Category: b2b

Inaugural 10.10 Shopping Festival to Deliver the Holidays to American Consumers

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Coresight Research partners with Shopkick’s Shopper Appreciation Weekend and Fashwire to launch new shopping holiday and get consumers acting early.

Coresight Research, the global research and advisory firm specializing in retail and technology, Shopkick, and Fashwire, an AI driven two-sided B2B and B2C global fashion marketplace, today announce the 10.10 Shopping Festival, a new shopping holiday to engage American consumers and revitalize retail.

As COVID-19 continues to upend all aspects of the retail environment, and the economic toll on consumers weighs on, this new annual festival is designed to increase revenue for merchants and reward shoppers with savings for crossing off their lists early, all while supporting the lifesaving mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®: Finding cures. Saving children.®

On 10.10 (Oct. 10), and throughout the Shopper Appreciation Weekend (Oct. 9 – 11), shoppers will earn major rewards in the form of ‘kicks’ (Shopkick’s rewards currency) for visiting and purchasing from participating retailers and brands, both online and offline.

Fashwire is extending a special offer for its 300+ brand partners to be part of the festival.

“Shopping festivals, like Alibaba’s Singles’ Day in China, are a huge trend that have since expanded globally,” said Deborah Weinswig, founder and CEO of Coresight Research. “Our research shows that most consumers plan to holiday shop earlier than ever this year, providing the perfect opportunity to launch the 10.10 Shopping Festival to support retailers in their efforts to keep up with demand now and through the entire holiday season.”

In the spirit of giving, Shopkick will match 5 percent of all “kicks” (reward points) earned throughout the weekend and donate the monetary value to St. Jude, a leading research hospital to help in the organization’s efforts to find treatments for patients with childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Shoppers can redeem their kicks for free gift cards to their favorite retailers, like Target, Walmart, Amazon and many more, for even bigger savings in time for the holidays. Additionally, beginning October 1, 2020 until October 12, 2020, Fashwire will donate $0.50 for every download of the app (App Store and Google Play) to St. Jude.

“We’re thrilled to thank our loyal users by offering big kicks throughout Shopper Appreciation Weekend, and to partner with Coresight Research to make the 10.10 Shopping Festival a reality for shoppers across the country,” said Dave Fisch, general manager of Shopkick. “By rewarding consumers throughout the entire online and in-store shopping experience, we hope to make it that much easier to check off all of their holiday needs, while also offering a chance to give back to a worthy cause.”

“The core DNA of the Fashwire platform is to create connectivity between consumers and retailers. The 10.10 Shopping Festival speaks to just that,” said Kimberly Carney, Fashwire Founder and CEO. “As founders we wanted to create something revolutionary, innovative and accessible for both our brands and the consumer while being philanthropic simultaneously. We have taken all of the current market passion points and aligned them with a modern virtual experience that will allow consumers to shop covetable season must-haves early while giving back.”

Looking ahead, Coresight Research envisions the 10.10 Shopping Festival becoming a major U.S. shopping event. The festival will include broad participation from leading omnichannel and direct-to-consumer retailers that will provide consumers with discounts of 25 percent or more off popular products. To participate in the 10.10 Shopping Festival, download Shopkick on your iPhone or Android.

For more information on the event, visit http://1010shoppingfestival.com

6 effective Cyber Monday tips for retailers

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6 effective Cyber Monday tips for retailers

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The holiday spirit remains strong year after year despite the global hardships experienced in 2020. During times of great stress and uncertainty, familiar traditions are a comforting refuge. Shopkick’s 2020 holiday shopping survey—conducted at a time when many states were shutting down for the second time to combat the surge in COVID-19 cases—reveals that American consumers plan to celebrate the holidays as usual with family gatherings and a busy shopping season. However, there are a few subtle changes that will inform retailers on how to proceed with their Cyber Monday campaigns.

  • The majority of consumers (54%) say that free shipping is the most important incentive this holiday season.
  • From last year, there is a 16% increase in consumers who plan to do their holiday shopping online.

