Extending the success of its August 2010 pilot launch, Best Buy announced the expansion of shopkick walk-in rewards to all of its 1,300 Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile locations nationwide. The rollout marks the first of shopkick’s launch partners and first consumer electronics retailer to provide shopkick targeted offers and rewards on a national scale. The expansion nearly doubles the footprint of partner stores where shopkick rewards are available.
Since its August 2010 launch, Best Buy has reported that shopkick has had a notable influence on consumer shopping behavior. Company tests show incremental lift in traffic when shopkick rewards were increased for walk-ins. By providing unique reward incentives, offers and engaging gaming features through shopkick, Best Buy has been able to drive in-store traffic, increase consumer engagement with consumer electronics brands and products through scans, and engage with customers via their smart phones on the go, according to the retailer.
The trend of location-based marketing has gained significant traction over the last year. While Best Buy was the first retail partner to leverage shopkick, the mobile application is utilized by retailers including Crate and Barrel, Wet Seal and American Eagle. In May, shopkick reported it had exceeded 1.4 million users.
Research indicates that 6% of consumers are interested in receiving location-based retail offers on their mobile phones and 4% are interested in receiving time-sensitive promotions such as daily specials, according to the February 2011 Forrester Research report titled Location-Based Commerce: An Evolution In Mobile Shopping.
Advertisement
Forrester noted that retailers can use location-based services for upselling by sending a message such as “Spend over $50 today and get $10 off your purchase,” to target shoppers who typically leave the store quickly or to customers who have a history of spending below the average sale.
“Our customers are always on the go and are increasingly looking for tools that fit into their daily lives to make shopping easier,” said Drew Panayiotou, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Best Buy. “Through our partnership with shopkick, we can provide these experiences when they want them. Now, Best Buy shoppers across the country can get rewarded not just for shopping, but simply for walking into one of our stores.”
