Spring forward with kicks from Etsy, eBags, and Drizly

Get ready for spring with three new online stores on Shopkick: Etsy, eBags, and Drizly!

New online stores have hatched

Spring forward with three new places to earn kicks online through the Shopkick app. Check out one-of-a-kind goods on Etsy, snag the best luggage online with eBags, and have alcohol delivered to your door in an hour with Drizly, all while earning kicks for your purchases.

eBags – 10 kicks per $1

bag luggageeBags has been the #1 online luggage and backpack store since 1999. They sell a variety of travel gear including bags, backpacks, suitcases, and travel accessories. Shop now to find the best luggage on the web and gear up for your next big adventure and earn rewards along the way.

 

Drizly – 4 kicks per $1

Shop several local storesalcohol cocktail  all at once for the biggest selection of beer, wine and liquor online. You can compare prices instead of being locked into one non-negotiable cost. Snag exactly what you want and get your drinks delivered or skip the line with in-store pickup. You have everything else in your life at the touch of a button, so why not your favorite chardonnay or IPA? What’s more, you can earn kicks towards gift cards with your purchases!

 

Etsy – 3 kicks per $1

etsy goodsShop millions of one-of-a-kind items and find the perfect thing just for you. You can easily explore creative, handmade, and vintage goods with the Etsy app. Browse curated collections of inspiring gifts for him or her, unique wedding ideas, handmade jewelry, and more. Shop through the Shopkick app and express yourself while earning kicks!

 

How it works

Shopkick rewards you for the shopping you already do. There are many easy ways to earn reward points (we call them kicks). Redeem your kicks for free gift cards and enjoy. It’s that easy! With a wide selection of gift cards available from Starbucks to Target, Sephora to Amazon, you can be sure to find the perfect gift card to treat yourself.

 

 

Don’t have Shopkick yet? Download it here and get started earning rewards today!

Posted in b2c

Grocery retail apps: Why they attract millennials to CPG brands

Gaining millennial interest for a CPG brand is a common challenge marketers face. Grocery retail apps could be the answer. Millennial purchase behaviors are often erratic, not due to the fact that millennials themselves are erratic, but because of their reliance on technology.

retail apps for grocery storesCurrently, millennials make up one of the largest buying groups in existence. Understanding their behavior is the key for CPG brands to maintain their relevance and their market share in today’s crowded marketplace. Millennials are the first generation to grow up with access to the internet. They use it as a tool to influence their everyday purchase decisions. Because of that fact, the internet has a profound impact on their buying behaviors.

CPG brands that want to attract their attention must be willing to do so through technology—specifically, through retail in-store apps. Grocery retail apps can help a brand connect with a millennial audience, often simply by being conveniently available to consult as they make their purchase decisions.

How Millennials Shifted the Marketing Paradigm

Chances are, you’ve noticed how important the smartphone is to millennials. The average  millennial touches their phone 150 times a day. This behavior doesn’t mean they’re addicted to their cell phones, per se; instead, it’s due to the fact that the smartphone is this generation’s television. It doesn’t just provide entertainment, it connects them to the world.  

Millennial-focused marketing is a major paradigm shift for many marketing and advertising professionals because social media and digital marketing have created a more transparent and direct connection between brands and these consumers. Millennial shoppers also have more access to information period, whether that information is about international politics, financial matters, or new trends and products. Because of the major role the internet has played in their lives, millennials typically are:

  • Socially responsible: The first Earth Day was held in 1970 but it didn’t gain widespread popularity until the early 80s, which is when the first millennials were born. Millennials grew up with an environmental conscientiousness that wasn’t seen in generations that came before them. As a result, brands that focus on digital marketing, which does not unnecessarily waste resources, tend to resonate well with them.
  • Fiscally savvy: About one-third of millennials have a financial or savings plan in place. That far exceeds the planning of older generations, including Generation X and even baby boomers. Millennials seem to have learned from the mistakes of those who came before them, planning for retirement early and keeping unnecessary spending down.
  • Highly sensitive to scarcity: Because of their easy ability to access up-to-the-minute information on just about everything, millennials are more easily impacted by scarcity, otherwise known as the “fear of missing out,” or FOMO.

Millennials depend on technology to help them make informed decisions. They are open about sharing their signals of purchase intent if it makes their brand experience better. In the past, the internet may have been used as a resource for researching high-ticket items. However, because millennials live in an age flush with accessible data, even their small dollar purchase decisions are likely to be impacted by the abundance of information they can conveniently access. This is why grocery apps act as such a major persuader to the millennial market.

Using Grocery Retail Apps to Impact Millennial Purchase Decisions

Millennials don’t just want to buy from a brand; they want to create a relationship with that brand. They are attracted by brand awareness campaigns that create a real and genuine relationship. This is why mobile marketing is such a powerful purchase influencer for them as it:

  • Offers Rewards: Apps like Shopkick, a retail shopping rewards app, provide recognition for making smart purchase decisions in the form of reward points that users can later redeem for gift cards. This acts as an efficient purchase driver as, often, the perceived value of these kicks is even higher than the dollar amount they cost marketers.
  • Creates a social environment: Users of grocery shopping apps, like Shopkick, are encouraged to share their shopping and saving experiences online via Facebook and other popular social platforms. This creates a community of fiscally savvy consumers who discuss money-saving tips.
  • Communicates in the moment: As already discussed, millennial consumers touch their phones hundreds of times a day. An app that can connect with them as they’re in the shopping aisle is extraordinarily effective for gaining brand recognition.
  • Extends social responsibility: Digital apps offer a benefit that paper circulars and advertising materials can’t: They’re scalable and responsible. That means that millennials don’t have to worry about the waste involved with paper coupons or offers—and brands don’t have to spend money printing materials.  

Today’s millennial consumers are not coupon clippers, but they are fiscally intelligent. They want to save money while they’re saving the environment. This is why grocery retail apps are so appealing to this group. They allow shoppers to collect the rewards that make them feel fiscally responsible while limiting the waste of paper coupons or rebates.

