I’m a Shopkick master, everyone knows that. I mean, it’s nothing for me to earn a gift card a month, which I promptly spend on splurges at Starbucks or combine with all my Walmart Savings Catcher deals for extra savings. Right now, I’m saving up for a Best Buy gift card for a special someone.
But, it recently came to my attention that while almost everyone knows how Shopkick works (you shop! you get kicks! you redeem for gift cards!) not everyone really knows how to earn kicks on Shopkick the right way. So, I thought, “Let’s fix that!” Here are some things every Shopkicker should be doing, how to follow the Shopkick rules—and some tips for getting the most out of the very best shopping app, Shopkick.
How to Earn Kicks: The Nitty Gritty
Obviously, you’ve already downloaded the Shopkick app and set up your profile. Once you’ve done that, everything else kind of runs itself. Still, there are some things you can master to get the most kicks possible:
- Turn on notifications and Bluetooth: Do this so that you never miss an opportunity, like a great sale or a chance for extra points. The app will also let you know if you’re about to walk past a store that’s got a deal for extra kicks.
- Open the app at least once a week: New places to get kicks come up all the time. Plus, kick amounts increase often and products change frequently.
- Stay up-to-date: Be sure to update the app whenever there’s a new release to make sure you always have the latest, greatest working version of Shopkick.
How to Earn Kicks in-Store
So, you’re up-to-date and your Bluetooth is turned on. It’s time to start earning kicks … for everything you do. Challenge yourself to do these four things the next time you go shopping and watch the kicks start rolling in:
- Walk into a store: Many stores give kicks just for walking through the door! Just remember to have the app open and Bluetooth turned on.
- Scan products: Get kicks!
- Buy products and upload a receipt: Get kicks!
- Link your credit card and make a purchase: Get kicks!
How to Earn Kicks from the App
Sometimes, I’m too lazy to go out. At those times, I like to earn kicks while shopping in my jammies. From my phone. And, hey, Shopkick is the best mobile shopping app, after all. When I open the Shopkick app, I:
- Watch a video: Learn more about products—and get kicks!
- Find an instant surprise: Go on a treasure hunt to find instant surprises. These are located under the Discover tab.
- Make an online purchase: This is self-explanatory, but here’s an added tip: Sometimes I go to my favorite online shops on my desktop to load up my cart. Then, I open up my Shopkick app and navigate to that store and buy everything in my cart—and get kicks!
- Invite friends: You can earn free kicks whenever someone you invite to Shopkick downloads the app and starts using it.
How to Earn Kicks on the Web
So, as I mentioned, sometimes I prefer to shop online, then buy everything from my handy-dandy Shopkick app. Other times, though, I like to earn rewards for shopping on the web. Here’s how:
- Open a browser on your computer: Go to www.shopkick.com and login using the same credentials as you do to log into the app on your mobile phone.
See unique stores like Macy’s and Sephora where you can earn kicks for online purchases.
How to Earn Kicks on Shopkick the Right Way
As it turns out, some people like to try to break the rules. Nobody likes a cheater, so here’s how to play fair and not get banned:
- Scan in-store only: For scans, make sure you are in the store when you attempt to scan a product and that you scan the actual physical item. Remember, the companies paying for all those amazing free gift cards you get with your kicks—retailers like T.J.Maxx and Marshalls and brands like Lego and Tylenol—love to be on Shopkick because it helps them connect with their customers in a fast, fun, easy way. They reward Shopkick for helping them, and Shopkick passes those rewards on to all you awesome Shopkickers. It’s a win-win-win for everyone, but it only works if you’re physically interacting with products in the store.
Also, don’t fall into any traps or “creative shortcuts” that may have you breaking the rules; Shopkick’s technology detects when rules are being broken. Yikes!
It’s a win-win-win for everyone, but it only works if you’re physically interacting with products in the store.
- Be unique: Another way people get in trouble is by having more than one Shopkick account on their phone. If someone pretends to be multiple people—by signing up for multiple Shopkick accounts—that raises serious red flags. To protect the members of the Shopkicking community who are playing fair and who want to keep getting gift cards, Shopkick asks rule-breakers to leave (which they hate to do!)
- Keep your mobile number to yourself: Don’t share your number with someone else. No one else should be logging into your account from their phone. It looks suspicious, like one person is trying to pretend to be many people.
- Invite—and shop with—friends: Help your BFFs get Shopkicking! An easy and fun way to keep racking up the kicks is to Shopkick with others. I personally love to head out with my friends. I hear all the time how Shopkickers like to Shopkick with their sisters, mothers, daughters, husbands, wives, etc. They use it as a way to get their steps—and kicks—in on evenings or days off. Both you and your friends will get extra kicks after they earn their first kicks in-store within seven days of accepting your invitation. Why not go with them on their first Shopkicking adventure and show them the ropes?
So, that’s it my Shopkicking friends—my best advice on how to earn kicks on Shopkick so you can rack up the points! If you have any other ideas, I’d love to hear them.
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Image courtesy Zinkevych