Kick Writers

Check Out These 6 Online Shopping Rewards Programs. You Won’t Regret It!

Posted on February 12, 2020 by Kick Writers

Online shopping has truly changed my life! I’m sure like many of you, up until recently, I didn’t shop much online. I chose to stick to the old-fashioned way of shopping due to my fears of online security. However, in recent years, I’ve fallen in love with online shopping because of how convenient it makes shopping for someone as busy as I am. Do you know what else I love about online shopping? Online shopping rewards programs.

The discovery of online shopping rewards programs has made me love online shopping even more. There are so many different types of online shopping rewards programs and there are just as many ways to use them; trust me, I’ve tried them all! Now, I’m working hard to nail down my favorites, which I’ve listed for all of you to check out.

My Six Favorite Online Shopping Rewards Programs

Amazon

Of all the online retailers out there, the one that has changed my life the most is Amazon. Amazon just makes it so easy to buy basically anything, from clothes to household items to food. However, what a lot of people don’t know is that there are small ways to save money while shopping at Amazon. Amazon’s online shopping rewards program comes in the form of its Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card which shoppers can use to earn a percentage back on purchases, saving them money in the future.

One of my favorite ways to save with Amazon is by subscribing to the items I buy all the time, such as paper towels, toilet paper, toothpaste, floss, etc. By subscribing, Amazon sends me new items whenever I’m about to run out, and I also save a few cents that add up in the end. Another thing I’m sure to keep in mind when shopping on Amazon is the fluctuating prices. Whether they fluctuate up or down, I’m always sure to find the best deal out there.

Airline Shopping Portals

Another great online shopping rewards program comes in the form of airline shopping portals. Sounds futuristic, right? You see, there are several major airlines that award you with frequent flier miles when you make purchases through their online shopping portals. And, I probably don’t have to tell you, especially if you’re as budget-conscious as I am, that those miles add up over time.

The amount of value here can vary at times between participating retailers. Some of my favorites offer as many as six points per dollar, so spending $500, for example, can earn me roughly 3,000 miles. I can then use those miles toward a variety of redemptions, including a future flight. Jet Blue, United, Southwest Airlines, and American Airlines are just some of the airlines that offer these rewards. With American Airlines, in particular, free flights start at just 7,500 miles. I’ve been eyeing a round-trip flight to Hawaii and I’m so close!

Credit Cards

If you prefer to have your shopping rewards directly linked to your method of payment, this one is for you. Many credit card companies offer you rewards in the forms of cashback, percentages back, and points when you use them to shop at participating stores.

For example, with my Barclays card, for every dollar I spend, I get a point that represents 1% savings. If I buy groceries, I get two points, which turns into 2% savings. It really adds up fast with the amount of online shopping I do. Quite frankly, I think anyone who is doing online shopping without getting some percentage back on their purchases is making a big mistake. You don’t even have to think about using this one. It just does it all for you!

Shopkick

Speaking of versatility, Shopkick is another online shopping rewards program that works with other programs on this list—it’s actually my favorite. I really like Shopkick because it turns all of my online shopping sessions into super fun scavenger hunts for points, which the app calls kicks. It’s super easy to use and the ways to earn kicks are often things I do every time I do my online shopping anyway.

Shopkick is a free mobile app that pays you to shop. The way it works is you download the app, use it to shop at featured online retailers, and earn kicks. If you watch a video to learn more about a product, you’ll get kicks. If you purchase a featured item, you’ll get kicks. Once you earn enough kicks, you can trade them for gift cards to a variety of stores.

Rakuten

Rakuten, which used to be an app called Ebates, is an app that I like to use to get cashback on the purchases that I make online, and only online because this one doesn’t work in stores. The way it works is pretty simple, too. You just download the Rakuen app, and then instead of doing your online shopping through another app or website, you do it through the Rakuten app instead.

Here’s a pro tip: you can also add a Google Chrome extension to your web browser. What happens then, is that it adds a Rakuten cashback button that appears whenever you visit a site that has a deal to offer to you. If that’s not enough, Rakuten also has a feature called Coupon Magic, which even automatically applies coupons as you shop, giving you more cashback during the checkout process.

FlipGive

FlipGive is awesome because it doesn’t help you just save, it helps you save for a good cause. The way it works is that the online deals you find through FlipGive channels the money you are saving to a charitable cause. It takes your savings and it flips it to giving toward causes such a child’s doctor bills or to a local youth sports league.

