The newest location-based, check-in application lauched this week. Based in San Francisco, Shopkick launched it’s first application yesterday, available exclusively for iPhone and iTouch users. While the popular social network Foursquare, allows users to check-in at stores, places of employment, parks, their homes, etc., utilizing their mobile devices, users on Shopkick earn rewards only by checking into retail locations.
The idea is that when you walk into a store that Shopkick partners with, you start to earn rewards — “Kickbucks” — just for walking in. (There’s actually a device in the store that connects to your phone.) Its early partners include nationwide chains like Best Buy, American Eagle Outfitters, Macy’s, and the Sports Authority, as well as shopping-mall outfit Simon Property Group.
Once you are in the store, special offers from that retailer will get sent to your device. You can also earn “Kickbucks” by scanning items in the store (a plus for anyone who often played “store” and used their TV remote control as the barcode scanner). The “Kickbucks” earned can be used to redeem credits to play online games, donate to charity, and redeem for other rewards such as song downloads.
As an avid Foursquare user, I can see how this network has huge potential for success. However, I’ll have to wait a while until the application is available on Blackberry ( I’m still stuck in 2005).
More information on Shopkick can be found here:http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/08/16/businessinsider-shopkick-iphone-app-2010-8.DTL
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