Category: Technology

Boost Brand Loyalty with AI Merchandising: An Insight into 2024 Trends

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Calling all retailers and CPG brands! Are you prepared for a revolutionary shift in retail? The industry is constantly evolving, and in order to stay ahead of the game, CPGs need to invest in the right tools and use AI algorithms to make data-driven decisions for your brand. With the rise of e-commerce and the growing importance of customer loyalty, it’s crucial to have AI enhanced merchandising strategies in place. And with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI), retailers can improve the shopping experience in both physical and digital spaces. In today’s fast-paced and competitive market, AI merchandising is no longer a luxury, but a necessity.

The Power of AI in Retail Transformation

Embark on a transformative journey with AI, the linchpin of retail innovation, where it morphs from a buzzword to the core of consumer journeys. This revolution goes beyond data sets and analytics for forecasting and optimization, but instead lays the groundwork for hyper-personalized marketing strategies that ensure impactful new product placements and promotions. AI’s magic unfolds in offering targeted suggestions akin to a trusted friend’s guidance, a feature Shopkick harnesses to reward users for interactions and purchases. This AI-driven personalization anticipates and satisfies consumer desires, propelling the customer experience into a realm of anticipatory engagement and nurturing unshakable brand loyalty.

Spotlight on Success: Nike and Sephora’s AI Triumphs

In the arena of AI innovation and customer data, Nike and Sephora stand as titans, showcasing how technology can transform the consumer journey into something extraordinary. Sephora, a beauty behemoth, leverages AI and customer preferences to deliver a personalized shopping odyssey. With its app acting as a digital makeup artist that doesn’t require you to be in-store, Sephora offers customized product suggestions, making each user’s experience deeply personal and highly engaging. This technological embrace extends beyond convenience, inviting users to dive into a world of beauty exploration, where their shared experiences amplify brand loyalty and create a vibrant, community-driven narrative.

Meanwhile, Nike is breaking records with its AI-driven approach to product design and customer service. By utilizing AI to generate unique designs, Nike taps into the pulse of consumer demand for distinctiveness and self-expression. Their application of AI in predicting the perfect shoe fit eliminates the uncertainties of online shopping, ensuring every purchase feels tailor-made. This precision not only enhances the shopping and user experience but also fortifies customer trust and satisfaction.

Together, Nike and Sephora illuminate the path forward, demonstrating that AI, when applied with insight and ingenuity, crafts experiences that resonate on a personal level, with customer engagement that sets the stage for a future where brand engagement is not just observed but passionately felt.

Overcoming Consumer Skepticism: The Role of Transparency and Trust

Navigating the maze of consumer skepticism is a challenge that demands unwavering commitment to transparency and trust. With 76% of consumers wary of AI’s potential for misinformation and 38% feeling uneasy about new tech in their grocery aisles, the call to action for brands is clear: step up and reassure your audience. This isn’t about merely disclosing how AI tools are applied in the shopping experience; it’s about championing ethical technology use, fiercely guarding consumer privacy, and standing as a beacon of data security. To quell the fears and anxieties swirling around AI, brands must embark on a mission of enlightenment, shedding light on the mechanisms of AI with an honesty that resonates and reassures. The path forward involves not just using AI responsibly, but communicating its benefits and safeguards with a clarity that cuts through the noise, demonstrating a steadfast dedication to consumer well-being. This commitment to ethical AI use is the linchpin in cultivating a landscape where trust flourishes and brand loyalty thrives in the rich soil of transparency.

AI-Enhanced Merchandising Strategies That Connect

Embrace the cutting-edge revolution of AI-enhanced merchandising strategies to forge unbreakable bonds with your consumers. This isn’t about simply meeting expectations; it’s about exceeding them, creating an environment where personalized experiences become the cornerstone of every interaction. Imagine leveraging AI to offer not just any product recommendation, but the perfect suggestion that resonates with each individual’s unique tastes and needs. Picture AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants transforming customer service from a routine task into a delightful journey of discovery and support. These strategies are about crafting an unparalleled shopping adventure that makes consumers feel recognized, valued, and understood on a profound level. Implementing such AI-driven tactics propels your brand into a realm of unmatched engagement and loyalty, where every marketing effort is not just seen but felt deeply by your audience. This is the era of personalized merchandising, where AI is your ally in delivering not just products, pricing strategies or inventory management, but experiences that captivate and enchant, paving the way for a future where brand connections are not just formed—they’re fortified.

However, as consumers face an influx of generative AI content, there lies a crucial need to reassure them about the safety and security of these advancements throughout their decision making process. Winning customer trust involves convincingly demonstrating that AI tools are not just about automation and deals but are firmly anchored in stringent data protection measures.

The Future is Now: Embracing AI for Retail Success

For brands to thrive, adopting AI-enhanced merchandising strategies is not just advantageous—it’s imperative. Enter Shopkick, pioneering the way by utilizing AI to make each shopping journey not only seamless but deeply personalized throughout their customer journey. This goes beyond mere convenience, as Shopkick leverages consumer data with transparency, ensuring a shopping experience that is both intuitive and enriching. By engaging customers through AI-powered navigation aids and personalized recommendations, Shopkick is setting a benchmark for how brands can foster customer satisfaction, loyalty and trust. It’s a testament to how the strategic application of AI can safeguard consumer data and metrics, while simultaneously amplifying the shopping experience. In an era where operational efficiency and consumer engagement are paramount, tools like Shopkick are not just beneficial; they are essential. As we step into this new dawn of retail, embracing AI with a focus on ethical use and consumer benefits isn’t just the smart choice—it’s the only way forward for brands aiming for sustained success and relevance.

Want to uncover other trends reshaping the retail landscape? Check out the full 2024 Trends report for actionable insights.

The 5 Biggest Shopping Trends For 2022

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Based on the past almost two years of living through the peak and valleys of COVID, retailers have upped their game in terms of the shopper journey. Here are the top five trends that customers can expect when shopping in the new year:

Trend 1: Physical stores remain a critical force for retail shopping

While online commerce will exceed $1 trillion in 2021, the brick and mortar stores will still be very relevant for shopping with 84% of sales coming from physical stores. The stores will become more experiential and will incorporate more technology within the shopping journey. QR codes will be used for product descriptions and information, finding stock or demonstrating product usage. Mobile phones will integrate with in-store shopping for price and stock checking, as well as for checking out seamlessly. Social interaction and shopping, one of Americans’ greatest pastimes, will be even more important as the country rises out of the pandemic next year and consumers will look for more opportunities to cultivate a sense of normalcy.

While online sales exceed $1 trillion in 2022, the brick and mortar stores will still be very relevant for shopping with 84% of sales coming from physical stores.

Trend 2: Bridging the gap between online shopping and in-store experiences

Better experiences between shopping online and visiting stores will be evident as retailers have worked hard over the past two years to build up these capabilities. Shoppers have witnessed this build-up over the past year in a major way with the curbside pickup, buy-online-pick up in store and direct shipping from vendors when stock is not available in stores. Retailers will continue to work on these types of strategies.

