Author: shopkick

The pros and cons of leveraging white label branding as a marketing strategy

Posted on by shopkick

The pros and cons of leveraging white label branding as a marketing strategy

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The ability to use white label branding as a marketing strategy is one which requires the backing of a powerful brand. There’s been an increased interest in these tactics in recent years, as global access to manufacturers, labor, and supplies expanded. White labeling can work for some CPG brands when it comes to growing market share or competing with private labels, but this mass-market strategy isn’t always the best approach. In some cases, it may be better to choose alternatives to white label marketing to improve in-store sales while maintaining a strong marketing ROI.

Mass-market strategies are entirely dependent on sales volume. In mass marketing, CPG brands often find themselves competing against retailers—through private label products—to gain price-focused or brand-loyal customers. As such, to properly implement a white label branding strategy, a brand must already be established and have a large following. Only then will they be able to use white label branding to increase market share.

What is white label branding?

White label branding involves two companies creating one product. One company manufactures the product, then the brand repackages the product as their own. Often, this is confused with outsourcing, but they’re not necessarily the same. In white labeling, a brand can trade on its stronger reputation and consumer awareness to sell the products for a higher amount than the manufacturer would have. It’s a means of keeping production costs down while also improving supply.

This also should not be confused with private labeling. A private label brand is one exclusively created for a specific retailer. While similar to white label branding, they’re not entirely the same, as the private label product is exclusive. A white label product’s distribution is wholly controlled by the brand.

Many CPG brands have embraced white labeling in recent years to keep production up even as labor and supply costs increase. In some cases, this strategy can help a brand gain market share or compete against other private label options in the store.   

The Upside of White Label Branding

White label branding is popular among CPG brands because these brands are in a mass volume business. They must be able to supply many consumers in a diverse set of markets. CPG brands often reap the following benefits as a result of white labeling.

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Increased supply:

Brands can double production through the resources of the manufacturer. Through this supply, brands can expand into new markets and cultivate new customers.

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Reduced cost of production:

The strategy within white labeling involves using a brand’s reputation to sell a similar, yet cheaper to produce, product. This allows brands to reduce their costs of manufacturing while also enjoying the benefit of important existing consumer relationships.

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Rapid brand growth:

Brands will be better prepared to expand their market share through white label branding because they’ll be able to produce a large number of products at a lower price.

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Simplified new market entrance:

White label branding can be an excellent option for establishing new channels in emerging markets when in the past it would have been cost-prohibitive. Brands often choose to set up labeling facilities near production plants to eliminate the high cost of shipping, and sell products directly to the market.

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Improved customer access:

The producers would likely have to sell their products at a much lower cost due to their lack of reputation. By working in a white labeling arrangement, the producer gets immediate attention from brand-loyal consumers.  

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Leverage against private labels:

Private label products create a significant issue for CPG brands, who often can’t compete with the low costs of these store-brands. White labeling evens the playing field in the shopping aisle so CPG brands can gain a competitive edge.

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Faster innovation:

Brands can benefit from improvements in products from their production partners, as the manufacturer is solely focused on creating and improving the product. This gives the producer more time and resources for research and development, while offering the brand the opportunity to provide updated products to consumers.

For some CPG brands, white label branding allows them to compete in markets they otherwise couldn’t have. This can have a direct impact on global market share and significantly boost revenues. However, this strategy is not ideal for every brand.

Why White Label Branding Doesn’t Always Work

White label branding requires the brand to have an established following before implementation. The strategy relies on a brand’s reputation to carry the sales of another product, so its market clout will play a significant role in the strategy’s success. Here are a few of the reasons why white label branding may not be ideal.  

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Inconsistent quality:

Probably one of the biggest concerns with white label branding is the consistency of the products. Brands establish their own quality controls. The producers of white label brands may not follow those same procedures, causing an issue with product consistency.   

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Less control:

Brands lose control of the production process when using a white label strategy. Meanwhile, producers lose control of the marketing, distribution, and sales strategies for products. To participate in one of these strategies, brands and producers must be willing to give up a significant portion of their control.

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Expensive implementation:

While brands will incur fewer production costs over time, they may incur higher costs while establishing one of these programs. The brand will have to purchase and repackage a large number of products and develop packaging facilities, requiring a higher initial investment than other marketing strategies.  

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Potential liability:

Brands may have to take on the responsibility for any issues consumers experience while using the white label product. Producers may be in locations that are less strict with regards to specific regulations, meaning there is a potential risk to the brand if standards fall short of those required for sale in the U.S.

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Supply chain cost increases:

Brands will need to incur the cost of obtaining these products and then repackaging them for sale, so production costs are not entirely eliminated.

