Users can earn redeemable points when they link their eligible Visa debit or credit card into shopkick’s Buy & Collect program. Shopkick rewards consumers for simply walking into retail stores such as Best Buy, American Eagle Outfitters and Toys R Us.

“The combination of walk-in rewards drives foot traffic to stores – this is proven now at over 4,000 large stores at 11 retail chains – and rewards on purchase,” said Cyriac Roeding, cofounder/CEO of shopkick, Palo Alto, CA.

“And consumers score twice: first with kicks for walking in, and then again when they pay and leave the store,” he said. “The partnership with Visa allows shopkick to close the purchase cycle for participating retail partners.

“Additional rewards are offered when a purchase is made using a linked Visa card.”

Visa is a global payments technology company that connects consumers, businesses, financial institutions and governments in more than 200 countries and territories to fast, secure and reliable digital currency.

Shopkick is a location-based app that focuses on driving foot traffic into stores.

How it works
When consumers enter a retailer’s location, the Shopkick Signal location technology recognizes that they are there.

Through Visa’s real-time messaging platform, shopkick merchants can offer Visa cardholders rewards not only for visiting a store location, but also if they buy products while in-store.

Consumers can qualify for Buy & Collect offers.

For example, if a consumer spends $40, they can receive 250 kicks.

The first shopkick merchants offering Buy & Collect include American Eagle Outfitters, Arden B., Old Navy, Toys R Us and Wet Seal.

“Visa has 650 million cards active in the U.S. alone,” Mr. Roeding said. “They use leading-edge technology, and they move quickly, so naturally it is a company that shopkick wanted to work with.

“Its real-time messaging platform is a great compliment to what shopkick does,” he said. “Together we can confirm purchases in order to provide rewards to shoppers for making purchases at participating partner retailers.”

Word of mouth
Shopkick is using traditional media, marketing and social channels as well in-app notifications to inform the public of this partnership and the Buy & Collect program.

“Because the mobile device is the primary interactive device people carry around when they’re in the real world, it plays an important part in interacting with customers when they are nearest to making a purchase decision – when they’re out shopping,” Mr. Roeding said.

“Shopkick has proven to its retailer and brands partners that incentives drive shopper behavior,” he said. “This partnership with Visa now allows shoppers more opportunities to earn even more rewards while they are out shopping.”

Final Take
Rimma Kats is staff reporter on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York