How to earn Whole Foods rewards using a free app

Posted on December 27, 2017 by Kick Writers

I still remember the very first time I went to Whole Foods. I felt a little nervous, like a kid on the first day of school, because everything was so new and different from the traditional grocery store around the corner from my house. I had to drive to the other side of town, find street parking, and navigate unfamiliar aisles. But you know what? Once I got past my initial jitters, I absolutely loved it.

Whole Foods is the best, from the super fresh local produce to the brands you don’t find anywhere else to—this is my boys’ favorite part—the delicious pre-made items that let me get together a very nice meal even when I’m short on time. Depending on what’s going on in a given month, though, sometimes my budget can make me a little hesitant to head on over there. I’m getting quite a bit more value with all the cool items and fresh produce at Whole Foods, but I’m also spending a little more.

I recently found the perfect way to get around this dilemma, though: free shopping apps that let you earn Whole Foods rewards points! With these apps, you can earn rewards just by shopping at Whole Foods, plus any number of other stores I go to all the time. And, just like their ready-to-eat snacks and meals, these apps are all incredibly easy to use. But the best part? Unlike those meals, they’re free!

Step One to Earn Whole Foods Rewards: Familiarize Yourself with Shopping Apps

The first time I went into Whole Foods, I was disoriented; there were so many new and different products that I’d never seen before. But I stuck with it, exploring the store aisle by aisle, and now I love, love, love Whole Foods!

The world of shopping rewards apps can feel like this too. Just like all the new products and brands at Whole Foods, when you try to choose one to start using, there are so many choices that it can be hard to know which one is going to help you earn the most Whole Foods rewards. Luckily for you, I’m here to be your guide!

Let’s start by narrowing our free shopping apps for Whole Foods rewards down to two basic categories:

The Whole Foods store rewards app: Whole Foods makes it easy to save with them by offering its own app. Remember when we talked about how to earn Target gift cards using a free app? This is a whole (get it?) lot like that! With the Whole Foods Market app, you get exclusive digital coupons, plus an easy-to-use reference guide that makes it easy to know exactly what’s on sale and when you should buy it. This app has seriously taken my shopping at Whole Foods to a whole (#sorrynotsorry) new level.
Multi-store shopping rewards apps: When it comes to my grocery shopping, I don’t like to stick to just one store. The best system for me is to get a few items at my neighborhood spot, a few more at Walmart or Target, and the really good produce and higher end stuff at Whole Foods. I’m actually like that with apps too, I can’t stick to only one. So, in addition to my Whole Foods app, I like to use some shopping apps good at lots of different stores too, apps that are free and can help me drastically increase my Whole Foods rewards! How these apps work is generally pretty simple: you go to Whole Foods, or Target, Walmart, etc., and you earn points and incentives for the things you do while you’re shopping anyway, like walking into the store, scanning barcodes to get more info about featured products, and making purchases. Easy! The key thing to remember is that using multiple rebate apps can maximize rewards.

Step Two to Earn Whole Foods Rewards: Establish a Routine

While my trips to Whole Foods are somewhat inconsistent, my routine when I go there is steady and strong:

Check the Whole Foods app for sales and digital coupons, then make sure I have my favorite shopping rewards app open as well.
Make a list of what I need, heavily influencing it based on the savings offered on the app.
Enter the store and scan all the products that my shopping rewards app is featuring.
Make sure I use my shopping rewards app to snap a quick picture of my receipt as soon as I get back to the car so I get rewarded for my purchases each and every time I shop.
Repeat!

This routine is automatic for me now, but I couldn’t really do it without my favorite multi-store shopping rewards app, Shopkick. Shopkick works at Whole Foods as well as all my other favorites stores, like Best Buy, Target—even Amazon! And, it turns all my shopping trips into a fun game to collect as many points, called kicks, as I can. With Shopkick, my trips to Whole Foods are like a scavenger hunt. I get points when I walk in, points for hunting down and scanning featured items, and points for making purchases.

Thanks to Shopkick and the Whole Foods app, my grocery trips are pretty carefree these days, regardless of what my budget is looking like during any given month. I just get so much out of this dynamic digital duo that the savings have made it possible to add Whole Foods to my regular repertoire of grocery stops. Now if only someone could invent an app that makes city parking easier.

Start getting paid to shop at Whole Foods with Shopkick. Download the free shopping rewards app today and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the fun of shopping with us as their savings sidekick!

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

Image courtesy SweetLana

The best QSR mobile advertising strategies

Posted on December 22, 2017 by Kick Writers

Quick service restaurants (QSRs) are facing challenging times as modern consumers have an overabundance of convenient options for dining out. Recent figures indicate that there are nearly 200,000 quick service restaurants in the US—and that number triples when all food service options are included in the figure. On top of that, restaurants are diversifying their menus; consumers don’t have to visit a specific restaurant when they’re craving a particular meal. Taco Bell is serving breakfast, McDonald’s is expanding their healthy eating options, and Domino’s is offering pasta and chicken wings. In this busy industry, the competitors who will stand out are the ones who take advantage of mobile moments, capturing the consumer’s attention as they are making their dining decisions.

Most QSR dining decisions are made while the consumer is on the road; therefore, the best QSR mobile advertising strategies are designed to work based on location as they travel with the consumer. They incentivize consumers to dine with your brand by making it convenient and rewarding to do so. Some of the top QSR brands in the world have taken advantage of this and, as a result, have been able to grab attention—and market share—in the crowded fast food industry. To give your brand a boost with QSR mobile advertising strategies, you must first examine what tactics have proven successful for similar brands in order to use them effectively.

