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Fall Apple Crafts for Kids

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There are many reasons to celebrate the arrival of fall, and we think one of them is definitely the start of apple season! We highly recommend choosing an afternoon to go apple picking in your local area. But, if apple picking isn’t quite your speed, there are still plenty of ways to craft with them. We’ve scoured the web to find five apple crafts we think kids of many different ages will enjoy. Let’s jump in! 

Apple Stamping:

Kids love to paint, and apples make wonderful stamps. We found two apple stamping tutorials that you should try! One involves creating an apple basket, while the other will lead your littles to make painted apples with faces you can hang. This is a simple way to encourage your kids’ creativity and love for color!

Apple Weaving:

If you have kids that are slightly older, challenge their fine motor skills with this apple weaving craft. You will need cardboard, paint, ribbon, and a few extra (common!) tools. Weaving is great because it acts as a great way for kids to create patterns using texture and color, and the apple is a fun seasonal touch.

Apple Watercolor:

By using makers and water on coffee filters, your kids can create their own unique watercolor art. The great thing about this craft is you likely have the core supplies at home, which means you won’t have to spend additional money. We love that the end result is apples with a creative twist you can hang up all season long! 

Apple Sun Catchers: 

To add new seasonal fun to your windows, think about creating apple sun catchers! We found two different tutorials to create new accessories for your windows, and both are equally unique. The first involves collecting fallen autumn leaves in your yard and then piecing them together to create a sun catcher. The second involves creating apple shapes using plastic beads. You can’t go wrong!

Apple Keepsake:

Kids grow and change quickly, so it’s sweet to make and hang up crafts that include their hands and feet. This apple keepsake asks makers to stamp their painted feet onto paper and then turn the stamp into an apple. You could also create a similar look by repeatedly stamping a finger. Either way, the result is a project you will treasure for years.

Which apple project will you make with your kids? Share your creativity on Facebook!

3 proven retail marketing campaign ideas that are exceptionally effective

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3 proven retail marketing campaign ideas that are exceptionally effective

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Marketing departments are always seeking out the most effective uses of their budgets. The overwhelming list of different strategies and tactics can leave creative teams befuddled as to where their dollars are best spent. How do you decide which ones to proceed with? 

Modeling your campaigns off of proven retail marketing campaign ideas is a great jumping off point for businesses looking for immediate success. Three standout methods have consistently yielded excellent results for retailers and retail brands in the past, and continue to remain popular in 2020: tiered loyalty programs, mobile marketing campaigns, and experiential events. Read on to discover how popular brands benefitted from the effectiveness of these strategies in the forms of brand awareness, sales, consumer loyalty, and return on investment (ROI). 

Tiered Loyalty Programs

A tiered loyalty program is a type of membership that rewards customers with special perks and benefits, depending on their ranking within the system’s predetermined tiers. Shoppers typically reach different tier levels when they reach a certain spending threshold, but programs also exist where shoppers can pay for “VIP” status.

Nordstrom is a popular U.S. retailer who has steadily wooed crowds with their impressive loyalty program. A basic “Member” of the Nordy Club receives 1 point for every dollar spent, free basic alterations, curbside pickup, and “first-to-shop” new styles. As they move to higher levels like “Insider” and “Influencer,” they receive added perks like 2-3 points per dollar spent, personal double-points days, credit for alterations, and in-store points on dining, entertainment, and travel purchases. At the highest “Ambassador” level, members have access to invite-only events and a personal at-home stylist.  

Over the past 5 years, the program has grown 20% to include over 10 million active members. Nordy Club shoppers spend an average of 4x more and shop 3x as often as non-members.

The key to a successful loyalty program exists not in a continuous stream of discount offers, but in the cultivation of long-term engagement and satisfaction. Today’s consumers want to feel attended to and cared for by the brands and retailers they support. In return, they are willing to spend more. Consider this: customers with an emotional connection to a brand have a 306% higher lifetime value than those without! Loyalty programs are nothing new, but tiered rewards provide a more engaging, gamified experience. 

When designing a tiered loyalty program, consider how you can meet the “hierarchy of [consumer] needs”:

  • Physiological needs—Provide basic, easy, no-fuss benefits through a program with a “ladder” to climb.
  • Safety needs—Guarantee privacy and data safety; allow for opt-in correspondence, customization, and opt-outs. 
  • Social needs—Fulfill a social need via recognition with special offers unavailable to basic members.
  • Esteem needs—Provide insider status to special sales events, new product launches, and exclusive services.
  • Self-actualization needs—Deliver a truly customized program with individualized services and one-on-one attention.

