Which ancient civilization pioneered a merchant loyalty system where regular customers received specially marked pottery shards (ostraka) that could be redeemed for preferential treatment or discounts?

Before modern loyalty cards and digital points systems, ancient civilizations had their own methods of ensuring customer loyalty in bustling marketplaces. From Mesopotamian clay tokens to Roman tessera hospitalis, these early 'loyalty programs' helped merchants maintain relationships with valued customers and encourage repeat business. This trivia explores one particularly innovative customer retention strategy that might surprise you with its sophistication and effectiveness.

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Ancient Egyptians, who called these loyalty tokens 'wedjet' (the eye of protection)
Ancient Greeks, particularly in Athens where pottery was abundant and easily marked with customer identifiers
Phoenicians, who used purple-dyed tokens (their famous trade color) to mark their most valuable trading partners
Babylonians, who recorded customer purchases on clay tablets and offered discounts based on purchase volume