Like some of the other programs on my list—specifically Big Crumbs and Rakuten—you make purchases through FlipGive’s online portal at any one of its affiliated online retailers. I’ve definitely used it to save money for me and my family with Warby Parker, for example, which is my favorite place to buy glasses online! And what’s even better is Warby Parker makes a 15% cash-back donation to the cause I pick.

As you can probably tell, I’ve used my fair share of online shopping rewards programs. But, of all of these apps, my favorite has to be Shopkick. Not only does it reward me for the shopping I planned to do anyway, but it also rewards me for learning about products that interest me. I love the versatility of Shopkick’s online shopping rewards program and I love the app’s in-store functionality, too! Whenever I feel like getting some fresh air and doing my shopping at a physical store, Shopkick comes in handy, turning a regular shopping trip into a rewarding experience!

Find out how to increase product engagement to boost sales

Posted on February 12, 2020 by Kick Writers

Many customers enjoy the in-store retail experience because they can pick up, feel, and try products firsthand. Continue reading “Find out how to increase product engagement to boost sales”

How to increase brand awareness through digital marketing

Posted on February 7, 2020 by Kick Writers

A list of “lesser-known brands that consumers should learn about” comes out almost annually. Lists like these prime consumers to be impressed, be in the know, and remember the mentioned brands in the future. If your brand is referred to as “lesser-known” in the early days of its existence, that’s totally fine. After that, it’s probably the last thing you’ll want to be labeled. In today’s retail landscape, if your brand doesn’t have a strong digital presence, it is likely to be lesser-known. Fortunately, you can change that by learning how to increase brand awareness through digital marketing.

Learn How to Increase Brand Awareness Through Digital Marketing

The foundational steps in crafting your digital presence are straightforward:

Choose your media carefully: Most marketing campaigns adopt an omnichannel approach. There are a lot of digital platforms, and while it’s perfectly fine to take advantage of more than one, you can’t be on every one of them. You want your presence known on the platforms where your customers interact the most. Be aware of national trends, as well as the habits of your demographic segment. Among the digital platforms you have to choose from are:
- your website
- email
- social media
- mobile apps
- television
- radio
Your presence on each of these platforms should be uniform in appearance and tone—making it easy for consumers to recognize your brand.
Stay on the cutting edge: Preference and technology can change fast, and your brand needs to keep up. Interacting on the right platforms not only helps you stay at the center of your customers’ attention, but it also provides you with new ways to tell your story and expand your audience. Make your digital content engaging, targeted to your customers’ interests, and shareable—every share has the ability to expand your audience exponentially. And, don’t forget to include hashtags where appropriate.
Reach all channels: Be technically proficient. People access their media across multiple devices, so you need to be sure your content looks as good on a smartphone as it does on a tablet or computer screen. Otherwise, you will be excluding a big chunk of your potential audience. This involves a little more technical work, but it’s an important quality assurance issue.

Remarketing and recommendation

Remarketing is a process that takes into account one’s previous browsing habits and suggests similar items in other contexts. Say someone views a pair of shoes on your website. Remarketing will offer similar types of shoes from your website to the same potential customer as an ad on Facebook, Google, or anywhere else they browse online. One study found that online retail browsers who engaged with a recommended product had a 70% higher conversion rate during that session.

Engage and Interact

You want your brand to be likeable and your digital presence to be memorable. Although, some brands try courting controversy or arousing discomfort from time to time. In any case, a well crafted digital campaign can stick in the public memory for years and even be remembered by the imitators it spawns. To this day, “Axe” summons up images of teenage boys and cologne in the minds of many people before they think of the woodcutting implement.

Cleverness counts here, but responsiveness is equally important. It creates the emotional connection that leads to brand affinity.

Listen and be responsive: Make a space for your customers to express themselves, and then answer their questions, thank them for their opinions and let them know they are important in your eyes. Providing a space for customers to leave reviews allows them to feel heard. You will inevitably get a few negative reviews, but consider them an opportunity for you to turn that impression around and demonstrate your concern for the customer experience. You might also pick up a few valuable tips that way. Research has shown that replying to negative reviews leads to better reviews overall.

