The retailer hopes to entice shoppers to get an early start at holiday shopping by maximizing loyalty earnings during the month of October. Knowing that mobile shoppers will soon be on the lookout for holiday deals, GameStop getting a jumpstart on offers can give the retailer a boost in early sales.

“Our 28 million loyal PowerUp Rewards members told us that they wanted more benefits, features and offers,” said Frank Hamlin, chief marketing officer of GameStop. “We have heard them and are pleased to offer them the extra perks they wanted in ways that matter most to them.”

Seeing dollar signs
GameStop’s move arose from customer feedback requesting more rewards and benefits. The retailer’s 28 million PowerUp Rewards members now have access to the Rewards Catalog in the app that users can redeem points for exclusive merchandise, promotional codes, coupons and entries to rewards without leaving the app.

The company’s efforts are aiming to make it easier for users to redeem their coupons and use them right away.

It is important for retailers offering promotions to make them easily accessible. The more accessibility the coupons have, the more likely users are going to redeem them and make a purchase.

GameStop has also moved the PowerUp rewards member section from the menu to a different tab to provide users with one-click access. Additionally, the retailer made multiple changes in the menu section to make the user experience more efficient.

As app users are ready and willing to redeem mobile coupons via apps, they are not able to do so if coupons cannot be accessed. Retailers must equally contribute to offering the right type of rewards as well as developing a convenient user experience.

Rewards available to PowerUp members are “buy two, get one free” coupons, $50 off in exclusive monthly offers and 10 percent off purchases incentives.

For October especially, members can get $50 more toward a purchase of the Playstation Vita until October 12 or $50 off a purchase of pre-owned smartphones Oct. 8-31.

The new PowerUp Rewards credit card will provide cardholders with numerous convenience and benefits, such as being able to make purchases online, promotional financing for larger purchases, online and mobile platform card management and payment services and no annual fees.

Familiarization
GameStop is trying to get to know its customers better.

A GameStop executive at Mobile Marketer’s Mobile Marketing Summit: Holiday Focus 2014 conference last month said a deeper understanding of how customers are using mobile is paramount to delivering the meaningful content and services that drive brand engagement.

During the session, “Leveraging Loyalty Insights to Drive a Mobile Channel Strategy,” the executive discussed how the retailer learned how to leverage the reach of its PowerUp Rewards members to maximize engagement, drive revenue and increase loyalty. The revelation underscored the importance of offering shoppers choice and convenience across their multiple retail channels (see story).

Credit card company Discover is also getting a head start with mobile rewards.

Discover is combining its former ShopDiscover.com site and Discover Extras to launch Discover Deals, accessible on mobile Web and the Discover mobile application, to streamline the location of coupons and offers.

Combining more than 150 deals from top brands and retailers, Cashback Bonus card members are among the larger consumer base looking for the best deals to snatch for holiday gifts. By putting these deals in one virtual location, users can find these more easily and are more likely to remember to use them (see story).

Final Take
Caitlyn Bohannon is an editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York