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3 ways to get Starbucks gift cards to fuel your next shopping spree

Posted on August 8, 2018 by shopkick

I don’t know what’s wrong with my personal calendar, but no matter what I do, it always seems to be brimming with dates and engagements! Now, to be fair, a big part of this is my fault since I am now and have always been the type of person who won’t turn down a coffee date, but that doesn’t mean it’s not causing me problems! For example, to get all of my shopping done these days—which, let’s be honest, is one of the most important things—I often have to wake up early or stay up late to do it at odd hours.

Now, I’m perfectly happy to do all this since, it has the doubly nice effect of meaning there are less crowds and I ultimately have more time to spend meeting up with friends, but I should note that I’m not as energetic as I once was and I do get tired. Thankfully, that’s where coffee comes in! And you know what’s even better than a tasty Starbucks latte to fuel your next shopping spree? Finding a consistent way to get Starbucks gift cards you can use to buy your favorite cup of Joe!

That’s actually what I want to talk about today: three ways to get Starbucks gift cards to fuel your next shopping spree. These are just my own personal tricks of the trade, the ones that have over the course of the years worked the best for me.

Tip No. 1: Get Starbucks Gift Cards with the Starbucks Rewards Program

The simplest tip I have to get Starbucks gift cards is to download the Starbucks Rewards program app and sign up. It’s totally free and super easy, as well as an absolute must if you’re as big of a Starbucks addict as I am. After you download it to your mobile device, all you have to do the next time you’re in a Starbucks is pick up a gift card and have it connected to your account.

You then start loading money onto that gift card and using it to make your Starbucks purchases. As a result, for each dollar you spend, you’ll get two stars. Once you have 300 stars, you get elevated to the gold member reward zone status, which is where you can start earning free food and beverages! I can’t recommend this program enough, seriously. Part of the appeal is that it also ties into the next tip on our list.

Tip No. 2: Get Starbucks Gift Cards with a Starbucks Rewards Visa Card

My next secret (or maybe not so secret after today) tip to get Starbucks gift cards is to sign up for the Starbucks Rewards Visa Card. As I mentioned above, the way the Starbucks Rewards program normally works is that it gives you stars for purchases you make at Starbucks, stars you can later trade for free food and free coffee to power your late-night or early-morning shopping sprees. Well, with the Starbucks Rewards Visa Card you can start to earn stars for purchases you make elsewhere as well.

You can actually earn stars for buying anything, from gas to groceries to—of course—more coffee. Basically, anywhere you can use your Starbucks Rewards Visa Card will give you back points that you can then use to toward your own Starbucks Rewards total. It’s a real game-changer, believe me! Basically, every point counts when there’s free coffee involved.

Tip No. 3: Get Starbucks Gift Cards with the Best Shopping Rewards App

The third and final tip on our list here today is also kind of my favorite. It’s this shopping rewards app called Shopkick, and how it works is that it gives you points for the everyday things you do while you’re out shopping already, things like walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. You can then trade those points in for gift cards to many of your favorite stores, including Starbucks! Basically, with Shopkick it quickly starts to feel like you’re getting paid to shop for groceries or even to go to the movies with friends!

There are also tons of ways that Shopkickers can earn rewards right from the app—no need to go anywhere at all, which is super helpful when you have a calendar as packed as mine always seems to be. These ways include earning kicks for watching videos and instant surprise kicks for going on Easter egg hunts in the app. Users can also get amazing deals where you can earn points and rewards by shopping on your phone at stores like Amazon, Walmart, and more! That’s also another thing I love about Shopkick—that it’s both effective and fun!

Shopkick turns every last trip out shopping into a fun scavenger hunt for points.

Shopkick turns every last trip out shopping into a fun scavenger hunt for points. I honestly don’t remember how shopping used to be without it, but I can tell you that I look forward to all my trips down those aisles now. I’m sure that if you give it a try, you will too!

Get to know the absolute best shopping rewards apps that you can use to get Starbucks gift cards and fuel your next shopping spree! Download Shopkick’s free app today and become a part of a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered just 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 Yastremska

Creative shopper marketing plans: How to grab the attention of your target audience

Posted on August 6, 2018 by shopkick

Creating a shopper marketing plan for a target audience requires a lot of insight. Brands must be prepared to do a deep dive into their ideal customer data to ensure delivery of messages at the right time, to the right group of consumers. A critical part of this is understanding and working with data.

With the right data, brands can connect with consumers based on their specific needs, as well as reach out to new consumers, or market new products. Data is available on just about every online platform. However, data which travels with consumers—like in the case of mobile shopping apps—can be particularly valuable. Using data helps in guiding brand marketing campaigns, which can, in turn, increase market share.

Deciphering Data for a Shopper Marketing Plan

Brands need to gain insight into their target audiences to create a marketing strategy around shopper behavior, That means finding the most useful, relevant data—the types of which can be broken down into four broad categories.