Once the tiers are created, brands should strive to create a feeling of exclusivity with each new tier by offering benefits that differentiate their shoppers from shoppers at other stores. Many loyalty programs offer a basic “free” level, but upcharge for premium benefits at higher levels. Gamification strategies can work in tandem with a tiered loyalty program to solidify shopper engagement, while segmenting audiences delivers a more personalized level of service.  

Mobile-Based Campaigns

The lines between online and offline shopping are often blurred, as shoppers use mobile devices in stores to find deals, compare products, and overcome obstacles on the path to purchase.

Mobile app marketing is an increasingly popular way to inspire consumers digitally during the pre-trip planning phase and offer helpful, informative content in-store to encourage purchases. Through the use of videos, lookbook ads, recipes, QR codes, and point-based reward systems, brands are able to provide shoppers with the positive experience they desire.

Shopkick is a popular mobile rewards shopping app that brands and retailers can partner with to reach new audiences and cultivate long-term loyalty. Customers receive reward points (“kicks”) for engaging with in-app content, making online purchases through the app, or using the app in-store to perform a variety of unique small actions like visiting a retailer or scanning a product barcode, which they can then use toward gift cards of their choosing for a truly personalized experience.

The following case studies show just how powerful a mobile retail marketing campaign with Shopkick can be in achieving key marketing objectives:

Purina

Purina’s mobile campaign was designed to drive trial and consideration at Target stores during the busy holiday season. They leveraged proximity marketing to motivate shoppers upon entering the store and digital content to engage with them.

The results of the campaign were: 

  • 36% increased brand awareness
  • 47% of shoppers cited future intent to buy
  • 85% incremental sale increase
  • 4:1 campaign ROI 

Kellogg’s

To promote the launch of their new Bakery Delight Crumb Cakes, Kellogg’s ran a mobile campaign that rewarded users with kicks for engaging with branded lookbook content, for scanning the product barcode at-shelf, and for purchasing and uploading their receipt, ultimately earning shoppers a free gift card. 

App marketing results included: 

  • 35% conversion rate
  • 47% of shoppers were first-time buyers
  • 55% lift in future purchase intent
  • 5:1 campaign ROI

Claritin

During allergy season, Claritin sought the use of an effective mobile campaign to differentiate themselves from competitors, drive awareness, and increase sales at Walmart stores. They rewarded shoppers for scanning promoted products in-store.

The mobile campaign resulted in great success:

  • 28 million+ campaign impressions
  • 59% increase of incremental sales
  • 4:1 campaign ROI

Experiential Retail

“Experiential retail” refers to any in-store shopping experience that goes above and beyond the traditional layout. Amenities may include food, live music, unique architecture, art, video displays,  cross-promotions, virtual reality, live demos, and more.

Anthropologie, a popular retailer,  proved just how valuable this strategy can be (when executed and measured properly). In 2019, they recruited local artists to design in-store sculptures and created themed pop-up shops. The events generated astounding results—they attracted over 6,300 attendee check-ins and resulted in more than 3,000 customers added to Anthropologie’s database and loyalty program.   

Today, stores nationwide host everything from workshops, influencer events, and fashion shows, to birthday parties, dinners, and daylong retreats.

It’s all too easy to purchase with the click of a button, but in-store shopping is preferred by 82% of Boomers, 49% of Millennials, and 81% of Gen Z. Roughly 75% of shoppers say they “appreciate a well-curated store experience focused on a limited number of products,” and 73% of those surveyed say they use physical stores for product discovery. 

The trend is likely to continue so long as retailers continue to meet the demands of modern consumers with engaging, visually appealing stores that are whimsical, fun, educational, efficient, and share-worthy on social media. Today’s shoppers desire more than commodities; they want experiences, status, and memories.

For retailers, experiential marketing is not so much about the immediate sales bump—though some growth can be expected. Forrester and Adobe assert that “experience-driven” brands grow 19% per year, compared to 13% for ordinary brands. 

The true value of experiential retail resides in providing consumers with feel-good moments, who reward the retailers with their enthusiastic loyalty in return. The same report found that experiential retailers have nearly twice as many repeat buyers than their less-immersive competitors. 