If you’re still wondering how to increase brand awareness through digital marketing, look no further than Shopkick. This innovative mobile rewards shopping app allows your brand to be visible, reach consumers, and reward them for their engagement and loyalty. With Shopkick, you’ll be able to reach an audience of consumers who may not yet be familiar with you or your products—ensuring you are no longer referred to as “lesser-known”—and incentivize them for engaging with your brand.

How to redeem your shopping app rewards for gift cards to do even more shopping

Posted on February 7, 2020September 11, 2025 by Kick Writers

If you’re anything like me, shopping is never something you want to do less of. The only things that ever get in the way? Time and money. And while I haven’t figured out how to add more hours to the day (still working on it), I have found a way to stretch my budget — thanks to shopping app rewards.

The trick? Using a rewards app that actually gives you something back every time you shop — like gift cards you can use to shop even more.

Let’s break it down.

How to Earn Shopping App Rewards (the Easy Way)

1. Download a Rewards App

Start by grabbing a shopping app that gives you points (or kicks, in our case) for everyday shopping. There are two types:

Store-branded apps: Great for loyal shoppers — think Starbucks, Target, and more

Multi-store rewards apps: Even better, because you earn across tons of stores both in-store and online

2. Pick the Right One

If you want to earn rewards every time you shop — anywhere — you’ll need a versatile app that works at multiple retailers. That’s where Shopkick comes in.

Why Shopkick is the Ultimate Shopping Rewards App

Shopkick makes it crazy easy to earn points (called kicks) for things you’re already doing — like walking into stores, scanning barcodes, and making purchases. You can even earn from your couch by shopping online or watching quick videos in the app.

Bonus: Link your retailer accounts to earn kicks automatically when you shop in-store & online. No extra steps needed.

Rack up kicks, trade them in for gift cards to stores like Target, Amazon, Sephora, Walmart, and more — and keep your shopping streak going without breaking your budget.

More Kicks = More Shopping

Shopkick doesn’t just save you money — it makes shopping even more fun. Every trip becomes a mini scavenger hunt for kicks, and those little rewards add up fast.

Ready to earn while you shop?

Download Shopkick for free and start collecting kicks toward your next shopping spree. Let’s turn every shopping trip into a reward.

How to build awareness of a new product with mobile marketing

Posted on February 6, 2020 by Kick Writers

If you’ve invested considerable time, effort, and finance into the development of a new product, it’s understandable that you can’t wait to show it off. Continue reading “How to build awareness of a new product with mobile marketing”

Prime opportunity: How to earn cashback on Amazon purchases

Posted on February 5, 2020September 2, 2025 by Kick Writers

I once had a teacher ask our class if there was anything we couldn’t live without. Back then, I said my phone. Now? Without hesitation, my answer would be Amazon Prime.

Whenever I need paper towels, toilet paper, or a last-minute gift, I can place an Amazon order and have it at my door in two days — or even the same day. It’s made shopping so easy. But here’s my favorite part: I’ve found a way to make every Amazon order even more rewarding — by earning cashback and gift cards.

If you’re an avid online shopper like me, here’s how to turn your Amazon spending into savings.

1. Use Amazon’s Cashback Credit Card

For frequent Amazon shoppers, the Prime Visa Card is a no-brainer. Here’s how it works for Prime members:

5% back on Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, and Whole Foods Market
2% back at restaurants, drugstores, and gas stations
1% back everywhere else

Your rewards are tracked as points — 100 points = $1 toward purchases. That means 5% back is 5 points per dollar spent. For everyday Amazon users, it’s like getting an instant discount on almost everything you buy.

Bonus Tip: New cardholders often get a welcome Amazon gift card (usually $150, sometimes more during special events like Prime Day).

Not ready to open a new credit card? Don’t worry — there’s another way to earn rewards on Amazon purchases without one.

2. Earn Amazon Gift Cards with Shopkick

Want to turn everyday shopping into Amazon gift cards? That’s where Shopkick comes in.

With Shopkick, you earn “kicks” for fun, simple activities like:

– Walking into select stores

– Scanning product barcodes in-store

– Making online or in-store purchases with participating retailers

– Linking your retailer accounts for eReceipts

Here’s how eReceipts work: Simply link your retailer accounts — like Walmart, Target, or Sam’s Club — directly in the Shopkick app. When you shop online or in-store with those accounts, your receipts are sent automatically to Shopkick, and you earn kicks without lifting a finger.

Once you collect enough kicks, you can redeem them for gift cards to your favorite retailers — including Amazon. These Amazon gift cards work just like cashback, helping you save on your next order.