Mobile-first isn’t so much an advertising strategy as it is a philosophy. In the past, digital marketing strategies took a decidedly desktop-focused approach. Marketers would focus most of their marketing budgets and advertising efforts on sharing the brand’s message via a desktop-based website. Design for smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices was a lower priority—much lower. In recent years, however, many brands in the QSR industry have reversed their attitude by making mobile their primary focus.

Chili’s was a particularly successful early adopter of this approach. In 2015, they launched a new digital strategy which focused heavily on the company’s branded app. Aside from offering several high demand options like mobile ordering and restaurant browsing, the company also implemented geolocation technology. Customers who had downloaded the app were notified of current deals and specials each time they were in the vicinity of a Chili’s. They also receive personalized notifications based on their ordering history and preferences. Even the company’s loyalty program was run through the app, allowing customers to save up rewards points for future visits. Currently, their app has approximately 4.3 million regular users—and that number continues to climb.

The app became a major sales driver for the company after Chili’s put the majority of their digital advertising efforts into developing it. While the company maintains a desktop site, mobile is the brand’s primary focus. Despite being a national chain, mobile allows them to advertise to customers in the moment, based on where they are. This is particularly important in the quick service sector when you’re often right next door to your biggest competitors.

Incentivize the program by rewarding users:

One major converter for Chili’s is that its loyalty program allows users to collect points based on dollars spent. The rewards points act as a converter as well; when consumers are redeeming their points, they may order additional items. By including their QSR rewards program within their app, the company made these points easy to redeem, increasing the likelihood a consumer will visit a restaurant to use them—and give the staff an opportunity to upsell.

Offer a convenient experience:

Chili’s mobile app fully integrates several features which make it appealing to consumers. They can order items, collect rewards points, receive notifications that their meal is ready, and leave a review all via the smartphone app. This creates value for consumers by making their experience with Chili’s exceptionally convenient for a chain restaurant, helping to improve active use on the app and allowing them to compete with fast food restaurants offering drive-thru options.

Reputation management is a crucial aspect of QSR mobile advertising. While about 70% of consumers will look up a brand on their smartphones, those searches are much shorter than traditional desktop-based ones. QSR consumers are on-the-go; as a result, their time is limited. The first review they see for your company is likely going to be the one that they trust. If your company has a one-star rating on Google reviews, it’s very likely to steer them away from visiting your establishment, no questions asked. Your company must actively engage in online reputation management to limit this risk.

Chick-fil-A is a company that understands the importance of reputation management. Despite a few controversies over statements made by its CEO, they’ve managed to come out on top. Politics aside, Chick-fil-A is the highest ranked fast food franchise when it comes to customer satisfaction. The brand capitalizes on any complaints it receives on social media or review sites to improve their performance and better communicate with their customers, generally via mobile-based advertising.

For instance, when they saw an uptick in complaints regarding long waits, they rolled out an option on their app that allowed consumers to order food, then receive a notification when it was ready, masterfully resolving the issue. When consumers began to show interest in the nutritional content of the food, the Chick-fil-A app provided in-depth information on their menu items so customers could choose healthier alternatives.

The company consistently and diligently monitors its online reputation, then utilizes its app to resolve issues related to those complaints in a timely way. By thoroughly and quickly addressing customer complaints, with the help of mobile technology, the chain was able to gain top marks from consumers despite having a few controversies in the past.

Mobile advertising offers QSR companies something that standard advertising can’t: it allows them to target offers to consumers who are the most likely to become customers. After all, demographics might tell you that Millennials are health-focused and interested in organic offerings, but what about those Millennials who choose to visit QSR locations to indulge? Demographically-focused advertising is flawed because it paints all the members of a race, age group, or gender with the same brush. This could cause QSR companies to lose out on valuable advertising opportunities.

Data from mobile advertising, on the other hand, allows QSR companies to target individual consumers, rather than just relying on broad demographic statistics. With it, they can measure the effectiveness of rewards programs.

This is the strategy that a Chicago-based chain, Burrito Beach, implemented. The brand has an app-based loyalty program that collects consumer data on each visit for the purpose of gaining insights on who their customers actually are. This strategy allowed them to expand their overall demographic focus much more broadly than they originally anticipated.

Initially, the brand focused on young professionals on the go. However, through the data provided by their mobile program, they were able to see that the items on their menu pulled in a much more diverse crowd than expected. They were then able to use that data to create mobile advertisements that targeted specific consumer segments, rather than focusing on one generic demographic, as well as refine their menu to better cater to their entire audience.

Tying it All Together: The Best QSR Mobile Advertising Strategies

The three mobile advertising strategies detailed above can actually be seen as the three stages of a campaign. Most importantly, you must begin with a mobile-first approach. Following implementation, you must monitor your reputation to ensure that your brand is gaining the right kind of attention for your efforts. Finally, you must monitor the data of your end user to look for ways that you can improve your advertising efforts and target them to the right users.

You can accomplish these goals by partnering with a third-party shopping app. Shopping apps are designed to work with a consumer while they’re on the go. They incentivize users and offer the opportunity to improve your brand’s image by building a direct relationship with loyal customers. Finally, they provide the data you need to retarget your advertising campaigns. The best part: they allow you to take that mobile-first approach while minimizing your investment as you don’t have to create a branded proprietary app.

Many fast food chains are taking a mobile-first approach to QSR advertising as it allows their brand to stand out in the crowded industry. Often, gaining the attention of the consumer is a matter of conveniently getting your name in front of them at the right time, with the right message. By tying the three above strategies together into one campaign, your company can gain the edge in the highly competitive QSR industry.