Cyber Monday has usurped Black Friday as the most dominant online shopping holiday. Last year, Black Friday sales hit $7.43 billion in eCommerce revenue, up 19.5% from the previous year, but Cyber Monday hauled in $9.42 billion in sales. Most significantly, mobile transactions were up 46% year-over-year, accounting for a third of digital sales. Predictions for 2020 Cyber Monday spending estimate $10 billion in eCommerce, particularly as big box retailers announce store closures for the Thanksgiving holiday and consumers look to digital channels to fulfill their needs.

To maximize your revenue potential this year, Shopkick presents six key Cyber Monday tips for retailers to follow:

Start Early and Extend Offers.

The potential for supply chain disruptions and shipping delays is well-known to consumers by now, and they are planning their holiday shopping accordingly. 

Shopkick’s survey found 34% of shoppers plan to finish a majority of their holiday shopping before Thanksgiving. Another 27% plan to shop between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. 

Like years past, retailers like Walmart, Target, Kohl’s, Amazon, and Best Buy are planning to appeal to shoppers early and extend “Cyber Monday” deals through the week.

Fearing the shipping crunch, retailers are adjusting their plans accordingly to meet consumer demands:

  • Target, Best Buy, and Kohl’s will begin marketing holiday deals in October, before Halloween.
  • “Comfortable apparel” is leading the category list for the first time as more people adapt to working from home.
  • Same-day delivery using gig economy providers like Shipt, DoorDash, and Postmates will increase this year.
  • Many retailers are expected to shift online and close down physical stores for Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.
  • eCommerce is expected to reach a new high this year, totaling 15% of all U.S. sales in 2020.

Focus on Digital Efforts.

The notion of jamming into packed stores and fighting for the last big screen television set is less appealing in 2020 than in years past, with a new layer of concern regarding virus exposure added. 

Our survey found 67% of shoppers plan to make their holiday purchases online, up significantly from 51% last year. 

Amazon continues to lead the eCommerce pack this holiday season, with 65% of online shoppers saying they’ll make purchases through them. The remaining online shoppers surveyed said they’d choose big box retail sites, including Target.com and Walmart.com (18%), as well as department store sites like Macys.com and Kohls.com (6%). Consumers looking to shop with online-only retailers are also primarily looking to Amazon for their gifts (72%), but others are looking for unique gifts on Etsy (56%), eBay (43%), Wayfair (39%), and Overstock (32%).

To boost your digital efforts further, consider incorporating these three critical techniques into your 2020 holiday retail strategy: 

Offer BOPIS & Shipping Assurances

Low prices were the most important incentive for 2019 shoppers, but free shipping tops the chart for 54% of 2020 consumers. Only 24% of surveyed shoppers believe low prices are the most important consideration this year. 

To alleviate the stress of shopping in-store, many retailers will offer Buy Online Pickup In Store (BOPIS). Our survey found that 44% of consumers plan to take advantage of BOPIS for the holiday season. 

When implemented, you will find that this added convenience feature pays off. Last year, Cyber Monday conversion rates were 45% higher for merchants with BOPIS options than non-BOPIS retailers.

In addition to offering BOPIS, retailers should:

  • Boast on-time shipping guarantees. (if possible!)
  • Expand selection of items eligible for same-day shipping.
  • Offer free shipping for large orders.
  • Market “hassle-free” returns.

Invest in Paid Search and Local SEO

People will be shopping online this year, no doubt, but where are retailers’ dollars best spent? Advertising with Google and capturing organic search traffic will continue to be a priority. 

Omnichannel advertising will need to occur on all fronts to keep retailers top-of-mind. Last year, paid search accounted for 24.4% of all sales, followed by direct traffic (21.2%), natural search (18.8%), email (16.8%), and social (2.6%). 

To boost web presence:

  • Launch local offers at scale.
  • Use local inventory in messages.
  • Ensure search listing accuracy.
  • Update holiday store hours.
  • Manage Google reviews.
  • Focus on site speed and UX.
  • Recognize repeat visitors.
  • Offer personal recommendations.
  • Publish helpful, inspiring blog posts.
  • Assist with comparison shopping.
  • Provide inspiration via video and email.

Don’t Forget to Optimize for Mobile

Mobile plays a key role in the buyer’s journey: 54% of Cyber Monday web traffic and 33% of purchases derived from mobile devices in 2019.