The Bottom Line on Effective Retail Marketing Campaign Ideas

Whether it’s through a tiered loyalty program, mobile marketing, or experiential retail, successful retail marketing campaign ideas can generate an incredible ROI and inject life into retailers in the forms of consumer enthusiasm and immediate sales. Long-term strategic partnerships are especially effective in helping brands deliver greater value, edge out competitors, and solidify their positioning as an industry leader. A short-term retail marketing campaign is a savvy way to test out the waters before making a more substantial, long-term investment.

Shopkick offers a wealth of tools to execute a number of effective retail marketing campaign ideas that can yield the results you want. Read a few more success stories, learn about becoming a partner, or contact us to get started on your first mobile rewards campaign.

Discover the 3 benefits of mobile marketing in retail

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Discover the 3 benefits of mobile marketing in retail

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Retailers have countless tools at their disposal and numerous opportunities to get their names in front of consumers, ultimately to drive brand loyalty and affinity. However, with finite dollars in any advertising budget, it is important to allocate your money to the most strategic, effective mediums. A rapidly growing channel that retailers should consider is mobile marketing. The benefits of mobile marketing in retail are too effective to ignore, and retailers are taking notice. Researchers estimate that the global mobile marketing market size will grow 18.9% per year, from $10.5 billion in 2019 to $25 billion in 2024.When compared to traditional marketing channels like TV, print, and radio, mobile tends to more effectively capture the attention of consumers. Why? Because mobile is where most consumers are spending their time. The average person spends the equivalent of 100 days per year online (no matter the device). The average 3 hours and 43 minutes that consumers spend on mobile per day now exceeds the 3 hours and 35 minutes spent watching TV.

When compared to digital marketing channels like social or email, mobile is often the first point of contact—in fact, 65% of all emails are opened on a mobile device and about one-third of all purchases are made on a smartphone. Nearly 80% of shoppers go to a physical retail location to buy the items they want or need now, but they use mobile devices for guidance on where to go, and what to buy.

Retailers who focus on mobile marketing have three main advantages over competitors—the ability to attract shoppers based on location, circumvent loyalty fatigue, and tie online and offline loyalty programs together in a simplified way.

Utilize Location-Based Notifications

Location-based mobile marketing targets shoppers based on their location. There are many ways to effectively implement location marketing:

  • Automated marketing messages can be triggered based on a person’s proximity to a beacon or geofence.
  • GPS data can lead a shopper to the nearest local store selling what they need.
  • Geo conquesting allows you to target your competitors’ market with attractive localized offers.
  • Apps with stored location data can be used to suggest stores and specific products tailored to the individual.

Although audiences have to opt-in to this form of marketing, they generally do so because they find it very insightful.

Why do retailers love location-based marketing?

  • 83% of marketers say they can run more successful campaigns when location data is taken into account.
  • 84% of marketers use location data in their marketing and ad campaigns, and 94% plan to use it in the future.
  • 94% of Millennials own a cell phone that they use frequently throughout the day (often to plan shopping trips).
  • 9 in 10 marketers say location-based advertising has increased their sales.
  • Targeting is the primary use of location data, but 52% use it for engagement, campaign strategy, and personalization.
  • Researchers found location marketing to be 20x more effective than displaying generic ads.
  • Mobile is the primary vehicle for geolocation, preferred by 81% of marketers.

Reduce Loyalty Fatigue

What was once viewed as a benefit years ago has become so common that the incentive has lost some of its power.

The average person belongs to 14 loyalty programs, but only actively participates in 6.

Early loyalty programs were fraught with problems—strict participation requirements, confusing reward structures, and poor redemption communications, to name a few.

One solution to the problem is to partner with a mobile loyalty program that works across a number of retail chains, like Shopkick. With this type of platform, shoppers grow familiar and comfortable with the user interface, build up points (“kicks”) quicker, and consolidate space on their phones with one streamlined app.

Retailers can tap into a wider prospective customer base using Shopkick, in addition to retaining and strengthening loyalty amongst existing shoppers.

Three Qualities of a Top-Performing Loyalty App

Encourages user interaction

Shoppers are looking for a user-friendly experience.

