January 2018 - Page 3 of 3

How to make the most of retail store apps for Android or iPhones

Posted on January 5, 2018 by Kick Writers

Without realizing what I was doing, I’ve apparently gotten most of the people in my life hooked on using retail store apps for their Android or iPhone. I mean, I’m well aware that I love using these apps, but I guess I hadn’t realized I’d been selling their greatness to anyone and everyone who would listen. You see, I’m a business major and, to me, shopping is serious business.

How most retail store apps work, whether for Android or iPhone, is pretty simple: shop, earn, and redeem. But what I wanted to know was how to make the most of them to really up my shopping game with a free app. I wanted to pinpoint what my college business professors might call a set of best practices for using free shopping rewards apps on my smartphone.

Let’s take a look at some of my personal recommendations for getting the most out of retail store apps—because you don’t have to be a business major to get down to the business of savings and rewards.

Free Is the Way to Be for Retail Store Apps for Androids and iPhones

Here’s a definition of what best practices are, taken straight out of my old college notes: Commercial or professional procedures that are accepted or prescribed as being correct or most effective. And here’s the definition of them that we’re going to use today: retail app usage procedures that are accepted or prescribed as being correct or most effective.

Now that we have that clear, let’s start with the most obvious tip I can offer when it comes to retail store apps for both Androids and iPhones: free is the way to be.

You simply shouldn’t have to pay a cent to use a great retail store app, whether it’s for a specific store or one you can use at all the spots you shop.

This is more than just a catchy little rhyme, it’s also vital to understand. You simply shouldn’t have to pay a cent to use a great retail store app, whether it’s for a specific store or one you can use at all the spots you shop. The point, after all, is to save not to spend. Or maybe I should say save while you spend in 2018.

Retail Store Apps Should Be Versatile

Since I started urging all my friends to use retail store apps for their iPhone and Android smartphones, I have, on rare occasions, encountered some hesitation. Like most of us these days, many of them have started to do the bulk of their shopping online.

They understandably worry that taking the time to download and start using a retail store app won’t be worth it to them, since they find themselves going online to buy almost everything, from paper towels to books to clothes to electronics. Hey, I’ve been there. I get more and more things online every year, too!

That’s why our second best practice for using these apps is to make sure the one you choose will also help you earn points for shopping online. My favorites are the ones that let you get paid to shop online, even if you’re making purchases from your mobile device. It’s generally pretty simple to use them when you shop from a desktop, too—as simple as it is to use them in person at brick and mortar stores. You get points for plenty of online shopping activities, including:

Visiting online stores
Viewing select products
Making mobile purchases
Watching featured videos

These are all things you’d probably be doing anyway, so why not earn while you do? This is why making sure you get an app you can use when you shop online ranks second on our list of best practices.

Go for the Best Retail Store App

When I went back to look for an exact definition of best practices in my old college notes, I noticed something else I’d underlined: always collaborate with the best and brightest. I think this is also true of using retail store apps. While using multiple apps to maximize rewards is definitely a great strategy, my advice is to never lose sight of which app is the best. To me, that means the app that is both the most fun and gives you the most chances for savings.

While using multiple apps to maximize rewards is definitely a great strategy, my advice is to never lose sight of which app is the best.

Since shopping is a thing we all have to do all of the time, it’s vital to get an app that gives you reasons to look forward to using it, like turning every trip to the store into a fun scavenger hunt for points. For me, the app that does this best is Shopkick.

How Shopkick works is cool because when you use it, you literally start scoring points, called kicks, the moment you walk into the store. Then it becomes a hunt to find featured products and scan their barcodes for prices and info. Finally, it also gives you points once you make your purchases. Plus, it fits in with the first two best practices for shopping apps we established above.

You may have your own school of thought on these apps, but for me, the choice is easier than Business 101: Shopkick is not only at the top of the class, but in a class of its own.

Start making the most of retail store apps for your Android or iPhone by using Shopkick. Download the free shopping rewards app and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the fun of shopping with us!