This year, Shopkick found that 82% of in-store shoppers plan to use mobile devices to research their holiday purchases, compare prices, and read reviews. 

Shoppers on-the-go are often using their mobile devices for more information on whichever retail location they’re visiting. Google has noted 3x the engagement from shoppers interacting with mobile ads. Furthermore, 88% of local business searches on mobile result in a phone call or visit to the physical store within 24 hours.

Retailers can optimize for mobile by:

  • Speeding up pages.
  • Reducing checkout steps.
  • Delivering personal texts.
  • Targeting precise segments.
  • Automating activity-triggered texts.
  • Using apps to expand their audience.
  • Encouraging UPC scanning.
  • Automating customer service.

Gain Exposure With a Partnership.

Shoppers are becoming increasingly savvy to shopping rewards apps, which serve as a new form of currency. Consumers can earn rewards this holiday season whether they’re shopping at-home or online through the Shopkick mobile app. 

“Kicks” (Shopkick’s rewards points) are a form of virtual currency that can be redeemed for gift cards of the recipient’s choosing. Earning kicks is easy, as Shopkick offers a number of ways to do so. While scanning a purchase receipt offers the highest reward, Shopkick also offers shoppers rewards for actions that aren’t tied to purchasing, building long-term loyalty rather than one-off sales for our brand and retail partners.

Shoppers are rewarded for watching branded videos, flipping through curated lookbooks, scanning the barcodes of select merchandise in-store, and making purchases with a linked card either in-store or online. Whether shopping from home or at a physical location, Shopkick always provides opportunities for users to earn kicks all along the path to purchase. 

At some stores, shoppers can even earn kicks simply by walking in the door, driving foot traffic and giving participating retailers a competitive edge over other local businesses not offering kicks. 

In other words—when using Shopkick’s unique platform—holiday shoppers are rewarded for activities they would normally do, giving users an extra incentive to choose Shopkick’s partnering retailers and brands over others.

Omnichannel Capabilities: The Overarching Theme in Our Cyber Monday Tips for Retailers

The year’s most important retail season is right around the corner. COVID-19 crisis or not, shoppers have many of the same desires and needs. Holiday gatherings may not be as big and the purchases may skew toward practical clothing rather than expensive electronics this year, but prepared retailers have every opportunity to recoup some of their 2020 losses through a bustling (and extended) holiday season that kicks off with Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The 2020 holiday shopping season will be less about bustling in-store events, free samples, and decorated window displays, and more about paid search ads, mobile optimization, and new partnerships. Retailers should begin ramping up their omnichannel capabilities now to ensure success through the end of the year and into 2021.

A partnership with Shopkick this holiday season will provide you with the opportunity to engage with a  large audience of loyal shoppers in a number of fun, unique ways. Our retail partners use the Shopkick mobile app to drive sales, increase foot traffic, and bridge the gap between online and offline channels. To learn more about our effective Cyber Monday tips for retailers and how you can implement them this holiday season, contact us today!

Halloween Lives On: Americans Hit the Stores this Spooky Season

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Shopkick survey finds big box will win shoppers’ dollars; majority of parents will allow their children to trick-or-treat this year

Whether it be decorating the house, carving pumpkins, watching seasonal favorites, or handing out candy to trick-or-treaters, plans for this year’s Halloween festivities appear spookily similar to years’ past, despite the pandemic. Turns out, most consumers (84 percent) will shop in-store to purchase costumes, candy and decor. Even more surprisingly, 55 percent of parents said they will allow their children to go trick-or-treating this year. 

Shopkick surveyed more than 13,000 people to see how they plan to participate in this Hallows’ Eve.

