Increasing market share can happen in one of two ways—either brands and retailers are “stealing” business from competitors or creating a new demand to increase the market along with share. Continue reading “How to increase market share in retail with mobile marketing”
Author: shopkick
6 Ways to Store Produce to Keep it Fresh
Our refrigerators look and feel as though they are more stocked now than ever before. Because we’re trying to stick to our healthy (or somewhat healthy!) regimens, much of what’s inside our refrigerators is produce. With an increase in purchasing produce also comes an increased desire to make sure it stays fresh throughout the week. We’ve been researching some of the best tips and tricks, and we’re sharing what we’ve learned and uncovered on our own below.
1. Make Sure Produce is Dry:
When we arrive home from the grocery store, one of our instincts is to rinse off our produce. While that’s a great idea in theory, produce can start to go bad if it’s too wet in your refrigerator. If you do plan to wash your produce, make sure it’s completely dry before you put it away. This is when your salad spinner comes into play!
2. Skip Rinsing Berries (for now):
You will absolutely want to rinse off your berries before you eat them, but berries don’t love being exposed to too much moisture. As a result, according to this article, it may actually be best to leave your berries in their original packages for now and rinse them off in bunches that you plan to eat right away.
3. Treat Herbs Like Flowers:
When you bring flowers home, you likely place them in a vase. Sometimes, you might even place your vase by the window. Many herbs like to be treated the same way! So, save space in your fridge and add herbs to your windowsill or countertop instead.
4. Line Your Crisper:
Chances are high that your produce will either produce moisture while inside your refrigerator or not all of the water from the rinsing you did when you got home will have dried off. So, line the bottom of your crisper’s drawer with paper towels. We know they are a hot commodity, but they will help to keep your produce fresh.
5. Store Fruit Properly:
Before you add all of your fruit to your refrigerator, double check that’s where it likes to be stored. Items like apples will stay fresh longer when placed in the refrigerator, but they will ripen faster if they’re left at room temperature. Bananas, on the other hand, don’t like to be in the refrigerator. Instead, keep them at room temperature.
6. Don’t Over Buy:
The temptation to purchase all items in bulk is definitely there right now, but try to keep in mind what your family will eat throughout the week. If you still find that you’re having to toss items, think about buying less or stop at the grocery store midway through the week to pick up additional produce once your family has finished the first batch of berries or bananas, for example. Produce has definitely been kept well stocked!
What ways have you uncovered to keep your produce fresh? Keep the conversation going on Facebook!
Retail tips: What makes a customer’s shopping experience seamless?
Seamless In-Store
Despite the convenience of online shopping, most customers still prefer bricks over clicks. They like seeing, touching, and interacting with products before they buy. They like personalized attention from sales associates and the whole store ambiance. Location-based technology is one of the ways brands and retailers are creating a more seamless shopping experience. They are using beacons to know when specific customers arrive at the store, how long they stay, what parts of the store they visit, and how long they linger in a particular aisle. Mobile POS solutions are valuable in-store tools that yield a more seamless experience. Store associates can look up a customer’s shopping history to find product information tailored to their interests.
Seamless Social Media & Web
Online shopping may only represent eight percent of direct purchases, but the internet remains a vital part of a seamless customer experience with 81% of shoppers researching online before buying. Furthermore, half of shoppers use social channels to research purchases they’re considering, and a third use social as a channel to discover new items. Tracking customer behavior across the web and running email drip campaigns, paid targeted ads on social media, special web offers based on purchase/browsing history, and integrated rewards programs for online shoppers is key to seamless and personalized marketing online. Not only must retailers ensure they have a seamless user experience across all channels, but they’ll need to make the online/offline transition smoother as well. BOPIS (Buy Online Pickup In-Store) is one of the latest innovations gaining traction with busy shoppers.
