It’s gotten big buzz thanks to a new partnership with Best Buy, and the New York Times has already shown an appetite for this app, but here at COLLOQUY we also get a kick out of Shopkick, the new smartphone application that gathers data on shoppers while they are in-store and targets them with relevant offers.
It’s a really great example of what we’ve talked about when it comes to the rise of mobile loyalty: How technology is enabling loyalty marketers to understand their customers better and provide them (with the appropriate opt-in, of course) with personalized and relevant offers as well as the opportunity to earn points (in the Shopkick case, they’re called kickbucks).
Today’s loyalty marketers want to reward potential customers right where they are — particularly when they are shopping right in the store. It’s been a long time coming, but some of that potential finally seems to be paying off. Best Buy, for example, is preparing to test the Shopkick system in 257 stores. It will be interesting to see how the program plays out — will customers appreciate this latest high-tech tactic, or will concerns about privacy prevail?
We believe that as long as there is an appropriate and well-communicated opt-in system in place, and customer trust is not in jeopardy, this kind of in-store loyalty play may kick mobile to the next level.