And, if you love social media as much as you love your smartphone, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Image courtesy Wayhome Studio

Get paid to shop: How apps save shoppers money

Posted on January 4, 2018 by Kick Writers

There’s a cashier at my local grocery store, Maya, whose lane I always, always, always insist on going down. We’re super friendly, she does the best job bagging groceries that I’ve ever seen, and she always gives me tips about what’s on sale.

I haven’t kept track of how many deals Maya has helped me take advantage of over the years (or, for that matter, how many inside jokes the two of us have had), but I know if I added up all those savings, it would be massive! She calls herself my personal coupon clipper. She even mentioned she wishes she could just walk around with her favorite customers, like yours truly, helping them find the best deals and rewards for buying their favorite products. That’s when a lightbulb went off.

Actually, I told her, I do have an amazing shopping helper, I’m using it right now—and you can too! I get paid to shop by using a free app that’s fun and easy. She was intrigued, of course, and I even held up the line explaining it to her, but once the guy behind me heard what I was saying, his annoyance turned to awe. He and the cashier both downloaded my favorite app on the spot.

If you want to get in on our shopping savings as well, read on. Then, next time you’re in line, pass this onto your favorite cashier.

Learn How You Can Get Paid to Shop With a Smartphone App

While Maya, my favorite cashier, may be an expert at when to take advantage of sales at our local grocery store, I was able to fill her in on the concept of free apps that pay you to grocery shop. Now, she and I have had some really long conversations in the past, but this informative talk about how to use my favorite apps was not one of those. It’s not that we rushed it or anything, but how these apps work is just so simple:

#1: Earn points. Depending on the app you use to get paid to shop, how you earn your points may vary, but all of my favorites give you rewards points for multiple tasks, most or all of which are things you tend to do while you’re out shopping anyway, like scanning barcodes to get prices or product info, and, of course, for actually making a purchase. Some of these apps even give you points just for walking into a store!
#2: Cash in your points. Once you’ve earned enough points, it then becomes as simple as trading them in for cash back in the form of gift cards at all your favorite stores. Basically, these apps quickly get you cash back on your receipts, kind of like those old mail-in rebate form, only so much quicker.

It’s that simple. Seriously.

Get Paid to Shop With My All-Time Favorite App

Maya, the cashier extraordinaire, was basically sold at this point, and then we found ourselves in this weird reverse position of her thanking me for finding new ways to save. The app I recommended she use to get paid to shop? Shopkick, of course.

The app I recommended she use to get paid to shop? Shopkick, of course.

There are other shopping rewards and cash back apps out there that you can use, but Shopkick just simply does it all! It even has a kicking (sorry for the pun!) social media community of likeminded Shopkickers who are truly awesome about sharing their own tips for savvy shopping, as well as jokes, recipes, and mommy stories. I came to Shopkick for the savings, but I’ve stayed for all the fun I’ve had hunting for points—and for the friends I’ve made commenting on the funny things Shopkick shares on its Facebook page.

It really felt good to help Maya out with her own shopping game for once. She told me she’d been using old-school methods like cutting out coupons and in-store rebate savings programs, but she was excited to upgrade her shopping rewards repertoire to the easy-to-use Shopkick app. It was even the first thing she mentioned to me the next time I came through her line! In fact, she said she’d been telling her other customers all about it, too, which probably means there will be even more of us using it soon. So, see you in the aisle, Shopkickers!

Learn how you can start getting paid to shop before your next trip out to the aisles. Download Shopkick’s free app and get ready to be wowed. Welcome to the fun!

If you’re as social media savvy as you are shopping savvy, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily shopping fun and inspiration.

Image courtesy: Dean Drobot

How to create brand awareness—and excitement—for new products

Posted on January 3, 2018 by Kick Writers

A new product launch is an exciting, but also nerve-inducing, event for any CPG brand. You’ve done market research and held focus groups—and you believe that you have a product that will resonate with consumers. However, even big data can’t guarantee a successful launch. For that, you need a powerful marketing campaign that will excite and engage your target audience.