Halloween Headlines:

  • Tricky Treating:
  • Although CDC advises against it this year, 55 percent of parents say they will allow their children to go trick-or-treating. Of all parents, millennials are most likely to allow trick-or-treating (65 percent), compared to Gen Z parents (51 percent) and Gen X parents (51 percent). Additionally, parents from states with some of the highest COVID-19 infection rates, like Florida (50 percent), Texas (49 percent) and California (33 percent), are less likely than parents from states with some of the lowest rates, like Colorado (67 percent) and New Jersey (59 percent), to allow their children to go trick-or-treating this year.
  • In-Store Wins Halloween: This year consumers plan to shop in-store for their Halloween goodies. More consumers will head to big box stores for purchasing candy (49 percent), costumes (48 percent) and decorations (43 percent). 
  • Costume Craze: Of the 46 percent that plan on purchasing costumes either for themselves or their children this year, 73 percent will buy them in-store at big-box retailers (48 percent), a Spirit Halloween store (32 percent), or a party store (9 percent). The majority of shoppers purchasing their costumes online will do so on Amazon (57 percent). Nearly twenty percent of parents will not buy new costumes for their kids, instead opting to re-wear something they already have.
  • Spooky Spending: Despite the pandemic, the majority of those surveyed (56 percent) will spend the same amount of money celebrating Halloween as they have in the past. When it comes to candy, 47 percent plan to spend up to $20 and 40 percent plan to spend between $21 and $40. Just 10 percent plan to spend between $41 and $60. For costume-wearers, 44 percent will spend between $21 and $40 on their look, followed by 23 percent who plan to spend between $41 and 60, 18 percent who plan to spend $20 or less, and 15 percent who will spend over $61.
  • Candy Cravings: When asked what kind of candy consumers will purchase, most say anything with chocolate (88 percent). The second most popular candy is chewy/fruity (42 percent), followed by caramel (40 percent), lollipops (37 percent), sour gummies (36 percent), candy corn (28 percent), taffy (25 percent) nut-filled (20 percent) and gum/mints (12 percent). Most shoppers will purchase fun-size variety bags (83 percent) rather than full-size candy bars (23 percent).   
  • Chocolate over Carrots: Although sweets and treats are viewed most favorable on Halloween (71 percent), 29 percent of consumers say they will opt for healthy alternatives like carrot snack bags, toothbrushes, or trail mix. 
  • The Sooner the Sweeter: The vast majority (93 percent) of consumers purchasing candy will do so in-store, most popularly at big-box stores (49 percent) or grocery stores (29 percent). Of those, 55 percent plan to make their candy purchases in early October, followed by 26 percent the week before Halloween and 3 percent the day of. 
  • Pumpkin is King: When it comes to spooky decor, the majority of shoppers (85 percent) say pumpkins are the most essential, followed by Halloween lights (60 percent), Jack-o’-lanterns (57 percent), spiders and spider webs (52 percent), skeletons (45 percent), tombstones (27 percent), animatronics (12 percent), and, lastly, fog machines (10 percent).
  • Halloween at Home: When asked how they plan to celebrate Halloween at home this year, the majority of consumers plan to participate in all the usual ways. The most popular activities include decorating the house (39 percent), carving pumpkins (31 percent), having a Halloween movie marathon (27 percent), and staying home and giving out candy to trick-or-treaters (26 percent). 

 

To learn more about how Shopkick can help you drive sales this Halloween, send us a note partners@shopkick.com. 

Shopkick conducted a survey of 13,852 consumers across the country to gain insights into their Halloween plans. The survey was conducted online from September 9 – 14, 2020.

 

3 proven retail marketing campaign ideas that are exceptionally effective

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3 proven retail marketing campaign ideas that are exceptionally effective

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Marketing departments are always seeking out the most effective uses of their budgets. The overwhelming list of different strategies and tactics can leave creative teams befuddled as to where their dollars are best spent. How do you decide which ones to proceed with? 

Modeling your campaigns off of proven retail marketing campaign ideas is a great jumping off point for businesses looking for immediate success. Three standout methods have consistently yielded excellent results for retailers and retail brands in the past, and continue to remain popular in 2020: tiered loyalty programs, mobile marketing campaigns, and experiential events. Read on to discover how popular brands benefitted from the effectiveness of these strategies in the forms of brand awareness, sales, consumer loyalty, and return on investment (ROI). 

Tiered Loyalty Programs

A tiered loyalty program is a type of membership that rewards customers with special perks and benefits, depending on their ranking within the system’s predetermined tiers. Shoppers typically reach different tier levels when they reach a certain spending threshold, but programs also exist where shoppers can pay for “VIP” status.