Trend 3: Shopping goes viral on social media

The hashtag tiktokmademebuyit, which has over three billion views, has given rise to social commerce. Andrew Lipsman eMarketer principal analyst of Insider Intelligence, in a recent webinar on Retail Trends 2022, predicts that viral commerce is a key growth area. Lipsmans discussed the $45 billion social commerce business which essentially is shopping through social media. Users can expect to see more offers, a broader range of products being offered through social media and an increase in special collaborations between brands, retailers and influencers. A recent trend on TikTok users posting their latest purchases with the hashtag tiktokmademebuyit which has over three billion views. Retailers, like Amazon, are curating online assortments that come from TikTok best sellers.

Trend 4: Near real-time delivery continues as shopper demand rises for these services

A rise in third-party delivery intermediaries has been seen across all sectors of retailing. Shoppers will see more and more retailers offering same day delivery with many retailers offering services within a two-hour window. Shipt, which is widely used by and owned by Target, has continued to grow in terms of number of product offerings and in terms of number of retail partners. Instacart does over $1.6 billion per year and plans to go public in the near future. Another aspect that facilitates this type of shopping is the growing usage of micro-fulfillment centers which are mini-distribution centers in local areas near where customers live. Retailers are using these centers to help with delivering products to the customer homes. Many retailers are offering areas in the mini-distribution centers where customers can pick up their orders. In some cases, individual stores have become fulfillment centers with pickers scouring the aisles for consumer orders.
A significant technology transforming micro-fulfillment is automation. Walmart, for example, is using automated bots to retrieve goods for online orders in the smaller fulfillment centers. The last area in delivery that shoppers may expect to see is more widely used is driverless trucks to transport products to customer homes.

Trend 5: Curtailed and more curated assortments

Supply chain disruptions abound throughout the last year and a half. This year has been particularly troublesome for many retailers and brands across a wide variety to product categories. As a result, many retailers have significantly reduced the assortment of products within categories. Shoppers can expect to find less choices in terms of style, color, or features. The U.S. market has historically been overstored and over assorted with product choices, especially in the fashion goods category including clothes, accessories and shoes. Less choice and better curated assortments should translate to a positive shopping experience for customers. As we reflect back on the shopping experiences from the past year, it can be said that the overall experience and convenience of shopping has greatly improved. This overall trend will continue well into 2022.

This article was written by Shelley E. Kohan from Forbes and was legally licensed through the Industry Dive publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@industrydive.com.

Omicron Impact: Consumers Experiencing a Shortage of Retail Workers and Increased Wait Times at Checkout

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Shopkick survey finds 73 percent of consumers are vaccinated but still expect retailers to enforce safety precautions as Omicron cases continue to rise

Although it is officially 2022, it may feel like years past as the Omicron variant continues to sweep the nation, forcing Americans to face another year of the pandemic. The impact is real, as the majority of consumers (73 percent) say they have noticed a shortage of retail workers while shopping in-person, as well as an increase in wait times while checking out (71 percent) and less available essential items (52 percent).Shopkick, a leading shopping rewards app, surveyed nearly 8,500 consumers across the country to gain an understanding of how the Omicron variant is impacting their shopping habits and behavior. The online survey was conducted between January 6 – 13, 2022.

Key Insights Include:

  • Consumers and Vaccines: It has been a year since vaccinations rolled out across the United States and the majority of consumers (73 percent) have chosen to get fully vaccinated, with 47 percent having also been boosted. When asked why they decided to get vaccinated, the majority said to protect themselves (85 percent) and protect others around them (81 percent). Comparatively, 20 percent say they are not vaccinated and do not plan to be.
  • Omicron Fallout: Due to COVID-19 cases rising, the majority of consumers have noticed a shortage of retail workers while shopping in-person and an increase in wait times while checking out (73 percent and 71 percent respectively). Additionally, nearly half of consumers (47 percent) have experienced a shortage of at-home COVID test kits at their local pharmacy and grocery stores.
  • Still In-Store and Gathering Indoors: Despite the spike in Omicron cases, the majority of shoppers (59 percent) are taking the same number of trips to the store as they were a month ago and over half (53 percent) are still comfortable participating in public indoor activities.
  • Shopper Safety Precautions: Consumers are still taking trips to the store, but 73 percent are taking additional precautions while shopping due to the rise of Omicron. Precautions include masking up (90 percent), using disinfectants on hands and carts (79 percent), shopping at less busy times (69 percent), using self-checkout (63 percent), using touchless or contactless payments to avoid exchanging cash (31 percent), and frequenting cashier-less stores (7 percent).
  •  Retailer Safety Precautions: Consumers also want retailers to take steps to protect shoppers, as the majority (71 percent) expect in-store safety precautions such as disinfecting carts (84 percent), enforcing social distancing (65 percent), mandating masks (72 percent), limiting store capacity (40 percent), and putting a cap on the number of essential products each shopper can purchase (37 percent)
  • Gen Z Stocks Up: While the majority of consumers (66 percent) are not stocking up on essential items in preparation for another lockdown, Gen Zers are most likely to stock up (41 percent), compared to Baby boomers (35 percent), Millennials (35 percent), Gen X (34 percent), and the Silent generation (34 percent).

“As consumers continue to shop in-store, it is essential that retailers prioritize safety and implement the necessary precautions to keep shoppers’ minds at ease,” said Brittany Billings, EVP, strategic markets & marketing at Shopkick. “The COVID-19 pandemic has been continuously forcing the world to adapt and the Omicron variant has presented new challenges for consumers and retailers alike. These survey findings further reveal the need for retailers to adopt seamless, omnichannel shopping channels that can help address the pressing issues of supply shortages and a reduced retail workforce.”

About Shopkick, Inc.

Shopkick, a Trax company, is a leading shopping rewards app, bringing moments of joy to everyday shopping – both on- and off-line. For brands and retailers, Shopkick provides high consumer engagement along the entire path to purchase. The company’s unique pay-for-performance model has been proven to deliver high ROI while driving incremental traffic, product engagement, and sales. Some of its leading brand and retail partners include Kraft-Heinz, Barilla, GE, Kellogg’s, TJ Maxx, and Unilever, among others.Shopkick is available for free on iPhone from the App Store and for Android from Google Play. For more information, please visit www.shopkick.com.

Retailers turn to hybrid cloud and AI to meet shifting consumer behaviors

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As the pandemic has transformed the nature of work with more employees working from home than ever before it has also changed how consumers shop according to new study from IBM and the National Retail Federation.

The new global study of over 19,000 titled “Consumers want it all” revealed that hybrid shopping which mixes physical and digital channels in shopping journeys is on the rise as a result of shopping habits consumers adopted out of necessity that are now becoming routine.

Of those surveyed, almost three quarters (72%) said that they use retail stores as all or part of their primary purchase method. The reasons they gave for visiting a store include touching and feeling products before buying them (50%), picking and choosing their own products (47%) and getting products right away (43%).

However, 27 percent of respondents said that hybrid shopping, where part of their shopping journey is conducted online and the other half takes place in a retail store, is their method of choice. When it came to the generation most likely to be a ‘hybrid shopper’, Gen Z consumers lead the way when compared to other age groups.

