Which ancient civilization invented the world's first known retail loyalty program, offering clay tokens to repeat customers that could be exchanged for discounts on future purchases?

Before modern malls and e-commerce, ancient civilizations created sophisticated retail environments that shaped consumer behavior and established principles still used today. Many retail customer experience strategies we consider innovative actually have roots going back thousands of years. This trivia explores how ancient merchants understood customer journeys and created engaging shopping experiences long before modern marketing theory existed.

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Phoenicians (c. 1500 BCE), who gave regular customers special purple-dyed tokens in their maritime trading posts
Babylonians (c. 1800 BCE), who created a system of stamped clay tablets for preferred shoppers in their marketplaces
Romans (c. 100 CE), who distributed metal tesserae to patrician families for preferential treatment at urban shops
Ancient Chinese (c. 1000 BCE), who provided regular silk market customers with inscribed oracle bones for future discounts