Nordstrom is a popular U.S. retailer who has steadily wooed crowds with their impressive loyalty program. A basic “Member” of the Nordy Club receives 1 point for every dollar spent, free basic alterations, curbside pickup, and “first-to-shop” new styles. As they move to higher levels like “Insider” and “Influencer,” they receive added perks like 2-3 points per dollar spent, personal double-points days, credit for alterations, and in-store points on dining, entertainment, and travel purchases. At the highest “Ambassador” level, members have access to invite-only events and a personal at-home stylist.  

Over the past 5 years, the program has grown 20% to include over 10 million active members. Nordy Club shoppers spend an average of 4x more and shop 3x as often as non-members.

The key to a successful loyalty program exists not in a continuous stream of discount offers, but in the cultivation of long-term engagement and satisfaction. Today’s consumers want to feel attended to and cared for by the brands and retailers they support. In return, they are willing to spend more. Consider this: customers with an emotional connection to a brand have a 306% higher lifetime value than those without! Loyalty programs are nothing new, but tiered rewards provide a more engaging, gamified experience. 

When designing a tiered loyalty program, consider how you can meet the “hierarchy of [consumer] needs”:

  • Physiological needs—Provide basic, easy, no-fuss benefits through a program with a “ladder” to climb.
  • Safety needs—Guarantee privacy and data safety; allow for opt-in correspondence, customization, and opt-outs. 
  • Social needs—Fulfill a social need via recognition with special offers unavailable to basic members.
  • Esteem needs—Provide insider status to special sales events, new product launches, and exclusive services.
  • Self-actualization needs—Deliver a truly customized program with individualized services and one-on-one attention.

Once the tiers are created, brands should strive to create a feeling of exclusivity with each new tier by offering benefits that differentiate their shoppers from shoppers at other stores. Many loyalty programs offer a basic “free” level, but upcharge for premium benefits at higher levels. Gamification strategies can work in tandem with a tiered loyalty program to solidify shopper engagement, while segmenting audiences delivers a more personalized level of service.  

Mobile-Based Campaigns

The lines between online and offline shopping are often blurred, as shoppers use mobile devices in stores to find deals, compare products, and overcome obstacles on the path to purchase.

Mobile app marketing is an increasingly popular way to inspire consumers digitally during the pre-trip planning phase and offer helpful, informative content in-store to encourage purchases. Through the use of videos, lookbook ads, recipes, QR codes, and point-based reward systems, brands are able to provide shoppers with the positive experience they desire.

Shopkick is a popular mobile rewards shopping app that brands and retailers can partner with to reach new audiences and cultivate long-term loyalty. Customers receive reward points (“kicks”) for engaging with in-app content, making online purchases through the app, or using the app in-store to perform a variety of unique small actions like visiting a retailer or scanning a product barcode, which they can then use toward gift cards of their choosing for a truly personalized experience.

The following case studies show just how powerful a mobile retail marketing campaign with Shopkick can be in achieving key marketing objectives:

Purina

Purina’s mobile campaign was designed to drive trial and consideration at Target stores during the busy holiday season. They leveraged proximity marketing to motivate shoppers upon entering the store and digital content to engage with them.

The results of the campaign were: 

  • 36% increased brand awareness
  • 47% of shoppers cited future intent to buy
  • 85% incremental sale increase
  • 4:1 campaign ROI 

Kellogg’s

To promote the launch of their new Bakery Delight Crumb Cakes, Kellogg’s ran a mobile campaign that rewarded users with kicks for engaging with branded lookbook content, for scanning the product barcode at-shelf, and for purchasing and uploading their receipt, ultimately earning shoppers a free gift card. 

App marketing results included: 

  • 35% conversion rate
  • 47% of shoppers were first-time buyers
  • 55% lift in future purchase intent
  • 5:1 campaign ROI

Claritin

During allergy season, Claritin sought the use of an effective mobile campaign to differentiate themselves from competitors, drive awareness, and increase sales at Walmart stores. They rewarded shoppers for scanning promoted products in-store.