Pro Tip: You can stack your Shopkick Amazon gift cards with Prime Visa rewards for even more savings.

Why I Love It

I use Shopkick almost every day, and it’s turned errands into a fun, reward-filled scavenger hunt. My friends, family, and even my parents are hooked. It’s simple, automatic, and makes every shopping trip more rewarding.

Shopping made rewarding! Download Shopkick now, link your retailer accounts for eReceipts, and start turning everyday purchases into Amazon gift cards — effortlessly.

4 strategies to enhance the customer shopping experience in-store

Posted on January 31, 2020 by Kick Writers

“Strategy” refers to a high-level action plan designed to achieve one or more goals under conditions of uncertainty. There has been much uncertainty in brick-and-mortar retail these days, with customers shifting online and many longstanding retailers shuttering their doors for good in what the media has called a “retail apocalypse.” Yet, that doesn’t mean brands and retailers should throw up their hands in despair. Research suggests there is much value in shifting your focus to enhance the customer shopping experience in 2020.

What Is Customer Experience and Why Does It Matter in 2020?

Customer experience is your shoppers’ holistic perception of your brand. The in-store customer experience involves everything from helpful customer service representatives and short checkout wait times, to the type of music playing and aisle layout.

Recent statistics reveal:

Companies earning $1 billion annually can expect an extra $700 million within three years of investing in customer experience.
Eighty-six percent of shoppers say they’re willing to “pay more” for a great customer experience—which translates to a price premium of 13% to 18%.
Personalized experiences have led 49% of buyers to make impulse purchases.

A Walker study estimates that customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator by the end of 2020. So, really, it’s not a question of if you should invest in customer experience, but rather how.

4 Strategies to Enhance Customer Shopping Experience in 2020

You may consider a number of strategies to provide shoppers with a better in-store experience:

1. Reinvent Your Stores With Rotating Themes

Changing a store’s theme can be a headline-garnering way to create retail buzz. While most large department stores have given up their market shares to Walmart and Target, a few dominant players have stayed in the business by borrowing from the “pop-up shop” method of reinvention. For instance, Macy’s rolled out rotating STORY boutiques—“a retail concept that takes the point of view of a magazine, changes like a gallery, and sells things like a store.” Every six to eight weeks, the store design and inventory changes based on rotating themes like “Home for the Holidays” or “Beauty.” Bloomingdale’s takes a similar approach with rotating carousel pop-ups themed around culturally significant trends.

If you don’t have the budget to go all-out, your store “transformations” could be as simple as adding a few Instagram-worthy spaces. “These days, if consumers can’t Instagram a store, it’s almost not even worth going,” according to AdWeek. For instance, Morning Lavender Boutique and Café in Orange County, California created a breathtaking wall of flowers that invites shoppers to stop and snap a photo. Similarly, apparel retailer Showpo features a “social media nook”—a chic café set-up with a table, chairs, cakes, and tea accessories.

2. Turn Shopping at Your Store Into an Interactive Experience

People appreciate stores because they’re physical places of trial, discovery, and interaction. Stores like Trader Joe’s and Target employ the “wow factor” of free samples and dynamic displays to thrill their loyal customers in new ways. Marshall’s went so far as to hide curated “surprise boxes” around their stores for lucky shoppers to discover and claim. Shopkick, a mobile shopping rewards app, offers an even easier way to create an interactive experience for shoppers. Shopkick users are enticed to visit partnering stores and seek out products in exchange for reward points they can use towards gift cards of their choosing. The app’s scavenger hunt-like gamification provides shoppers with a fun way to discover new products.

3. Train Employees to Offer Excellent Customer Service

Online shopping offers convenience, but it can’t yet deliver good, old-fashioned, face-to-face customer service. You can use this to your advantage by training your employees to interact with individual shoppers based on past purchase history. Employing data-capturing systems and arming employees with tablets allows for more personalized recommendations and truly helpful customer service. Reps can search inventory in real-time and tap into customer profiles to go over and beyond the competition. Better than Google is the store representative who knows the pros and cons of various products; which brands sell best; what will best meet certain needs; and where to find the precise items on the shopper’s list.