VP of research and development and industry analysis at the National Retail Federation, Mark Matthews explained in a press release how hybrid shopping represents a fundamental shift in consumer behavior, saying:

“While many surveyed consumers still place high value on the traditional in- store shopping experience, they also now expect the flexibility to build their own shopping journey – according to the behaviors prevalent to their age
range, available tools and the product category they are looking to purchase. This ‘hybrid’ approach is a fundamental shift in consumer behavior.”

Growing importance of sustainability

While adoption of hybrid cloud, AI and other technologies can allow retailers to create bespoke hybrid shopping experiences, IBM’s new study has also revealed that they’ll need to keep sustainability in mind to retain and grow their customer base.

Purpose-driven consumers that choose products and brands based on their own values like sustainability are now the largest segment of consumers surveyed (44%) according to the study. At the same time, 62 percent of respondents are willing to change their purchasing habits to reduce environmental impact which is up from 57 percent two years ago.

Half of respondents said they are now willing to pay an average premium of 70 percent for sustainability which is roughly double the premium from 2020. Still though, there is a gap between intention and action with only 31 percent of respondents saying that sustainable products made up most or all of their last purchase.

Global managing director of IBM Consumer Industries, Luq Niazi provided further insight on the study’s findings and the growing importance of sustainability to consumers, saying: “The survey shows over the last year, sustainability became increasingly important to consumers, though there’s still a gap between their intentions and actions due to lack of information in the buying process. Increasingly, it’s becoming essential that retail brands demonstrate sustainable choices and options in each step of the customer experience. At the same time, hybrid shopping has taken hold in most categories, particularly in home goods and apparel; and while stores continue to play the predominant role in grocery, hybrid shopping is growing in these categories too.” We’ve also rounded up the best e-commerce platforms and best shopping cart software.

This article was written by Anthony Spadafora from TechRadar and was legally licensed through the Industry Dive Content Marketplace. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@industrydive.com.

 

Shoppers Returned To Stores For The Holidays

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Shopper traffic to physical retail stores has strongly rebounded from 2020. Data from Placer.ai, a company which measures shopper visits across a wide range of physical stores including grocery, apparel, big box, department and specialty, indicate that shoppers returned for the 2021 holiday season.

Store visits were higher than 2020 and slightly ahead of 2019

Ethan Chernofsky, vice president marketing of Placer.ai, discussed how retailers were simultaneously concerned that supply chain issues would lead to a lack of products in stores, labor shortages would limit professionals to staff those same locations and COVID would impact consumer demand for in store visits. And while the effects of all of these issues were felt, overall retail holiday visits for 2021 still remained relatively close to, if not above, 2019 levels and far ahead of 2020 numbers. 

Chernofsky said, “The ability to drive success even in the face of a ‘perfect storm’ of challenges is a massive testament to the ongoing consumer demand for physical retail. While the sector is clearly evolving in a direction that demands greater omnichannel alignment, the continued centrality of the physical store received a major vote of confidence over the holiday retail season.” 

Retail category weekly visits (including all retail categories measured by Placer.ai), began trending up in June of 2021. With the exception of a few weeks, the upward trend compared to 2019 continued throughout the holiday season. Placer.ai data includes grocery, big box, specialty stores and department stores among other segments.  Total retail category visits remained higher than 2019 for the majority of the weeks starting around June 2021. 

Courtesy of Placer.ai 

Strong holiday sales and foot traffic were experienced across many retailers as compared to last year and were moderately improved from 2019. However, many retailers calculate the holiday selling period from November to December (the six weeks from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day). In 2021 many holiday sales and shopping visits took place in October. Best Buy, Target and Dick’s Sporting Goods showed strong store visits early in season. Target, Best Buy and Dick’s Sporting Goods experienced significant increases in October store visits compared to 2019. 

Courtesy of Placer.ai 

November and December shopper visits down but sales are up

According to data from RetailNext, a company that measures store shopping visits to physical retail stores, sales for the holiday period measured from November 1 through December 25 were up 1.4% compared to 2019.  The amount shoppers were spending per visit was up 17.8% and the number of shoppers making purchases was higher by 2.4% compared to 2019. 

Courtesy of RetailNext 

While overall shopper visits were down 21.7%, the amount shoppers were spending per visit was up 17.8% and the number of shoppers making purchases was higher by 2.4%. Lauren Bitar, head of insights for RetailNext, said, “This was driven by a strong intent to buy from shoppers who were going into stores, sales being bolstered by curbside and other services, as well as that high average ticket price which was up to 19.3% compared to 2019 and 17.3% compared to 2020.” 

Black Friday shopping shifts to October but still remains a top shopping day

Placer.ai data indicated that many retailers saw significant reductions in visits on Black Friday itself, partly caused by many of the Black Friday deals starting in October. However, this did not impact the overall success of the holiday season. 

Chernofsky noted that Target saw a 3.1% decline on Black Friday even though November visits were up 3.8%. Best Buy, a brand that traditionally sees huge traffic increases on Black Friday, saw visits down 23.9% on the day, even though November visits were down just 12.8% and October visits were up 10.2%. “The ability of many brands to drive success over a more extended period without the same onslaught of visits will likely drive a continued push for an extended season in years to come,” Chernofsky stated. 

Sensormatic Solutions, which monitors and measures shopper traffic to physical stores, released information for the six-week period from Sunday prior to Thanksgiving through January 1, 2022, showing shopper traffic down 19.5% compared to 2019. 

Super Saturday is still super

Compared to Super Saturday 2019 shopper traffic was down 26.3% this year, however, Sensormatic Solutions has ranked Super Saturday the second busiest shopping day. “For the last five years, Super Saturday is the second busiest shopping day in the U.S., falling only behind Black Friday,” said Peter McCall, senior manager of retail consulting, Sensormatic Solutions. “There were only three Saturdays in December leading up to Christmas Day this year. As we expected, Super Saturday remains a big part of consumers’ holiday shopping plans to grab last-minute items with supply chain issues delaying the arrival of online orders in time for holiday celebrations.” 

According to Sensormatic Solutions, the biggest shopping days for physical retail are ranked as follows: 

  1. Friday, November 26 – Black Friday 
  2. Saturday, December 18 – Super Saturday 
  3. Thursday, December 23 – Thursday before Christmas 
  4. Saturday, December 11 – 2nd Saturday in December 
  5. Saturday, November 27 – Saturday after Thanksgiving 
  6. Saturday, December 4 – 1st Saturday in December 
  7. Sunday, December 19 – Sunday before Christmas 
  8. Wednesday, December 22 – Wednesday before Christmas 9. Monday, December 20 – Monday before Christmas 
  9. Tuesday, December 21 – Tuesday before Christmas 

As retailers tabulate the results of the 2021 holiday season, October was a key factor in the stronger performance over 2019. While store traffic was down in November and December across many retail segments, the higher purchasing power by consumers was able to lift sales above 2019 levels for physical retail stores.

This article was written by Shelley E. Kohan from Forbes and was legally licensed through the Industry Dive publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@industrydive.com.