Millennial shoppers are informed shoppers. They don’t want to just buy from a CPG brand, they want to know more about the brand than the product they sell. They want to know where that product came from, how it was sourced, and how it can make their lives better. Marketing to the millennial consumer is therefore not just about sales; it’s about providing a free exchange of information.  Using technology, brands can better express their sustainability methods, money-saving ideas, and incentivized sales in a way that truly resonates with these new consumers.

Shopkick offers a platform for fiscally savvy millennials to explore while our partners get the opportunity to interact more thoroughly with this unique consumer base. For more information on how our platform creates relationships with today’s millennial consumer, contact us today.

Image courtesy GeorgeRudy

Posted in b2b

Tech-forward iPhone apps that pay you cash

When my friends and I get together, talk always inevitably turns to basketball. The other day, one of my buddies was telling me a story about how he saw the most amazing college basketball game of his life during his senior year of high school back in 2006. He said he’d never been to a more alive game, and that he still wishes he’d had a camera on him so he could have taken a picture. I asked him why he didn’t just use his phone and my friend replied that, back then, he was still on a flip phone—one that didn’t even have a camera.

apps for iphone that pay you cashFor a minute, I was shocked; 2006 really doesn’t seem like all that long ago. But it’s true. In terms of smartphone and app development, it was basically an eternity ago. In fact, nobody even knew what an app was 12 years ago. Nowadays, it’s rare to find someone who doesn’t have a smartphone, though. And, as these phones have become so prevalent, so too have the apps we use on them. I like to think of myself as a pretty tech-forward kinda guy, but even I get surprised sometimes. Like, for example, did you know that there are iPhone apps that pay you cash?

That’s actually what I’d like to talk about today: iPhone apps that pay you cash and how, among all the many incredible things you can use your smartphone for, one of my personal favorites is to earn cash money. Who would have guessed way back in 2006—when my poor friend was at the basketball game of his life without any way to capture the memories—that our phones would have such broad capabilities a short decade later?

How Do iPhone Apps That Pay You Cash Work?

The thing about iPhone apps that pay you cash is that they’ve sprung up quickly and evolved fast—so fast, in fact, that there’s more than just one type. So, let’s start by discussing the different types of tech-forward money making apps for your iPhone!

Here are some of my personal favorites:

  • Survey apps: There are a lot of cash-paying survey apps to choose from, but they all tend to generally work the same way: You download the app, enter some information about yourself, and the app begins sending you surveys to take. You then get paid for taking them! In my experience, the longest of these surveys can take about 15 to 20 minutes, but the longer the survey, the more they pay. In general, you can also expect most survey apps for iPhones to pay roughly $1 each, with the longer ones paying a bit more. Like all the apps on our list today, these are becoming more tech-forward by including videos and other interactive features.
  • Advertisement apps: These advertisement apps pay you to watch trailers and short ads. You generally earn about $.50 each time you watch a quick 30-second clip. In my experience, this adds up quickly—and sometimes the trailers and ads are pretty interesting. It’s always a little bonus when you get paid to watch one that you would have chosen to watch for free. In terms of being tech-forward, the ads from these apps are also becoming more complex, often involving videos or little games.
  • Shopping apps: Like I’ve mentioned in the past, I’m the type of shopper who gets in and out of a store as fast as possible. It’s not that I hate shopping, it’s just that I have a million other things on my mind, like work or stuff to do around the house—and fantasy football, of course. Shopping can feel like an obstacle between me and my priorities. I can tell you, though, I like shopping a whole lot more now that I’ve discovered I can make money shopping using free iPhone apps. These apps give you points for the shopping you would be doing anyway. You can then cash in those points for gift cards or even sometimes checks or cash. What makes these apps so tech-forward is that some of the best of them find new ways all the time to help you earn more points. For example, there’s one that knows when you walk into a partner store and automatically gives you points, even if all you end up doing is browsing!

The Best Tech-Forward iPhone App that Pays You Cash

There are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to iPhone apps that pay you in cash but, believe it or not, my favorite of them all actually happens to be one of the shopping apps. I know, shocker, right? But it’s true.

Now, I actually look forward to running into the store throughout the week.

It’s an app called Shopkick and how it works is super simple. Just like I described above, this app gives you points for the stuff you already do when you go out shopping, like walking into stores, scanning barcodes on featured products for more info, and, of course, making purchases. What I really like about Shopkick is that in addition to being really user-friendly with its tech-forward design, this app has also done something that I used to think was impossible: Shopkick has made shopping fun, turning it into a scavenger hunt for points. Now, I actually look forward to running into the store throughout the week.

So, there you have it, an overview of the tech-forward iPhone apps that pay you cash, plus a quick intro to my all-time favorite one. I use Shopkick so often that I can hardly even remember a time it wasn’t downloaded to my phone. It sort of makes me wonder what, in 12 years from now, the new technological advances will be that we’ll be shaking our heads at and wondering how we ever did without.

Ready to get in on one of the most cutting-edge and tech-forward iPhone apps that pays you cash? 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 Daniel Ernst

Posted in b2c

How to kick off National Reading Month and get rewards

What’s the best way to kick off National Reading Month? With kicks, of course!

What is National Reading Month?

March has been designated National Reading Month to encourage and celebrate the fun and adventure of reading. How can you participate? Here are 5 ways to get inspired this month!

1. Read aloud

celebrate national reading month together

Reading aloud as a family can help the kids with their language and reading skills. Plus, it’s great bonding time!

 

 

2. Schedule a read-in

celebrate national reading month cozy socks cold books

March often brings cold and blustery weather. Make of the most of a rainy day by getting cozy on the couch and snuggling up with a good book.

 

 

3. Join a book club

celebrate national reading month join book club

Need something a little more social? Join (or organize!) a local book club. Choose books as a group, read them, and circle back to discuss all together. Who knows, maybe you’ll find a new crew while you’re at it!