The 10 best in-store mobile apps for shoppers in 2018

Posted on December 15, 2017 by Kick Writers

When I got my first iPhone, maybe eight years ago, I went a bit crazy for apps. I started with the ones for all my many social media networks and, of course, games. All. The. Games. Then, I discovered the magical world of shopping apps.

There were apps for online shopping, apps for coupons and savings, apps for learning about new products, in-store mobile apps to make shopping at my favorite retailers a dream—you name it. I think at my peak, I had five pages of apps, maybe six. I had so many apps that I actually had to start deleting my videos and photos to make room for them all. Oh, the horror.

These days, I’ve trimmed down the number of apps on my current iPhone, often relying on responsive websites when I go shopping to see a store’s hours, or what’s on sale, or even to log in to certain rewards programs. I have, of course, kept the best of the best in-store mobile apps on my phone. But, for the sake of both memory space and my sanity, I’ve let many, many apps go that just don’t give me a bang for their screenspace buck.

Here is my personal list of the 10 best in-store mobile apps for shoppers in 2018. Whether you’re already an avid retail shopping app-aholic like me or you’re new to the game, there’s a lot of rewards out there to be earned for the shopping you already do for your family every day—you just need to know which mobile shopping apps are really the rewards crème de la crème!

CVS Caremark:

If you’ve ever raise a child, you know one thing you can’t avoid is germs. Sick happen. There are runny noses, allergies, little scrapes—you name it, kids will get it. I know when my kids were small, I found myself running back and forth to the CVS pharmacy across the street from our house constantly. I wish I would have had this app way back when. It allows you to put in for prescription refills by just entering your DOB and following the screen prompts. You can also use it to set shopping reminders and make lists of other things you need while you’re picking up your meds.

How you save: On time. Time is money, and you’ll save tons of it by using this efficient and easy prescription refill app.

Walgreens:

This app is similar to the CVS Caremark option, except that it caters to shoppers at Walgreens. With this app you can get prescription refills started in mere seconds just by scanning barcodes. And, you can manage your medications with a feature called Pill Reminder. I may be a long-time CVS shopper myself, but one thing I especially love about this Walgreens app is the photo section. You can actually use it to send in photos and have them printed for same day pickup! The days of those little 24-hour photo booths are long gone, that’s for sure. Plus, this app lets you clip coupons!

How you save: You can save all kinds of time with the prescription app. You can also clip coupons to get discounts on things like makeup, medicine, toothpaste, or anything else Walgreens sells.

Walmart:

Now we get to some of my favorites on my list of the best in-store mobile apps: the ones that help you get paid for shopping for groceries. Walmart has everything. I mean, that’s basically what they’re known for, aside from their low prices. Their app also strives to do it all. You can use it to pay without taking out your wallet, to see the store’s weekly advertisement, to put in for prescription refills, to order online in advance for easy pickup at your local store, and, I think most importantly, to learn about new offers and deals via app notifications.

How you save: This app sends notifications about new deals and savings directly to the home screen of your phone, ensuring you don’t miss out on the best prices on your next trip to Walmart.

Target:

I must admit, as an early adopter, I jumped on the Cartwheel train early; I absolutely loved that version of Target’s in-store mobile app that gave me access to unique offers. That’s why I’m thrilled that they’ve now rolled Cartwheel into the main Target app. It’s similar to Walmart, in that you can use it to get notified about new deals, look at the weekly store ad, and reserve items for in-store pickup. The Target app has some additional functionality as well, though, like the inclusion of the Cartwheel program, interactive store maps, and access to #TargetStyle, where you can browse guest-submitted looks and see what other shoppers just like you have recently purchased.

How you save: Through the Cartwheel savings program and with notifications to all of the store’s most recent deals. You can also save time by using the app’s built-in barcode scanner to learn more about prices and with the app’s interactive map, which makes it easy to find the groceries and household goods you came in for.

Nordstrom:

What makes the Nordstrom in-store app among my all time favorites is the way it does all of the shopping app basics so well. Can you browse products by department or brand? Oh yeah, super easily. Are all the functions listed in an easy-to-use bar at the bottom of the app at all times? You bet they are. Is there also a fun style section that features the company’s editorial and social media content? Sure is. Okay, so maybe that last one isn’t as basic as the others, but it’s still worth including. This is a well-designed app, artsy and eye-catching, exactly the kind of sidekick I need when out looking for a dress for my cousin’s wedding or shoes for New Year’s with my man.

How you save: This app provides notifications on big sales so you don’t miss out. You can also download a version for the company’s savings brand Nordstrom Rack, which makes it easy to find locations for that store.

My Best Buy:

When my husband’s indulging, it’s generally in new tech, things like tablets and phones and home theater equipment. The My Best Buy mobile app is a great way to save money in store on these purchases. It’s especially handy if your family often upgrades phones as it pays out a $25 Best Buy credit every time you purchase and activate a new one. It’s also good if your kids (or your husband) buy a lot of video games. The app and the associated program gives you access to the My Best Buy Gamers Club, which entitles you to 20% off new video games as well as 10% off used copies. Finally, as with most of the other retailer apps on our list, using this one will get you emails and notifications about all the latest and greatest in-store deals.

How you save: With a $25 Best Buy credit every time you buy and activate a new phone, as well as with discounts on video games and notifications about the latest deals storewide.

Receipt Hog:

Like all my favorite shopping rewards apps, you can use Receipt Hog when you go out shopping to a number of different stores. All you have to do is take a photo of your receipt after making a purchase. It could be for groceries, new clothes, makeup, you name it. Also, like all the best free shopping apps that pay, this one makes earning rewards fun. After you take a picture of your receipts, you get to take a paid survey or play a cool little slot machine game for prizes or coins. These are then traded in for cash or Amazon gift cards. Fun and easy!