Identity	Descriptive	Quantitative	Qualitative
This category covers the basics like name, address, email, phone number, and other fundamental identifying factors.	This data goes a bit deeper into identity, breaking down an individual’s socioeconomic class, marital, and family status.	Quantitative data is numbers-based. It’s used to determine how often a consumer makes purchases, how much they spend, and more.	This data is a way of measuring why a customer behaves in a certain way. The qualitative category is mostly subjective and centers on what drives customer purchase decisions.

Marketers can use first-party data, or data given directly from the consumer to the company, when building a shopper marketing plan. For example, popular e-commerce retailer, Amazon, uses a consumer’s prior history on the shopping platform to provide them with future purchase recommendations. Alternatively, marketers can use third-party data, where available data is used or purchased from outside sources. Shopkick, for example, acts as an intermediary for third-party data because the app provides partnering companies with information regarding its users’ shopping behaviors.

Using Data to Target Shoppers

A good shopper marketing plan focuses on using prior behaviors to predict a shopper’s future purchases. More than a few brands have leveraged this tactic, including:

Dannon: When Dannon wanted to promote a new line of natural yogurts, the brand had to consider their existing audience, which was made up primarily of older individuals who spent more time watching television than they did on digital media. As a means of creating a digital bridge for younger customers, Dannon offered a promo code during its TV commercials, which when sent via text, delivered mobile coupons for the new product.
Pringles: When the brand wanted to create a new marketing campaign, they turned to social media data to help them locate trends surrounding their products. When doing so, they discovered many consumers were “stacking” flavors together to create new ones. This data led to the highly popular Flavor Stacking campaign, which leveraged an existing trend to create a unique experience for customers.
Covergirl: Covergirl, along with many experts within the cosmetics industry, have noticed an increased trend of men using beauty products like bronzer, eyeliner, and brow gel, among others. The brand began hiring male models and cosmetics spokespeople in 2016, and since has continued with an inclusive focus on male cosmetics users to reach this emerging demographic.

In all of these scenarios, brands recognized emerging trends by looking at both their existing data, as well as industry data. These strategies help brands reach new demographics as they’re taking shape, allowing them to cement themselves in before these trends go mainstream. A significant part of capitalizing on emerging trends is partnering with the right companies in order to gain access to third-party data.

Accessing Third-Party Data to Build a Shopper Marketing Plan

While there are a plethora of opportunities in third-party data available to marketers, not all are equal. Some data may be able to provide necessary identity information. However, third-party shopping apps that connect with consumers in the shopping aisle can provide a greater array of information across the four data categories.

In many cases, brands can gain access to this data by partnering with outside companies, rather than merely purchasing this data. Partnering is often a better option, as it allows brands to continuously gather new information over time, which they can then use in conjunction with future marketing strategies. Other options include reviewing publicly available information on social media and other online platforms. Though, brands would do best to partner with a company experienced in gathering this data to ensure the process doesn’t become unwieldy.

Data is an essential part of a shopper marketing plan as it allows brands to get to know their audiences, capitalize on current trends, and increase the ROI of their marketing campaigns.

Data is an essential part of a shopper marketing plan as it allows brands to get to know their audiences, capitalize on current trends, and increase the ROI of their marketing campaigns. By partnering with third-party apps, these brands can open the lines of communication with consumers and ensure they’re delivering an excellent customer experience. This data doesn’t just help brands target current demographics, but also discover new ones and, with the right campaigns, grow their market share.

With Shopkick, our partners gain greater insight into their target audiences, enabling them to convert browsers to buyers. For more information, contact us.

Image courtesy of VectorKnight

How to use mobile apps to save money on groceries

Posted on August 6, 2018 by shopkick

I’m the type of person who is fully committed once I decide to do something. I’ve always liked to push myself. If I join a spin class, you better believe I’m going to try to ride harder every time I get on the bike. When I practice yoga, I’m forever trying to perfect my form on a new pose. Before my husband and I spent our summer vacation in Wine Country, I did weeks of research, essentially turning myself into a self-taught sommelier. I also apply this same approach to my shopping and the various ways there are for saving money.

At first, this meant staying vigilant in searching for unadvertised sales and discounts at department stores and fancy boutiques. Then, it evolved into using third-party shopping apps that gave me points for my purchases, points I could later trade in for gift cards. Now, my natural inclination to get more involved in everything I do has led me to use these same third-party shopping apps to save money when shopping for groceries. I’ve learned a lot about this and so today I’d like to share with you the top lessons I’ve learned when it comes to using mobile apps to save money on groceries.

Simply put, there is a lot to be learned and even more to save by diving into the world of apps to save money on groceries. However, there are a lot of ways to go about this and it can be a bit overwhelming at the start. Don’t worry, though, these three lessons should help you push yourself, too!