 

4. Recommit to your reading list

celebrate national reading month baby reading fast

Have you had a book on your to-read list for awhile? Use this month to catch up and plan out what’s next on the docket. That way you’ll have something in the queue for the next time you’re ready for a little R&R.

 

5. Update your reader

Through March 10 you can celebrate with $20 off select Amazon Kindle devices like the Paperwhite AND great books that you can access anywhere, anytime. You can load up on books from Amazon without having to lug heavy bags around or adding to clutter to your home. Plus, you’ll get rewarded with kicks for every dollar you spend that you can put towards a free gift card!

 

 

Escape into National Reading Month

For a limited time, buy an Amazon Kindle or Amazon Kindle Paperwhite through the Shopkick app for $20 off and earn 5 kicks for every dollar you spend. Pair that with a Kindle Unlimited subscription for $9.99 a month, and you’ll be ready to cozy up with that novel calling your name. Open the Shopkick app and check out some of our favorite titles this month. 

Happy reading, and happy shopkicking!

Don’t have the app? Download it now to start getting rewarded for the shopping you already do.

CPG retail analytics: How consumer apps can bolster market insights

CPG retail analytics provides valuable insight into consumer purchase behavior. In the past, the data necessary for this analysis was only available to consumer packaged goods brands from retailers well after a purchase was made. This often resulted in an expensive delay between the implementation of a marketing strategy and determining how effective that strategy was for bolstering sales—and whether or not it should be continued, adjusted, or abandoned.

retail analytics cpg However, the modern consumer’s increasing dependence on mobile apps opens up a solution for CPG brands in need of immediate insight on existing marketing campaigns. Data from shopping and retail apps can be used to gather real-time information on consumer buying behaviors that can, in turn, help to inform CPG companies on marketing decisions.

Shopping apps offer a benefit that other sources of data collection don’t: the ability to travel with the consumer throughout the buyer’s journey, from awareness to purchase. Consumer purchase behavior data can be used to strategize marketing campaigns for digital as well as brick and mortar locations that consumer packaged goods are sold in. It can even be used to gather customer feedback on new products within a limited launch market before they’re rolled out into the aisles nation-wide, or even worldwide.

By incorporating timely consumer data into their marketing and advertising decisions, CPG brands can better understand why consumers buy their products and when—and use that knowledge to stretch advertising dollars while increasing profits.

CPG Retail Analytics: Gaining Deeper Insight with Big Data

In the past, CPG retail analytics was focused on the supply chain. Brands would use the number of orders they received from specific retailers to understand where their products sold best, during which times of the year, and to whom based on the demographics of the neighborhood where the products were sold. This collection of historical data involved a specific category of analytics called Descriptive Analytics.

Big data and advances in technology have since introduced the ability to collect data in the moment, rather than just relying on historical sales information. This has led to the creation of several new categories of analytics that give more timely insight on specific consumer behavior:

  • Diagnostic Analytics: Descriptive Analytics involves gathering historical data. Diagnostic Analytics, on the other hand, looks specifically at the whys behind that data. A simple explanation of this is a grocery store that sees a sudden jump in nutmeg sales in November. If the store investigates this jump, they may notice that these purchases were often made in conjunction with canned pumpkin, ready-made pie crusts, and brown sugar. Using Diagnostic Analytics, the store can reasonably assume that customers are buying more nutmeg in November because they are making pumpkin pies for the holidays.
  • Predictive Analytics: Predictive Analytics takes historical data and Diagnostic Analytics a step further. For instance, continuing with the above example, the company would take the past Diagnostic and Descriptive analytics into consideration to predetermine when the sale of nutmeg will peak—and when it will drop.
  • Prescriptive Analytics: Prescriptive Analytics involves acting on the Predictive Analytics by evaluating several scenarios to determine the best way to capitalize on the known data. So, in the nutmeg example, the store could choose to increase its supply of nutmeg, raise the price of nutmeg, or release a new line of pumpkin pie seasoning that includes nutmeg during its peak buying months.

A similar theme among all these categories of analytics is that they require making certain assumptions based on existing consumer behavior. Big data makes it possible to use prior sales history to speculate about the future of sales based on the law of large numbers. The law of large numbers implies that the more data we have available, the more accurate predictions made about an outcome are likely to be. This is why consumer mobile shopping apps offer such a great opportunity for gaining insight on retail analytics for CPG brands.

Using Consumer Shopping Apps to Gain Better Analytical Insights

Signals of purchase intent provide a digital map of a consumer’s journey. They might see an ad on Facebook, follow that ad to the company’s website, read information on a landing page, then add a product to their shopping cart. They may then abandon the shopping cart without making a purchase. By pinpointing this exact moment where purchases are commonly abandoned, brands can find stumbling blocks in their purchase path and remove or resolve them.

This approach can be applied both in the digital and the brick and mortar environment by using innovative retail mobile apps, like shopping apps. Shopping apps incentivize consumer use by providing rewards for interacting with brands. One such app, Shopkick, uses this strategy to provide valuable data to its clients. Via Shopkick, or similar apps, brands can discover trouble spots that might be impairing the consumer’s path to purchase.

  • Geo-tracking info: Geo-tracking information from a consumer app can alert brands to the most popular cities or regions where consumers purchase from them, as well as the least popular. Brands can use this data to discover area-specific anomalies in order to better control and distribute supply. For example, let’s say a brand sells mosquito repellant and sees a sudden spike in purchases in February at airport gift shops in Florida. This might tell the brand that there’s a demand, specific to the area, which they should prepare for. By gaining this insight via real-time retail mobile apps, the brand can gain awareness of this spike as it occurs.
  • In-store product visibility: Shopkick, as an example, offers consumers rewards in the form of points (called kicks) for finding and scanning products while they’re in the shopping aisle. However, if consumers find it too difficult to locate these products, they likely won’t make the effort to seek them out and scan them. A low number of scans may tell a brand that they need to reconsider their product placement in-store.
  • Marketing message impact: Shopping apps allow brands to share their marketing messages with consumers via video advertising. The watching, or not watching, of these ads, can speak volumes. If consumers navigate away before the end of a video, or before the message even starts, there could be a technical problem that’s preventing them from viewing it. Or, there could be a disconnect between the audience and the brand’s message. Either way, a rapid abandonment rate could indicate the ad needs to be reevaluated as it may be generating a negative ROI. However, if the average consumer is taking the time to view the full ad, then seek out the brand and its products, it’s a good sign the message is making an impact.