How you save: You simply take pictures of your receipts after buying eligible products and, once you earn a number of points that equates to $5, you can get paid out via Paypal or with an Amazon gift card.

Checkout 51:

Checkout 51 is similar to Receipt Hog. It’s a receipt-based savings app that lets you accumulate savings and then trade them in to get cash back. The difference is that this one has a heavy focus on groceries. It also does this cool thing where it posts all the eligible deals for the week at midnight on Thursdays so you know exactly when and where to find them.

How you save: Again, you take pictures of your receipts after buying eligible products. With Checkout 51, however, you must first earn $20 in savings before you can cash out.

Shopkick

Shopkick is far and away the most versatile and rewarding app on my list of the best in-store mobile apps for 2018. You can use it in tandem with any of the other apps on this list, which means you can double, triple, or quadruple your savings and rewards. The way Shopkick works is that you get points, called kicks, for walking into stores, scanning the barcodes of certain products, and, of course, for making purchases (it works for online purchases too!). Then you can trade those points in for gift cards at all your favorite stores. What I especially love about Shopkick is that it turns all my shopping trips into a fun scavenger hunt for points. I’ve found myself excitedly going through stores, looking for the products to scan that would give me the most points. It’s fun, it’s engaging, and you can cash out whenever you’d like!

How you save: You get paid for all the shopping activities that you do already. It really is that simple—and that amazing.

Yes, 2018 is upon us and mobile apps have continued to evolve. As I mentioned at the start, responsive web design is more common now and that means you don’t need dozens of shopping apps — you just need the best ones. And you need to know which ones you can use in tandem with each other.

I love, love, love all the retailer-branded shopping apps above, but what I love even more is multiplying my savings by pairing store apps with shopping rewards programs like Shopkick. Some points are good, more points are better, but making sure you have Shopkick downloaded to your phone is best!

Reward yourself this Blue Weekend

Posted on December 14, 2017 by Kick Writers

Calling all Shopkickers! Earn big kicks this weekend, 12/15/17 – 12/17/17.

Put some cheer in your last-minute store visits this weekend by collecting up to 10,000 kicks available in stores during our Blue Weekend event! We’re making your last-minute store trips more rewarding with up to 200 kicks when you walk into Marshalls, T.J.Maxx and more. Plus, earn double the kicks on your purchases made with a linked card at participating stores.

Happy shopkicking!

Check out the Blue Weekend kick plan!

Take a look at the plan below, or see it here.

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

Download Shopkick for a Chance to Win a $100 Walmart Gift Card!

Posted on December 14, 2017 by Kick Writers

‘Tis the season for spending and Shopkick wants to help you out with all those holiday gifts!

Download the app to earn free gift cards to Walmart, Amazon, Starbucks and more while you shop so you can put a little more toward the people on your list, or even save a little something extra for yourself.

Plus, enter now for the chance to win a $100 Walmart gift card when you download!

Holiday Shopkicking Sweepstakes

How it works:

Earn reward points (kicks) in-store when you walk in, scan, or make a purchase at your favorite stores including Walmart, Target, Best Buy, T.J. Maxx and more!
Earn kicks for shopping with our online partners, such as Amazon, Walmart.com, and eBay!
Cash in your kicks and reap the rewards! Treat yourself or your friends with gift cards for Walmart, Starbucks, Amazon, Sephora, anad many, many more!

So, what will you do with your first gift card?

Amazon and Shopkick team up to deliver a prime experience

Posted on December 13, 2017 by Kick Writers

Amazon addicts, rejoice! There’s one gift that’s come early this year: Amazon.com has arrived on Shopkick. Get kicks for shopping special categories on Amazon through Shopkick — and turn those kicks into more rewards and awesome gift cards! Check out Amazon fashion, devices, and more on the Shopkick app.

Get decked out with Amazon Fashion

This holiday season, look no further than Amazon Fashion, a one-stop destination for head-to-toe style. Amazon brings the fitting room to you: trying on clothes, accessories, and more on at home – and sending them back – is easy with free shipping and free returns on eligible items. Plus, their ratings and reviews come make it easy to decide it you should order.

“Alexa, make this the best holiday ever!”

Get kicks for this season’s hottest Amazon devices. Amazon has devices for everything from streaming video on the Fire Stick, to setting up your smart home with Alexa and Echo Dots. These devices make it easy to instantly play music, make calls, set timers, ask questions, and control your smart home, all by using your voice.

Amazon offers free 2-day shipping for millions of items to its Prime Members. Not a Prime member yet? Shopkickers are in luck! When you purchase a new 12-month subscription through the app you’ll earn a $20 Amazon Gift Card from Shopkick. In addition to the free 2-day shipping and everyday Lightning Deals — you’ll fall in love with instant access to tens of thousands of movies and TV shows.

This newest addition to Shopkick could not come at a better time with the holiday season fast approaching. Earn kicks when you buy gifts on Amazon.com for the family, then redeem your kicks for Amazon gift cards for the holidays!

How it works

Follow these steps to start earning your free gift cards while getting the best deals on Amazon.com:

1. Download the Shopkick app
2. Find Amazon.com under online stores
3. Shop to your heart’s content

Get started

What are you waiting for? Earn your kicks now to reward yourself! Download the app here.

Happy Shopkicking!

Best Buy rewards programs: How to sign up using a smartphone app

Posted on December 13, 2017 by Kick Writers

If you’re a techie like me, you know that the “it” devices and technology change fast. The tech we’re dying to get our hands on today—iPhone X, Nintendo Switches, and 4K TVs—is likely going to be obsolete tomorrow (ahem, VHS, cassettes, and even DVDs…) One thing, however, I predict will stay the same: Best Buy has always been the store to go to buy the latest tech.