Seamless Mobile
Over half of shoppers use mobile apps while in-store to inform their purchases. They use their phones to find and redeem coupons, to find items, and to learn more about items they’re intending to buy. In-app video is a fast-growing way to connect with customers, whether they are using your native app or a third-party mobile shopping platform. In 2019, click-through rates for in-app video were two times that of native ads and over ten times greater than banner ads. Shopkick, a popular mobile shopping platform, invites users to earn rewards points for watching in-app videos. These points can eventually be redeemed for gift cards to use with partnering brands or retailers. By incentivizing video, one Shopkick partner’s campaign received over 16M impressions and was highly successful in educating consumers before their trip to the store, boasting a 99% branded video completion rate.
5 Lunch and Dinner Recipes for Kids
Whether your kids are dreaming of becoming a chef or you’re hoping they become more willing to try new things, we’ve learned most kids, no matter their age, love to help in the kitchen. To encourage this activity, especially right now when we’re all spending more time at home, we thought we would share five recipes (and themed night!) that are hands-on for you and your kids to make for lunch or dinner with you.
Pizza:
There are plenty of fun ways to make pizza together. Purchase premade dough and pick up cheese, sauce, and toppings. Then create individual pizzas so each member of your family can add their own preferred mixture. If you want to skip dough, try English muffins or bagels.
To try a completely different type of pizza recipe, we also spotted these Pizza Skewers! They remind us of kabobs, and they’re perfect for kids to make with you because they can create the order of the ingredients on the sticks and even what’s included.
Tacos:
Tacos are an obvious choice for a themed night, and Tuesdays are typically a go-to. Consider creating platters you and your family can pass around your table so each person can add their go-to toppings, or create a taco bar on your kitchen counter where all of the ingredients are lined up for easy serving. If you want to bypass the typical chicken or beef fillings, try making Breakfast Tacos!
Sandwiches:
Sandwiches are a quick and easy option for lunch and even dinner, but we wanted to find recipes that reinvented this classic option. Weelicious shared eight Savory Toast recipes, and they all sound delicious. Plus, they all represent recipes your kids can help to prepare. Additionally, we spotted these Chicken & Bacon Rollups, which present a great way to use up leftover roast or rotisserie chicken. We’re also drawn to these Peanut Butter Granola Pinwheels!
Breakfast for Dinner:
We mentioned creating breakfast tacos for dinner, which of course fall into this category too. But, we also thought about creating parfaits, and we added these Apple Yogurt Parfaits to our “to make” lists. Omelets and eggs made any style also fall into this category, and you can always make pancakes or waffles. There are plenty of options to create a fun breakfast menu at night!
Pasta:
Why not try your hand at making your own pasta? We went live with Sugar Beet Schoolhouse on Facebook Live, and Cheryl walked us through the (relatively!) easy steps to create pasta at home. You only need one egg and one cup of all-purpose flour for this recipe, and we think it’s a fun one to try over the weekend.
Which recipe will you and your kids try to make together? Chime in on Facebook and keep sharing so we can all uncover new ideas!
Graduation Crafts for Kids of All Ages
Happy Graduation, Shopkickers!
With an introduction like that, we think you likely have a great idea about Mrs. Lamb’s topic from today’s Facebook Live. Yes, graduation! But, rather than simply talking about what it’s like to graduate from preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, high school, college, or even graduate school and beyond, Mrs. Lamb chose to share unique and fun crafts you or you and your graduate can make together. Below are all of her suggestions!
Graduation Lollipop Craft:
This craft is fun and simple! Mrs. Lamb also shared a great idea if you’re celebrating a high school graduate – make a lollipop for each year they spent in school, then present all of the lollipops together in a bouquet.
You will need:
- Rainbow Lollipop
- School Picture
- Graduation Cap Sticker (or DIY)
How to make:
- If necessary, cut the photo down so it can fit onto the front of the lollipop. It does help if you cut the photo into a circle.
- Glue the photo onto the lollipop wrapper. Mrs. Lamb used a glue stick.
- Add a graduation cap to the top of your graduate’s head in the photo.
- Enjoy!
Graduation Label the Graduate Craft:
As Mrs. Lamb notes, this craft is perfect for kindergarten graduates. They will be able to color their graduate, and they will also practice cutting and pasting. They’re all great fine motor skills for young learners!