How to Use Mobile Apps to Save Money on Groceries Lesson No. 1: Do Your Homework

The first thing you need to do is learn all that you can about shopping apps, which come in a few different varieties. Here’s a quick primer to help you keep the three most common straight:

Branded Shopping Apps: These apps that specific stores offer to give you savings and other benefits as an incentive to shop at their stores. One example is the Walmart Savings Catcher app, which automatically checks other nearby stores for lower prices and if it finds any, it deposits the difference between what you paid into an account for you to use on your next trip to the store.
Coupon Shopping Apps: Basically, coupon apps work like paper coupons used to, in that they give you discounted prices on things you buy. There are many different types to choose from, some of which give you a percent off before you purchase things and others that involve scanning actual paper coupons to present to the cashier before you check out.
Points-Based Shopping Apps: This is my favorite type of shopping app. In general, you can use these at many different types of stores, including grocery stores, and what they do is give you points for doing certain things while you’re there. Once you’ve earned enough points, you can later redeem them for cash back or gift cards (more on these later).

How to Use Mobile Apps to Save Money on Groceries Lesson No. 2: Be Consistent

Whichever type of app you choose, the key is to be consistent. Simply put, if you don’t use an app regularly, you won’t be able to reap any benefits. It sounds like common sense, but it’s true. To maximize your savings, you need to maximize the time you spend using the app.

One great thing about shopping apps, however, is that they make this relatively easy. The best of these types of apps are so simple that you can seamlessly integrate them into your shopping routine already. Most of the time, you can earn points and savings without going out of your way even a little bit. It’s a beautiful thing…trust me.

How to Use Mobile Apps to Save Money on Groceries Lesson No. 3: Find the Perfect App

Of our three lessons here today, though, I think the most important of them is to find the perfect app. In my opinion, the answer is this app called Shopkick, and how it works is that Shopkick gives you points for the things you do when you go grocery shopping already, things like walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. As I described earlier, you can then trade these points in for rewards, which come in the form of gift cards that you can use at all your favorite stores.

For me, it’s easy to remember to use Shopkick every time I go out because Shopkick turns each trip down the shopping aisle into a game, and with my personality, I end up pushing myself to see if I can top my previous point totals. It’s actually a whole lot of fun! I use Shopkick whenever I go shopping for groceries, but one last thing I want to point out about it is that there are tons of ways that Shopkickers can earn rewards right from the app—no need to even go anywhere. These include kicks for watching videos, as well as instant surprise kicks from going on Easter egg hunts within the app. Users can also get amazing deals where you can earn big points and rewards by shopping on your phone at stores like Amazon, Walmart, and more! It’s all great, and super easy to use, too.

I think one parting bit of wisdom would be to just dive right in and start having fun with this!

I hope these lessons prove as useful to you as they have for me. I think one parting bit of wisdom would be to just dive right in and start having fun with this! That’s really what keeps me focused on most of my interests, to be honest. I have to love things like spin class, wine tasting, or grabbing points with Shopkick to really get into them in the first place.

One thing that always helps me get the most out of Shopkick is interacting with other Shopkickers on the app’s social media channels like Facebook and Instagram. It’s absolutely a ton of fun. You meet all kinds of other users who are always down to share tips about the app or tell jokes. Like everything else I do, I’ve also gotten really into that!

Learn more about one of the best apps to save money on groceries by diving into Shopkick. Download Shopkick now and get ready to be wowed. Welcome to the fun, Shopkicker!

If you’re as social media savvy as you are shopping savvy, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily fun and inspiration.

Image courtesy dolgachov

10 effective online shopping marketing tactics for eCommerce retailers

Posted on August 3, 2018 by shopkick

Online shopping marketing is highly competitive as just about every brand, retailer, and company has a competing digital presence. Continue reading “10 effective online shopping marketing tactics for eCommerce retailers”

Why strategic integrated marketing is the future of brand growth

Posted on August 2, 2018 by shopkick

Strategic integrated marketing is all about creating a seamless customer experience. Continue reading “Why strategic integrated marketing is the future of brand growth”

6 Ways to Earn Starbucks Rewards; Even in the Shopping Aisle

Posted on August 2, 2018 by shopkick

My family and I recently took a vacation to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. If you’ve never been, I highly recommend it. A word of advice, though. There’s basically two parts of the city—the newer area to the north where all the super fancy resorts are and the older part of the city where the resorts are still very nice but you’re just so much closer to the quaint little downtown area. My family and I stayed near the old downtown. Where—surprise, surprise—they have a nice big Starbucks just like home!

And good thing, too. I swear, I don’t know about you but these days I need my coffee, flat whites, and lattes or I literally just cannot think about my day—even when I’m on vacation! I just love Starbucks so much. You know what else I also love? Saving money! That’s why today I’d like to share with you six great ways I’ve found to earn Starbucks rewards. A flat white here and a cup of coffee there might seem small to some, but when you go to Starbucks as much as I do, those savings might just add up to enough to take another great getaway to sunny Puerto Vallarta!

So, get ready, because we’re going to cover a lot of ground here with these tips. They range from making sure you get the most out of your Starbucks membership to watching out for promotions at stores that offer free Starbucks gift cards to—my personal favorite—using third-party shopping apps that reward you for your everyday shopping activities. That’s a lot, I know, but don’t get tired yet. Grab your latte of choice, and let’s dive into some ways to earn Starbucks rewards!