 

 

The Top Digital Trends To Watch In 2022

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The world is more digital now than ever before and that’s sure to last in 2022. 

Ninety percent of Americans say the internet has been essential to them during the pandemic. Indeed, basic everyday tasks such as buying groceries, connecting with family, and conducting business have been upended to rely on digital media. The pandemic ignited and expedited digital adoption, the aftermath of which will continue to percolate across all industries for years to come — and marketing is no exception. 

The biggest brand victories and failures won’t be won or lost on traditional commercials. They’ll happen on TikTok, Instagram, eSports, and smart speakers. The recommendations consumers trust most won’t come from celebrities on infomercials. They’ll be from nano-influencer on Stories, Reels, and Shorts. 

The savviest brands, employers, and users will navigate 2022 using a ‘digital first’ mentality with a focus on monitoring and activating these key trends:   

Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality   

Virtual and augmented reality were growing trends before the pandemic but quarantine, remote work, and the lasting purgatory between pre-and-post pandemic life accelerated adoption. Need further convincing? The parent company of the world’s largest social network, Facebook, recently changed its name to Meta. That’s short for the metaverse, a virtual world where people socialize, work, and play.  Just this week, Meta launched Horizon Worlds, a free app for socializing in virtual reality, available to users ages 18 and up in the U.S. and Canada. 

The metaverse isn’t a new concept, nor is it distinct to Facebook. Back in March, Microsoft announced Mesh, a new mixed-reality platform that allows people in different places to collaborate and share holographic experiences across devices. 

Virtual and augmented reality trends extend beyond Big Tech. Consumer brands such as Sephora and Warby Parker adopted augmented reality years ago to make online shopping more experiential and efficient. But Facebook’s big bet on the metaverse gives it new weight and momentum. So, will 2022 be the year B2B marketers crack the meta nut? 

Voice Search 

Smart speakers saw record growth in 2020, with over 150 million units sold globally. Voice search is poised to continue to grow in the coming years. Why? The biggest reasons are intuitive: it’s easy and hands-free. 71 percent of consumers favor voice-searching to type-searching. Voice shopping is projected to reach $40 billion in 2022 and by 2024, there are projected to be 8.4 billion voice devices across the globe. 

There are admittedly technological limitations with voice search, which relies on Natural Language Processing but even so, Google’s speech recognition has a 95% accuracy rate for English searches. Google Voice Search also offers massive global scale, supporting more than 100 languages. 

Consumer brands, such as Domino’s, have been active in this space for some time. Back in 2016, Domino’s launched its skill on Amazon Echo, which enables users to order delivery via Echo. 

The next phase of winning in voice search will transcend beyond basic speaker skills and into all digital content. In 2022, companies and brands who optimize their websites and content for voice search will drive more traffic to their site and increase their SEO ranking. 

eSports 

By the end of 2021, the global eSports audience is projected to reach 474 million users, with revenues of nearly $1.1 billion. eSports are on the rise but still in their nascent stage, which means a massive opportunity for those who get it right.   

Verizon is well-known for being cutting edge in their digital marketing – and eSports is no exception. In 2020, Verizon became an official partner of League of Legends regional league and earlier this year, Verizon and video game developer Riot Games expanded this partnership with Verizon becoming a partner across League of Legend’s three annual global events.   

With evolving pandemic-related regulations on in-person sporting events and large venues, 2022 could be the year eSports adoption and sponsorships go mainstream. 

Digital Payment 

The more time users spend on digital, the more money they spend on digital. Person-to-person payments had promising growth pre-pandemic and COVID-19 ignited and expedited this trajectory. 

In 2020, PayPal volume payment growth was up a record 31% and that’s not slowing any time soon. PayPal projects a similar increase, of about 30%, in 2021. And it’s not just PayPal, payments and social media continue to converge through the rise of other platforms such as Venmo and Zelle. In Q3 2021, Zelle processed $127 billion on 466 million transactions.   

Major corporations, small businesses, and everyday users are relying more on digital payments for everything from buying a car to reimbursing a friend for lunch. 

Micro-Videos 

The rise of TikTok during the pandemic was widely reported. In Q1 2020, TIkTok received 315 million downloads – that’s more quarterly downloads than any app in history but whether TikTok maintains dominance on the micro-video market remains to be seen. Afterall, Instagram usurped Snapchat in Stories – so will the platform eclipse TikTok in Reels? Time will tell but early metrics are promising. 87% of Gen-Z TikTok users agree that Reels is very similar to TikTok. Reels also receive 22% more engagement than regular video content. 

Instagram Reels isn’t the only micro-video format poised for growth in 2022. Take YouTube Shorts, a short-form video experience launched by Google in 2020, for example. The biggest case for YouTube Shorts is their institutional userbase: every month, 2 billion viewers visit YouTube.  

Brands who capitalize on this micro-video trend – and seemingly algorithmically favored format — will win in 2022. 

Nano-Influencer Marketing 

By the end of 2021, influencer marketing is projected to reach $13.8 billion but not all influencers influence equally. Studies show that nano-influencers, those with fewer than 5,000 followers drive the highest engagement rate, followed next by micro-influencers, users with 5,000-20,000 followers. In fact, users with over 1 million followers drive the lowest engagement rate. That’s why 77% of marketers would rather work with micro-influencers than celebrities. 

Another perk of nano and micro-influencers is their smaller following typically makes them more affordable. Micro-influencers can activate more targeted, niche audiences and are often considered more authentic and trustworthy by their followers. 

To-date, influencer marketing has been most effective for brands targeting Gen-Z but as Gen-Z ages and Millennials, Gen-X, and Boomers all spend more time online, there could be a white space for brands to sway more demographics via influencer marketing. 

Privacy Regulation 

So, what won’t grow in 2022? Third-party cookies usage. 

This year, Google announced Chrome will phase out support for third-party cookies by 2023. Apple launched a pop-up on iPhones that asks users for permission to be tracked by apps and Facebook announced its engineers are working on a workaround to serve relevant ads to users without leveraging personal data. 

As Big Tech rolls out these new privacy restrictions, more platforms and regulation are expected to follow suit and the implications could pose serious limitations for advertisers.   

As platforms, formats, regulations, and the pandemic continue to evolve, adaptability will remain the greatest asset for brands, employers, and users looking to build an effective and resilient digital strategy in 2022.

This article was written by Katy Finneran from Forbes and was legally licensed through the Industry Dive publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@industrydive.com. 

Find out how you can shop and earn rewards on your phone

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I remember when I was younger, I used to love to go to the mall. Shopping was my favorite hobby, and the mall was the easiest way for me to shop at so many different stores. I don’t want to tell you how old I am, but back then, online shopping was not really as common as it is now. These days, online shopping makes it so I have even more stores to choose from; and, thanks to my phone, these stores are right at my fingertips, wherever I go. 

In fact, some weeks I do more shopping on my phone than I do with my computer or in physical stores. This comes in handy, especially now that I’ve found out how to earn rewards for using my phone when I shop. That’s right! There’s a way to shop and earn rewards on your phone and it’s so simple and convenient.  

