The bakery is using the location-based application to drive traffic to its locations throughout the United States. Crumbs is getting the word out about the Foursquare special promotion via Facebook and Twitter.

“We see our Foursquare Fridays as not only a way to build customer loyalty, but a terrific way to thank our repeat customers,” said Anne Cornetta, ecommerce director at Crumbs, New York. “It is growing weekly and we hope to keep it interesting with our weekly specials.”

Crumbs has more than 50 varieties of cupcakes baked fresh daily and a new cupcake of the week every Monday.

Foursquare combines friend-finder functionality, social city guide elements and game mechanics to reward people for seeking out new experiences.

Mobile cupcakes
Consumers can download the Foursquare application and visit any of the Crumbs locations.

Once the application is downloaded, consumers can check-in and receive a free medium iced coffee.

Every Friday, Crumbs offers a Foursquare promotion where users can receive a free iced coffee by showing the store employee their check-in.

Additionally, the Mayor of each specific store receives a free cupcake.

The company is changing their mobile initiative on Oct. 22 by giving away 50 $5 gift cards to randomly selected users that check-in at the most highly trafficked stores.

“Foursquare offers merchants the opportunity to run geotagged specials on the Foursquare platform,” said Tristan Walker, director of business development at Foursquare, San Francisco. “When a special is entered into the system, Foursquare users within a 200 yard radius will see that special offer via a unique special flag or special nearby drop down which might entice those users to visit the merchant location and act on that special.

“Also, users can opt-in to sharing their Twitter handles to merchants opening up channels for communication between the merchant and consumer,” he said.

Crumbs is not the only company jumping on the Foursquare bandwagon.

Last month, Saks Fifth Avenue offered a mobile incentive to drive consumers in-store.

Saks offered free Nars lipstick to consumers after they check-in into any of the retailer’s participating locations on Foursquare.

Saks partnered with InStyle magazine to let readers check-in to a store via Foursquare (see story). 

Additionally, W Hotels had a similar challenge, which coincided with its Summer DJ Series that gave users a chance to win a two-night weekend stay at the hotel by checking in on Foursquare when they arrive (see story).

“Location-based services are good incentive for prizes and getting consumers in-store,” Mr. Walker said. “We think so and merchants have told us so.”

Consumers can view special offers on the Foursuare app

Final Take
Rimma Kats is editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York