Checkpoints app rewards you for shopping [Video]
The whole location-based gaming thing is definitely on fire with Foursquare and others and the new app Checkpoints is trying to integrate that with mobile shopping.
The Checkpoints Apple iPhone app gives you points for scanning products. These points can then be redeemed for discounts, gift cards or online services. You go into a participating store, open the app up and then scan certain products for delicious points.
If you think this sounds similar to the shopkick mobile shopping app, you’d be right. The key difference is that Checkpoints is centered around the products and it uses GPS for its location-based services.
Shopkick uses in-store equipment which transmits an audio signal to the phone. This ensures that people checking in to a location are actually in the store. Retailers may like this approach because it can be sure that potential customers are in the actual store.
Of course, the in-store equipment also means more up front costs and shopkick seems aimed at the retailers themselves. Checkpoints is more focused on the product makers and it will be launching with partnerships with Belkin, Energizer, Tyson Foods and Seventh Generation.
“Mobile check-in is clearly a hot topic, and CheckPoints provides an easy way for brands to get involved in this rapidly growing arena,” said Sean Williams, vice president – Americas for Belkin, in a prepared statement. “Belkin’s product innovation is driven by understanding and meeting people’s needs, so it’s important for us to connect with our customers. With CheckPoints, we can now drive verifiable traffic to our products while also delivering relevant messages in multiple retail locations.”
The Checkpoints app will launch this week for the Apple iPhone and iPod touch. If you sign up before October 31, you’ll get a few extra points.
I had a chance to check it out at a conference today, so look for the video shortly.
[Update]
Video is here!