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Potentially alienating customers:

If quality changes as a result of a white label strategy, brands will see loyal customers go elsewhere. Quality control is a vital part of any white labeling strategy.

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Not suitable for smaller brands:

White labeling requires an existing brand presence, as the entire strategy hinges on the popularity of the brand. Without it, the white label branding strategy will be ineffective.  

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New market risk:

Popular brands often try to set up shop in new markets with a white labeling strategy, but this doesn’t always work. The problem with new global markets is there is not the same level of brand awareness. As such, sales potential is lower.  

The common problems associated with white labeling underline the reason why this is a strategy best attempted by only established brands. There are a lot of potential pitfalls in any white labeling plan, so brands must be prepared to deal with these risks to reap the benefit of increased market share and sales.

When to Consider White Labeling

White labeling is a mass-market strategy designed for increasing market share and adding revenue streams. Brands which have plateaued in certain markets or are having trouble keeping up with demand can consider this a way to improve sales and increase supply. Brands need to have significant resources already at their disposal. They should have an established following and marketing channels which can be leveraged to connect with consumers in growth markets.

It’s also good for brands that need to compete with the ever-growing pool of private label brands available exclusively through retailers. A white label strategy may permit these brands to be more competitive on price point, though there are other ways that brands can compete without the need to outsource production.  

Alternatives to White Labeling for Competing With Retailer Brands

Private label brands have an edge when it comes to placement on the store shelves. Retailers can obviously give these exclusive brands priority shelf space, and they can target price-conscious consumers. The competition with this type of brand doesn’t happen on TV or via digital marketing. It happens right in the shopping aisle.

Whether or not brands choose to use a white label branding strategy, they’ll still need to find ways to stand out against these offerings on the store shelves. There are a few options brands can consider, most of which revolve around mobile apps.

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Location-based marketing:

Location-based marketing allows brands to connect with consumers based on their location. For example, consumers can receive notifications about products on sale at a nearby store. This reminds them of the brand’s products as they’re in a purchase mindset, which improves the likelihood of a sale.

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Incentivized in-store interaction:

Shopkick uses this as a strategy in helping brands gain sales. Through the app, the consumer is encouraged to use their smartphone to scan the UPC codes of specific products. In exchange, the consumer receives kicks (aka rewards points) which they can redeem later for free gift cards. This strategy incentivizes the consumer to physically seek out and handle the product in the aisle, which primes them for purchase.

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Loyalty points:

Loyalty points are critical in any kind of incentivized interaction campaign that’s not reliant on discounts. Consumers often perceive rewards points as having a higher value than their simple dollar amount. This is because the consumer gets an emotional return for collecting and redeeming these points. As such, brand-specific loyalty points can act as a good avenue for gaining in-store sales from price-focused consumers.

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Personalized offers:

In some cases, consumers can receive personalized offers based on their prior purchase history. This personalization connects the consumer to the brand and inspires brand affinity.

Brands must be prepared to connect with consumers in the shopping aisle to compete with private labeling. Third-party apps typically offer a solution as they allow brands to engage new audiences. These apps are accessible while consumers are in the store, meaning they offer a more significant opportunity to pull their attention away from store brands.
White label branding can be a solution for brands that want to expand their market share while also boosting supply. It also allows brands to better compete with the rising number of private label brands that are cutting into the market. However, white label branding is not a solution for all brands. Brands must already have an existing, established audience to leverage this strategy. Whether or not a brand chooses to use a white label branding strategy, third-party apps can help them compete with other options in the shopping aisle.
Shopkick partners compete with private label brands in the shopping aisle by using our shopping app to reach out to consumers as they make purchases. To learn more about becoming a partner, contact us.

The Ultimate List of Free Apps That Give You Gift Cards

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The Ultimate List of Free Apps That Give You Gift Cards

My daughter has been business-minded since birth. The lemonade stand that she set up this summer has recently morphed into an apple cider shack (and I think she’s drawing up plans for a hot cocoa house to launch in December). She’s so committed to her beverage business that we even bought her a smartphone to use for accepting debit card payments via an app. She’s only in the third grade, but this kid has not one, not two, but three piggy banks.

A few weeks ago she was given a class assignment to let her imagination run wild and come up with a new invention that would be helpful for the world at large. It really was no surprise to my husband and I that her “invention” had a focus on earning money. Her idea? How about if that app she uses to collect money for lemonade could help her earn money for lots of other things as well, like washing the dishes and sorting laundry? Our girl certainly is clever. She didn’t manage to talk us into paying her for helping out around the house, but she did get us thinking about whether or not there were apps out there that would pay us for doing little tasks. Believe it or not, there are!