I used to beg my parents to take me there as a kid, mostly so I could look at the latest N64 and PlayStation games. Then, when I got older, I was more interested in checking out CDs and DVDs, back when those were still things. Nowadays, I’m all about the home theater hookups and mobile devices. I’ll spend hours playing with tablets and new phones before spending even more hours having my eyes and ears blasted in what I like to call Best Buy’s “Home Theater Cave-o-Rama,” which they always have in the back of the store.

These are not just innocent browsing trips, though, I must confess. No, I also spend quite a bit of money at Best Buy. I even spent a summer working there in college just so I could take advantage of their sweet employee discount. This is the only job I’ve ever had that actually cost me money.

These days, however, I’ve become a bit savvier with my spending habits and fancy myself an expert on all the rewards programs at Best Buy that can save a techie guy like me some sweet, sweet cash. There are a couple of Best Buy rewards program apps that have become my sidekicks for earning free gift cards when I’m in the store. One of them is the My Best Buy Program and the other is a shopping rewards app. Together, they both help me get to a magical paradise where you can lock down all the sweetest new tech without completely draining your bank account.

Enough with the chit-chat, though. It’s time for me to let you in on my favorite rewards programs at Best Buy. WARNING: this could lead to you spending hours with me back in the home theater cave, sitting on the comfy leather couches there and sampling the incredible new surround sound tech! Oh, and did I mention you can sign up for these Best Buy rewards programs using a smartphone app? Uh huh, it’s that easy—and techie.

My Best Buy: A Techie’s Dream of a Rewards Program

I generally go to Best Buy with my crew, which is not an actual crew of people, mind you, but a couple of free mobile apps that help me get the best possible rewards for my purchases. The requirements to join my Best Buy shopping crew are pretty minimal:

Be a cool friend by saving me money and earning me points for the stuff I buy: This one is super simple. The rewards program just has to provide value for me by saving me money or helping me earn rewards worth cash. Easy.
Be an even cooler friend by always being there for me: The ideal rewards program for Best Buy is one I can always access through a mobile app when I’m in the store.

The My Best Buy rewards program app does both of these things. The value it provides is pretty diverse, but here are some examples:

My Best Buy Reward Certificates: I get a $25 certificate that is as good as cash at Best Buy whenever I purchase and activate an additional smartphone, add a new line to an account, or purchase and activate a new line on a new account.
My Best Buy Gamers Club: Membership to this club gets me 20% off new video games, including pre-orders, plus an additional 10% off used video games.
My Best Buy Offers: By participating in My Best Buy, I also get emails with personalized offers on all the latest tech. It’s an invaluable set up for the rare times when I get too busy with life to keep up with new tech offers on my own.

And, of course, I can access the My Best Buy rewards program through their simple mobile app. Very cool—and uber convenient!

Shopkick: A Must-Know Rewards Program Shopping App for Best Buy Lovers

The My Best Buy rewards program really is a solid pal, but my shopping best mate is an easy-to-use app called Shopkick. How Shopkick works is that you walk into a Best Buy and Shopkick gives you points, called kicks. You look for scannable products that are updated to the app each weekend and Shopkick gives you some more points. You share a QR code from the Shopkick app with the cashier when you buy something, and—that’s right!—Shopkick gives you points, points, points. You can then trade these points in for gift cards to Best Buy, or tons of other stores.

With Shopkick, I basically get a free gift card on every trip to Best Buy.

With Shopkick, I basically get a free gift card on every trip to Best Buy. It’s cool, too, because in my crew, the Shopkick app is the friend who wants to keep hanging out even after we leave Best Buy. I can use it to get paid to grocery shop, when I buy things online, or even when I go to Target. And my wife likes it, too, because she says it has let her ditch multiple rewards program cards for a user-friendly and fun app. It also works in tandem with all the great benefits from the My Best Buy program! I honestly can’t imagine shopping at Best Buy these days without it.

I think you now have all the info you need to start your own Best Buy shopping crew, which, let’s be real, is basically just you and these excellent Best Buy mobile rewards programs. But that’s all you need to start collecting on savings and sweet gift card rewards when you buy the latest tech. I hope I see you out there at Best Buy, testing the photo quality on new phones and hunting down that weekend’s Shopkick items to scan. I probably won’t say hi (there’s too much else to do at Best Buy), but we can definitely do the what’s up, man respectful head nod.

Get to know one of the best apps to get rewarded for shopping at Best Buy—and tons of other stores, too. Download Shopkick’s free app today and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered how much you can earn with the help of a free shopping sidekick.

And, if you’re on social media catching up with friends, be sure to also join Shopkick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a little daily fun and inspiration.

Image courtesy Heatray

Addictive beauty product rewards programs on mobile apps

Posted on December 6, 2017 by Kick Writers

The foundation for any successful shopping trip is planning. Whenever I need to run out, whether it’s for groceries, toiletries, clothes, or school supplies, I make a list. I know exactly what I need and how many. I also try to plan out if I need to make any stops along the way and combine as many errands as I can into one trip.

There is, however, one exception to the rule where I throw my structured schedule and planning out the window and just savor it. I’m talking about my trips to the store for beauty products and supplies.

I am absolutely addicted to browsing through beauty product aisles. It really doesn’t matter how much time I have, how big the store is, or whether or not I have some place to be because once I’m surrounded by lotions and lipsticks, there’s no telling how long I’ll be there, reading labels, trying samples, and sniffing bottles.