How to Earn Rewards on Your Phone

If you want to learn how to earn rewards on your phone, you must first understand that there are many different ways; you have to find the method that works best for you. I have some friends who use their phones to take online surveys to earn extra money. I have other friends who get paid to drive around to certain businesses and use their phones to take pictures of displays. They have the extra time so they don’t mind doing these extra activities, but for someone who’s a little busier, you may want to choose a way to earn rewards doing something you already do. For me, that thing is shopping. 

If shopping is your thing, you should consider downloading your favorite store’s app. Many stores have their own shopping apps that reward you for being a loyal customer. These are great, especially if you tend to go to the same store all the time. But for those of you who enjoy shopping at many different places, you’ll find yourself with tons of shopping apps and no way to keep track of all the points you’ve earned. Fortunately, there’s a solution for that.

Earn Rewards on Your Phone With Shopping Rewards Apps 

learn how to earn rewards on your phoneWhen it comes time to earn rewards on your phone, the best way to do it is with a shopping rewards app. It’s exactly what it sounds like—an app that rewards you for shopping. How most of these apps work is that they give you points for shopping, and for doing other things related to shopping as well, like walking into stores or scanning barcodes.

The best of these apps allow you to earn points for shopping at a variety of stores, online and physical stores. I know these days I really do a ton of shopping directly from my phone, so I need an app that will reward me for that.

The Best Shopping Rewards App

Of all the shopping rewards apps out there, my personal favorite is an app called Shopkick. You can use Shopkick to get rewards for both your in-person and online shopping, which includes shopping you do through your phone. The way Shopkick works is kind of like the system I described above. Shopkick gives you points called “kicks” for many of the tasks associated with shopping such as walking into stores, watching promotional videos, browsing products in-store, and, of course, making purchases. You can also earn kicks without ever having to put down your phone because Shopkick rewards you for shopping on your favorite sites directly through the app and for watching promotional videos. 

You can use Shopkick to get rewards for both your in-person and online shopping, which includes shopping you do through your phone.

Once you’ve earned enough points with Shopkick, you can trade them in for gift cards to do even more shopping! Aside from the rewards, another thing I really love about Shopkick is that it turns shopping into a fun scavenger hunt for points. I’ve always loved shopping, but I look forward to it even more now that I have Shopkick on my phone; I can’t recommend it enough.

Shopkick has changed both the amount of fun I have when I’m out at the store as well as the amount of savings I find myself coming home with. I use it every time I shop and it doesn’t even require much effort because I find myself shopping with my phone in-hand anyway.

If you’re ready to get rewarded for the shopping that you already do, I highly recommend you download the app and earn rewards on your phone. Shopkick makes shopping a rewarding experience no matter where or how you shop! 

Image courtesy of GP Studio

The best Christmas shopping apps for the 2019 ho-ho-holiday season

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The Best Christmas Shopping Apps for the 2019 Ho-Ho-Holiday Season

Every year, the weekend before Thanksgiving, my girlfriends and I get together for one last leisurely brunch before the craziest time of the year—the Christmas shopping season. We catch up on life, kids, jobs, but always share some of our favorite holiday season survival tips as well. This is, of course, in between mimosas and laughing so hard that our sides hurt. For us, that last brunch is like the calm before the storm, or, to borrow my husband’s description of it, a huddle and pep talk with the team before the big game that is Christmas shopping.

We all know that the Christmas shopping season can get pretty hectic, but having the support of my closest friends is a big help. My girls, and that last pre-holidays brunch, aren’t my only support systems, though. There’s a ho-ho-ho-whole world of holiday help available right on your smartphone! My girlfriends and I actually came up with a list of apps, aka Santa’s Little Techy Helpers, at our brunch this year. We pooled all of our favorites together, and narrowed the field, so without further adieu, here are the best Christmas shopping apps for the 2019 holiday season.

The Best Christmas Shopping Apps for 2019

Amazon Shopping App

One of the keys to my holiday shopping strategy is using a mix of online and brick-and-mortar shopping. And, you know what? I am far from alone. All of my girlfriends agree that they’re doing more and more shopping online each year.

The Amazon Shopping app makes our list of the best Christmas shopping apps for 2019 because out of all of the options on our list, the selection on Amazon is unparalleled. And the best part is that whatever you buy on the Amazon app will be sent directly to your door. Now you have time to go hunting in brick-and-mortar stores for unexpected finds to surprise friends and family on your list.

Pros:

The Amazon app is just so easy because it lets you check off so many things from your list by Christmas shopping from your smartphone. You can do your Christmas shopping while waiting in line, relaxing at home, or anywhere else you spend time on your phone, which, let’s face it, is everywhere these days. Amazon is also a great place to find unmatched deals on things like books, movies, and little stocking stuffers you know you’re going to need a lot of.

Cons:

I love Amazon, but using it to get everything on your list just removes the thrill of the hunt. If you’re like me, you won’t want to do all of your shopping through the Amazon app because it takes away the fun of finding great gifts in person that they won’t be expecting.

The Target App

Ah, Target, our hands-down favorite hang out for girl time. Before we were all married, we used to go there together for home decor, clothes, and makeup. Now, our Target runs are usually for baby and kid gear. One thing we never forget on our Target runs? The Target app, which is why it made our list of the best Christmas shopping apps.

The Target app allows you to do online shopping, find in-store deals, and plan trips to your local Target store for in-stock goods. It’s a crazy versatile app, and we all swear by it. The Target app has also recently integrated with the store’s loyalty program, Target Circle, giving users access to things like personalized perks, the chance to earn up to 1 percent back on purchases, and early access to sales.

Pros:

This is an essential and versatile app for anyone who shops at Target. You can use it to do everything from conducting receipt-free returns to finding exclusive savings. And, the wallet functionality on this app is easily among the best of any shopping app, making paying for your purchases fast and easy.

Cons:

Obviously, the Target app can only be used at Target. While Target is known for having something for everyone, it may be hard to find some of those super-specific items on your list. Like Amazon, the Target app is a good choice for getting the basics of your Christmas shopping done quickly and easily—as well as picking up some surprises along the way.

The Starbucks App

An absolute necessity for me while I’m getting my holiday shopping done is a hot drink from Starbucks… or several. The coffee drinks are perfect for both picking up my energy level so I can get everything done, as well as for warming me up in the wintery weather so I don’t freeze while I’m out there doing it.

The reason the Starbucks app makes the list of best Christmas shopping apps of 2019 is that it makes it oh-so-much easier for me to get my beloved Starbucks drinks. And, it’s also a great way to get stocking stuffers and small gifts for everyone from teachers to co-workers, like mugs, ground coffee, and—the ultimate stocking stuff—Starbucks gift cards.

Pros:

There’s a lot to like about this app, but if I had to break it down into two words, I’d say it’s free drinks. The Starbucks app lets you earn free drinks and food items by tracking how much you spend. And, you can use it to save time during the holidays by ordering your drink in advance so you can skip the line in the store.