One example of this advanced form of customer service can be found at the flagship Birchbox store in NYC, where shoppers create beauty profiles for a curated selection of products tailored to their user profiles. The in-store focus on “try, learn, buy” is evident in salesperson interactions that guide shoppers through the engaging “build your own box” section of the store. In addition, Birchbox customers can book a manicure or blowout in the salon—making the store more of a destination than a stop.

4. Create a Community Gathering Space

Physical locations gather like-minded people—and all the better if these people decide they like buying from you. Nordstrom is one of the most frequently-cited examples of a retailer that truly understands the importance of “store-as-community-center.” They have dedicated 3,000 square feet of retail space to serving wine, beer, and espresso; personal stylist appointments; and on-site manicures and tailoring.

Consider a few other examples: Consumers can attend story hour with their little ones at Barnes and Noble or take a DIY woodworking class at Home Depot. Brooklyn-based leisure retailer Solfire installed a smoothie bar and fitness oasis that holds classes. At Weis Markets, the retailer doesn’t just sell food—it promotes healthy living; grocery shoppers can book a free tour with a dietician, attend a cooking demo, learn more at educational seminars, and participate in fun health fairs full of interactive games, giveaways, and food samples.

Leverage Shopkick to Aid in Customer Shopping Experience Enhancement

Shopkick offers an innovative platform that transforms the shopping experience for mobile-using customers. Upon entering a partnering retailer and opening the Shopkick app, users are greeted with the current deals and opportunities to earn rewards points. Over the course of their in-store experience, they are prompted to seek and scan select items and ideally make desired purchases while working toward a free gift card. Purina, one of Shopkick’s partners, was able to integrate digital messaging with physical product engagement down the aisles to increase incremental sales 85% and obtain 4:1 return on investment.

Shopkick offers an innovative platform that transforms the shopping experience for mobile-using customers.

Want to enhance the customer shopping experience? Read more success stories or contact Shopkick to learn how you can win hearts and minds as one of our partners.

Image courtesy of ACA9595

Understanding the customer journey to online purchase

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Kick Writers

In understanding the customer journey to online purchase, brands and retailers must consider why customers use each channel (in-store or online) during the consideration phase, and what ultimately drives them to buy. Continue reading “Understanding the customer journey to online purchase”

Earn cashback on groceries to use during your next trip

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Kick Writers

Shopping is one of my favorite activities to do with my girlfriends. When we were younger, we would go to the mall every weekend to help each other pick out cute outfits. Nowadays, we still shop together, but instead of going to the mall for clothes, we meet at the grocery store.

You see, we’re all grown up and have families of our own so, naturally, we’re the ones in charge of shopping for the household. Oftentimes there are tons of groceries to buy so when we can do the shopping together, it makes the chore of grocery shopping fun. We use the time to trade recommendations, shopping hacks, and to catch up.

A topic that recently came up in our discussion was how to earn cashback on groceries. One of my friends said that she’d heard of a way to use a mobile app to earn rewards that can be used to pay for groceries. I was so thrilled to learn about this that I decided this was something all shopaholics needed know—a way to fuel their next shopping trip while shopping!

How to Earn Cashback on Groceries

Download a Mobile Shopping Rewards App

It may seem obvious, but in order to earn cashback on groceries, you must first have a way to do so. For my friends and me, the number one way to earn cashback on groceries is with a mobile shopping rewards app that rewards you each time you shop online or at a participating store. It’s best to find an app that’s not only compatible with your mobile device but also with your daily life.

Find a Shopping App You Like

Simply put, the best shopping app is one you’ll like using. Because to really rake in the rewards for grocery shopping, you’ll need to frequently use the app—like physically open it on your phone and use it in the store or as you shop online. Once you get the hang of it, you’re likely to not want to do any shopping without first checking out the ways to earn rewards.

I prefer shopping apps that are rewarding and fun to use. I like shopping apps that help me earn cashback on groceries by allowing me to redeem rewards for gift cards—which are just as good as cash. I also tend to not factor them into my usual budget, so using a gift card is a bit like earning extra money for groceries. During times when I’m really dedicated to making the most out of a grocery shopping trip, I want to make sure that I’m having fun using the app with my friends.

The Best Shopping App to Earn Cashback on Groceries

When it comes to finding the best shopping app to earn cashback on groceries, I would highly recommend Shopkick. Shopkick meets all of my preferences mentioned above. It rewards me “kicks” (rewards points) for the things I already do when I go out shopping such as walking into stores and making purchases. There’s really not much extra time and effort required to use the app while I’m out shopping with my friends.