Taking the time to choose the right beauty product fit for your skin and hair has its own rewards—namely, great looking skin and hair! But what most of my friends don’t seem to know is that there are beauty rewards programs out there that can make it even more fun to shop for all the best skincare, haircare, makeup, and more.

Just in case this is also news to you, I’ve put together my list of the best beauty product rewards programs—most of which you can join for free and conveniently use on a mobile app. You’re definitely going to need to leave your schedule open next time you head out to browse the beauty aisles once you realize how much you can earn on your next shopping trip!

The Best Store Specific Beauty Rewards Programs

Maybelline has what may be the perfect slogan: Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s Maybelline. It perfectly speaks to what I love about beauty products. There’s glamor, there’s the idea that she has a secret, and, of course, there’s a mention of one of the many beauty products I love, Maybelline. What shouldn’t be a secret, though, is how great it is to join a beauty rewards program.

If you love makeup as much as I do, you must make sure you’re shopping at a store that has a great beauty rewards program. Luckily, it’s not hard to do. You know how stores like Target have programs to earn gift cards? Well, so do most of your favorite beauty supply shops!

Here are some of the store specific beauty rewards programs that I love more than my nail polish collection:

Sally Beauty Supply: Sally Beauty Supply was my gateway, so to speak, into the world of beautification back when I was a teenager. I used to beg, beg, beg my mom to take me there every Saturday. I still stop in every so often to take advantage of the Sally Beauty Club, which thankfully links up with the old Sally Beauty Card I’ve had for years, letting me ditch the days when I needed multiple rewards programs cards. This one is simple to use. You pay an annual fee of $5, but you save 15% on every item you buy in-store or online so most shoppers can very quickly make that money back—and more!
The Body Shop: The Body Shop holds a special place in my heart because of its dedication to cruelty-free products that are also eco-conscious. That stuff is important to me, but what’s equally important is that the products are high quality. The Body Shop checks off both of those boxes. Oh, and they also have a great beauty rewards program. It’s kind of like the Sally Beauty Club in that you pay $10 to join and then you get 10% off on all qualifying purchases. You also get advanced notice of sales and events. You definitely don’t have to worry about getting your money’s worth here, though, because another club perk is that you get a $10 voucher every year on your birthday!
MAC Cosmetics: What keeps me coming back to MAC Cosmetics is one word: lipstick. I just love MAC’s lipstick, which is why its beauty rewards program is made for me. Basically, you get a free MAC lipstick every time you bring back six empty packages of any combination of MAC products. Finally, a company paying lip service to its loyal customers—in a good way!

Beauty Rewards Programs That Work at Retailers

Who loves shopping beauty products all day at specialty stores? This girl! Who has kids and sometimes can only dream about an afternoon at MAC? Also this girl. Enter beauty rewards programs on mobile apps that work at the same stores where I grab all my household must-haves for my family, like Target and Walmart.

Ebates: Ebates is a great place to start if you’re looking for a beauty rewards program that actually works at multiple stores because with it you can save as much as 25% cash back (though, fair warning, it’s usually less) at more than 1,200 online retailers. As soon as you earn $5 in beauty rewards, you simply cash it in.
Checkout 51: To be honest, Checkout 51 is actually a lot like Ebates, but it does have one cool feature I love that Ebates doesn’t: all of its eligible cash back offers go live every week on Thursday at midnight, giving you a special date and time to focus on what you’re going to be saving in the week ahead.
Shopkick: My favorite mobile shopping rewards app, though, is by far Shopkick. It’s so much fun to use, making beauty shopping even better, which is something I would have thought was impossible. How Shopkick works is that it gives you points (which it calls kicks) for so many different parts of the shopping process, from walking into many popular stores to scanning the barcodes on featured products to snapping a quick pic of your receipt when you’re finished. Oh, and here’s some great news: Ulta is now on Shopkick! And I don’t have to tell you beauty aficionados out there that there is no better name in beauty!

Take it from me, who’s loved shopping for beauty products for most of my life, that using these savings programs together takes the rewards experience to a whole new level. The savings are great (obviously), but the beauty of these rewards programs (get it?) comes when you combine as many as you can together!

Shopping for lipstick, hair products, or anything else for that matter, becomes a game where everyone’s a winner. Oh, and with all the savings you’ll start to find on beauty products, it’s also a game that you’ll look good playing!

Ready to combine beauty rewards programs into an addictive savings system? Download Shopkick for free and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the rewards of shopping with us.

And, if you love social media as much as you love your local Target, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily shopping inspiration.

Image courtesy Ariwasabi

Sleigh bells ring for kicks and Kohl’s deals online

Posted on December 5, 2017 by Kick Writers

More of your holiday favorites are now online! Reward yourself while shopping for all your holiday gifts at Kohl’s online through Shopkick. Plus, take advantage of Kohl’s deals available online this holiday season.

Earn kicks for shopping Kohl’s deals online

Stock up on all your holiday gifts while earning kicks for every dollar spent! Kohl’s offers a wide selection of great products from some of your favorite brands. Stores are equipped with everything for yourself and your home: apparel, shoes & accessories for women, children and men, plus home products like small electrics, bedding, luggage and more. Kohl’s makes shopping easy and enjoyable: get a good deal at the store or online, with the option of picking up your online order in-store. Gear up for more kicks and walking in a winter wonderland!

Get started

Follow these steps to start earning your free gift cards while getting the best deals on Kohl’s online:

Download the Shopkick app
Find Kohl’s under online stores
Shop to your heart’s content

Happy Shopkicking!

Have you earned kicks by shopping online on Shopkick yet? Watch this video to see how it’s done.