2. Ways to Earn Starbucks Rewards: Do Your Homework

The next step on our quest toward the best ways to earn Starbucks Rewards is to make sure that you’ve done your homework and learned all you can about how the program actually works. It’s like I tell my kids, doing your homework is the start of your success. This certainly applies to the best ways to earn Starbucks Rewards. I mean, how can you use something as effectively as possible if you don’t have a thorough and nuanced grasp of how it works? I’d argue that you can’t.

Anyway, let’s talk now about how the program works, some of its ins and outs, and the basics of how you should be using it. Basically, you get two stars for every dollar that you spend on Starbucks, regardless of what you’re buying. You can then trade those stars in for free food and drinks, which, let’s be honest, is what this whole thing is all about! One of the most useful things to know about are the rewards program levels. There are two of them, and below you’ll find more info about each.

3. Ways to Earn Starbucks Rewards: Do Even More Homework

Now that we’ve done some homework and become experts on the gold and green level perks, you know what it’s time for? That’s right…even more homework! Basically, to really learn the best ways to earn Starbucks Rewards, you have to be an outright expert on the program! Don’t worry, it’s actually pretty exciting when you start to think about all the perks and rewards that are soon coming your way, I know that’s how most of my friends who I convince to sign up for the program feel.

A: Yes, I’m told that they expire one year after you earn them if you’re a green member who doesn’t reach gold status, and I’m also told that the stars you earn toward your free food and beverages as a gold member will expire six months after you earn them. I say I’m told because I’ve personally never held onto stars long enough to find out if this is true. I do, of course, go to Starbucks a ton (have I mentioned that?), but it’s also easy to keep stars from expiring because the program uses your older stars first.

4. Ways to Earn Starbucks Rewards: Get a Credit Card with Rewards Points

Phew, that was a lot of homework! I think you’ve earned a chance to move onto some advice that doesn’t require such intense study. Our next tip for ways to earn Starbucks Rewards doesn’t require knowing as many details as the first few have. In fact, this one simply involves signing up for a Starbucks Rewards Visa Card.

What’s a Starbucks Rewards Visa Card? That’s a natural question. It’s basically a normal credit card that rewards its holders for making purchases with it by giving them more stars for the Starbucks Rewards program. What that means is that every time you go to the movies, shop for groceries (more on this later), and buy gas, you’re getting more stars that you can apply toward getting free Starbucks. It’s a beautiful thing.

5. Ways to Earn Starbucks Rewards: Shop for Starbucks Outside of Starbucks

Speaking of grocery shopping, you can also earn Starbucks Rewards stars by purchasing Starbucks products when you’re not actually shopping at Starbucks. To do this, you just have to buy Starbucks branded products when you’re out shopping for groceries. This list of products includes things like K-Cups, roast and ground Starbucks coffee, and the Starbucks Via Instant line, as well as any Starbucks chilled coffee drinks and other beverages, including my personal favorite, the Starbucks Frappuccino.

The logistics of actually logging these points work a bit differently though since you obviously can’t pay for your bill at your local grocery store with a Starbuck gift card. So, what you need to do to receive points is enter the Star Code that comes on the products’ packaging or visit Starbucks-Stars.com to upload your receipt with proof of purchases. Easy!

6. Ways to Earn Starbucks Rewards: Use Shopkick

Staying on the subject of grocery shopping for the last of our best ways to earn Starbucks gift cards, I want to talk now about this app called Shopkick. If I had to pick a favorite way to earn Starbucks Rewards, this one would definitely be it. How it works is that Shopkick gives you points for the things you do whenever you go out shopping, things like walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. You can then trade those points in for free money that goes onto your Starbucks gift card, which you can, of course, then use at Starbucks, earning more stars in the process and essentially doubling your rewards!

See? This is why it’s the best of all our ways to earn Starbucks Rewards, after you’ve familiarized yourself with how the program works, of course. And, yes, I know the topic today is Starbucks, but I feel obligated to also point out that Shopkick is one of the best smartphone apps that pays you money you can also use at other stores. It’s versatile that way, which is part of what makes it my favorite, too. The last part is that using Shopkick is fun! All my friends I’ve introduced it to agree, using Shopkick turns every trip to the store into a fun scavenger hunt for points, which makes it easy to consistently use the app and maximize your values.

So, there you have it. You now have everything you need when it comes to figuring out the best ways to earn Starbucks Rewards, whether you’re making your daily Starbucks run or taking a trip to somewhere as tropical and glamorous as Puerto Vallarta.

That’s part of why I think it’s so important to take advantage of this program. Coffee makes life work (for me, anyway), and Starbucks is the coffee shop with the most locations scattered all throughout the world. Isn’t it time for you to jump in and start saving?

Back to School Savings

Posted on August 1, 2018 by shopkick

Although we all may want the long days of summer to last all year, there is one major perk to going back to school: shopping! When I was a student, back to school shopping was such a highlight that I always chose a day during the week, wrote it down in my planner and circled it, and then started my very own countdown.

Before my back to school shopping day, I would review all of the supplies I needed (and every last thing I was convinced I should add), tally up my budget, and plan my day based on which store I wanted to visit first and which store I wanted to save until last. Whether I was prepping to go back to high school or mentally preparing for another year of college, back to school shopping always felt like its very own end of summer holiday.