Shopkick turns every trip to the store into a fun scavenger hunt for kicks.

Shopkick turns every trip to the store into a fun scavenger hunt for kicks. My friends love to compete to see who can get the most kicks in one shopping trip. Once I’ve earned enough kicks, I can trade them in for gift cards to many of my favorite stores—not just grocery stores! I’ve made using Shopkick such a routine that I can count on earning enough points to receive a gift card each month. In addition to being fun, Shopkick really helps me free up space in my budget to shop for other things I love.

I’m so happy that I discovered and fell in love with Shopkick. With all the grocery shopping that my friends and I have to do, it’s nice to have fun like we did when we were younger.

If you’re looking for a fun way to earn cashback on groceries, I highly recommend downloading and using Shopkick during your next trip to the store.

It’s time to get your kicks! Shopkick makes shopping for groceries a rewarding experience by helping you earn cashback. Download the app today and start getting your kicks now!

Image courtesy of light poet

Why personalizing the online purchase experience will lead to customer loyalty

Posted on January 29, 2020 by Kick Writers

Compared to the retail experience, shopping online can feel a little bit lonely. Continue reading “Why personalizing the online purchase experience will lead to customer loyalty”

Yes, there’s really a rewards app that pays you for shopping!

Posted on January 28, 2020 by Kick Writers

When I was a kid, my parents were really supportive. They always told me that I could choose to do whatever I wanted with my career, but that I should be sure it was something I loved. Their motto was: “If you pick something you love, it will never feel like work!” It was truly wonderful advice, and I can honestly say that I stand by it with everything that I do. In fact, I’ve applied this advice to almost all areas of my life, including my favorite hobby: shopping.

Anyone who knows me knows that I absolutely love shopping. It’s one of my all-time favorite hobbies. What’s even better though, is that I’ve now found a way to fuel my shopping with a rewards app that pays. That’s right! I’ve found a way to get paid for doing what I love! And, since my parents were so generous to share their advice with me, I’ll do the same for all of you!

Why You Should Download a Rewards App That Pays

The Savings

There are a few reasons that I absolutely recommend getting a rewards app that pays you to shop. Chief among them, of course, is that it’s a way to increase your savings. See, if you get the right rewards app, you can regularly get rewarded for the things you already purchase at many of your favorite stores. Depending on the rewards points system, you may be able to redeem those rewards for gift cards that are just as good as cash! Hence, saving you from having to dip into your budget to do more shopping.

Make sure you download a rewards app that pays you for both online and in-store shopping. If you’re like me, you’ve started to do more and more of your shopping online and you don’t want to miss out on any rewards because you didn’t go to a physical store. The best rewards apps are those that you can use without any major changes to your regular daily shopping routines, even if that means shopping from the comfort of your home.

The Fun

In addition to calculating the savings, you’ll want to find a rewards app that feels like fun. It’s like my parents always say: “If you pick something you love, it will never feel like work!” For many, shopping can feel like a chore, especially after a long day’s work. If you find yourself thinking of using the rewards app as a chore, you’re likely to stop using which means you won’t be able to reap the maximum rewards. Thankfully, there are apps out there that turn each trip to the store into a fun experience.

Shopkick Is a Fun Rewards App That Pays!

My absolute favorite rewards app that pays is called Shopkick. The way Shopkick works is that it gives you rewards points—which are called kicks—for shopping both online and in-person at physical stores. With Shopkick, I’m rewarded for things I already do when I’m out shopping like walking into a store and making purchases. And when I’m shopping online, Shopkick rewards me for watching videos, learning about participating products, and shopping directly through the app.

What I really love about Shopkick, though, is the way it turns every trip out to the store into a fun scavenger hunt for rewards points.

What I really love about Shopkick, though, is the way it turns every trip out to the store into a fun scavenger hunt for rewards points. When I walk into a store, I open up the app on my phone and see which products will earn me the most kicks. I’m always happy to find the products that were already on my list and some that I considered buying but didn’t know much about before using Shopkick. Once I’ve earned enough kicks, I’m able to redeem them for a gift card of my choosing; I love earning gift cards to my favorite stores.

So, there you have it. That’s my spiel about my favorite rewards app that pays you for shopping. I really love Shopkick and my parents love that I’ve kept their advice.