The mobile campaign resulted in great success:

  • 28 million+ campaign impressions
  • 59% increase of incremental sales
  • 4:1 campaign ROI

Experiential Retail

“Experiential retail” refers to any in-store shopping experience that goes above and beyond the traditional layout. Amenities may include food, live music, unique architecture, art, video displays,  cross-promotions, virtual reality, live demos, and more.

Anthropologie, a popular retailer,  proved just how valuable this strategy can be (when executed and measured properly). In 2019, they recruited local artists to design in-store sculptures and created themed pop-up shops. The events generated astounding results—they attracted over 6,300 attendee check-ins and resulted in more than 3,000 customers added to Anthropologie’s database and loyalty program.   

Today, stores nationwide host everything from workshops, influencer events, and fashion shows, to birthday parties, dinners, and daylong retreats.

It’s all too easy to purchase with the click of a button, but in-store shopping is preferred by 82% of Boomers, 49% of Millennials, and 81% of Gen Z. Roughly 75% of shoppers say they “appreciate a well-curated store experience focused on a limited number of products,” and 73% of those surveyed say they use physical stores for product discovery. 

The trend is likely to continue so long as retailers continue to meet the demands of modern consumers with engaging, visually appealing stores that are whimsical, fun, educational, efficient, and share-worthy on social media. Today’s shoppers desire more than commodities; they want experiences, status, and memories.

For retailers, experiential marketing is not so much about the immediate sales bump—though some growth can be expected. Forrester and Adobe assert that “experience-driven” brands grow 19% per year, compared to 13% for ordinary brands. 

The true value of experiential retail resides in providing consumers with feel-good moments, who reward the retailers with their enthusiastic loyalty in return. The same report found that experiential retailers have nearly twice as many repeat buyers than their less-immersive competitors. 

The Bottom Line on Effective Retail Marketing Campaign Ideas

Whether it’s through a tiered loyalty program, mobile marketing, or experiential retail, successful retail marketing campaign ideas can generate an incredible ROI and inject life into retailers in the forms of consumer enthusiasm and immediate sales. Long-term strategic partnerships are especially effective in helping brands deliver greater value, edge out competitors, and solidify their positioning as an industry leader. A short-term retail marketing campaign is a savvy way to test out the waters before making a more substantial, long-term investment.

Shopkick offers a wealth of tools to execute a number of effective retail marketing campaign ideas that can yield the results you want. Read a few more success stories, learn about becoming a partner, or contact us to get started on your first mobile rewards campaign.

Discover the 3 benefits of mobile marketing in retail

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Discover the 3 benefits of mobile marketing in retail

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Retailers have countless tools at their disposal and numerous opportunities to get their names in front of consumers, ultimately to drive brand loyalty and affinity. However, with finite dollars in any advertising budget, it is important to allocate your money to the most strategic, effective mediums. A rapidly growing channel that retailers should consider is mobile marketing. The benefits of mobile marketing in retail are too effective to ignore, and retailers are taking notice. Researchers estimate that the global mobile marketing market size will grow 18.9% per year, from $10.5 billion in 2019 to $25 billion in 2024.When compared to traditional marketing channels like TV, print, and radio, mobile tends to more effectively capture the attention of consumers. Why? Because mobile is where most consumers are spending their time. The average person spends the equivalent of 100 days per year online (no matter the device). The average 3 hours and 43 minutes that consumers spend on mobile per day now exceeds the 3 hours and 35 minutes spent watching TV.

When compared to digital marketing channels like social or email, mobile is often the first point of contact—in fact, 65% of all emails are opened on a mobile device and about one-third of all purchases are made on a smartphone. Nearly 80% of shoppers go to a physical retail location to buy the items they want or need now, but they use mobile devices for guidance on where to go, and what to buy.

Retailers who focus on mobile marketing have three main advantages over competitors—the ability to attract shoppers based on location, circumvent loyalty fatigue, and tie online and offline loyalty programs together in a simplified way.

Utilize Location-Based Notifications

Location-based mobile marketing targets shoppers based on their location. There are many ways to effectively implement location marketing:

  • Automated marketing messages can be triggered based on a person’s proximity to a beacon or geofence.
  • GPS data can lead a shopper to the nearest local store selling what they need.
  • Geo conquesting allows you to target your competitors’ market with attractive localized offers.
  • Apps with stored location data can be used to suggest stores and specific products tailored to the individual.