Get paid to shop online: Free apps for mobile shoppers

Posted on November 29, 2017 by Kick Writers

Remember when cellphones first became popular and they were used to, well, make phone calls? These days, phone calls are actually only one of a million ways I seem to use my cellphone (i.e why we now call them “smart”phones, ba-da-bing). It’s a map, a camera, an address book, a way to get messages to friends and family, a portal to the world, and, maybe most importantly, a way for me to do all my shopping at tons of stores no matter where I am physically.

I’ve suddenly remembered I was out of face wipes while at coffee with one of my ladies. A few clicks on Amazon and a new pack was on its way—and I didn’t have to spend my social hour trying to remember a mental shopping list. Or, let’s say I’m out of snacks for the kids’ lunches. I can buzz on over to my Target app to order crackers and trail mix while getting a much deserved monthly pedicure. I can even order my family’s dinner at Panera while I’m walking to my car in those silly flip flops and have a big brown bag of soups and sandwiches waiting to be picked up in minutes.

It’s all very convenient, but what makes it even better (and also more fun) are apps that let users get paid to shop online—for free! Imagine this: you order all the things I described above and, oh, you also get paid to do it. Okay, now stop imagining because it’s real! Here are some of my favorite apps for mobile shoppers. Give them a shot so we can all get paid to shop online for free, together! Maybe we can squeeze a second pedicure in this month thanks to the extra space in our budgets. See you at the spa!

Checkout 51: A Free App to Get Paid to Shop Online

My phone has so many functions that I can no longer live without—alarm clocks, notepads, and my work email, just to name a few—but I think the feature that has emerged as my clear and absolute favorite is, without question, the camera. I’m an Instagram addict—and I know I’m not alone! There’s nothing like posting a pic of some clever latte art or a floral arrangement I made for our mantle and just waiting for the little hearts to come pouring in from all my online buddies.

But, I also use my camera for more functional reasons, too. I use it to snap pictures of important slides during presentations at my office and to take pictures of important receipts so that I don’t lose them in the junk drawer. I think that’s why I’ve come to like Checkout 51 so much. It’s basically a rebate app, where you get paid to shop online for free after you make your purchases.

I like to use it both in-store and online. When you use it in-store, you just snap a quick picture of your receipt for purchasing certain products and offers and get paid; when you use it to shop online, you do the exact same thing with your purchases there. Easy, easy, easy!

Pro tips: The Checkout 51 app lists its new deals on Thursday of every week. And, it’s an especially effective choice if you’re in the market for free apps that pay you to grocery shop because you can use it with Amazon grocery.

Get Paid to Shop Online With the Free App BeFrugal

Another thing about my smartphone that I’ve gotten too used to these days to live without is the easy access to information. The website I search the most on my phone is IMDB, short for Internet Movie Database. It seems like I’m always having conversations about actors and actresses, like, “Was James Franco in this?” or, “I know Anne Hathaway was in that.” Sometimes, the only way to settle these debates about who was in what and when is to open up IMDB. What, I wonder, did we ever do without such quick access to information?

This next shopping reward app, BeFrugal, is a cool one because it’s also based on information. It’s another rebate site that gives you cash back for making certain purchases online. I’ve gotten deals for as much as 30% back! The rebates go into your account, and then you can cash them in using your PayPal account. Again, this one is also super easy.

The info part that I like so much is that, with BeFrugal, if you find another site offering a higher percentage back, BeFrugal not only applies that higher rate to your purchases, but it also gives you an extra 25% on top of it. How cool is that? Um, a whopping 25% more cool, I’d say.

Shopkick: The Best App to Get Paid to Shop Online for Free

Games. Have I mentioned the games on my smartphone yet? I’m a big fan of the popular puzzle ones, especially Candy Crush. Man, have I spent a lot of time crushing those little candies!

What I love about this third app, Shopkick, is that it turns any and all shopping into a game. The way the app works is that it gives you points, called kicks, for all kinds of things. When you go shopping at a store, this includes paying you to scan barcodes, purchase featured items, and even to simply walk into some popular retailers.

Shopkick also gives you points for the shopping you do online, as well as browsing webshops, watching videos, and, of course, making purchases. I love using this free app to hunt down piles of points and then convert them into gift cards to all my favorite stores. It’s soooo much better than Candy Crush since it comes with big savings!

So there you have it, three of my favorite apps that will turn your phone into an even more useful part of your life than it already is, i.e. a headquarters for getting paid to shop online with free apps. And, you can even combine apps like Checkout 51 with BeFrugal and Shopkick to take all your savings to the next level—and for doing things you already do!

Sometimes I try to think of ways my phone could be even more useful than it is now. Unless it actually grows legs and goes out and does all my shopping for me, thanks to free shopping rewards apps, I’m not sure it’s possible.

Start getting paid to shop online with Shopkick. Download the free shopping rewards app and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the fun of shopping with us on your team!

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

Image courtesy Yastremska

Deck the halls with Overstock deals

Posted on November 28, 2017 by Kick Writers

Deck the halls with Overstock deals on Shopkick! Shopkickers can now shop the latest in home trends at surplus prices to earn more kicks towards a free gift card of their choosing.

‘Tis the season for Overstock deals

In addition to low prices, Overstock constantly features additional sales, clearance items, and flash deals on everything from furniture, decor, and jewelry. Overstock also makes it easy to find what you like by filtering searches by category, room, style, and price.

Earn kicks for shopping online

Adorn your home with holiday trappings or brighten up the kitchen with the latest appliances and quality cookware that will make preparing that next celebration feast a joy. Visit through Shopkick to get your kicks!

Follow these steps to start earning your free gift cards while getting the best deals on Overstock:

Download the Shopkick app
Find Overstock under online stores
Shop your heart out

Happy Shopkicking!