It’s time to start getting your own kicks now! Out of all the choices that are out there, Shopkick is the absolute best rewards app that pays. Download the app today start to get your kicks right now!

Image courtesy of wavebreakmedia

3 effective customer loyalty incentive programs used by brands and retailers

Posted on January 24, 2020 by Kick Writers

Customer loyalty incentive programs will allow brands and retailers to discover which customers are most profitable to their business so they can focus efforts on those most likely to spend (and spend a lot). We all know that it costs less to retain customers than to solicit new ones. By using loyalty programs to entice your customers to buy again, you create habits that drive brand affinity, referrals, and sustainable revenue.

Recognizing the value of customer loyalty incentive programs and effectively implementing them are two very different realities. Whether you’re new to the game or you’re not entirely satisfied with the results of your launched loyalty program, you’ll benefit from considering: What type of programs are most effective? And what lessons can we learn from the enterprises that maintain loyalty the best? There are two approaches working for brands and retailers today—brand- and retailer-specific apps like those from Starbucks and Target, and third-party retail rewards apps like Shopkick.

Examples of Effective Customer Loyalty Incentive Programs

Starbucks is the most-used loyalty rewards app in the restaurant industry. The coffee chain’s internally-developed app has been an evolution over the course of a decade, but today’s offering is an accurate reflection of the convenience and conviviality for which Starbucks is known. Users are invited to place their orders and pay in advance to save time at the counter, create their own Spotify playlists, and automatically earn free food and drinks with every purchase. Starbucks fans receive personalized content and offers based on past purchase history. They can also share the love by sending electronic gift cards to their family and friends directly through the app.

Starbucks’ customer loyalty incentive program succeeds because it features:

A User-Friendly Design:

The Starbucks app is attractive with large photos and intuitive to navigate. Five top-of-the-screen menus provide access to basic functions: Pay, Stores, Gift, Order, and Music. You can gift Starbucks to your loved ones, see what music is playing in the restaurant, and receive personalized food suggestions from the order screen. On a practical level, you can locate the nearest Starbucks stores, pay with your phone, and add a tip for your favorite barista. Rather than turn the app into a “Swiss Army Knife” that does-everything (but nothing well), developers focused on a few core goals like streamlining orders, boosting foot traffic, and increasing lucrative gift card orders.

Easy, Engaging Loyalty:

The best loyalty programs are easy to understand, track, and use. For every dollar spent, you earn two stars. The more you spend, the more stars you earn. You receive free in-store refills, tailored exclusive offers, and a free birthday drink. Going one step further, Starbucks understands that gamification works to get people into a buying mood; Starbucks reward members can complete entertaining “challenges” to earn extra points toward free food and beverages. The stars have a limited shelf life of one year for “Green” tier members and six months for “Gold” tier members, which encourages rewards holders to engage frequently.

Full Integration:

Since music has been a central part of the whole Starbucks “experience” since they first opened more than 40 years ago, their partnership with Spotify makes sense. In the earlier days, you could grab a CD with your latte or download a free digital song from an undiscovered artist. Today, app users can discover new songs playing as they wait in line, add the music to a Spotify playlist, or create a custom mix. A partnership with Lyft gives first-time riders extra stars toward a free drink. Integration with Alibaba lets users in China buy gift cards and branded merchandise through the popular shopping platform, as well as order Starbucks-to-go deliveries. Through the co-branded credit card arrangement with JP Morgan Chase, Starbucks lets users earn stars with purchases outside the chain. These integrations make Starbucks more central to people’s lives and part of their everyday consciousness.

Target has seen tremendous success in using proprietary apps in their customer loyalty incentive program. In today’s environment, it’s increasingly more important to offer unique products and experiences that differentiate the brand from competitors. Target is able to compete with other retailers like Kohl’s, Walmart, and even Amazon because it offers unique products like its brand Cat & Jack or celebrity-designed apparel available only in their stores.

This philosophy has spilled over into their approach to app development. The Target loyalty program starts with REDcard, which offers shoppers an immediate 5% off everything they buy, plus free two-day shipping for online purchases and perks like longer return times and exclusive gifts.

Taking it a step further, Target’s Cartwheel program helps users save anywhere from 5%-50% on products without paper coupons. Users select the custom offer they’d like to redeem and cashiers simply scan the unique digital barcode at checkout. Those who don’t shop with a smartphone can print the barcodes at home and have their deals scanned at the register. Reward customers especially love that they’re allowed to combine their Cartwheel offers with manufacturer’s coupons, Target coupons, Target REDcard benefits, and gift cards.