Although audiences have to opt-in to this form of marketing, they generally do so because they find it very insightful.

Why do retailers love location-based marketing?

  • 83% of marketers say they can run more successful campaigns when location data is taken into account.
  • 84% of marketers use location data in their marketing and ad campaigns, and 94% plan to use it in the future.
  • 94% of Millennials own a cell phone that they use frequently throughout the day (often to plan shopping trips).
  • 9 in 10 marketers say location-based advertising has increased their sales.
  • Targeting is the primary use of location data, but 52% use it for engagement, campaign strategy, and personalization.
  • Researchers found location marketing to be 20x more effective than displaying generic ads.
  • Mobile is the primary vehicle for geolocation, preferred by 81% of marketers.

Reduce Loyalty Fatigue

What was once viewed as a benefit years ago has become so common that the incentive has lost some of its power.

The average person belongs to 14 loyalty programs, but only actively participates in 6.

Early loyalty programs were fraught with problems—strict participation requirements, confusing reward structures, and poor redemption communications, to name a few.

One solution to the problem is to partner with a mobile loyalty program that works across a number of retail chains, like Shopkick. With this type of platform, shoppers grow familiar and comfortable with the user interface, build up points (“kicks”) quicker, and consolidate space on their phones with one streamlined app.

Retailers can tap into a wider prospective customer base using Shopkick, in addition to retaining and strengthening loyalty amongst existing shoppers.

Three Qualities of a Top-Performing Loyalty App

Encourages user interaction

Shoppers are looking for a user-friendly experience.

To create an effective shopping app in-house requires time, money, and numerous resources. A retailer would have to do the following

  • Conduct research
  • Identify needs
  • Choose essential features
  • Streamline login and checkout
  • Enable search filters and indexing
  • Guarantee payment security
  • Utilize high-quality images and graphics
  • Create a dynamic interface that works on mobile devices of all sizes
  • Highlight product information
  • Speed up loading times
  • Employ expert customer service
  • Promote the app across channels

Rather than reinventing the wheel, retailers can partner with an existing app that consumers already know, love, and use on a regular basis, saving them valuable time, money, and resources.

Reduces smartphone clutter

The average smartphone user has 60 to 90 apps downloaded, but 96% of time is spent in the user’s “Top 10” apps.

In fact, two-thirds of apps are used once after download and then never again!

Given these statistics, retailers may want to think twice about developing their own store loyalty apps.

Even those with their own apps already may be looking for re-engagement strategies to increase loyalty.

In addition to apps for social media and email, the most-used apps are for video viewing, web browsing, location mapping, and shopping. Partnering with a shopping app can greatly extend one’s reach.

Narrows consumer choice

Consumers know how much they’re worth to retailers. Given the stakes, why shouldn’t they expect a bit of appreciation in exchange for their attention and purchases?

Even before the global pandemic, decision fatigue was an unfortunate byproduct of America’s highly cognitive, distractive, “plugged-in” way of life.

Decision-making fatigue can make even the simplest of choices—like what brand of pasta sauce to buy for dinner—completely overwhelming. Increasingly, consumers are welcoming tools to simplify their options and effectively make the choice for them.

By using a mobile shopping app, consumers can effectively narrow down their choices to pick among retailers offering rewards for their loyalty.

Offer an Omnichannel Loyalty Experience

Offer an Omnichannel Loyalty Experience
Shopkick offers shoppers the opportunity to interact with brands and retailers, and earn rewards points called “kicks” throughout the entire shopping journey, whether at-home or in-store.

Shopkickers can discover new brands or products while browsing on their mobile devices through the Shopkick app. They can choose to either shop at a brick-and-mortar location, or they can make a purchase in just a few clicks. Users are rewarded with kicks no matter where or when they decide to shop.

There is no need to enter a special code or physically carry a reward card around. All shoppers need is their mobile device, which 80% of consumers already use for making online purchases or browsing in-store.