If you haven’t browsed the app store lately, you should! There is a whole list of apps that give you gift cards available these days—and all of my favorite ones are free to download and use. Each one works a little differently, but what they all have in common is that they help users earn gift cards by doing quick and simple activities, like taking surveys, posting photos to social media, or even scanning barcodes at stores (which is like getting paid to grocery shop!).

There are two morals to this story. One: kids these days really are as tech-savvy as they say! Two: chances are you’ll be able to find an enjoyable way to use your smartphone to get free gift cards. And so, without further adieu, here is my ultimate list of free apps that pay out gift cards.

The Ultimate List of Apps that Give You Gift Cards—for FREE

Shopkick turns every trip to the store into a super fun scavenger hunt for points, which the app calls kicks. It’s super easy to use, and the tasks that users have to complete for kicks are ones you do every time you go shopping anyway. At its core, Shopkick is a free app that pays you to shop. For example, if you download the app, then walk into a partner store, you’ll earn kicks. Scan featured item barcodes, get kicks. Buy a featured item, get more kicks! Shop from your sofa using the app, get kicks!  Once you’ve earned enough kicks, you can then trade them in for gift cards to a super wide range of stores that you shop at all the time. One of my favorite things about Shopkick is that you really don’t have to go out of your way at all. What’s also cool about Shopkick is that you can combine it with other shopping rewards apps—or any of the other apps listed above that you’re thinking about downloading!

For example, Shopkick works really well with Mobee, one of our featured apps below. Really, you can combine Shopkick with any of the best free smartphone apps that pay you! And, Shopkick is so easy to use and has a great social media community of like-minded users who are always giving out tips about everything from deals on certain products to their tips for maximizing the number of kicks you can earn. It’s a small thing, but it makes a BIG difference.

How the app works:

An incredibly easy-to-use and intuitive app, Shopkick turns regular shopping trips into fun scavenger hunts for points

How much users earn:

Varies by store visit, with little restriction on how many kicks users can accumulate

Gift cards available:

Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Starbucks, Sephora, Amazon and many, many more.

Minimum amount to cash out:

$2.00

You know the lock screen on your phone, the one you see every time you hit a button on your device without unlocking it first? That screen can give you free gift cards. Well, with the help of Fronto, that is. All you have to do is be willing to swap out whatever you have there now, whether it’s stock wallpaper, a photo from your vacation, or a cute snapshot of your kids (sorry, kids, but no one will be complaining when the first free gift card is rewarded!). Instead, you’ll receive news and ads selected by Fronto. Every time you view one of these of ads, you’ll earn points. Sometimes the app will ask you an interactive question to help you earn some extra points. Once you have earned at least $10 worth of points, you can exchange them for, that’s right, free gift cards! A word of advice, though, for those of you who are tethered to your phone all day like I am: Fronto can be a bit rough on your data plan and your battery life, so make sure you have available data—and several chargers—before you download it.

How the app works:

Users view ads on their phone’s lock screen for points

How much users earn:

Anywhere between $.01 and $2.00 per interaction

Gift cards available:

Amazon

Minimum amount to cash out:

$10.00

Here’s something my kids have trouble believing… I used to be young, just like them. In fact, when I was fifteen I even had a job bagging groceries at the local supermarket. What I remember most was how the managers were always encouraging us to smile and be polite because the owners of the store liked to bring in mystery shoppers, regular people who shopped at the store and then afterward evaluated how the employees treated them. Mobee turns its users into mystery shoppers, each of them on a mission to visit specific stores and restaurants, eat or shop there, and then answer questions about the experience. Sometimes, users are also asked to take photos. Each of these missions lasts between roughly 10 and 15 minutes and is worth between $1.50 and $12, with the higher rewards missions taking the longest amount of time. I recommend this app if you live in a city as urban areas will offer the most opportunities to complete missions. You can even use Shopkick to have a blast hunting for kicks inside the store, and then afterward you can use Mobee to answer questions about your shopping experience.

How the app works:

Users visit a store or restaurant, then answer questions about their experience.

How much users earn:

Between $1.50 and $12.00 per mission

Gift cards available:

Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Starbucks, and many more.

Minimum amount to cash out:

$5.00

The Ipsos app’s mission is to find out what the public thinks, especially when it comes to topics like advertising, politics, and other sources of debate on the national level. The way Ipsos works is that the average user receives about 8 survey invitations each month, which they can then accept or deny. For completing each survey, users get points that can later be cashed in for prizes, including gift cards to many different places. There are so many different survey apps out there, with more and more new ones seeming to pop up every week, but Ipsos is certainly one of the most popular. If you are looking for a survey app that will give you gift cards, know that you can use Ipsos via a smartphone app, which gives it a leg up over some other survey platforms that require you to use a desktop computer.