Have you earned kicks by shopping online through Shopkick yet? Watch this video to see how it’s done.

The best shopping apps to make money fast (for what you buy anyways)

Posted on November 21, 2017 by Kick Writers

I have a lot of friends these days who I only follow on Facebook and rarely see in person. Life has taken us in different directions, or to different cities, or just to places where we don’t have the time to get together on the regular like we once did.

As much as I miss them, I love seeing all the interesting things that my old friends get up to. I have a friend from high school who went on to become a fashion model on Instagram and another who lives in LA following her passion to become an actress. A college friend, Dan, is actually a motivational speaker; he travels from city to city sharing tips with people looking for advice, mostly on how to improve their finances. His key phrase always sticks in my head: make money while you sleep.

My friend Dan’s big financial advice is to develop passive income streams, like rental properties or investments that help you earn money while you’re focused on your day job. Which of course got me thinking about… shopping.

Hear me out! I’m a big fan of shopping rewards apps to make money fast while buying the things my family needs anyway—and there are plenty of these apps out there to choose from! I can guarantee you’ll find one you love using to easily earn shopping rewards you can cash in. I even have my own version of my friend’s saying now, although I’ve yet to tour the country giving speeches about it. My saying is: find apps to make money fast for what you buy anyways. Pretty good, right? I know my bank account thinks so. Here are a few of my favorites.

Earny: Quickly Earn Money for Online Shopping

One thing I’ve learned from my friend’s posts on Facebook is that a key to financial health these days is to diversify, diversify, diversify. So, the first of my favorite rewards apps that actually works to pay me for online shopping is… drumroll, please…. Earny!

Earny scans your email archives for receipts from online shopping, then compares whether prices have dropped. If they have, Earny helps you claim the difference in price, either through the retailer or through your credit card company. This is a super cool app to make money fast for what you buy online.

Shopkick: The Best All-Around Shopping App to Make Money Fast

I had a chuckle the other day while I was watching one of my friend’s motivational videos. He said something about how there are certain things in life that you just can’t turn into money-making opportunities, like when you have to run errands all day or when you are getting some of your shopping done on your mobile phone or online. I couldn’t help myself, I had to reply in a comment, “Um, hello? Have you heard of Shopkick?”

Shopkick is my favorite and truly the best of the apps to easily make money fast because with Shopkick there are so many fun and easy ways to earn points, called kicks, that you can then turn into gift cards for Amazon, Starbucks, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, or tons of other great stores.

With Shopkick, you earn points just for walking into certain stores! Then, it also gives you points for scanning barcodes of featured products, and, of course, for ultimately making your purchases. Shopkick, like the other shopping rewards apps on this list, is a free app that even pays you to grocery shop!

Pro tip: you can use both of these apps together, doubling your points and money back. I know, right? WOW!

Once my money-motivator friend heard about how Shopkick works, he became an immediate fan as well. He even messaged me personally to tell me that he was going to start telling the people he coaches about Shopkick and the other shopping mobile apps.

Yes, I know, I probably spend a little too much time on Facebook, just like everyone else, but little interactions like this are a really easy way to stay in touch with old friends. It’s always nice to catch up with them—and it’s even nicer when you can pass each other tips on how to make the most out of your finances and your next shopping trip!

Get to know one of the best apps to make money fast for the shopping you do anyway. Download Shopkick’s free app today and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered how much you can earn with the help of our free sidekick.

And, if you’re on social media catching up with friends, be sure to also join Shopkick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a little daily shopping inspiration.

Image courtesy LightField Studios

Step One to Earn Whole Foods Rewards: Familiarize Yourself with Shopping Apps

Step Two to Earn Whole Foods Rewards: Establish a Routine

The best QSR mobile advertising strategies

Mobile-First as a QSR Mobile Advertising Strategy

The Key Takeaways:

Focus on mobile over generalized web advertising:

Incentivize the program by rewarding users:

Offer a convenient experience:

Manage Your QSR’s Mobile Reputation

The Key Takeaways:

Be proactive:

Provide real results, not lip service:

Focus on the service:

Look to Data Over Demographics as QSR Mobile Advertising Strategy

The Key Takeaways:

Don’t be blinded by demographics:

Permission is paramount:

Focus efforts on specific locations:

Tying it All Together: The Best QSR Mobile Advertising Strategies

The 10 best in-store mobile apps for shoppers in 2018

The Best In-Store Mobile Apps for Drug and Grocery Stores

7-Eleven:

CVS Caremark:

Walgreens:

Walmart:

Target:

The Best In-Store Mobile Apps for the Finer Things in Life

Nordstrom:

My Best Buy:

The Best In-Store Mobile Apps You Can Use at Multiple Stores

Receipt Hog:

Checkout 51:

Shopkick

Check out the Blue Weekend kick plan!

How it works:

Get decked out with Amazon Fashion

“Alexa, make this the best holiday ever!”

How it works

Get started

My Best Buy: A Techie’s Dream of a Rewards Program

Shopkick: A Must-Know Rewards Program Shopping App for Best Buy Lovers

The Best Store Specific Beauty Rewards Programs

Beauty Rewards Programs That Work at Retailers

Earn kicks for shopping Kohl’s deals online

Get started

Checkout 51: A Free App to Get Paid to Shop Online

Get Paid to Shop Online With the Free App BeFrugal

Shopkick: The Best App to Get Paid to Shop Online for Free

‘Tis the season for Overstock deals

Earn kicks for shopping online

Earny: Quickly Earn Money for Online Shopping

Shopkick: The Best All-Around Shopping App to Make Money Fast