You will need:
- This PDF
- Markers, Crayons, or Colored Pencils
- Scissors
- Glue Stick
How to make:
- Print out the PDF.
- Ask your student to color it in.
- Ask your student to cut out the labels.
- Match each label to the correct item, and glue it on.
- Hang up your graduate’s art!
Graduation Make a Graduate Craft:
This craft will allow your graduate to create a self-portrait. It’s a wonderful choice for a preschool or kindergarten graduate if you would like to help your student. We also think it’s perfect for older kids who have fine tuned their skills, especially a high school or college student who is majoring in art.
You will need:
- Computer, Sketch, or Construction Paper
- Pencil, Markers, Crayons, and/or Colored Pencils
- Lined Paper
- Glue
How to make:
- Create a self-portrait on a piece of sketch or construction paper.
- Add a cap! Mrs. Lamb created the one in her son’s piece by cutting out a black square from construction paper and adding a tassel she made with thread.
- Ask your student to describe their favorite thing they learned and why they enjoyed school.
- Enjoy your graduate’s art!
Graduation Smarties Craft:
Smarties are fun and delicious, and they are also sold as oversized candy, which means they look like a diploma! If you’re celebrating a graduate who is getting ready to leave for college, this would be a wonderful way to present them with cash in a creative fashion.
You will need:
- Oversized Smarties – Mrs. Lamb found hers at Walmart.
- Tassel
- Tape
- Cash
How to make:
- Wrap your bill around the Smarties. We found it’s best to tape it into place to make sure it stays put.
- Tie on a tassel.
- Present your graduate with candy and cash!
Graduation Memory Jar:
For students who are leaving for college (hopefully!) in the fall, Mrs. Lamb shared an excellent idea. Create a memory jar filled with pieces of paper that are either rolled up or folded. On each one, share things that will make your graduate smile, like quotes, drawings, song lyrics, short notes, and obviously memories you have shared with them.
You will need:
- Paper
- Pen, Pencil, or Marker
- Mason Jar
How to make:
- Write your memories onto small sheets of paper.
- Roll up your completed sheets and add them to your jar.
- Seal and decorate the outside of the jar (if you want to!).
- Gift the jar to your graduate!
Graduation Water Bottle Craft:
We are all trying to stay hydrated, and a custom water bottle makes hydration more fun! Decorate a water bottle, and fill it with something that’s meaningful to them. Cash and quarters are definitely a welcome surprise for high school seniors heading to college!
You will need:
- Water Bottle
- Permanent Markers
- Graduation Cap (feel free to make one or purchase a sticker!)
- Interior Items (cash, change, candy, etc)
How to make:
- Decorate the exterior of the water bottle using permanent markers. Think about adding the graduate’s next school or their name onto the bottle!
- Drop anything you want to gift inside.
- Top with a graduation cap.
- Gift to your graduate!
To all who are graduating, we are celebrating with you! Stay tuned until next Thursday to watch Mrs. Lamb’s next segment on Facebook Live.
Consumers Looking Forward to Non-Essential Retailers Reopening, as Long as There Are Safety Precautions
Half of Americans plan to visit non-essential retailers within a week of reopening; Gen Z most likely to visit within first few days.
Top 5 Tips on How to Utilize Online Grocery to Save Money
Do you shop for your groceries online? I have been opting to skip shopping in stores over the past few weeks as a way to keep myself, my family, and my fellow shoppers safe. However, I have to admit shopping for groceries online is not an entirely new practice for me. One of the top ways to experience a sudden increase in your grocery bill is by adding additional items to your cart while you’re roaming the aisles, and I’ve found shopping online is a great way to curb that habit. Below, I’m sharing details about how to best utilize online grocery shopping, including explaining why we think it’s best to do curbside pickup rather than at-home delivery.