Though I may not be heading back to class, I still look forward to the season every year because it’s a chance to offer my tried and true back to school shopping tips and tricks! And, they’re even better now thanks to Shopkick! Let’s review a few of my favorite retailers for back to school shopping and what I recommend purchasing below.

eBags

I cannot be the only one who opts to analyze every last feature a backpack has to offer. In high school, that meant determining if the backpack offered enough support for my back and shoulders as I carried books and binders for four classes everyday across two campuses (we didn’t have lockers). In college, I was still concerned about support, but I needed the added feature of a safe, padded spot for my laptop. eBags.com has so many fantastic options for backpacks perfect for high school (JanSport was my go-to!) and those suited for college (North Face was a favorite, but I’ve heard fantastic reviews about Tumi!).

Also, make sure to take a peek at all of the suitcases and duffels available through eBags. They’re wonderful to use when moving onto campus, and a great suitcase will serve you well as you travel home, go on vacation, and even study abroad throughout college.

HSN

If you have yet to peruse HSN for back to school shopping, be warned: you’re going to add so many great pieces to your list! Outside of scheduling classes and making sure I had the correct edition of all of my required books, my computer was always my top concern in college. You can purchase a new laptop or desktop computer through HSN because they carry all of the top brands, like Apple, HP, and Dell. Plus, if you’re in charge of bringing the TV, you can add a new flat screen to your cart too. Outside of electronics, you can also stock up on kitchen supplies for your dorm or apartment (HSN has small appliances, kitchen tools, and even plates, silverware, and glasses at the ready). And, they carry such fun lines of clothing, and they have makeup. It’s like one stop shopping for back to school!

Jet

Can we all agree there is nothing quite like new school supplies? Jet has an amazing selection of every last thing you will need for class – binders, pencils, pens, notebooks, highlighters, and even backpacks. Plus, their team has curated a special section for high school! Even though wandering through the aisles is fun, shopping online with Jet is so much more efficient! Plus, when you use Shopkick, you’re saving money on your supplies. Shopkick and school supplies – it’s a dream combination!

Amazon

I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t shop on Amazon! The deals are incredible (and even better when you shop with Shopkick to earn kicks!), and you cannot beat the variety. Rather than simply adding all of your usual purchases to your cart, I highly suggest pausing to shop their collections from Ella Moon and Mae. The pieces are quality basics, trendy while still feeling classic, and many can be dressed up for a presentation or dressed down for a typical day in class. Anything that can serve double duty is a must in my book!

Also, let’s talk about study breaks. You will 100% need them, and breaks will help increase your productivity and prevent you from burning out. Reading for fun is one of the most underrated hobbies, and I cannot recommend reading a few pages every day from a great author you enjoy on your Kindle. Another option? Audible! Whether you’re riding the bus, train, or subway, driving your car, or walking in between classes, listening to an audio book is a great way to disconnect from schoolwork even if it’s just for a few minutes at a time. Stay refreshed so you can be your best!

Boxed

Let’s talk about food! The best thing I ever did when I was in high school and college was purchase in bulk. My parents and I would review what I planned to bring for lunch and what I wanted to enjoy as a snack once I got home, and then we would shop together to purchase things in bulk (my choices rarely wavered!). That ritual carried over into college, and I would have definitely shopped through Boxed! Rather than visiting stores in person, you can simply shop online and have all of your favorite foods shipped directly to you. Pro tip: get your roommates in on the game so you can all shop together and save by earning kicks through Shopkick!

Where are you shopping for back to school? What’s at the top of your list?

3 apps to make grocery shopping easier so you can have more time to hang with the girls

Posted on August 1, 2018 by shopkick

People love to talk about signs that you’re getting older and adulting, as some like to say. Things like knowing how insurance deductibles work, keeping a clean house, or not staying out super late on the weekends usually make the list of signs you’re getting older for most. For me, however, it’s sadly been that I just don’t have as much time to hang out with my girls as I used to. We used to do happy hour and brunch all the time, practically every week! But now we have partners, kids, and, of course, grocery shopping to worry about.

However, I’ve found ways to get around all that responsibility, especially the last one. What I’m talking about are apps to make grocery shopping easier so you can have more time to hang with the girls. I’ve picked out my three favorites to share with you. The details are different for each, but the end result is that you’ll feel like you’re getting as close to your girls as you were in the old days.

Basically, what I’m here to tell you today is that you can have your girl time and still get your grocery shopping done. All you have to do is download and familiarize yourself with these three great apps!

Apps to Make Grocery Shopping Easier No. 1: Bestie Shopping

The first app on our list is a special one, because of all the apps that make grocery shopping easier, Bestie Shopping combines shopping and hanging out. What a novel concept! It’s basically a social media app for shoppers. You can use it to follow stores you love, view products posted online, and—this is my favorite part—share your favorite items and deals with your friends.