To create an effective shopping app in-house requires time, money, and numerous resources. A retailer would have to do the following

  • Conduct research
  • Identify needs
  • Choose essential features
  • Streamline login and checkout
  • Enable search filters and indexing
  • Guarantee payment security
  • Utilize high-quality images and graphics
  • Create a dynamic interface that works on mobile devices of all sizes
  • Highlight product information
  • Speed up loading times
  • Employ expert customer service
  • Promote the app across channels

Rather than reinventing the wheel, retailers can partner with an existing app that consumers already know, love, and use on a regular basis, saving them valuable time, money, and resources.

Reduces smartphone clutter

The average smartphone user has 60 to 90 apps downloaded, but 96% of time is spent in the user’s “Top 10” apps.

In fact, two-thirds of apps are used once after download and then never again!

Given these statistics, retailers may want to think twice about developing their own store loyalty apps.

Even those with their own apps already may be looking for re-engagement strategies to increase loyalty.

In addition to apps for social media and email, the most-used apps are for video viewing, web browsing, location mapping, and shopping. Partnering with a shopping app can greatly extend one’s reach.

Narrows consumer choice

Consumers know how much they’re worth to retailers. Given the stakes, why shouldn’t they expect a bit of appreciation in exchange for their attention and purchases?

Even before the global pandemic, decision fatigue was an unfortunate byproduct of America’s highly cognitive, distractive, “plugged-in” way of life.

Decision-making fatigue can make even the simplest of choices—like what brand of pasta sauce to buy for dinner—completely overwhelming. Increasingly, consumers are welcoming tools to simplify their options and effectively make the choice for them.

By using a mobile shopping app, consumers can effectively narrow down their choices to pick among retailers offering rewards for their loyalty.

Offer an Omnichannel Loyalty Experience

Offer an Omnichannel Loyalty Experience
Shopkick offers shoppers the opportunity to interact with brands and retailers, and earn rewards points called “kicks” throughout the entire shopping journey, whether at-home or in-store.

Shopkickers can discover new brands or products while browsing on their mobile devices through the Shopkick app. They can choose to either shop at a brick-and-mortar location, or they can make a purchase in just a few clicks. Users are rewarded with kicks no matter where or when they decide to shop.

There is no need to enter a special code or physically carry a reward card around. All shoppers need is their mobile device, which 80% of consumers already use for making online purchases or browsing in-store.

The advantages of mobile marketing in retail are still developing, but the current collection of benefits are enough for retailers to consider strategy implementation. Evolving capabilities include mobile pre-order and pickup, contactless checkout, augmented reality, robotic shopping assistance, facial recognition, and smart mirrors.

Additionally, customers are increasingly scanning items with their mobile devices at the point-of-purchase to discover more about the products before buying. Heading into 2021, shoppers will continue to choose retailers who augment the shopping experience with mobile technology.

Shopkick is an innovative mobile rewards app that utilizes an omnichannel approach to retail marketing. contacting us to discover how Shopkick harnesses the benefits of mobile marketing in retail to help its partnering retailers and brands acquire greater market share.

‘Tis the Season: Consumers Will Turn Online to Holiday Shop During the Pandemic

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Shopkick survey finds majority of holiday shoppers will make more online purchases than usual, but many plan to host normal holiday gatherings.

While 2020 has been a year full of change, one familiar feeling is setting in — the holiday season will be here before we know it. With states shutting down for a second time due to an uptick in COVID cases, more consumers plan to shop online (a 16 percent increase compared to last year), but nearly half (45 percent) expect to host the same amount of friends and family at this year’s holiday gatherings.

Shopkick surveyed nearly 17,000 American consumers to gain insight on when, where and how they will be shopping this holiday season. The survey uncovered how much shoppers plan to spend, and how they think the current health and economic crises will impact their behaviors.

Key findings include:

● Online Occasion: While online shopping is beloved by many year-round, it will be especially useful this holiday during the pandemic. The majority of shoppers (67 percent this year vs. 51 percent in 2019) expect to make their holiday purchases online to avoid crowds and exposure. Of those shopping online, 65 percent plan to purchase gifts via Amazon, followed by big box retail sites like Target.com and Walmart.com (18 percent), and department store sites like Macys.com and Kohls.com (six percent).

● Amazon and Etsy and eBay, oh my: For those planning to shop at online-only retailers, 72 percent plan to find gifts on Amazon, followed by Etsy (56 percent), eBay (43 percent), Wayfair (39 percent), and Overstock (32 percent).