How the app works:

Ipsos sends users about survey invitations on a monthly basis can be completed in exchange for points

How much users earn:

Up to 90 points per survey

Gift cards available:

Starbucks, Facebook, Amazon, Target, and many more

Minimum amount to cash out:

500 points, which is equal to $5.00

SavingStar is a digital coupon app that pays users to shop at grocery and drugstores. More than 60,000 stores are part of SavingStar and they represent more than 100 retail chains. It’s generally free to use, but beware. If an account is inactive for 180 straight days, they will charge a fee of $3.99. To take advantage of SavingStar, users either link their existing store loyalty cards to the app or submit receipts after they make purchases. Their savings add up until they can eventually cash out through PayPal, Upromise, or even in the form of Starbucks, iTunes, or AMC Theater gift codes. If you frequently use loyalty rewards cards, this may be a great app for you. If your commitment to them is less than stellar, however, SavingStar may end up costing you money via its service fee.

How the app works:

Users link existing store loyalty cards to the app or submit photos of receipts after making a purchase

How much users earn:

This varies depending on the offer, much like paper coupons

Gift cards available:

Starbucks, iTunes, AMC Theaters, and many more

Minimum amount to cash out:

There is no minimum to cash out

I LOVE all social media platforms, but I think my all time favorite has to be Instagram. I love taking pictures of fun foods, my kids, my vacations, and even interesting cloud formations I see in the sky. And I know I’m not alone. Most—if not all—of my best friends take pictures and upload them to social media every day. CoSign helps users earn gift cards for this habit, turning those photos into rewards. Users just have to tag the images they’re already uploading to platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, or Tumblr and add additional information about the products that are pictured. Did you just buy a brand new scarf? Take a picture of yourself wearing it and then use CoSign to add the brand and price. It’s not just for clothes, though! Users can also tag a wide range of household goods, tech products, books, movies, and even food, among other things. When followers buy items that you’ve posted photos of, you then earn a commission of up to 35 percent, which you can opt to have paid out in cash or gift cards.

How the app works:

Users take photos of a wide range of products, upload to social media platforms, tag them with CoSign, and then add information such as the brand or price; when their followers buy an item, the user earns a commission.

How much user earn:

Up to 35 percent of the item’s sale price.

Gift cards available:

Varies, but cash payouts are also available

Minimum amount to cash out:

$40.00

One of my uncles used to buy my siblings and me scratch-off lottery tickets every year for Christmas. He’d hand them to us and then make the same joke: I got you up to $1 million! None of us ever won the $1 million prize, but we had tons of fun scratching them off and anxiously waiting to see if we had! Lucktastic is an app that lets users play games that are a lot like scratch-off lottery tickets, right down to the random rewards, while they view product ads. Each day, they get a new handful of tickets to scratch, which give you between 5 and 10 points. You then save your points and eventually you can cash them in for cash or gift cards. Also, like the lottery is the fact that there’s always a chance to win a $10,000 jackpot. Earnings, however, are much much much more likely to be on the smaller side. If you decide to download this app, scratching tickets with Lucktastic will only take a minute or two of your valuable time. Unlike the lottery, however, this app is totally free to use.

How the app works:

Users view ads and plays games that are similar to scratch-off lottery tickets

How much users earn:

Between $.0005 and $.01 per scratch-off, with a chance to win a big jackpot instantly

Gift cards available:

Amazon, GameStop, Fandango, and more, as well as cash payouts

Minimum amount to cash out:

$10.00

While my daughter is still the business guru of the house, my husband and I have also gotten into this idea of earning a little side money with the help of our smartphone apps. Since downloading Shopkick, my personal favorite app that pays, I’ve earned quite a few Starbucks gifts cards—and my husband just snagged one for Best Buy! And our little genius who planted the idea to look for these apps in the place? Her birthday is coming up and I think we’ve just earned enough kicks to wrap up a Target gift card for her. It’s her favorite place to shop for aprons, pitchers, and wooden spoons!