5. Lookout for Hidden Fees or Service Charges:
Many online grocery delivery services offer you the perceived value of ultimate convenience; however, this convenience usually comes in the form of a fee or service charge. Looking for options that are a little less convenient (Store Pick Up, Curbside & Click and Collect) could be a better option as most of these services are free to shoppers.
4. Plan Your Meals Ahead:
Traditional grocery shopping offers the opportunity for in-store surprise and delight via end caps and displays. In the online grocery environment, shoppers can plan out cost effective meal solutions via recipe websites or influencer blogs to find cost-saving tips paired with inspiration.
3. Identify Promotions:
Many retailers are adapting their models to extend savings to their shoppers via Online Grocery (especially the pickup version). Pairing those with rewards and savings can be a winning combination. Some retailers that run specific pricing promotions have reduced these during this time of Covid-19 due to excessive demand; however, retailers such as Walmart who maintain an EveryDay Low Price model have been winning the value equation over the past several months.
2. What about Leftovers:
Shoppers right now have the opportunity to make an online grocery order be more efficient and save money by thinking through what is the follow up leftover meal that follows the previous day’s recipe. There are countless websites that can provide this leftover strategy as you are thinking about eliminating food waste during this time and helping your dollar go farther.
1. Pickup is the Key:
I don’t want to belabor the point, but the best way to drive savings and avoid pesky upcharges is to make the effort to go to curbside pickup at your participating grocery location. Almost all grocery retailers are extending pricing and discounts for at-store pickup orders. This gives you full confidence you are maximizing the convenience factor while avoiding delivery fees and up-charges.
How have you been saving money on your weekly grocery budget? Join the conversation with fellow Shopkickers on Facebook!
Consumers are still shopping in-store despite COVID-19, but will only make one stop
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to widespread fear, anxiety, and uncertainty across the nation. As the pandemic intensifies week to week, consumers continue to shift the way that they shop to adjust to this new normal. Continue reading “Consumers are still shopping in-store despite COVID-19, but will only make one stop”
8 Ways to Celebrate Graduation While Quarantined
We have celebrated birthdays and even a few holidays as the quarantine continues throughout the United States. But, many of us have remained hopeful that students, especially high school and college seniors, would be able to return to school in time to finish their years surrounded by friends. Instead, graduations are being postponed or cancelled entirely. But, graduates should still celebrate and feel hopeful about their futures. To inspire your graduation festivities while in quarantine, we’ve come up with eight ideas below! This might not be the graduation you or your student had planned, but it will certainly be memorable for everyone.
1. Car Parade:
Although we cannot gather together, we can most certainly still celebrate. So, plan a car parade to surprise your graduate! Consider inviting family and friends, and ask them to decorate their cars. Ask your senior to wait outside, and enjoy as they see their own personal parade arriving car-by-car. The great perk of these parades is we’re able to see and shout a few words back and forth with our favorite people who many of us haven’t seen face-to-face in weeks.
2. Send Flowers:
Flowers are still able to be shipped and delivered, so think about sending a bouquet and a card with a note to your graduating senior. Everyone loves getting mail and packages, especially now! If you’re looking for a flower source, consider 1800Flowers.com.
3. Watch a Commencement Speech:
The great thing about YouTube is you can find just about any video online, so watch a commencement speech (or a complete series!) together. John Krasinski recently released an episode of Some Good News, his weekly show, in honor of graduating seniors, and well-known figures, like Steven Spielberg, Martha Stewart, Oprah Winfrey, and more shared plenty of inspiration.
4. Zoom Cocktail Hour:
If you know a student celebrating a college graduation, plan a Zoom cocktail party! Before the call, think about dropping off champagne on the graduate’s doorstep or having some shipped right to them. Then encourage everyone joining to sip their favorite drink while you catch up for an hour or more. A bonus would be if attendees shared a favorite memory of the graduate or offered their best advice.
5. Ship a Gift:
Consider sending a high school or college graduate a gift they can enjoy now under quarantine or when they begin their next steps in their collegiate or professional career. Apple AirPods, a backpack that can transition into a briefcase, a gift card for Uber Eats, or any other tech are all great ideas that can be enjoyed now and later.