Cons:

Sometimes it makes it just a little bit too easy to grab a quick coffee. I know I definitely have a tendency to overdo it with the coffee when I’m out shopping and I get locked into that intense Christmas shopping zone.

Instacart

Let’s face it, the holiday shopping season can be a bit hard on the budget. I know back in my younger days, I often needed to work longer days at the office to collect overtime during this time of year, or to cross my fingers and hope my annual bonus was a merry one. These days, I’ve found another helpful solution—Instacart.

Instacart pays you to go out and shop for others, which is a great way for someone who enjoys shopping as much as I do to shore up their budget this December. The fact that I get to spend my day shopping, help out others during the holiday season, and make money while doing it, is why this app lands on our list of best apps for Christmas shopping this year.

Pros:

Instacart allows you to do shopping for others and earn a little extra cash while you’re at it. Another major advantage is that you can essentially set your own schedule while you’re doing this. Unlike a part-time holiday job, you can easily take nights or days off, and you can just stop when you’ve made enough extra funds to finish up your list. It’s very convenient that way.

Cons:

The only real downside to Instacart is that it is actually work. I know I love shopping, but during the holidays, taking the time out to make a little extra money by shopping for others can be a challenge. If you’re a good planner, though, you can definitely make this app work for you.

Shopkick

Shopkick, simply put, is the one app on this list that can do it all while also making shopping more fun at the same time. Shopkick is an app that you can use to earn money for Christmas gifts with your everyday shopping. It’s not only one of the best Christmas shopping apps for the 2019 holiday season, it’s also the app that my friends and I love using All. Year. Long.

The way that Shopkick works is that you earn points, called kicks, for the things you are already doing while shopping. You can get your kicks by walking into stores, scanning featured products, as well as making purchases. That’s really all there is to it, and the end result is that it turns all of your trips to the store into a fun scavenger hunt for points, which you can trade for free gift cards to your favorite stores, or cash back.

Not only that, but there are also tons of ways that Shopkickers like us earn rewards right from the app—no need to even go anywhere. This list includes getting your kicks for watching videos, as well as getting instant surprise kicks from going on Easter egg hunts within the app. Users can also earn big points and rewards for shopping on their phones at stores like Walmart, Best Buy, and more. And, you can combine Shopkick with any of the other apps on our list.

Pros:

There are just a ton of pros for using Shopkick. Three of the biggest for Christmas shopping, though, are that you can combine it with the other apps on our list, you can get gift cards or cash back for your shopping to instantly boost your holiday budget, and you can make your shopping more fun, which is especially important when it comes to summoning the energy to finish your entire Christmas shopping list that last week before the 25th.

Cons:

There really aren’t any for Shopkick, which is the one app on our list today that does it all—and adds the fun of a scavenger hunt to all of your shopping trips.

Rakuten

When one of my girlfriends suggested Rakuten as one of the best Christmas shopping apps for 2019 at brunch, at first I was confused. I’d never heard of this app, but then she explained that Rakuten had previously been known as eBates.

Rakuten is another app that works really well with my personal favorite, Shopkick. The Rakuten app gives users cash back for online shopping purchases, which is a no-brainer budget boon during the holidays, especially when you’re also earning on Shopkick!

Pros:

Like all of the other apps on our list, this one combines really well with Shopkick. Meaning, you can receive cash back for linked purchases with Rakuten while also earning kicks toward gift cards for your purchases with Shopkick.

Cons:

When using Rakuten, you must manually start a “Shopping Trip” each time to earn cash back. If you don’t, your purchases aren’t tracked and you aren’t allowed to add previous purchases.

eBay

The next entry on our list is an old favorite of mine, eBay. I’ve been using this one for years and years, and it’s still one of my favorites for finding quirkier gifts for people on my list.

eBay’s setup is still pretty much the same as it’s always been: users put items up for auction, and buyers bid on them. I’ve found rare lamps, vintage clothes, and all kinds of out-of-print media with my eBay app. Whenever I want to surprise my friends and family, I go to eBay.

Pros:

This is a great place to find rare and eclectic items, sometimes for really low prices.

Cons:

Tracking and participating in auctions can be a bit time consuming during the holiday season, and there’s sometimes a risk associated with trusting that the item you’re bidding on will get to you exactly as it is presented online. Although, that last bit can be easily taken care of by making sure to check the sellers’ feedback sections.

Wish

Wish makes our list of best apps for Christmas shopping because of the deals you can find on there. Wish sells users unbranded items directly from the manufacturers, which enables them to offer those items at much lower prices. This was a new app to me this year, one that I’m grateful my girlfriends told me about, because I’ve already used it to find a wide range of gifts, including electronics, accessories, shoes, and more at far below retail.

Pros:

The prices and the selection on this app are great. It’s a good one to find deals on, and the unbranded status of the products also makes it a perfect app to use for finding gifts for folks on your list who have unique tastes.

Cons:

Wish doesn’t have quite the selection as stores like Amazon or Target, so what you gain in novelty and savings, you sacrifice a bit in being able to find something for everyone here.

So, there you are, the best Christmas shopping apps for the 2019 holiday season—as picked by my girlfriends and me at our annual pre-holiday shopping brunch. I should point out that we’re all seasoned and experienced shoppers who like to stay up on all the latest shopping trends, especially when it comes to apps like Shopkick that can make shopping more fun while also saving you money. I hope you’ve enjoyed the list, and I hope that you have as much fun as I do using these apps to find great gifts for your loved ones this year!

It’s time to get your kicks! Of the best Christmas shopping apps for 2019, Shopkick is the perfect choice to make this holiday season a truly rewarding experience. Download the app today and incorporate it into your Christmas shopping to start earning kicks instantly!

Easy money: 3 ways to earn by watching videos for techies

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Like a lot of people my age, I grew up playing video games on Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, and PlayStation. I can remember the days when I used to come home from school, finish my homework, and then plant down and immerse myself in the television. One of the things I liked about video games the most, which I may not have realized at the time, was they pushed me to learn some key lessons.

By playing video games way back when, I learned the value of investing time in things like training and practice in order to beat challenges. I think this has stuck with me throughout most of my life, especially now that I’m an adult (or trying to be, anyway) who has to manage his own budget. I work really hard at my job, but I also have found a couple of ways to earn extra money that reminds me of finding shortcuts and other tricks in video games. More specifically, I’ve figured out how to earn easy money by watching videos via apps.

It really is a great “cheat code” for your budget, and it’s so effective! Today, I want to share three of my favorite apps I use to earn money by watching videos. To be totally honest, these aren’t as fun as playing video games, but with all the savings you’ll start to get through these apps, it’ll be no time at all before you can buy new video games and have fun. There are a lot of apps that let you earn, but I generally like to stick to three. Let’s take a look now!

Earn by Watching Videos With Make Money Earn Free Cash

One of my favorite games growing up was called Street Fighter, and it actually was what it sounds like: fighting in the street. This first app that you can use to earn money by watching videos has very little in common with that video game, save for also having a super telling name. That’s right, it’s called Make Money Earn Free Cash. To put it in the most basic terms, this is a very no-nonsense app that’s also a ton of fun to use, especially if you like learning about other new apps like I do.

ways to earn by watching videosYou don’t have to be a big techie like me to use it. All you really have to do with Make Money Earn Free Cash is download the free app, watch videos, and then complete the offers they give you from sponsors, which usually requires something like signing up for mailing lists or taking surveys. You have to do a bit more than watch videos, and obviously, this isn’t always fun, but sometimes you learn about really cool new apps, and to someone like me, that’s invaluable.