Consumer retail apps offer brands real-time data that they can use to inform greater marketing decisions. This is especially useful when it comes from shopping apps where the most dedicated shoppers tend to congregate. Use of a shopping app shows a consumer researches brands more frequently—and plans out shopping trips more thoroughly—than the average consumer.

The insights gained from retail mobile apps, along with other big data, can help brands better understand their audiences and offer a smarter, faster way to target the right consumers effectively. When CPG companies can effectively analyze and predict behavior, they can successfully align marketing campaigns with their target audience. With the right insights, brands can more effectively use their marketing budgets to grow their consumer base—and their profits.

Shopkick provides a shopping app that our partners can use to drive shopper behavior and better understand their customers. For more information, contact our team today.

Image courtesy ekkasit919

Posted in b2b

2018 tax refund trends: early filers spending on travel

If the only sure things in life are death and taxes, then tax refund spending is surely a seasonal shopping moment that shouldn’t be ignored. We recently conducted a survey to find out when Americans file their returns, and how they plan to spend their refunds.

The majority of those surveyed (66%) expect a refund this year and nearly 80% plan to spend at least part of it – and they plan to do so soon. Travel was a common theme, with 23% of people planning to spend tax refunds on a vacation.

70% of respondents file as soon as they receive W2s, compared with just 6% that wait until April to file. And the earlier you file, the earlier you can spend your refund. For the 23% of respondents planning to spend their refund on a much-needed vacation, filing early can make all the difference when it comes to finding and booking the cheapest flights, hotels and entertainment.

“We filed our tax return the minute our W2s came in January,” said Oklahoma City resident Kendra Barreda. “We’re planning our family summer vacation now and 90 percent of the funding for our road trip out west to Disneyland is coming from our tax refund. This isn’t the first year we’ve used our tax refund on vacation either, last year we took the family to Universal Studios and Harry Potter World thanks to our refund!”

Returns aren’t just going to vacations, however. Other ways Americans will be spending their refunds this year include:

  • Doubling down on debt: 62 percent will put their tax refund toward paying down existing debt
  • Being basic: 36 percent will use the money to pay for everyday expenses
  • Loving life: Home improvement projects (19 percent), major investments like a car or home (17 percent), self-care (16 percent) and shopping spree (11 percent) round out reported spending

Twenty-four percent of people will be saving the entirety of their refund by:

  • Sticking it in savings: 70 percent will send it into their savings account
  • Preparing for the worst: 17 report using the refund to create an emergency fund
  • Being sensible: 3 percent plan to invest in retirement accounts, the stock market or college savings accounts, respectively
  • Keeping It old school: 4 percent will stash the goods under their mattress

Shopkick now offers opportunities to earn rewards when booking travel through a variety of partnerships with leading travel sites Booking.com, Hotels.com, Hotwire and CheapOair.

The best video advertising apps to reach—and grow—your audience

The best video advertising apps to reach—and grow—your audience

A good video advertising app doesn’t just create brand awareness, it also converts viewing into interest in your brand—and eventually turns viewers into buyers. At one time, apps were games or simple side features on a mobile phone. Now, they’re the primary way that consumers use their phones, with 52% of time on digital media being spent on mobile apps. Video is a popular feature on these apps, and brands can leverage this tool to grow their audience. The key to growing an audience with a video advertising app is following the consumers to the platforms they use and becoming a part of those apps.

Brands need to get involved now if they’re going to continue to gain the greatest advantage from a mobile advertising program. There are a few categories of apps that incorporate video, including social media and shopping and rewards apps, that present opportunities for brands to convert consumers. By choosing apps that offer what consumers are looking for, these brands can reach and grow their audience.

Growing Consumer Demand for Shopping Apps

Use of shopping apps is growing. In fact, from 2016 to 2017 these types of apps saw 54% activity growth. This was much higher than the average for all apps, at just 6%. There are several reasons that shopping app usage has grown, including:

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Perceived value:

Consumers receive rewards from shopping apps which they can often trade for gift cards or gift certificates. The consumer’s perception of value is often greater than the simple dollar amount for these points as there is an emotional return in both earning the reward and in using the resulting points to save for another item. Rewards are one of the primary reasons consumers choose retail mobile shopping apps, so offering them provides a chance to gain greater brand affinity.

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mCommerce:

Consumers frequently use shopping apps as a means of ordering items online. It’s anticipated that mCommerce will account for 45% of all online purchases in the US by 2020. Because they often promote both in-store and digital purchases, shopping apps are uniquely positioned to capitalize on this trend toward using mobile devices for online purchases.

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Gamification:

While games are among the most popular apps, many other apps are taking on game-like attributes to gain consumer awareness. This is the case with the Shopkick app, which creates a digital scavenger hunt that allows consumers to use the app in-store to find and collect rewards (known as kicks) on items. The gamification of shopping apps keeps consumers engaged by consistently challenging them, and then rewarding them for meeting those challenges, much as in a game.

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Increased complexity:

Shopping apps have grown more sophisticated since they were initially developed. Many have added options like digital wallets and geotracking, which makes these apps better able to travel with consumers. The increasing intelligence of shopping apps has made them far more appealing, and they’re no longer just sources of discounts. Consumers are able to use mobile apps to plan out their whole shopping trip ahead of time or simply access them as they’re in the shopping aisle. Their versatility is driven mainly by the complexity of these apps.