The best thing about Bestie Shopping is that it’s easy to fit into your schedule because it’s online. You don’t have to make extra time to go anywhere different. I’ve been using Bestie Shopping for a while to create that old experience of going to a physical mall with my girls. Plus, I don’t know how many times one of my friends has pointed me in the direction of a great deal that helps me save money, too. Any time an app can help you save money, that’s a win-win!

Apps to Make Grocery Shopping Easier No. 2: Fooducate

Another key part of being an adult is eating as healthy as you can. For me, that means taking the time to read the labels on certain products when I’m out grocery shopping. The more time I spend carefully going over the ingredients, the better I’m able to determine which foods I should eat. The problem is that all that time adds up!

With Fooducate, finding the health information you need while you’re grocery shopping becomes so much easier. The way Fooducate works is simple. Scan the barcodes on certain products in the grocery store and it gives you the highlights of the nutritional values, both good and bad. The app even lets you compare products by giving them both easy-to-understand letter grades. You can even use it find healthier alternatives and it’s quick!

Apps to Make Grocery Shopping Easier No. 3: Shopkick

The first two apps on this list are great, of course, but I think it’s pretty safe to say that this third one is my favorite app to make grocery shopping easier. It’s called Shopkick and how it works is pretty awesome. First, it has this really cool grocery shopping list functionality that makes it so much easier to plan all of your trips to the store. It helps you save money by giving you points for activities you do every time you go shopping anyway, activities like walking into the store, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases.

You can then trade those points in for gift cards that are as good as cash. That’s right, you get paid to grocery shop. That’s not all, though. There are tons of ways that Shopkickers can earn rewards right from the app—no need to go anywhere. These include kicks for watching videos and instant surprise kicks from going on Easter egg hunts in the app. Users can also get amazing deals where you can earn big points and rewards by shopping on your phone at stores like Amazon, Walmart, and more!

Of all the apps on the list, Shopkick is definitely my favorite, mostly because not only does it make shopping quicker and easier with its list functionality, but because it also manages to save me money, too!

So there you have it, three of my favorite apps to make grocery shopping easier so I can have extra time with my girls. Of all the apps on the list, Shopkick is definitely my favorite, mostly because not only does it make shopping quicker and easier with its list functionality, but because it also manages to save me money, too! That’s a one-two combo of convenience that can’t be beat.

I highly recommend that you give it a try if you haven’t already. One underrated thing about Shopkick is that it’s also a lot of fun. The point system makes every trip to the store feel like a scavenger hunt for savings, and when you’re having fun—like I do each and every time I get to see my girls—the time really flies!

Ready to start taking advantage of the best app to make grocery shopping easier? Well simply download Shopkick and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the rewards of shopping with us!

And, if you love using your smartphone to stay up on social media, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily shopping inspiration.

Image courtesy Rido81

Save money and earn kicks with Seattle’s Best Coffee

Posted on July 31, 2018 by shopkick

If you were to ask someone whose presence is valuable to you why they enjoy their mornings, they will likely relate it to their routine. The quiet found when the world has yet to wake; time spent with their kids relishing in their morning routine; a workout that makes them feel alive; the first sip of their morning coffee. The takeaway: a morning routine can be something you crave. One of the easiest ways to kick start a new routine is by taking one single step. For us, the simplest step to take is to brew a cup of coffee we can’t wait to sip.

One brand of coffee we return to again and again is Seattle’s Best. After all, they truly did win an award in which they were dubbed Seattle’s Best Coffee. The honor stuck with them, and we can taste why.

From medium roasts, like Toasted Hazelnut or Breakfast Blend, to dark roasts, like 6th Avenue Bistro (you had us at “hint of chocolate”!), Henry’s Blend, or Port Alley Blend, Seattle’s Best Coffee procures only the best beans from Latin America in order for us to all experience the most delicious brews. Whether we’re opening a new K-Cup Pod of Seattle’s Best Coffee or we’re adding the last of our ground coffee into our pot to brew our final cup, the flavor never wavers.

So, what easy steps can you take to create a delicious cup every time?

Step 1: Freshness.

This has a surprisingly large impact on flavor. Begin with cold, filtered water and freshly roasted, properly stored coffeeStep 2: Grind. A medium grind (a texture similar to sand) will ensure the most even brewing for drip coffee pots. Most of Seattle’s Best Coffee comes pre-ground or in K-Cups, giving you a leg up on a perfectly brewed cup of coffee.

Step 2: Grind.

A medium grind (a texture similar to sand) will ensure the most even brewing for drip coffee pots. Most of Seattle’s Best Coffee comes pre-ground or in K-Cups, giving you a leg up on a perfectly brewed cup of coffee.

Step 3: Ratio.

One slightly rounded tablespoon of ground coffee for every 6 ounces of water will do the trick.You can always adjust to taste if you prefer your coffee stronger or more mellow.

Step 4: Enjoy.

Add your favorite combo of creamer and sugar or drink it straight and taste the difference!