Earn by Watching Videos With App Trailers

The next app on our list is called App Trailers, and it actually has somewhat of a direct connection to video games, albeit a loose one. Like the other apps that let you earn money by watching videos, this one simply gives you videos to watch and rewards you for watching them. The cool thing is App Trailers lets you watch a lot of videos about things like video games.

Since I first started using App Trailers, I’ve watched videos about games from EA, Rovio (which makes Angry Birds), and plenty of other companies I like to follow in my free time anyway. The more videos I watch through App Trailers, the more points I’m able to rack up. Eventually, I can trade all of my points in and get paid via PayPal or in Amazon gift cards, kind of like incentive systems in video games!

Earn by Watching Videos With Shopkick

You know how video games often save the biggest and best weapons, levels, and foes for the very end? Well, in that tradition I’ve saved my favorite app you can use to earn by watching videos for last, too. It’s called Shopkick. How it works is you can use it to earn free gift cards by watching videos and also just by going shopping for groceries. Shopkick gives you points for things you do everytime you go shopping, such as walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. You can then trade those points in for gift cards. That’s not all, though.

There are tons of ways people who use Shopkick can earn rewards right from the app without even physically going anywhere.

There are tons of ways people who use Shopkick can earn rewards right from the app without even physically going anywhere. These include watching videos and instant surprise kicks earned 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, my personal favorite, Best Buy. And, guess what Best Buy sells? That’s right—video games!

I don’t know about you, but when I was a kid plenty of people told me I was wasting my time by playing too many video games. They felt I should be doing stuff like reading and studying instead. To be clear, I love to read, and I did study quite a bit when I was a kid. But, I also think there was a lot of value in playing video games. In fact, I’m not entirely sure I would have so easily figured out how to earn money by watching videos without it.

So, I highly recommend using these apps, especially Shopkick. Not only do I earn by watching videos through Shopkick, but I also get points (and eventually rewards) every time I go out shopping. With Shopkick I actually like going to the store because it makes those trips feel like fun scavenger hunts for points.

Ready to start to earn by watching videos on your phone and other smart devices today? 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 Shutterstock

Learn how to make money from apps to fuel your techie needs

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The thing about working your hardest to stay up on all the latest tech trends is your work is never really done. That’s both the blessing and the curse of being a techie. Almost immediately after you invest in a new device with a new set of functionalities, tech companies are getting ready to turn around and announce the next evolution of what you just bought. It’s kind of exciting when you think about it, but the big problem is after a long enough period of time it can really put a strain on your wallet.

That’s why it’s absolutely vital to learn all you can about how to make money from apps. If you really get into it, I’m here to tell you, you can learn how to make money from apps at such a prodigious clip you can ultimately fuel your tech needs! At least until the next big things comes out. Kidding! Well, at least a little bit. Anyway, the point is that every little bit of money makes a difference when you’re really engaged in following new tech trends. Today, I’m going to share all I’ve learned about how to make money from apps.

We’ll go over the keys to success, the different types of money-making apps you can choose from, and, of course, my all-time favorite. I honestly wish someone would have sat me down and given me these tips sooner, but, hey, there’s no time like the present to start!

How to Make Money From Apps: Keys to Success

how to make money from appsThere are a number of different money-making apps you can use once you learn all there is to know about how to make money from apps. However, the key to success is consistency. And, that’s why I want to start by talking about the most important tips for using apps to make money.

Here are a few qualities I look for when deciding to use apps to make money:

 

  • Easy to use: In my experience, overly convoluted or complex technology is pretty much never a good thing, and this is especially true with apps, which are more or less always intended to help improve or simplify your life. So, with money-making apps, you’re going to want to make sure the one you settle on is simple and easy to use.

 

  • Consistency: To be frank, there are no money-making apps that you can use a couple times a year and expect to earn enough money to make a dent in your tech budget. Every one of these apps requires you to use them consistently. You’ll want to choose an app you won’t mind spending time on.
  • Fun: This sort of ties into the previous point, but you want to make sure the money-making app you go with is one you have fun using. If you’re able to do that, the consistency question basically takes care of itself.

 

 

How to Make Money From Apps: Type of Money-Making Apps to Choose From

Now that you’re an expert on the qualities to look for when choosing an app from which to make money, it’s time to look at your different options in terms of types of apps. App development is one of the broadest disciplines of new technology, with more and more apps coming out every day; money-making apps are no different.

There are three general types of money-making apps I’ve seen. The first is the most common: survey apps, and how it works is super simple. You download the app, put in your demographic info, and get paid to take surveys relevant to your lifestyle. The next type of common money-making app is a coupon app, which a whole like old-school coupon clipping but updated for the modern era. The third type of app is actually my favorite. It’s called a third-party shopping app.

How to Make Money From Apps: The Best App For You is Shopkick

My all-time favorite money-making app is called Shopkick, and it meets all the requirements in our first section: it’s easy to use, it lends itself to consistency, and it’s a whole lot of fun. How it works is pretty simple. With Shopkick, you get points for the things you do whenever you go out shopping, things like walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. You can then trade these points in for gift cards to your favorite stores, including places like Target, Walmart, and Best Buy.

That’s not even the best part. There are also tons of ways that Shopkickers can earn rewards right from the app—no need to go anywhere. These include kicks (points) 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, again, Best Buy! It’s really cool, and I use it basically any time I shop.

Keeping up with tech can be expensive and nobody knows that as well as tech-savvy folks like you and me. Luckily, you can also use tech to lessen the load your wallet has to bear. That’s why it literally pays to learn how to make money from apps, money that can fuel your techie needs.

That’s why it literally pays to learn how to make money from apps, money that can fuel your techie needs.

Like I said earlier, my all-time favorite money-making app is Shopkick. There’s just so many different ways to use it to earn points that you can trade in for gift cards. In fact, it’s gotten to the point that every trip out to the store feels a little bit like a scavenger hunt for me, and I’m definitely not complaining about upping the fun factor for my regular shopping!

Ready to learn more about how to make money from apps to fuel your techie needs? 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 Rido

These 3 mobile apps let you earn free gift cards by watching videos

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I’ve always been an early adopter in terms of technology. What this means is that a lot of times, I just try out new developments in technology before all of the kinks have been worked out and they’re easy to use. For example, watching videos online. I can remember a time when if you wanted to watch sports highlights, you had to actually download clips to your computer over a dial-up connection that made you wait for hours. I think it’s pretty safe to say that we’ve come a long way since then.

These days, I can watch sports highlights in moments, and I don’t have to be anywhere near my computer. I can watch them easily on my phone or tablet, no matter where I happen to be. It’s a pretty far cry from those old days of screechy dial-up connections. And, obviously, I can watch more than just sports highlights, too. All kinds of videos are available online, from movie trailers to footage of new video games in action. One of the most impressive things to me, however, is that I can even earn free gift cards by watching videos. Isn’t that awesome?