One thing that some shopping apps have incorporated is the use of video. Brands can use video advertisements to gain awareness of their products directly within these platforms. As consumers using these apps are already in a purchase mindset, this is a prime opportunity. Another opportunity to be found is with rewarded video.

Using a Rewarded Video Advertising App

Various app platforms, from games to social media, are now offering rewarded video as an option to consumers. This isn’t a standalone feature, as rewarded video is usually added onto an existing platform, but it’s a highly lucrative one for both app developers and brands. In one study, it was noted that 33% of mobile revenue was delivered by rewarded video ads. The reason this is such a lucrative option is its popularity with consumers. Consumers prefer rewarded video for many reasons:

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Immediate rewards:

For consumers, rewarded video offers an immediate return on the time they spend viewing a video. For 15 to 30 seconds of their time, they’re able to gain rewards like points for free merchandise or in-game items. For marketers, the overhead is also low, as the brand sets the reward they choose to give and can scale the program as needed.

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Minimal disruptions:

Banner ads and pop-ups are known to be disruptive, with many consumers finding them irritating enough to uninstall apps entirely. On the other hand, rewarded video improves app retention. One study noted that rewarded video could increase app retention by as much as 4 times. Rewarded video gives consumers more control over the advertising process and, as a result, minimizes the disruption felt when ads are displayed. Because consumers have invited the advertisement to their screen, they’re more likely to keep the app installed.

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Low time commitment:

When watching television, the average commercial interruption is several minutes long. This makes viewers likely to change the channel, fast forward, or just ignore the commercial. Rewarded videos on mobile apps are much shorter, often less than 30 seconds. As a result, consumers will stay to watch the ad. This shorter format also benefits the brand, as the consumer is far more likely to watch the video and thus retain the brand’s message.

Rewarded video is not just for gaming apps. Instead, it’s becoming a major part of apps industry-wide, as marketers see an increased consumer demand. One place we’re seeing massive growth in rewarded video opportunities is through social media apps. However, social media isn’t just an ideal platform for rewarded video, it’s also an optimal spot for a growing trend: branded live video content.

Leveraging Live Video on Social Media Apps

Social media is indisputably a good place for brands to interact with consumers. About 50 million small businesses report using social media pages to connect with audiences. However, this leads to an issue of brand fatigue. Consumers have grown weary of advertisements on social media, which is why brands must find new ways to stand out.

One thing that has been growing on these platforms is the use of live video. In one survey, researchers found that 80% of consumers would rather watch a live video from a brand than read a blog post, while 82% would prefer it over a social media text update. Live video from brands feels more genuine and, as a result, increases the consumer connection. Here are just a few ways that branded live video can be used on social media:

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New product announcements:

Brands can film their announcements of new products and services and post them on social media as a way to gain immediate attention. It’s best to combine this method with other options to gain the most engagement.

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Customer Q&As:

A great way to hold a Q&A is via live video feeds. Have customers post their questions in the comments, and then your brand’s representative can answer them in real time in the live video. This direct connection creates engagement with the video and increases the likelihood that it will be shared among consumers.

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Partnered events:

When a brand partners with a company for an event, they can live stream the event on social media. This gives the consumers the perception of insider access to the company, which increases brand affinity.

Live video works well on social media because it allows brands to get consumers involved in the conversation about their products in real time. As social media is designed to encourage interaction, this is an ideal way to build brand awareness which can later be leveraged into brand affinity. It spreads your brand’s message in a genuine and immediate way.

Monetized Ads With Mobile Publishers

Mobile publishers with high performing platforms make about 55% of their revenue through ad sales, as monetized video ads within third-party apps are proven converters. Brands know that these publishers can get their ads in front of the right people, at the right time. While many of these publishers are in the gaming sector, there are other options outside of this sector that brands can use to share their video ads.

Partnering with a mobile publisher simply means advertising your product on someone else’s platform. Here are just a few segments outside of gaming where this is a possibility:

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Video streaming:

Apps like Netflix and Hulu are probably the first ones that come to mind when one is thinking about video streaming platforms. However, there are smaller niche options that could be available if a brand wants to focus on a specific community.

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Fitness:

Fitness apps that offer consumers calorie tracking, exercise regimens, and other health-inspired options can be a good solution for brands with correlating products.

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Dating:

Dating apps designed for mobile are good tools for restaurants, as those can be used as meet-up spots for first dates and singles events.

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Maps and Weather:

Information apps that provide consumers with weather reports, directions, and other necessary information are great tools for reaching consumers in a specific locality.

When considering buying ad space on a mobile publisher’s app, brands should think beyond gaming to see what other tools their target demographic might choose to use. Often, their target market is better found through apps that offer geolocation-based tools specific to the consumer’s own community. As consumers become more dependent on apps to manage their daily lives, opportunities to advertise on non-gaming apps will grow.

Bringing Together the Best Video Advertising App Features

Ideally, when a brand is looking for video advertising app options, they should seek out the apps that offer several of the above features in one place. Apps that provide more than one service keep consumers engaged with the app, which increases their interaction with the brands that use it.

Social media is a good example of a platform that brings together the best features since many social media apps combine live video, rewarded video, gamification and even payment options that encourage consumers to use these apps for everything. However, a basic social media app has limitations, including the fact that consumers may not be in a buying mindset when using social media. People turn to social media for entertainment. As a result, using these apps for audience growth and brand affinity isn’t necessarily going to work since the message isn’t guaranteed to reach the consumer at the right time.

Shopping apps are the optimal tools for tying all the best features of video advertising apps together. These are the apps that consumers use when they’re prepared to engage with a brand, whether they’re getting ready to go shopping or are already in the store. They also combine components of other popular video advertising platforms like rewarded video, social media, and gamification. By using shopping apps, brands can connect with consumers at the right time. They provide all the features of the best video advertising apps that brands need to connect with an audience and increase market share.