Seattle’s Best and Shopkick have teamed up to help you stretch your dollar that much further. There’s joy in sipping a smooth cup of coffee, and there’s a sense of satisfaction found in knowing you’re saving because you’re drinking coffee you made at home rather than a cup purchased at a coffee shop. Whether you purchase ground coffee or K-Cup Pods from Seattle’s Best Coffee through Shopkick, you’re devoting your dollars to a budget friendly brand that still keeps flavor and taste at the forefront. Plus, you can save even more at select stores by opening Shopkick, scanning Seattle’s Best Coffee, and submitting your receipt when you purchase your go-to roast.

Don’t have Shopkick yet?

Download the app that makes earning free rewards easy and fun today!

How to get paid to play games: Money-making apps for techies

Posted on July 27, 2018 by shopkick

I’ve been playing games since I was just a little guy. My first home game console was the original Nintendo Entertainment System (yeah, that’s how old I am), and from there I graduated onto bigger and better things like the Super Nintendo, the Nintendo 64, the Sony PlayStation, and so on right up to modern day. I guess you could say I’m a gamer.

Recently, though, I’ve actually figured out how to get paid to play games through money-making apps for techies. These are apps that you can use to get that old gaming challenge, while also earning money, money that you can spend on even more games!

Anyway, that’s what I’d like to talk about today: how to get paid to play games with money-making apps for techies. There are a few different ways to do this, but for our purposes, I’m going to focus on the one I’ve found most useful, before giving you advice about my favorite.

Get Paid to Play Games with Shopping Apps

As any experienced gamer will tell you, the key to beating any game is to stick with it. It’s the same thing for apps that let you get paid to play games. You don’t want apps that feel short-term or like a fad, especially not if you’re a techie like me and you pride yourself on staying up on all the modern techie trends. Because of that, I tend to get tired of certain apps quickly.

That’s why I think the best way to get paid to play games is to find an app that pays you to go shopping. Let’s face it, no matter how much we may dislike shopping, we all have to do it. That’s why the ideal money-making app for techies, in my opinion, is one that turns shopping into a game you actually want to play!

How Shopping Apps Work

Now that we’ve determined the best way to get paid to play games is through apps that turn shopping into a challenge to find savings, it’s time to talk about how these apps work. The good news is that my personal favorites are perfect for techies, of course, but they also have a pretty simple step-by-step process that non-techies can figure out quickly as well:

Earn points just by walking into a participating store
Purchase certain items, use the app to take a picture of your receipt, and get even more points.
Trade those points in for gift cards to your favorite stores.
Savor the savings.

Before you know it, all your shopping turns into a hunt for the biggest savings. Anyway, this next part is probably more crucial for techies, but the best shopping apps you can use to get paid to play games also let you earn rewards while shopping online. The differences between how these apps work for online shopping versus in-person shopping is pretty small, though. Here’s how using one of these shopping apps online works:

Visit an online store and get points
View select products and get more points
Make mobile purchases and get even more points
Watch videos and score points yet again
Trade those points in for gift cards to some of your favorite stores
Savor the savings

The Best Shopping App You Can Use to Get Paid to Play Games

Of all of the shopping apps out there, my personal favorite is Shopkick. That’s because it has more ways to score points than most of the other apps I’ve tried, and it has the most fun social media channels, too, which as any techie will tell you is super important when it comes to staying engaged. It’s a guilty pleasure, but I actually have a ton of fun looking at Shopkick’s goofy Facebook posts. Oh, and I should note that Shopkick is available for both Android and iPhone too, so you can get in on the action regardless of your device’s operating system.

Shopkick gives you points for all the usual shopping things you do: walking into the store, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. There are other ways to use it to make money, too. In fact, there are tons of ways that Shopkick users can earn rewards right from the app without even physically going anywhere. These include kicks for watching videos and instant surprise kicks from going on Easter egg hunts in the app. Users can also get amazing deals where you can earn big points and rewards by shopping at stores like Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy, which is my personal favorite.

I know it’s a little unconventional, but I really do think the best method for how to get paid to play games is by using Shopkick, my personal favorite money-making app for techies. Like I said, it turns every trip to the store into a fun hunt for points. In fact, I like it so much that I’ve started to kind of look forward to my shopping trips—just a little bit.

The best part is trading in your Shopkick points for gift cards to your favorite stores, which for me usually means anywhere that sells all the latest and greatest technology.

The best part is trading in your Shopkick points for gift cards to your favorite stores, which for me usually means anywhere that sells all the latest and greatest technology. I know, I know, I probably spend a little too much time staying up to date with modern technology, but hey, it’s fun!

Ready to start having fun by getting paid to play games with a great money-making app for techies? Download Shopkick for free and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered how rewarding—and fun—shopping can be!

And, if you love using your smartphone to stay up on social media, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily shopping inspiration.

Image courtesy artiemedvedev

Brand Marketing Best Practices for the Digital Age of Shopping

Posted on July 26, 2018 by shopkick

Brand marketing best practices in the digital space are all about adaptability. Brands must be able to pivot their strategies in the event campaigns are not performing as well as they should. This strategy requires the ability to break down campaigns into smaller segments—the information technology industry calls this concept agile innovation. By establishing the components of a marketing plan and treating them as separate, distinct steps, brands will be better prepared to change course as needed.

