms and Conditions

Below are just some of the key points outlined in the term and conditions.

• Referrals cannot be applied after an order has been placed. 
• Referral Credits are available to current owners in the Tesla community who refer first-time Tesla customers.
• Buyer Credits are also granted to first-time customers who order a qualifying Tesla product through a referral link
• Loyalty Credits are granted to current Tesla owners who are purchasing additional Tesla products for themselves.
• Credits are awarded after the installation and activation of a Tesla energy product (the “Grant Date”).
• Tesla customers must be at least 18 years old to be eligible for credits, which are non-transferable and not redeemable for cash.
• Referral links should be shared from one person to another, not broadcast en masse on public platforms.

Tesla thinking

So why now? Why bring back the referral program, when you cannot keep up with demand and it puts you in a position of creating more demand? 

I believe it is about the customer. Tesla has for many years promoted one of its best assets, the people who keep talking about tesla without paid advertising. You see a referral program of this type takes that promotional expense and gives it back to the customers that have made tesla so successful. 

Tesla reinforces this with the following line in the term and conditions

“We introduce programs such as these in good faith and expect the same good faith in return. The intent of this program is to reward loyal Tesla owners for sharing their passion for Tesla products with their friends and family. “

It is one of the best sales and marketing tools because the passionate people who have found the electrification of vehicles to be a revolution can now be thanked for their efforts and rewarded for their loyalty. 

Loyalty above all is never celebrated by any company so it is wonderful to see a company like a Tesla once again rewarding those that have made them what they are today. 

It is wonderful to see it back. 

Dave