Shopkick’s platform is designed to help our partners build brand awareness by using the most popular app features that consumers demand. For information on adding our platform to your marketing mix, contact us.

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Digital coupon apps for Android that stretch your budget

I like to keep my budget using an online spreadsheet. Each month I enter in estimations for how much my husband and I will need for food, clothing, school supplies for the boys, and a few more categories. Some of these categories I like, some of them are just on there because they absolutely have to be. One of my favorite expense categories, though, is the one I just label as fun.

android coupon apps for digital smartphonesThis one is for all the little things that we do to relax, things like taking the boys out for a surprise ice cream, picking up a new board game that we can all play as a family or even for the rare date night when my husband and I are able to magically find time to sneak away and go do dinner and a movie downtown (crazy, I know!). That fun category, in my fun-loving opinion, can never be big enough. That’s why today I want to talk about digital coupon apps for Android that can help to stretch your budget.

Speaking for myself, I know digital coupon apps have been an absolute revelation, one that has been so good for my fun budget that I’d feel bad if I kept them to myself a moment longer. So get ready, because today I’m going to tell you all about what these apps do well, and which ones are my favorites!

What Are Digital Coupon Apps for Android?

There are a few different ways that digital coupon apps for Android work, but the basic idea behind them all is that you essentially get paid to shop either through a reward system or through saving money right at the register! For someone like me—who has three growing boys that have impossible appetites and bodies determined to outgrow all their clothes ASAP—this is absolutely crucial.

Here are the two types of shopping apps that I just can’t live without nowadays:

  • Rewards apps: These apps generally give you points for the shopping activities you do already, things like scanning barcodes to get more information, making purchases, and sometimes even just walking into a store. When you get enough points, you can then cash them out for money or for free gift cards. With the amount of shopping I personally have to do, I always go the gift card route. I like that because I can use my gift cards to buy things like clothes, groceries, toiletries and school supplies while redirecting the cash to my fun budget. But that’s just my system—I’m sure you’ll find something great that works for you, too!
  • Couponing apps: These apps are a bit more like the paper coupon systems we all used for years before smartphone apps took over. When you buy certain things at the register, you get them at a discount. The way you identify these things can vary depending on the app. There’s one, for instance, that announces new deals each week at midnight on Thursday like clockwork, while others require you to page through flyers online and circle and clip coupons you find there just like you used to with scissors. Either way, the end result is a lower bill and more funds for the all-important fun budget! All with the help of your handy-dandy Android device…isn’t that cool?

The Digital Coupon App Android Users Love

As someone who has been using digital coupon app for Android for a while now, I’ve actually found a favorite. And you know what the best part of it is? With the best, I’m able to use two apps together to maximize my rewards!

Here’s how I use two apps together to set aside more funds in my fun budget:

  • SnipSnap: This is a really cool couponing apps that lets users take pictures of printed coupons, which it then transforms into digital, mobile-ready ones. With SnipSnap, I can browse online directories and take advantage of coupons that my friends have “snipped” too, which makes it feel a bit social. This is one of those apps where the savings come at the register, and the idea is that coupons can all be easily kept in one digital space, instead of having an overflowing little billfold stuffed with paper cutouts. Or a junk drawer where you stuff all of them, just like I used to have back in the day!
  • Shopkick: Now we come to my all-time favorite digital coupon app for Android: Shopkick! There are a few different reasons that I love Shopkick, and chief among them is that how it works is just so easy. In the simplest terms, with Shopkick you get points—called kicks—for walking into the store, for scanning certain products, and for snapping a pic of your receipt. You can then trade those points in for gift cards to all your favorite stores. See? Easy! And you can even use it online, where you get points for visiting online retailers, watching videos about certain products, and, of course, buying them! Plus it combines super easily with SnipSnap and with plenty of other cool coupon apps as well! I can’t recommend it enough.

I know today we were talking about apps for Android, mostly because that’s the device I use. But for all you folks out there who use iPhones, SnipSnap and Shopkick is also available on iOS. I know because I also participate in Shopkick’s super cool social media streams, especially on Facebook, where I find myself sharing tips and also jokes with tons of other users just like me!

Using [Shopkick] turns every trip to the store into a scavenger hunt…

I really hope I’ve inspired you to join the Shopkick fun! Using it turns every trip to the store into a scavenger hunt, kind of like a game, and my philosophy with games has always been the more the merrier!

Learn more about the absolute best digital coupon app for Android and start boosting your own fun budget today! 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 JacobLund

Get rewarded for your spring break travel

There’s only one thing better than planning the perfect spring break trip: earning free gift cards for booking your travel! Earn kicks for every dollar you spend when you book your spring break travel through the Shopkick app with Hotwire, Booking.com, Hotels.com, or CheapOair.

 

Choose your destination

Not sure sure where to head this spring? Read on to get inspired!

 

Top relaxation getaways

relaxation getaway spring break travel

Ready for a little R&R? Rest up and rejuvenate at one of these top getaways from Booking.com. You’ll be guaranteed to help you reach the zenith of relaxation.

Take a breather and check out our top finds here!

 

Outdoor adventure destinations

outdoor adventure spring break travel

Everyone needs a little adventure. Get out of your comfort zone and off the beaten track this spring. Hike, climb, and tour your way through Colorado, Utah, and more.

Open the app to explore the greatest adventure destinations from Hotels.com and Booking.com.

 

10 best family vacations

family vacation spring break travel

Some of the best vacations are the ones we spend with the people we love. Make some memories and book the perfect trip with the fam in Anaheim, Orlando, and more.

Take a peek at the top family vacays this spring from Hotels.com.

 

 

Get Spring Break ready

In addition to getting huge kicks for booking your spring break travel, you can also earn gift cards for purchasing travel essentials, updating the kids’ wardrobes for spring, or giving your own look a refresher. Take a look at the plan below, or see it here.

Happy shopkicking!

 

Don’t have the app? Download it here to join the fun!