App: How the app works: How much users earn: Gift cards available: Minimum amount to cash out:
An incredibly easy-to-use and intuitive app, Shopkick turns regular shopping trips into fun scavenger hunts for points Varies by store visit, with little restriction on how many kicks users can accumulate Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Starbucks, Sephora, Amazon and many, many more. $2.00
Users view ads on their phone’s lock screen for points Anywhere between $.01 and $2.00 per interaction Amazon $10.00
Users visit a store or restaurant, then answer questions about their experience. Between $1.50 and $12.00 per mission Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Starbucks, and many more. $5.00
Ipsos sends users about survey invitations on a monthly basis can be completed in exchange for points Up to 90 points per survey Starbucks, Facebook, Amazon, Target, and many more 500 points, which is equal to $5.00
Users link existing store loyalty cards to the app or submit photos of receipts after making a purchase This varies depending on the offer, much like paper coupons Starbucks, iTunes, AMC Theaters, and many more There is no minimum to cash out
Users take photos of a wide range of products, upload to social media platforms, tag them with CoSign, and then add information such as the brand or price; when their followers buy an item, the user earns a commission. Up to 35 percent of the item’s sale price. Varies, but cash payouts are also available $40.00
Users view ads and plays games that are similar to scratch-off lottery tickets Between $.0005 and $.01 per scratch-off, with a chance to win a big jackpot instantly Amazon, GameStop, Fandango, and more, as well as cash payouts $10.00

Ready to explore the best free shopping app that helps you earn free gift cards—and have fun doing it? 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 stretching your budget, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily shopping inspiration.

Image courtesy william.perugini

How to buy Christmas gifts with no money

Posted on by shopkick

The first Christmas after my husband and I got married was tough! We had just finished paying for a wedding and closing on a house, so you can imagine how little money we had to spend on Christmas gifts. We spent Christmas day wrapped in blankets, trying to stay warm, gazing at the saddest Christmas tree ever. Thankfully, we both agreed to not spend money (that we didn’t have) on Christmas gifts. Instead, we decided to save and work on building our finances. Looking back, if that were us now, we’d have a few more resources at our disposal.

In fact, thanks to having gone through that year, I’ve figured out how to buy Christmas gifts with no money, or at least with no extra money outside of my normal budget. I know this sounds crazy, but don’t worry I’m here today to share my tips and tricks on how to buy Christmas gifts with no money with you.

How to Buy Christmas Gifts With No Money with Retail Auditing Apps

learn how to buy Christmas gifts with no moneyThe first method I recommend when it comes to figuring out how to buy Christmas gift with no money is to do a little bit of extra work each time you go out shopping by taking advantage of retail auditing apps. Basically, there are apps that pay you money to do simple tasks like checking to see if a road is closed or going out to snap a quick photo of the front of a cool new restaurant. If you do enough of them, the money really adds up!

The exact details of how each one works are slightly different. For the most part, though, users get paid to go to stores like Target and Walmart to take photos of displays for brands. In exchange, users can make a few quick bucks for each task they complete. Put in enough work, and you’ll be able to get Christmas gifts this year without stepping outside your usual budget!

How to Buy Christmas Gift With No Money with Survey Apps

The next method for how to buy Christmas gifts with no money on our list is probably one you’ve heard of before: survey apps. This is one of the fastest and easiest ways there is to make a little bit of extra money with an app, and it’s exactly what it sounds like. Basically, with these you get paid to take surveys.

There are many different kinds of survey apps, but they’re all essentially the same. These apps send you a survey once a week (sometimes more, sometimes less) asking for your opinion on a wide range of questions, anything from where you shop to what you watch on TV or where you like to eat—any information in which marketing companies might be interested. Users get paid usually anywhere from 25 cents to $1.00 per survey. While that may not seem like a lot, those coins add up and soon you’ll be on your way to buying Christmas gifts without stepping outside of your budget!

How to Buy Christmas Gift With No Money with Shopping Rewards Apps

Those other ways are great, but they both involve going out of your way and putting in a lot of time. If you’re searching for the easiest way to buy Christmas gifts with no money, try a shopping rewards app. Take the shopping rewards app, Shopkick, for example. How it works is by incentivizing things you do while you’re shopping already, things like walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. I just love it because let’s face it, no matter how little money you have, you still need to shop for groceries. With Shopkick, you can shop while also earning some extra money.

If you’re searching for the easiest way to buy Christmas gifts with no money, try a shopping rewards app.

Not only that, but there are tons of ways 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! Earn enough points, and you’ll be able to have yourself a very merry Christmas.

Back in the day, my husband and I didn’t have smartphones. So, of course, we didn’t have apps, but these days we’re able to find all kinds of extra room in our budget by taking advantage of apps like Shopkick. If you’re trying to figure out how to buy Christmas gifts with no money, Shopkick is a great solution.

There’s no shame in needing a little help with your budget, especially around the holidays. With Shopkick, you barely even have to go out of your way to get it. Just do your regular shopping and enjoy your savings!