● Spend Trend: Sixty-three percent expect to spend a similar amount of money as last year on their holiday shopping (ranging from $301 to $600), however, 23 percent expect to spend less than last year. Meanwhile, 14 percent expect to spend more.

● Add Free Shipping to the List: Last year, low prices were the most important incentive for shoppers, but with more shopping online this year, the majority of consumers (54 percent) are most incentivized by free shipping. Just 24 percent believe low prices are most important.

● BOPIS with a Bow: With the help of “buy online, pick up in-store” (BOPIS), making holiday purchases is more convenient than ever. Just 17 percent of consumers say they will not be taking advantage of BOPIS this year, compared to nearly half (44 percent) who say they will.

● More Clothes, Fewer Toys: This year, 25 percent of gift-givers plan to spend most of their budget on apparel, beating out last year’s top category – electronics. Following closely behind, 21 percent plan to spend most of their budget on electronics, toys and video games.

● Early Bird Gets the Gift: Shoppers are still itching to cross off their holiday lists early this year. With nearly identical results to 2019, 34 percent plan to get their shopping done before Thanksgiving, 27 percent plan to shop between Black Friday and Cyber Monday and 17 percent expect to shop on Black Friday.

● Gifts and Gatherings: Considering the surge in COVID-19 cases, it is no surprise that nearly 50 percent of Americans plan to host fewer friends and family at this year’s holiday gatherings. However, 45 percent of Americans expect to host the same number of people, with five percent even planning for larger holiday celebrations.

“As the most important season for retail quickly approaches, there is rising concern about the impact the COVID-19 crisis could have on consumer shopping behaviors,” said Dave Fisch, general manager of Shopkick. “Our data shows that holiday shoppers are already preparing for the season in new ways. With less of a focus on the experiential holiday activations that have dominated years past, brands and retailers must step up their omnichannel and e-commerce capabilities to be successful through the end of the year and beyond.”

To learn more about how Shopkick can help you reach consumers wherever and whenever they’re shopping this holiday season, get in touch at [email protected]

This survey was conducted between June 25 and July 1, 2020.

6 Ways to Lower Your Stress

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Throughout the past few months, it’s safe to say we have all oscillated in feeling a complete variety of ways. One day we might be relishing in our ability to safely stay at home and spend time with our loved ones, and the next day we might feel as though we are itching for the sense of normalcy we felt at the beginning of the year. There is no one right way to feel (we’re leaning into it all!), but we have found it’s important to discover new ways or dive back into old habits in order to keep our stress levels in check. Whether you’re facing decisions about school or a desire to go back in time, try one of these six ways to lower your stress levels below. 

1. Read:

One of the best ways to disconnect is to get lost in a great book. There are plenty of sites to turn to for inspiration if you’re looking to create a reading list or simply find one great read. Try Reese’s Book Club, Read with Jenna, the Bad on Paper Podcast Book Club, and/or this list from Real Simple about the best books from 2020 (so far). The great thing about reading is you can slot in a few moments throughout the day to read a page or two or you can set aside a full block of time to complete a number of chapters. Once you start, we think reading will become a daily habit you look forward to throughout the day!

2. Exercise:

Exercise looks different for everyone. Some people love to get in a spin workout at home on a stationary bike with an app; others like to run, golf, or play tennis; while other people prefer to take a walk. No matter what you choose to do, make sure it’s something that doesn’t feel like a chore. The idea with exercising to lower your stress is to move in ways that bring you joy and boost your mood, rather than spending any time dreading working out as though it’s a to-do you would rather skip over. Before your workout, create a playlist, download a podcast, or purchase an audiobook!

3. Cook:

Whether it’s on our blog or in our app, we love sharing new recipes with you! We find cooking is a great outlet because it combines the process of following steps with an opportunity to be creative. Plus, it’s something that requires focus. Altogether, we find we do feel more relaxed and stress-free when we try cooking or baking a new recipe. The best news? You will (likely!) end up with delicious results to enjoy with your family or share with friends. 

4. Craft:

Similar to cooking, spending time working on a craft also involves working with your hands. Because it’s physical (and clearly creative!), we find our stress starts to dissipate because we have a fun task to focus on. Think about working on a DIY project, making something with your kids (Good Housekeeping has plenty of ideas!), paint, or learn how to sew or stitch. Don’t be surprised when you end up with a number of completed projects and a newfound hobby! 