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8 crazy apps that you won’t believe exist

apps that you won't believe exist I love apps. I love them when they are silly and playful, and I love them when they actually help me get through my day, like when I have to navigate traffic or take notes during a meeting. I mean, to be honest, I love apps so much that sometimes they take up so much space on my phone that I have to sit down (with a glass of wine of course) and force myself to delete some.

There are a handful of apps, however, that I just can’t bear to get rid of. Some are just wacky ways to entertain myself, but others I just have to keep because they save me money—like those crazy retail coupon apps I use. There are so many apps that you won’t believe exist that I decided to put together a list of some of my all-time faves.

Purely Entertaining Apps That You Won’t Believe Exist

Sharknado: The Video Game

If you can’t believe they made a movie about a tornado full of sharks, then you probably really won’t believe they made a mobile game about it, too. The strangely popular franchise now lets you, from your smartphone, battle sharks, while riding a shark. With a chainsaw. Or beat them with bats, golf clubs, anything you grab as you surf through the flooded, besieged city.

The Brostache

No matter whether you’ve gone crazy with the trimmers, haven’t reached puberty yet, or just lack the chromosomes required to grow a good flavor saver, “The Brostache” offers hope. Hold your phone over your mouth and talk and the Brostache mimics your words, showing you how your mouth would look if it was sporting a glorious ’stache.

iSteam

You can’t take your phone in the shower, but this app is like having foggy shower glass on the inside of your phone that you can write on. Take any photo, steam up the screen, and write your message on it. Or, write an invisible message for someone on a steam-less screen, then ask someone to breathe on the phone. The message will magically appear.

Is It Dark Outside?

If you’re a gamer, or just a vampire, looking out the window can be hard, risky work. Now you can better avoid sunlight and the possibility of making eye-contact with other human beings using the “Is it dark outside?” app. Like a Siri for the living dead, all you have to do is ask the app if it’s dark outside and, using sunrise and sunset data from your area, the app will let you know if it’s safe to venture into the gloam.

Game for Cats

Is your favorite feline resentful about her lack of screentime? Of course. This game solves that, allowing your cat to chase a butterfly, laser, or mouse across the touch screen with its paw. It’s a great app for people who are too lazy to actually play with their cat, or for someone who doesn’t have a cat but loves chasing lasers.

Entertaining, Money Making Apps That You Won’t Believe Exist

Mobee

Ever wanted to be a mystery shopper? Who hasn’t? Well, Mobee makes that dream a reality! Sign into the app and it gives you secret missions at stores and restaurants in your area. Each mission usually last between 10 and 15 minutes, and they almost all require you to do something like take a picture of a display in a store or rate your shopping experience. Then, you get points for the missions you complete, which you can swap for Amazon cards.

Shopkick

This is one those apps that you won’t believe exist because, amazingly, it turns the drudgery of shopping into a game, like a scavenger hunt. And, it saves you money at the same time! The way that Shopkick works is that it gives you points—which you later redeem for gift cards to your favorite stores—just for the things you do during a normal shopping trip. Walk into certain store, and you get points. Scan barcodes of certain items, get more points. Take pictures of your receipt after you buy the week’s groceries (or toiletries, or even those super cute boots you’ve been longing for) and get even more points!

Viggle

What’s so crazy about this app is that it pays you to watch TV! Basically, you download the app and then turn it on, or check-in, while you’re watching TV or streaming your favorite shows. The longer you watch, the more points you rack up, which (like my favorite shopping app, Shopkick) you can then trade in for gift cards, meaning you can now get paid for binge watching The Bachelor.

So, whether you’re looking for pure entertainment or a way to boost your budget, those are a few of my favorite unbelievable apps. Now it’s time to pull up my brostache and go out secret shopping . . . I’m sure no one will recognize me.

Looking for the coolest shopping apps for iPhone and Android? Download Shopkick for free and join a community of Shopkickers who’ve love the rewards of shopping with us!

Or join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and check in every day on your phone, no matter where you are, to learn about the hottest, newest deals.

Image courtesy scharfsinn86

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The best retail apps for 2018 for tech-savvy shoppers

The best retail apps for 2018 for tech-savvy shoppers

We recently got a new instructor in my spin class, which came as somewhat of a surprise given that our old instructor didn’t let us know she was leaving. If I’m being totally honest, at first I was a bit skeptical of the new teacher. My spin class ladies and I were familiar with our old one. She used to play the same music, always told us to push at the same times, and made the same jokes in every class. We liked her, and we knew what to expect. After just a few weeks with my new teacher, though, I was glad we made a change.

Nothing against our old instructor (I still love you, Lynette!), but the change started pushing us harder and challenging us more. It brought a new dimension to class that helped us engage and get even better results! The lesson here, of course, is that change is good and healthy, and to give new things a chance.

I bring this up because I think it’s especially true of one of my favorite things: retail shopping apps. There’s a wide variety of apps, and they can help shoppers at a range of different kinds of store find deals, learn more about products, and, most importantly, save money. Still, apps change quickly because the exciting world of tech never slows down. So, I’ve broken out the best retail apps for 2018 by category and included my fave of them all. Let’s take a look.

The Best Retail Apps 2018: Store Branded

Let’s start our list of best retail apps for 2018 with some of the biggest and most prominent: the branded variety. These are apps created directly by retailers. While some of the details may vary, they generally make your shopping experience more direct and comprehensive, whether that’s through letting you buy online via the app or by sending you push notifications about the latest deals and specials in their brick-and-mortar stores. Here are some of the ones I’m using the most in 2018:

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Amazon:

Amazon is a huge deal, let’s face it. It has an enormous catalog of products, and the app is technologically advanced and user-friendly. The search function is so easy to use that—pro tip—you can even search for products using just an image. Not only can you easily shop the world’s biggest online retailer, with this app you can also scan credit cards and gift cards. Plus, when a package arrives on your doorstep, you can scan the barcode on the mailing label to verify what’s inside—an added bonus at holidays and gift-giving times. Of all the branded apps on our list, this is easily the one I use the most.