Don’t let your budget get you down this year—especially not now that you know how to buy Christmas gifts with no money. Download Shopkick’s free app today and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the rewards of shopping with a free, smartphone app sidekick.

And, if you love social media as much as you love shopping, join Shopkick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a little daily shopping inspiration.

Image courtesy pogonici

Save money on Christmas gifts with these 3 apps

Posted on by shopkick

It seems like everyone I know is either using or talking about apps that help you save money—shopping rewards apps, in particular. I love saving money by reaping rewards for shopping and I’m also guilty of talking about my favorite shopping rewards app. I mean, who wouldn’t love getting cash back and gift cards for the shopping that they do anyway?

Throughout most of the year, rewards from these types of apps add up and definitely make a difference when factored into my budget. However, when it comes to shopping for Christmas, gifts, anything we can do to save money helps. My husband and I do all we can so we can have gifts for our three boys. Like many other families, having tons of gifts under the tree puts us in the Christmas spirit. Thankfully, there are apps out there for us to use to save money on Christmas gifts. And, I’ll spread a little early holiday cheer by sharing these apps with you.

Save Money on Christmas Gifts With Field Agent

Field Agent is a retail auditing app that can be used to save money on Christmas gifts. Users get paid to go to stores, like Target and Walmart, to complete tasks, like taking photos of displays for various products for brands.

I like to use this app year-around. All I have to do is set aside some extra time during my regular trips to Target or Walmart. With three boys at home, I find myself shopping at these stores quite a bit. Although the pay is small, it really adds up. If you save up until the end of the year like I do, you’ll have a nice bit of money that you can use towards Christmas gifts!

Save Money on Christmas Gifts With SavingStar

save money on Christmas gifts with these appsSavingStar is a digital coupon app that pays users to shop at grocery stores and drugstores. One great thing about SavingStar is its versatility. More than 60,000 stores are part of SavingStar; they represent more than 100 retail chains. It’s generally free to use, but beware—if your account is inactive for 180 consecutive days, they will charge a fee of $3.99. If you use it as much as I do, then staying consistent won’t be a problem!

To take advantage of SavingStar, users either link their existing store loyalty cards to the app or submit receipts after they make purchases. Their savings add up until they can eventually cash out through PayPal, Upromise, or in the form of Starbucks, iTunes, or AMC Theater gift cards. This is one of those apps that you can use to literally save money while you’re already out shopping. Imagine being able to give someone a gift card that you practically earned for free!

Save Money on Christmas Gifts With Shopkick

Of all the apps that can be used to save money on Christmas gifts, my absolute favorite is called Shopkick. How it works is super simple, too. Basically, Shopkick gives you points for the things you do when you go out shopping anyway, things like walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. You can then redeem the points you earn for gift cards to many of your favorite stores. Once the gift cards start rolling in, you can use them to save money on Christmas gift purchases or to help your budget recover in other ways. It’s up to you!

That’s not even the best part, though. There are tons of ways 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!

It sounds a little corny to say, but with these apps, you can easily save enough money to make this Christmas that much merrier.

It sounds a little corny to say, but with these apps, you can easily save enough money to make this Christmas that much merrier. And, why not? Most of these apps work by giving you points and rewards for the shopping and other things you do already.

If you had to pick only one, however, I would definitely pick Shopkick. It’s efficient and fun to use. With Shopkick, you can rack up the savings at home, or you can turn your trips out to the store into a fun little scavenger hunt for points. It’s really up to you! I hope you’ve enjoyed this little gift of savings I’ve given you. Now go forth and reap the benefits!

Start working to save money on Christmas gifts with Shopkick now. Download Shopkick’s free app today and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the rewards of shopping with a free, smartphone app sidekick.

And, if you love social media as much as you love shopping, join Shopkick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a little daily shopping inspiration.

Image courtesy successo images

How to earn money for Christmas gifts with everyday shopping

Posted on by shopkick

As someone whose absolute favorite hobby is shopping, Christmas is a great time of year for me. I love the togetherness and the cheer that holiday shopping brings, but there’s also the sales. Oh, the sales. And, what better reason is there to shop than during the gift-giving season? If you’re a savvy shopper, you can get gifts for the entire family while also scoring all kinds of incredible deals on clothes, appliances, and anything else that interests you. However, making the most of holiday shopping isn’t entirely about sales.

Make no mistake, hunting down the best bargains and sales is a big part of being the best Christmas-time shopper that you can be, but there are also other ways to maximize value during the holidays as well. Over the years, I’ve found a number of great ways to use my regular everyday shopping to help fuel my savings during the holidays. Today, I’ll share with you how to earn money for Christmas gifts with everyday shopping tips.