That’s what I’m actually here to discuss with you today: three mobile apps that let you earn free gift cards just by watching videos. That’s right, not only can you quickly and easily watch videos on your smart devices via apps these days—you can earn rewards for doing it, too!

Earn Free Gift Cards by Watching Videos With App Trailers

ways to earn free gift cards by watching videosThe first app on our list is called App Trailers, and like we talked about above, it gives you points for watching videos that you can then trade in later for free gift cards. You should know, though, that you don’t get points for watching just any video. You have to watch the videos the app wants you to; but the cool thing is that they have a lot of videos about things that I’m definitely interested in, things like new technology and video games.

In the time since I started first using App Trailers, I’ve watched videos about games from EA, Rovio (which makes Angry Birds), and plenty of other companies that I like to follow in my free time anyway. The more videos I watch, the more points I’m able to rack up. Eventually, I can trade all of my points in and get paid via PayPal or in Amazon gift cards. It’s definitely worth your time if you’re interested in games like I am.

Earn Free Gift Cards by Watching Videos With Make Money Earn Free Cash

That’s right, it’s called Make Money Earn Free Cash. To put it in the most basic terms, this is one no-nonsense app, but it’s also fun to use, especially if you like learning about new apps. It’s pretty easy to use, too, so you don’t need to be a big techie like me. All that you have to do with Make Money Earn Free Cash is download free apps, watch videos, and then complete offers from the sponsors, which usually involves signing up for mailing lists or taking surveys. You have to do a bit more than watch videos, and obviously this isn’t always fun, but sometimes you learn about really cool new apps, and to someone like me, that’s invaluable.

Earn Free Gift Cards by Watching Videos With Shopkick

The last app on our list is actually my favorite. It’s called Shopkick, and why I like it so much is that you can use it to earn free gift cards by watching videos and also just by going shopping for groceries, or for other stuff, too. How it works is that Shopkick gives you points for things you do everytime you go shopping anyway, things like walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. You can then trade those points in for free gift cards. It’s really cool, especially for someone like me who is just a little bit adverse to shopping.

There are actually tons of ways that Shopkickers can earn rewards right from the app—no need to go anywhere. These include kicks for watching videos and instant surprise kicks earned 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, my personal favorite, Best Buy. Keeping up with new tech stuff isn’t cheap, but apps like Shopkick really help me afford the latest gadgets.

I hope you’re excited about learning how to earn free gift cards by watching videos. There really is nothing quite like getting free stuff in exchange for things you’d be doing anyway. It’s one of those things where after it starts to happen, you think to yourself, hey, I could get used to this. And let me tell you: you can.

There really is nothing quite like getting free stuff in exchange for things you’d be doing anyway.

When it comes to picking the exact app to use when you want to earn free gift cards by watching videos, I highly recommend Shopkick. It has a great and easy-to-learn interface. The real reason I like it best, however, is that it also gives you points for shopping, practically doubling the amount of free gift cards that end up coming your way!

Ready to earn free gift cards by watching videos on your phone and other smart devices? 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 notice44

3 techie-approved money making apps for Android phones

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As a self-professed techie, I’m kind of picky about the apps that I download and use on my Android phone. I guess some might even call me a bit of a snob, and, hey, I admit it: I just don’t want to clutter up the home screen on my phone with a bunch of apps I don’t ever use, or even with apps that I’m not going to use all that much. Basically, when I download a new app, it has to be one that I’m really certain I’m going to get a lot from.

This is doubly true of money-making apps for Android phones. For those who don’t know, there are a lot of apps out there that advertise their ability to make you money, and, to be fair, plenty of them can. The thing is, I’m kind of a busy guy, and I don’t really want to mess with apps that aren’t going to make me much money. I’m also not a huge fan of apps that are going to take up a ton of my time. However, I have found three excellent money-making apps for Android phones that I would highly recommend.

The Best Money Making Apps for Android Phones No. 1: Make Money Earn Free Cash

The name for this app is hilariously straightforward: Make Money Earn Free Cash. Okay, I don’t know about you, but I’m on board with that, for sure. What makes this app even better is that it’s free to download via the Play Store on Android devices.

Simply put, this is one no-nonsense app, but it’s also fun to use, especially if you like learning about new apps. It’s pretty easy to use, too. All that you have to do with Make Money Earn Free Cash is download free apps, watch videos, and then complete offers from the sponsors, which usually involves signing up for mailing lists or taking surveys. Obviously, this isn’t always fun, but sometimes you learn about really cool new apps, and that can be a blast! When you’re ready, you can cash in your earnings via PayPal.

The Best Money Making Apps for Android Phones No. 2: App Trailers

3 money making apps for android phonesThe best part about this second money-making app for Android phones is that it’s actually a lot of fun to use. It’s one that gives you rewards for watching videos, which is something I do a lot online anyway. However, with App Trailers you don’t get points for watching just any video, you have to watch the ones they want you to, but the cool thing is that they have a lot of videos about things like new tech and video games.

In the time that I’ve been using it, I’ve watched videos about games from EA, Rovio (which makes Angry Birds), and plenty of other companies that I like to follow in my free time anyway. The more videos you watch, the more points you earn. Eventually, you can trade those points in and get paid via PayPal or in Amazon gift cards. It’s definitely worth your while if you’re interested in games.

The Best Money Making Apps for Android Phones No. 3: Shopkick

I’ve saved the best for last here today. Of all the money making apps for Android phones on my list, this last one is my absolute favorite. It’s an app called Shopkick, and how it works is that it basically pays you to go grocery shopping or any other type of shopping for that matter. Shopkick gives you points for the things you do when you go shopping anyway, things like walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. Yes, it really is that cool.

You can then trade those points in for gift cards to some of your favorite stores, including Starbucks and Best Buy, both which are absolute musts for a techie like me who never turns down a quick boost of energy. Speaking of being a techie, there are tons of ways that Shopkickers can earn rewards right from the app—no need to physically go anywhere. These ways include getting 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 and Walmart.com. It’s really great. I don’t know how I ever did my shopping without it, but I can tell you for sure that it wasn’t nearly as much fun.

Speaking of being a techie, there are tons of ways that Shopkickers can earn rewards right from the app—no need to physically go anywhere.

I hope you find these great money-making apps for Android phones helpful. I like all of these, obviously, or I wouldn’t have put them on my list, but if I had to recommend just one, it would definitely be Shopkick. Let’s face it, even if we don’t like to go shopping sometimes, we all have to do it. Having an app that turns shopping trips into a scavenger hunt that actually pays you is a real game-changer.

I highly recommend using Shopkick. There are, of course, tons and tons of apps out there to choose from, with more seemingly popping up every day. Shopkick, however, is one that I know you’ll be glad to have on your phone. I definitely am, and, in fact, I’m pretty sure that I use it every day!

Ready to start using your own techie-approved money-making apps for Android phones? 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 Creative Caliph