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Apple Store:

I LOVE the Apple Store. In fact, I don’t know how many trips to the mall for clothes have been interrupted by my lingering over new devices. I also love how, whenever I have a problem with my tablet or computer, I can always get help from the Genius Bar. The Apple Store app makes that all the better by allowing me to make reservations right from my phone! I mean, I can use it to sign up for one-on-one help, workshops, and events. I also use it quite a bit to research and purchase the latest Apple products.

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Nordstrom:

What elevates the Nordstrom in-store app among my best retail apps for 2018 is the way it does all of the shopping basics so well. You browse their offerings by department or brand, and the app has a fun section that features the company’s editorial and social media content. The app also does a great job of sending push notifications about big sales, which makes it so you don’t miss out. And, there’s a version for the company’s savings brand, Nordstrom Rack. Overall, this is a well-designed app, artsy and eye-catching, exactly the helper I need when out looking for a dress for my cousin’s wedding or shoes for a hot date with my man.

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Best Buy:

For many years, one of the best ways to keep up with the latest tech trends has been through the Best Buy app, which lets you quickly and easily shop for thousands of electronics and accessories. This isn’t going to change in 2018. Like many of the other apps in this section, you can use it to order online for pickup at your local store. It’s also one of those super cool apps that lets you scan barcodes and get more info on products when you’re in the store. Keeping up with technology can be hard—even when you love it as much as I do—but apps like this make it easier.

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Target:

Target’s app has many features that simplify your shopping trips, which, if you’re anything like me, tend to happen quite often. These include notifications about deals, a copy of the store’s weekly flyer, and even maps of where to find your favorite products once you’re physically inside the store. Target also recently integrated its old Cartwheel savings app into its main store app, making it really easy to earn rewards for shopping at Target—especially if you’re also using one of the multi-store rewards and savings shopping apps that you’ll find in the next section.

The Best Retail Apps 2018: Getting Rewards and Savings

The second category of best retail apps for 2018 is the rewards and savings variety. These are third-party apps designed to help you net savings at a TON of different stores, including at some that also offer their own branded apps. There are a couple of different ways rewards and savings apps tend to work, but the end goal of each is the same: to save you money on the products that you buy. I obviously have spin class on the brain today, but think of it this way: interval riding and endurance riding are two different classes. Intervals involve breaks and then intensity, while endurance is a steady pace, but the end goal of both is for you to burn calories and get fit! Rewards and savings apps do the same thing for your budget. Here are my favorites for 2018:

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Shopkick:

If I had to pick one overall best retail app of 2018, it would definitely be Shopkick. Not only does it help me enhance the amount of savings I’m able to collect, it also makes shopping a lot more fun. How Shopkick works is that it gives you points, called kicks, for the things you already do while you’re out shopping: think walking into stores, scanning barcodes to get more info on products, and, of course, making purchases. And, it works on everything from tech to groceries. I’ve even gotten the other ladies from spin class using it—and the best part is that Shopkick has a really engaging Facebook page where I can connect with other shoppers! Oh, and another great thing is that you can use it in tandem with the branded apps mentioned here. For example, you can buy something online at one store, and then collect points for the purchase via Shopkick. So yes, while change is good, something as effective and versatile as Shopkick stays the best from year to year!

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Checkout 51:

Checkout 51 can sometimes feel a bit limited compared to an uber versatile app like Shopkick because it focuses almost exclusively on helping you get paid for your grocery shopping. The cashback offers change weekly on Thursday mornings, so waking up to see what deals are available can easily become part of your shopping routine. Then, when you go grocery shopping, if you purchase any eligible items, just snap a quick picture of the receipt to accumulate money back. Once you reach $20 in savings, Checkout 51 will mail you a check.

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SavingStar:

SavingStar is what’s known as a digital coupon app, and how it works is that it pays users to shop at grocery and drugstores, or really anywhere else you get all the vital things you put in your fridge, medicine cabinet, or pantry. More than 60,000 stores are part of SavingStar, and they represent more than 100 retail chains. It’s generally free to use but beware: If an account is inactive for 180 straight days, SavingStar charges a $3.99 fee. To take advantage of SavingStar, users either link their existing store loyalty cards to the app or submit receipts after a purchase. Savings add up until users can eventually cash out through PayPal, Upromise, or in the form of Starbucks, iTunes, or AMC Theater gift codes.

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SnipSnap:

Like SavingStar, SnipSnap is a mobile coupon app, but this one lets users take pictures of printed coupons that it then transforms into digital, mobile-ready coupons. You can browse online directories and take advantage of coupons friends have “snipped” as well. This one doesn’t exactly pay, though. Instead, users save money as with a traditional coupon. The idea is that coupons can all be easily kept in one digital space, instead of having an overflowing little billfold stuffed with paper.

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Pennyful:

As a shopper, I never shy away from a sale. Why would you? One of the simplest truths of shopping is that savings = a good thing! So, when a shopping rewards app tells me I have to accumulate a certain amount of money spent shopping online before I can cash my rewards out, for me that’s not really a problem—I know I’ll hit the mark eventually. But, not everyone shops as much as I do, and for those people, mobile apps like Pennyful let you cash your total out without meeting a minimum threshold. With this app, you just go shopping, make purchases at certain stores offering coupons for through the app, and then accumulate savings in an account that you can later cash in. And, they make it easy and fun to discover new products by dividing their offerings up into categories!

The future is always hard to predict, but I’m confident that the 10 best retail apps for 2018 that made our list today will go the distance. I know I’ll be using them all year long to take my shopping to the next level—and to make it even more fun to be out there in the aisles!

Get one of the best retail apps for 2018. Download Shopkick’s free app today and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the rewards of shopping with a free, smartphone app sidekick.

And, if you love social media as much as you love your smartphone, join Shopkick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a little daily shopping inspiration.

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