With these tips, you’ll learn how to earn money for Christmas gifts without even going out of your way. In fact, the normal things you do when you go out shopping for groceries, shampoo, and clothes, for example, will be all that you need to maximize value, which for me is the surest way to also maximize holiday cheer!

How to Earn Money for Christmas Gifts: Shopper Loyalty Programs

If you’re looking into how to earn money for Christmas gifts with everyday shopping, one way is to use the incentive programs that many stores offer their loyal shoppers. These stores include WalMart, Target, Best Buy, Sephora, and Starbucks—and the exact details vary depending on the store, especially as it applies to the type of rewards you can earn. But, essentially, they work the same.

These programs give you rewards for shopping at the same store. The more you shop there, the more rewards you can potentially earn. The key is to make sure to get the most out of these types of programs by always remembering to use them when you’re at the store.

How to Earn Money for Christmas Gifts: Shopping Rewards Apps  

how to earn money for christmas gifts before you go shoppingUsing customer loyalty programs that give you rewards for shopping repeatedly at a single store isn’t the only way to earn money for Christmas gifts. In fact, there’s something called a shopping rewards app that you can use to incentivize your everyday shopping at a variety of stores. Depending on what app you choose, you can use these programs to potentially reap rewards for nearly every purchase you make.

How these apps work is pretty simple. Download the app, and then use it when you go shopping. There are a few different ways these apps can work. Some are what I call couponing apps, which work like old-school coupon clipping. Others give you points for the things you already do when you’re out shopping, things like walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. You can then redeem those points in the form of cash back rewards and even gift cards, both of which you can use to buy your family and friends Christmas gifts this year!

How to Earn Money for Christmas Gifts: Shopkick

I think the absolute key for how to earn money for Christmas gifts with everyday shopping is to find the right shopping rewards app, one you’ll actually want to use all the time so you don’t have to worry about being consistent. My personal favorite is this app called Shopkick. You get points for all those everyday shopping activities I described above. Shopkick turns what would otherwise be boring and routine trips to the store into a fun game; kind of like a scavenger hunt for savings and points.

Everyday shopping isn’t the only way that you can use Shopkick to earn points. There are ways to earn money you can use later to buy Christmas gifts without even leaving the house. In fact, there are tons of ways 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!

There are tons of ways Shopkickers can earn rewards right from the app—no need to go anywhere.

Sales are great, and half the fun of the holidays is hunting them down. But, even the best sale means you’ll have to spend some money. Let’s say you find 10 great sales – that’s still 10 purchases you’ll have to make. So, why not find ways to earn money while you’re at it?

Shopkick is my absolute favorite way to save during my everyday shopping throughout the year. I’m also such a dedicated Shopkicker that I’ve earned more than my fair share of rewards through the app and by shopping online as well. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the savings too. I mean, who wouldn’t? The best way to maximize your savings is to use Shopkick throughout the year so that when the holidays roll around, you’ll have tons of extra cash to fuel your purchases.

Ready to learn more about how to earn money for Christmas gifts this holiday season?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 MinDof

8 Ways to Save Money While Shopping With the Girls

Posted on by shopkick

8 Ways to Save Money While Shopping With the Girls

There are two different types of shopping trips in my experience: the type where you’re just out to have fun regardless of how much it costs and the type where you’re out to be efficient and get the best overall value for your money. In my many years of shopping, I can say I’ve done my fair share of both. In recent years, I’ve found new and improved ways to save money while shopping, and even better, I get to do it while I’m out shopping with the girls.

Specifically, I’ve found eight different ways to save money while shopping with the girls. These tips and tricks include everything from being deliberate about pre-shopping trip planning to taking advantage of technology and getting on board with a shopping rewards app.

Today, it’s my pleasure to share these tips and tricks with all of you. I’ve put them together over many years and many shopping trips to the mall, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, you name it! Here’s to hoping they will serve you as well as they continue to serve me!

Save Money While Shopping by Making a List

Before you go out shopping, I think a great way to limit your spending is to make a list and stick to it. That way, you don’t find yourself suddenly throwing all kinds of unnecessary items in your cart. If I’m out with my girls, I make a list of items I need so I don’t end up making a spur-of-the-moment purchase I may regret later. There are even some cool apps out there that have list-making functionalities that can help to keep me on track.