Knowing how to generate brand awareness for new products requires, above all, knowing your market. There are virtually millions of CPG products on the shelves for consumers to choose from; a successful launch is increasingly dependent on taking a digital approach in order to break through the noise of a crowded marketplace. And that means leveraging mobile platforms and social media to create buzz.

Many brands have been able to proactively gain attention for new products on a national or even global level, and thereby achieve a successful debut. Let’s explore how you can adapt one such brand’s tested strategies to ensure your own product launch sees similar results.

How to Create Brand Awareness and Buzz for New Products and Marketplaces

Whether you’re introducing a new product into an existing market or pushing an established product into an untapped market, the one thing that product needs is buzz. While the word is short, the path to earning it is not. In fact, it’s estimated that only 15% of new products succeed in the CPG industry. Brands that have faced this challenge head-on and launched a breakthrough product typically have this one thing in common: they got consumers engaged.

Let’s consider the case of Milk-Bone’s Brushing Chews. The company identified a common problem, canine dental health, and reached out to partners who could help them solve it. Prior to the product’s launch, the brand worked with several retailers to customize their message based on the demographics of the retailers’ audiences. They also spearheaded a social media campaign focused on pet dental health with the help of veterinary professionals to gain credibility and help to drive interest. In one year, sales for the product topped $50 million.

The brand successfully created brand awareness for a new product launch by:

Solving a universal problem: Pet parents rarely brush their pet’s teeth as it’s a challenge both for the owner and the pet. Milk-Bone saw this dilemma and capitalized on it to launch a new product that turned a task into a reward.
Building a social media campaign: The company used a series of online videos featuring their mascots Ted and Rudy, a man and his beloved dog. The videos featured an engaging duo demonstrating the product; viewers were excited to share and comment on it.
Creating mutually beneficial partnerships: Veterinarians were the first to raise concerns about the lack of dental care for pets, so Milk-Bone decided to work with them to get the word out about their toothbrush-esque product. Milk-Bone was able to get the support of these industry leaders while veterinarians received a solution to a problem they saw every day.

Through these marketing efforts, Milk-Bone was able to roll out a new CPG product launch that was one of the most successful in the sector in 2014. They gained popularity and sales for their product by focusing on the common needs of their target audience.

Adapting Milk-Bone’s Strategy to Create a Successful Product Launch

It should be noted that Milk-Bone was up against some tough competition. Their competitors’ products, however, tended to be marketed as medicinal, rather than as treats. Milk-Bone created a niche presence for themselves and leveraged partnerships with trusted industry professionals to spread a powerful message.

Regardless of the product your company is selling, you can adapt some of their strategies to improve your own launch and build brand awareness:

Bend categories: Milk-Bone is a company that primarily provides dog treats. However, with the rollout of their brushing chews, they moved into the health category. As they were the most dog-friendly option in the health category, they became a go-to option for many pet owners. Launching a product is often easier when you’re the stand out among a fixed group of competitors. Find your product’s unique selling point and use it to compete in a less aggressive category.
Leverage social media: Milk-Bone rolled out their new product on several platforms, including social media. Their online videos, in particular, resonated with pet owners. Video advertising can generate a high ROI and can be a great tool for building buzz and engagement among consumers before your product even hits the retail shelves.
Create partnerships: You don’t necessarily have to work with industry experts to carve out a place for yourself in a crowded market, you just need to find a partner that consumers already trust. Shopping apps are a great tool for CPG companies as they help spread your brand’s message to a wider and active audience and help you build the buzz you need for a successful product launch. They allow you to travel with the consumer through the ever-increasing shopping aisle, providing more powerful opportunities for in-the-moment messaging.

By taking a unique slant with your product and marketing it through digital avenues, you can gain more attention and brand awareness for your next product launch. Partnerships, like the ones you build with shopping rewards apps, can also help get the word out about your product to gain consumer’s interest. These apps can give you access to a new audience of consumers who are already engaged—and ready to help create buzz for your next product.