5. Write:

Oftentimes, things are less stressful than they may seem in our minds once we can stare at them on paper. So, make a list! You might note things you need or want to accomplish, ideas you don’t want to forget, or even specific things that have been adding to your feelings of stress. Journaling or even typing an email to yourself are both known as being great tools to help you process whatever you’re feeling. Once it’s on paper, work to complete the to-dos or try to release your thoughts.

6. Connect:

Sometimes feelings of stress can be magnified when we spend too much time mulling things over within ourselves. So, call a friend or family member and talk! You don’t have to run through all that might be bothering you. Instead, it might be helpful to ask them questions about their lives as a way to turn off your own thought process. Another idea: meet for coffee, a meal, or ice cream together. Sometimes even five minutes spent with another person is enough to fill our wells for quite a while.

It’s safe to say we’re all experiencing stress, albeit for different reasons and in different ways, but it’s important to find ways to cope. So, how do you combat your stress? Let us know on Facebook!

4 examples of effective customer loyalty rewards programs

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While many businesses tend to focus on new customer acquisition, it’s the loyal, repeat customers who represent long-term profitability. One effective method of retaining customer loyalty is through comprehensive customer loyalty rewards programs. A study by Bond found that 79% of customers agreed that loyalty programs make them more likely to continue doing business with a brand. The study goes on to say that 73% of consumers are more likely to recommend brands with satisfactory loyalty programs, and 71% of consumers find loyalty programs to be a meaningful part of the customer-brand relationship.

The best loyalty programs are those which help companies stay consistently engaged with their customers across multiple retail channels. That is why mobile loyalty programs have been found to be the most popular and effective way to interact with customers. Nearly 75% of shoppers say they would show more engagement with their loyalty programs if they could access them via their mobile devices.

A smartphone app is accessible on-the-go, limits the number of physical cards or coupons a shopper has to carry, and offers a personalized experience. Relevant mobile data can be collected and analyzed by companies to gain valuable insight into buyer behavior, stored in a customer relationship management database, and later used to create highly optimized marketing campaigns.

Below are four key examples of today’s top brands and retailers effectively creating and managing profitable customer loyalty rewards programs.

Sephora’s Beauty Insider Program
Sephora’s mobile app is widely considered one of retail’s best. Customers earn one point for every dollar spent, which can be exchanged for instant rewards or online items. Members can use their points to get immediate savings at checkout ($10 off every 500 points), or they can browse the rewards bazaar and exchange their points for unique gifts.
Loyalty program members also receive exclusive early access to new products, free standard shipping, and VIP entry to members-only events. Members can attend a meet-and-greet with the brand founder, book consultations with skincare gurus, or win trips to see how their favorite products are made.

The app also features AI technology which enables users to give themselves virtual makeovers using selected products, as well as access customized recommendations that match each of their beauty types.

Kraft/Shopkick

 

Kraft® partnered with Shopkick, a popular third-party mobile rewards platform, to boost baking product sales at Walmart locations during the busy holiday season.

Their campaign started with pre-shop branded content that included recipes with the three featured products— Baker’s Chocolate, JET-PUFFED Marshmallows, and Jell-O Instant Chocolate Pudding. Introducing the products before consumers visited the store helped boost purchase consideration, and rewarding shoppers for their at-home engagement built a positive brand-affinity pre-shop. Once consumers were in-store, Shopkick guided them to Kraft’s featured products at-shelf, and provided reward points (“kicks”) for those who scanned the select items’ barcodes, or for making a purchase. They also offered bonus kicks for those who purchased all three products.

Rewarding shoppers for their engagement and purchases builds positive brand affinity, boosts future purchase intent and loyalty, and increases the likelihood of them purchasing from your brand over a competitor.

The campaign resulted in:

  • Over 9 million in-store product engagements nationwide
  • More than 18 million total campaign impressions
  • 27% of scanners converted to purchase
  • 55% of purchases were unplanned
  • Greater than 7:1 ROI
What Makes Shopkick Such an Effective Customer Loyalty Reward Program? Kicks

 

For top retailers like Best Buy and TJ Maxx, shopBeacon™ technology is an innovative tool that allows large crowds of consumers to each have a personal shopping experience. Beacons welcome each shopper by name and reward them immediately upon entering a partnering retailer. This creates a positive brand affinity early on in the shopping journey, and inspires consumers to keep shopping for additional kicks in-store. This tool links in-store activity with at-home browsing data, filling gaps in the customer shopping journey for our partners.