Save Money While Shopping for Groceries

If you’re anything like me, you spend most of your time making utilitarian shopping trips for things like household goods and groceries, and, let’s face it, those are the trips you almost always make alone. As social as I am—and trust me, I’m very social—I’ve just never found a good way to turn shopping for groceries into an activity that I can do with my girls. However, I have found a way to get paid for shopping for groceries, which gives me more of a budget to go shopping for more fun items with my girls. Thanks to shopping rewards apps, I get paid to do the “boring” shopping to have more money to spend during the fun shopping trips.

Save Money While Shopping by Getting Rewards for Coffee

Another change in my life as I’ve gotten just a little bit older is that coffee has become increasingly important. I used to only have it every once in a while, but now I just have so much to do. Sometimes I’ll brew it at home, but I have to admit I’m also a pretty shameless Starbucks coffee addict. With that in mind, a great way I’ve found to save money while shopping with the girls is to also find ways to save on my Starbucks habit.

The reasoning behind this is actually two-fold: saving on Starbucks lets me buy more coffee so I have more energy for shopping and saving, and more of my money is freed up in my budget. A great thing about Starbucks is they give their loyal customers plenty of great ways to earn Starbucks gift cards, ranging from the Starbucks Rewards Loyalty Program to the Starbucks Rewards Visa Card and partnerships with third-party shopping apps.

Save Money While Shopping by Knowing Your Limits

This is another tip that might seem a bit obvious, but in my experience it’s also one of those that’s easy to ignore or forget. Give yourself a spending limit before you even leave the house. One of the great joys of going shopping with my girls is being able to spend more time than usual browsing and also being able to give each other advice on what we should or shouldn’t purchase. If we’ve all set limits, we encourage each other to stay within that limit. We’re a crew who likes to leave the store with no regrets.

Save Money While Shopping by Watching Videos Before You Go

With apps that pay you to watch videos, you can use your smartphone to watch videos—most of which are ads—the app chooses for you. In exchange, you’ll be rewarded with a small payment. It might seem like just a little bit of money at first, but, trust me, over time it really starts to add up. The best part is using these apps doesn’t cut into your shopping time. I like to use them when I’m waiting in line, throughout the course of my day, while I’m eating my breakfast, or at night while I’m unwinding. There are tons of apps that pay you to watch videos, so don’t limit yourself to the first one you come across!

Save Money While Shopping by Using Coupon Apps

Do you remember when the best way to save money while you were out shopping was to clip paper coupons and bring them with you in your purse? With new technology, that system still exists, but it’s gotten a significant upgrade. Coupon apps are a great way to recreate the experience of using actual paper coupons. Sometimes this means using the apps to scan paper coupons and sometimes it means selecting from a list of electronic coupons that discount your items in the checkout line.

Save Money While Shopping by Using Loyal Shopper Programs

I don’t know about you, but when it comes to buying certain things—such as groceries, household goods, and coffee—I often find myself frequenting the same stores. The list of stores I’m likely to frequent include Starbucks, Target, Walmart, and Best Buy. You probably find yourself going to one or all of those stores on a regular basis, too.

Well, if that’s the case, did you know you could be getting rewards for being a loyal shopper? That’s right! All of the stores I named have apps and other programs designed to incentivize return visits, whether it’s the Walmart Savings Catcher App or the Starbucks Rewards Loyalty Program. That’s why my strong advice is to make sure you participate in some or all of these programs. They’ve been created to reward loyal shoppers like you!

Save Money While Shopping by Using Shopkick

Out of all the ways to save money while shopping with your girls on our list today, this one just so happens to be my favorite. It’s a shopping app called Shopkick and how it works is Shopkick rewards you with points for behaviors you do every time you go out shopping, whether it’s by yourself or with your girls. Shopkick rewards you for things like walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases.

And, I love Shopkick even more because it offers me more ways to earn points than by physically going into a store. There are actually tons of ways that Shopkickers can earn rewards right from the app; right from the comfort of your own home. 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! It’s a super versatile app, and I absolutely love it.

There you have it, eight great ways to save money while shopping with the girls. As I said above, these are all fantastic techniques to help stretch your budget while getting some shopping done and being social all at the same time. My favorite of the bunch, however, is easily Shopkick.

I just like the versatility of Shopkick, how I can earn points for things I do while I’m already out shopping, how I can also earn points within the app when I’m just relaxing at home, and how I can ultimately trade those points in for gift cards to my favorite stores. In fact, I like Shopkick so much I’ve got basically my entire shopping crew using it! We can all save more money and, ultimately, take more shopping trips together.

Start to take advantage of one of the best ways to save money while shopping with your girls. Download Shopkick’s free app today and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the rewards of shopping with a free, smartphone app sidekick.

And, if you love social media as much as you love your smartphone, join Shopkick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a little daily shopping inspiration.