Shopkick is a popular shopping reward apps with partners and consumers alike. Our partners have found success in reaching new audiences and launching new products. To learn more, contact our team today.

Image courtesy Olivier Le Moal

Retail shopping apps for iPhone and Android to kick off your savings

Posted on January 3, 2018 by Kick Writers

I’m a huge fan of playing fantasy football on my iPhone. I’m in a league with my old college buddies and we offer our yearly champion a little reward: we all pitch in to buy the winner a gift card to his or her favorite store. It’s a nice little incentive, but let me tell you, if you break it down by the many, many, many hours you have to spend making roster moves and setting your lineup, the reward is relatively small compared to the time investment.

Hey, that’s okay! Win or lose, fantasy football is just plain fun. Plus, these days I’ve discovered other apps for my phone that can help me earn bigger and better rewards with much less time and energy (not to mention nail-biting anxiety) than it takes to capture first place in my super competitive fantasy football league. I’m talking about an awesome concept we can all root for: retail shopping apps for iPhone and Android that help you get paid to shop.

Now I’m hauling in rewards for all kinds of stuff I’ve been doing forever, like buying all the latest electronics, getting new clothes, and even shopping for paper towels. These retail shopping apps for my iPhone even pay me for buying groceries. Crazy. Crazy but true. And now I want to share my favorite shopping rewards apps with you, because, unlike a super competitive fantasy football league, we’re all on the same team here!

How Retail Shopping Apps for iPhone and Android Work

I think the biggest learning curve when it comes to fantasy football is how the apps work. I mean, I already knew a ton about football and which players are the best, but learning the ins and outs of how the fantasy football app itself worked took some time. The first season I played, I was shocked when my lineup locked at game time and I couldn’t acquire any new players until the following Wednesday.

So, let’s start by going over how retail shopping apps work. A lot of stores have branded apps as well, but we’re going to focus today on shopping rewards apps you can use at lots of different stores because those are the ones I use the most—and the good news is that they’re all incredibly easy to use!

The exact mechanics of how they work can sometimes vary depending on which one you decide to use, but all my favorites basically function like this: you get points for the shopping that you already do and then you trade those points in for rewards, usually in the form of gift cards. The app I use gives me points for buying featured products and taking a picture of my receipt, for scanning barcodes, and even for just walking into some of my favorite stores. It’s even more awesome than my Seahawks winning the Superbowl a few years ago (maybe).

The Top Benefits of Retail Shopping Apps for iPhones and Androids

I still remember the day when my buddy in college recruited me into his fantasy football league. I was skeptical—super skeptical. It just seemed like it would be a lot of hassle and take up way too much of my time. I was there to meet people and study, after all (mostly study, I swear!). My buddy laid it on pretty thick, though, by emphasizing how much fun it would make watching football every week, something I knew I was going to do either way. That was a really convincing argument. I mean, how can you say no to something that improves and enhances something you’re already doing?

Well, that all pretty much sums up my case for why you should embrace using retail shopping apps for your iPhone or Android: it enhances something you know you’re going to be doing already. I’m talking about shopping. You can’t avoid it, so you might as well get rewarded for doing it.

I touched on some of my favorite benefits of using a shopping rewards app above, but like the details of any epic fantasy football win, I don’t mind talking about them again:

#1: You’ll get paid to shop. Using a shopping rewards app scores me points for my budget while I’m at Target, Best Buy, or the grocery store—even online. It’s as simple as this: I have to shop for essentials (and tech accessories, of course) anyway, so why not haul in some big rewards for doing it?
#2: You’ll earn gift cards to your favorite stores: I love having gift cards to my favorite stores because, believe it or not, I actually keep a pretty careful budget. Having a gift card feels like I’m getting things for free. That’s why my second favorite benefit for retail shopping apps is that all the best ones let you trade your points in for free gift cards to stores like Amazon, Starbucks, and Walmart.
#3: You’ll feel like shopping is a game: I don’t mind shopping, but I also don’t love it—not until recently, at least. Now that I use retail shopping apps, there’s a challenge involved, though: how many points can I accumulate in one trip? It turns everyday shopping trips into a scavenger hunt. I’m a fan.