The advantages of mobile marketing in retail are still developing, but the current collection of benefits are enough for retailers to consider strategy implementation. Evolving capabilities include mobile pre-order and pickup, contactless checkout, augmented reality, robotic shopping assistance, facial recognition, and smart mirrors.

Additionally, customers are increasingly scanning items with their mobile devices at the point-of-purchase to discover more about the products before buying. Heading into 2021, shoppers will continue to choose retailers who augment the shopping experience with mobile technology.

Shopkick is an innovative mobile rewards app that utilizes an omnichannel approach to retail marketing. contacting us to discover how Shopkick harnesses the benefits of mobile marketing in retail to help its partnering retailers and brands acquire greater market share.

‘Tis the Season: Consumers Will Turn Online to Holiday Shop During the Pandemic

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Shopkick survey finds majority of holiday shoppers will make more online purchases than usual, but many plan to host normal holiday gatherings.

While 2020 has been a year full of change, one familiar feeling is setting in — the holiday season will be here before we know it. With states shutting down for a second time due to an uptick in COVID cases, more consumers plan to shop online (a 16 percent increase compared to last year), but nearly half (45 percent) expect to host the same amount of friends and family at this year’s holiday gatherings.

Shopkick surveyed nearly 17,000 American consumers to gain insight on when, where and how they will be shopping this holiday season. The survey uncovered how much shoppers plan to spend, and how they think the current health and economic crises will impact their behaviors.

Key findings include:

● Online Occasion: While online shopping is beloved by many year-round, it will be especially useful this holiday during the pandemic. The majority of shoppers (67 percent this year vs. 51 percent in 2019) expect to make their holiday purchases online to avoid crowds and exposure. Of those shopping online, 65 percent plan to purchase gifts via Amazon, followed by big box retail sites like Target.com and Walmart.com (18 percent), and department store sites like Macys.com and Kohls.com (six percent).

● Amazon and Etsy and eBay, oh my: For those planning to shop at online-only retailers, 72 percent plan to find gifts on Amazon, followed by Etsy (56 percent), eBay (43 percent), Wayfair (39 percent), and Overstock (32 percent).

● Spend Trend: Sixty-three percent expect to spend a similar amount of money as last year on their holiday shopping (ranging from $301 to $600), however, 23 percent expect to spend less than last year. Meanwhile, 14 percent expect to spend more.

● Add Free Shipping to the List: Last year, low prices were the most important incentive for shoppers, but with more shopping online this year, the majority of consumers (54 percent) are most incentivized by free shipping. Just 24 percent believe low prices are most important.

● BOPIS with a Bow: With the help of “buy online, pick up in-store” (BOPIS), making holiday purchases is more convenient than ever. Just 17 percent of consumers say they will not be taking advantage of BOPIS this year, compared to nearly half (44 percent) who say they will.

● More Clothes, Fewer Toys: This year, 25 percent of gift-givers plan to spend most of their budget on apparel, beating out last year’s top category – electronics. Following closely behind, 21 percent plan to spend most of their budget on electronics, toys and video games.

● Early Bird Gets the Gift: Shoppers are still itching to cross off their holiday lists early this year. With nearly identical results to 2019, 34 percent plan to get their shopping done before Thanksgiving, 27 percent plan to shop between Black Friday and Cyber Monday and 17 percent expect to shop on Black Friday.

● Gifts and Gatherings: Considering the surge in COVID-19 cases, it is no surprise that nearly 50 percent of Americans plan to host fewer friends and family at this year’s holiday gatherings. However, 45 percent of Americans expect to host the same number of people, with five percent even planning for larger holiday celebrations.

“As the most important season for retail quickly approaches, there is rising concern about the impact the COVID-19 crisis could have on consumer shopping behaviors,” said Dave Fisch, general manager of Shopkick. “Our data shows that holiday shoppers are already preparing for the season in new ways. With less of a focus on the experiential holiday activations that have dominated years past, brands and retailers must step up their omnichannel and e-commerce capabilities to be successful through the end of the year and beyond.”

To learn more about how Shopkick can help you reach consumers wherever and whenever they’re shopping this holiday season, get in touch at partners@shopkick.com

This survey was conducted between June 25 and July 1, 2020.