Other proprietary apps Target has developed are aimed at boosting personalization and convenience—two ingredients for a winning retail customer service formula. For instance, they have an app that allows designers in their pop-up shops to communicate in an “instant feedback loop” with guests, who voted on everything from the shape of collars and the fabrics to the colors and brands they preferred. The Target Pay app lets REDcard users use their Cartwheel deals and pay with a virtual wallet by scanning QR codes.

Shopkick

While many consumers love the individual apps of their favorite brand or retailer, they also love the convenience of all-in-one shopping provided by third-party apps like Amazon, Instacart, or Shopkick. Instead of competing with dozens of other apps, brands and retailers can be woven into a consumer’s routine through an app they already use daily. By partnering with a third-party app, brands and retailers can expand their reach to tap a captive audience that is loyal to the art of shopping, actively engaged, and ready to buy.

Bomb Pop

During a two-month summer campaign leading up to Independence Day, the red, white, and blue popsicle brand Bomb Pop wanted to drive awareness of the product through a branded lookbook and dynamic kick rewards for purchases made. Nearly half (44%) of shoppers first became aware of Bomb Pop through the Shopkick app, and 68% of buyers had not been planning to purchase Bomb Pops before visiting the store. With more than 23 million impressions, the awareness campaign was viewed as a huge success.

Barilla

Barilla sought to communicate the unique benefits of Pasta Pronto, a new innovative type of one-pan pasta that didn’t require boiling water or draining. They turned to the Shopkick app to educate with video, drive awareness in-store, incentivize product scans, and drive trials. More than half of the app users (66%) first became aware of Barilla’s Pasta Pronto from Shopkick engagement. Half the people who watched the video purchased the product. There was also a 68% lift in future intent to purchase.

Kellogg’s

Kellogg’s used Shopkick to engage shoppers shortly after the launch of Nutri-Grain Bakery Delights Crumb Cakes. The snack aisles can be a crowded, competitive place, but Kellogg’s enjoyed a 35% conversion rate, a 55% increased intent to purchase, and 5:1 ROI from their lookbook and reward offers. Best of all, 47% of the consumers who purchased the Nutri-Grain Bakery Delights Crumb Cakes during the campaign hadn’t purchased a Nutri-Grain product within the last 12 months. Truly the promotion inspired customers to give the brand another look, driving consideration, trial, and favor.

Check Out These 6 Online Shopping Rewards Programs. You Won’t Regret It!

My Six Favorite Online Shopping Rewards Programs

Amazon

More About Amazon:

Airline Shopping Portals

More About Airline Shopping Portals:

Credit Cards

More About Credit Card Savings Programs:

Shopkick

More About Shopkick:

Rakuten

More About Rakuten:

FlipGive

More About FlipGive:

How to increase brand awareness through digital marketing

Learn How to Increase Brand Awareness Through Digital Marketing

Become Visible

Advertise

Paid social media

Remarketing and recommendation

In-app advertising

Engage and Interact

How to Earn Shopping App Rewards (the Easy Way)

Why Shopkick is the Ultimate Shopping Rewards App

More Kicks = More Shopping

Ready to earn while you shop?

1. Use Amazon’s Cashback Credit Card

2. Earn Amazon Gift Cards with Shopkick

Why I Love It

What Is Customer Experience and Why Does It Matter in 2020?

4 Strategies to Enhance Customer Shopping Experience in 2020

1. Reinvent Your Stores With Rotating Themes

2. Turn Shopping at Your Store Into an Interactive Experience

3. Train Employees to Offer Excellent Customer Service

4. Create a Community Gathering Space

Leverage Shopkick to Aid in Customer Shopping Experience Enhancement

How to Earn Cashback on Groceries

Download a Mobile Shopping Rewards App

Find a Shopping App You Like

The Best Shopping App to Earn Cashback on Groceries

Why You Should Download a Rewards App That Pays

The Savings

The Fun

Shopkick Is a Fun Rewards App That Pays!

3 effective customer loyalty incentive programs used by brands and retailers

Examples of Effective Customer Loyalty Incentive Programs

Starbucks

A User-Friendly Design:

Easy, Engaging Loyalty:

Full Integration:

Target

Shopkick

Bomb Pop

Barilla

Kellogg’s