The Best Retail Shopping Apps for iPhone and Android

I think my long-time fantasy football league has now used three different platforms over the years to keep track of our rosters: Yahoo, ESPN, and CBS Sports. They all have different features, so it was kind of confusing each time we switched; in retrospect, I kind of wish we’d just picked one and stuck with it. That’s actually what my advice is to you with retail shopping apps: find one you love and stick with it (although you can also use multiple rewards apps to maximize your rewards, but that’s a different ballgame).

My personal favorite is an app called Shopkick. I’ve tried a few others, but I love this one because it’s super simple, it pays out in gift cards to all my favorite stores, and it gives me chances to score points, called kicks, at almost every turn, starting when I walk into the store. Shopkick has really maximized my shopping game with a single mobile app, kind of like how the Patriots would be nothing without a certain QB. One major difference between Shopkick and fantasy football, though, is that there are rarely heartbreaking defeats or subsequent trash talk.

Shopkick is super simple, pays out in gift cards to all my favorite stores, and gives me chances to score points

So yeah, I highly recommend taking out your iPhone or Android and downloading Shopkick. And fantasy football season is the perfect time to do it. There have been a ton of weekends when I’ve scored serious shopping points by stocking up on snacks before having my old buddies over to watch a game. Shopkick will definitely help you kick off your next shopping trip—and that’s no fantasy.

Ready to put down the fantasy football and pickup retail shopping apps for iPhone and Android? Download Shopkick for free and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the rewards of shopping with us!

And, if you love using your smartphone to stay up on social media, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily shopping inspiration.

Image courtesy Rido81

Get fit and earn kicks with Shopkick

Posted on January 2, 2018 by Kick Writers

Every year, many of us take time to reflect on the past year and resolve to make the new year better than the last. One popular resolution is to be healthier — losing weight, eating better, or achieving fitness goals. These “get fit” resolutions are entirely attainable, but require planning ahead.

Keep your resolutions this year

We polled loyal Shopkickers to find out about their New Year’s resolutions. Despite having the best intentions, we learned only 34% of people actually stick to their resolutions throughout the whole year. Most people, 64% of respondents, abandon their goals by Spring.

Experts say that the best way to keep your resolutions is to set smaller, more realistic goals and planning out the steps you will take to achieve them. For example, rather than promising to lose weight, pledge to lose one pound a week until you reach your goal. Instead of resolving to eat healthier, commit to planning meals three times a week and perhaps eating red meat once a week.

Get healthy and earn kicks with Shopkick

Do you need an extra reason to stick to your resolution this year? Shopkickers like Shaurice D. from Atlanta use Shopkick to help them achieve their fitness goals while they earn kicks. Some Shopkickers get their kicks while they get in their daily steps, while others browse the app to find kicks on fitness or health-related products.

Check out our top finds to help you crush this year’s fitness resolutions and get kicks while you’re at it!

Eat Healthy

Try planning your meals in advance to set yourself up for success. You can eat wholesome AND delicious meals that are good for both your waistline and your wallet. See our menu of health-friendly treats from Boxed and Jet. Better yet, have them all delivered right to your door!

Work Out in Style

Find an exercise you like and stick to it! Try a new fitness class or set a goal of to run a 5k in 2018. It helps to dress the part — these sporty-chic styles from Amazon will have you looking forward to your workout. As a bonus, you’ll earn kicks for every $1 spent on your purchases.

Get Fit at Home

If you can’t make it to the gym, bring the gym to you. Start feeling the burn today with these home gym steals at Walmart.com. Your purchases will give you a head start on your 2018 kicks!

Get started

Open the app to get kicks and see how Shopkick can help you achieve your New Years resolutions. Don’t have the app? Download it here to join the fun and start earning your free gift cards!