The best practices of marketing are similar across many industries, from CPG challenger brands to multinational QSR locations. These practices cover demographic targeting, message timing, platform selection, and audience engagement. These steps will help a brand build affinity in the right markets while allowing them to pivot as necessary to target new audiences.

Brand Marketing Best Practices: Using Data to Determine Demographics

Often, the success of a new product will be dependent on a small portion of the population. In one study, only about 1.5% of the consumers surveyed accounted for 80% of the purchases of a new product. These results indicate getting consumers to switch brands can be extremely difficult and doing so requires precise demographic targeting.

One issue which can make demographic targeting tricky is when the purchase decision maker and the end user aren’t the same. Consider the case of a breakfast cereal aimed at children. While the intended user of the product is a child, the purchaser of the product will likely be a parent. In this case, the brand needs to decide whose opinion will weigh the heaviest when it comes time to purchase. While the brand may want to primarily market to children, they must also find a way to reach out to the adults who make the purchase.

An excellent example of this strategy is viewed through General Mills cereal brand Lucky Charms. When refreshing the brand, they focused on gaining insight from existing customers on social media to come up with ideas. They sought out recommendations from adults and children alike on the addition of a new marshmallow and decided on a unicorn style. The leaders of the campaign decided to weight the opinions of children more heavily, as they were the target market. However, parents were not left out, it was found that receiving information about the nutritional value of the cereal would make them more comfortable with purchasing the product for children.

The brand targeted two demographics. They focused on children as the primary consumers of the cereal and parents as the decision makers. As such, children enjoyed gamified content while adults received critical information on nutrition. Understanding the diverse demographics for a particular product can also assist in determining the best platforms to reach those demographics.

Search Engine Marketing

In this strategy, brands will provide content on their websites which helps them rank higher on search engines like Bing and Google. SEM is particularly useful when consumers are seeking out a specific solution to a problem. For example, a brand that makes castor oil may target search phrases where castor oil acts as a good solution, like “growing longer eyelashes” or “healing dry skin.” Organic marketing through content allows brands to present their products as solutions, ensuring they are perceived as an authority on that problem by consumers.

Brands must reach consumers when they’re making their lists as well as when they’re at the store. Using a multi-platform approach is imperative for brands who want to reach consumers during both these critical periods. Standard websites, commercials, and social media can help support marketing efforts as the consumer is planning their shopping trip. Brands can leverage mobile apps which travel with the consumers to connect with them before they make purchase decisions.

Mobile engagement is also supportive for brands that wish to connect with consumers doing their shopping online. Even for CPG products, this is becoming more common, meaning brands must be prepared to support online shopping. When marketing towards digital shoppers, brands do not have to significantly change their strategies, as they can treat the digital shopping space the same way they would a retail space. The main component here is making it very easy for consumers to make purchases online through providing direct links to a brand’s or retailer’s sales pages for these products.

Brand Marketing Best Practices: Leveraging Ways to Engage Consumers in the Digital Space

Even if a brand finds the perfect demographic, creates the campaign at the right time, and releases it on the most effective platforms, these efforts will offer little return if the brand is unable to engage consumers. Engagement can come from a simple share of a piece of branded content to a consumer becoming an active buyer and advocate for the brand. Any positive interaction that occurs will improve the potential of a sale. Here are just a few ways many brands are improving interaction.

Gamification

Gamification is a strategy seen across industries, where marketers take a common task and turn it into a gamified experience. Shopkick provides an excellent example of gamification in action. Using their smartphone, consumers can go on a digital scavenger hunt to find products in the store and scan UPCs. Making a rewards program fun encourages consumers to continue to participate and plan shopping trips around the app. When partnering with apps that offer this, brands can direct the consumers to their product in the store.

Interactive Content

There are many ways brands can get consumers to engage with content, whether it’s merely embedding a poll in a website or video or allowing consumers to drive the story by selecting different marketing options. A campaign by Mended Little Hearts, which is a nonprofit designed to help children with congenital heart defects, shows how interactive components impact sales. The Give a Fuller Life campaign features a video where consumers watch a patient as he goes about his day. As the viewer makes donations, the footage improves and becomes more joyful, offering a heightened emotional return on the content.

These are just a few ways to drive consumer engagement with a brand. By encouraging a consumer to interact with content, brands can build affinity, sales, and—in the long term—increase market share. Engagement is a critical component of any marketing initiative, so brands must be prepared to foster this.

Brand marketing best practices in the digital space should be broken down into demographics, platforms, timing, and engagement to ensure a brand is easily able to pivot should the strategy not prove successful initially. Using multiple strategies can help to boost audience awareness and improve engagement. These strategies can be adapted to improve sales in stores as well as online. The best brand marketing practices ensure consistent visibility and enhance sales potential for the life of a campaign.

3 effective brand recognition strategies for eCommerce retailers

Posted on July 25, 2018 by shopkick

Today’s eCommerce retailers need to be prepared to go further than simple brand recognition strategies; they must create brand affinity. Continue reading “3 effective brand recognition strategies for eCommerce retailers”