By eliminating manual check-in, Shopkick makes it easy for consumers to participate in their loyalty program and earn points. Plus, the lack of GPS tracking data helps retailers avoid privacy issues.

 

Kicks 

Brands and retailers who partner with Shopkick can offer rewards for customer loyalty that don’t involve discounts, coupons, or price cuts.

Shopkickers earn kicks (points) by actively engaging with partners in a variety of ways:

  • Walking into select retail locations
  • Scanning the barcodes of select items in-store
  • Going on “treasure hunts” for featured items in-store
  • Watching branded videos
  • Browsing curated lookbooks
  • Purchasing promoted products
  • Linking a credit card and shopping online or in-store
  • Inviting friends to use the app

App users accrue kicks toward gift cards of their choosing. Many Shopkickers earn one or more gift cards every month simply for shopping and engaging with Shopkick partners. Retailers and brands that offer gift cards in the Shopkick rewards store find very profitable returns, as most people typically spend more than the gift cards are worth.

Videos

Videos have been one of the main driving forces behind Shopkick partners’ success. Shopkick’s Discover Tab features short, campaign-exclusive promotional spots, allowing partners to make a quick yet memorable impact with video. Plus, time-strapped shoppers appreciate these visual, to-the-point clips.

Video marketing dominates in 2020, and is expected to continue to reign:

  • 92% of firms deem video important
  • Viewers watch approximately 100 min. of video daily
  • 95% of video budgets will increase

Consumers largely prefer video to text marketing, with 72% of shoppers saying video is a “convenient and effective” way to learn about products of interest.

Most of Shopkick’s campaigns see viewing completion rates of 99% or higher!

 

Nike+

Nike loyalty program members are treated to exceptional perks like free expedited shipping, reward redemption for in-store merchandise, birthday discounts, surprise gifts at checkout, and exclusive product access.

Nike+ members also receive rewards for staying active. Partnerships with Apple, Headspace, and ClassPass—offering the added value of music, guided meditation, and guided workouts—make it easier to reach fitness goals.

  • Nike+ boasts 185 million members
  • Loyalty app users spend 3x as much as non-members
  • Digital business has grown 38% in the past few years
  • ECommerce surpassed $10 billion in Q3 2019

 

Sprint/Amazon Moment

Amazon ventured into the B2C mobile rewards sphere in 2019 with a new program called Amazon Moments, an intuitive, cross-platform applications programming interface (API).

With a Moments marketing campaign, companies set desired actions for consumers to perform that generate specific rewards. Amazon then tracks user engagement and completed actions, and automatically fulfills the rewards. Business partners pay a cost per action (CPA) fee.

Sprint partnered with Amazon Moments for a five-week campaign during the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup. Customers downloaded the Fútbol Mode Rewards Wallet Pass to complete challenges during each of the five stages of the tournament and accumulated Amazon credits that could be redeemed for over 500,000 choice items. Additional points could be earned by referring friends to the app and uploading videos of themselves engaging with Sprint. Rewards included TAG Heuer watches, Samsung electronics, and Nike soccer gear.

Throughout the different stages of the campaign, Sprint saw:

  • A 3x increase in engagement
  • 74% challenge completion and reward redemption rate
  • 26K influx in website visitors
Whether instant or earned, rewards make customers feel valued and reinforce positive brand associations. However, rewards aren’t the only reason shoppers gravitate toward loyalty apps. A well-orchestrated program personalizes the shopping experience, makes thoughtful product recommendations, and reduces the amount of irrelevant advertising. It will also provide pertinent data that allows brands to track previous purchases, analyze purchase context, and tailor future product attributes based on customer feedback—all of which are effective tactics in building brand equity and driving future loyalty. Brands and retailers can develop their own loyalty apps in-house, rely upon a partnership with an existing third-party shopping app, or strategically make use of a combination of the two. Omnichannel shopping is a key marketing tool that is critical to long-term success in the retail marketplace.

Partner with Shopkick to create an effective customer loyalty rewards program that will deliver an increase in brand awareness and ROI, as well as long-term trust and brand affinity. Read how leading brands like Claritin, Tyson, and Purina benefitted from a partnership with Shopkick or get started on your very own campaign by contacting us today!