6. Yard Decorations & Signs:
We have seen houses in our communities decorated to celebrate birthdays, and the same companies are offering to decorate for graduations! Another option is to purchase a sign for your front yard or window to celebrate the college your student will attend or the school where they should have been graduating from.
7. Share a Meal:
Many graduation parties are celebrated over lunch or dinner, so consider calling a restaurant you know the graduate loves and placing an order to surprise them with takeout. Another idea is to have dessert from a favorite bakery shipped or honor the place where the student plans to move next with food from that area.
8. Capture Photos:
Although this might not be the graduation experience anyone expected, it should still be documented. Capture pictures of your family together, and encourage your student to put on their cap and gown. You can also search #PorchPhotographer or #PorchPortrait on social media in order to uncover local photographers who are capturing pictures for families on their porches or front lawns. It’s a fun way to have family photos taken while also ensuring everyone remains at a safe distance apart.
How are you celebrating graduation? Share your plans with us and our Shopkick community on Facebook!
Implement a customer loyalty marketing strategy that increases trust and sales
Loyal customers tend to buy more and advocate for their preferred brand or retailer. Continue reading “Implement a customer loyalty marketing strategy that increases trust and sales”
Engaging Math Games for Kids
First grade teacher Mrs. Lamb returned to Facebook Live today to debut a new segment! This time, she chose to highlight a subject that can sometimes feel difficult to teach, especially at home – math. Below, we’re sharing the three activities and games she shared that are sure to keep kids young and older engaged and learning throughout their stay-at-home school day and beyond.
Number Scroll:
The first activity Mrs. Lamb highlighted is a number scroll. You will need a piece of computer paper to use to create a chart (or you can download this PDF), a pen or pencil, crayons or colored pencils, and an empty toilet paper or paper towel roll (you’ll want to cut the power towel roll in half).
If you choose to create your own chart, you will want to make one with 10 rows across and 10 rows down. Then, ask your student to number each box within the chart with 1-100. For young students, this will offer plenty of a challenge; however, students who already know how to count beyond 100 will want to count even higher. The scroll happens when you attach more paper to your first sheet to start to create a scroll that can be rolled up and stored inside of the toilet paper roll when your student wants to move on.
They will Learn: Counting, numbers, number reversal, patterns, and even handwriting.
Enhance: Consider enhancing this activity by attaching more sheets, as we mentioned, and asking your student to add color for patterns they see appearing – even numbers, odd numbers, prime numbers, 5s, 10s, and more.
One More One Less:
In order to play this game, you will want to download this PDF. You will also need at least one dice, if not two. To be able to play repeatedly, you can also think about placing the sheet inside of a gallon sized clear bag because the bag will act as a white board.
How to Play: Roll the dice and write down the number rolled in the middle section of the row. Then, write a number that’s less than the number rolled on the left and a number that’s more than the number rolled on the right. Keep going until you reach the end of the sheet!
They will Learn: Counting, numbers, addition, and multiplication.
Enhance: For students who already know how to count to six, play this game using two dice. After they roll, your student can add or even multiply the number appearing on each dice together. Students can still write numbers that are less and more than on either side of the number in the middle column.
Doubles Aren’t Trouble:
Encourage your student to enjoy multiplication and addition when you play Doubles Aren’t Trouble. Similar to One More, One Less, you will need a PDF and one dice. You can also consider the DIY white board method mentioned above!
How to Play: Roll the dice, and multiply the number that appears by 2. Then find the number on the game board and circle it. The first person to have four in a row wins!
They will Learn: Numbers and multiplication.
Enhance: To encourage longer playtime, print out a sheet for each player planning to participate. In order to win the game, they must circle every number on their card rather than only getting four in a row.
How are you encouraging your student to embrace math while learning from home? Let us know which math activities they are enjoying on Facebook!
How a retail marketing partner can expand your reach
Partnership marketing is an established concept of modern retailing and has been used in some form by most retailers and brands. Continue reading “How a retail marketing partner can expand your reach”