It's always about location, location, location.
Except when it's not.
Google and Facebook are launching geo-targeted services for the PC and mobile. Shopkick is a new app that sends you offers when you're in stores. And Foursquare has been a social media cause celebré since its inception.
But as I talk about in my new book, THE ON-DEMAND BRAND, such services barely bring more value than basic signage in stores would bring - why do I need to use my mobile phone to get a special offer at Starbucks, when a sign for a special offer would do the same thing? Many people are already complaining that the actual offers aren't worth the login (or check-in).
And let's face it. The minute, the moment, the nanosecond you and I find ourselves receiving - or asking for - dubious offers at 20 different retailers as we walk down the street, it's all going to get very old, very fast.
Don't get me wrong. I'm a big fan of Dennis Crowley, co-founder of Foursquare (I interview him in the book - listen the source interview here). If anyone can make a go of Foursquare, it's him. And I think Shopkick is a step in the right direction.
But in the book, I look at the kind of app that would truly bring value to consumers - and it has far more to do with who the user is, rather than where the user is standing.
Instead of a intermediary app like Shopkick, think more along the lines of next-generation version of that old Gap StyleMixer app from a while back. Strip out the silly share-an-outfit features. And instead imagine a new kind of Gap app (or "gapp," if you will) that you activate as you enter the store.
The app could keep track of your past purchases and bring up any new offers that may be of interest to you - and uniquely you.
Like those jeans you bought last month? You're going to love these shirts - complete with a map to location of the merchandise in-store.
Using the app’s scanner, you can scan products, access shopper reviews and see recommendations on accessories and other items. Walk into the dressing room, snap an image of yourself in the mirror, and share the look with your friends via social media, to see if it's "fly" or "forgettaboutit."
And then you simply walk out the door - the charges are automatically applied to the credit card information you entered in the app's interface, and the security device is disabled and you're on the way. Without ever digging for cash, writing a check, swiping a card or standing in line.
All with the ability for the user - not the service - to control what personal information is shared, if, when, and how, through a simple interface.
It's all coming faster than you think. And it will bring value that Google, Facebook, Foursquare and Shopkick can't offer - at least not yet.
Bottom line: It's not (just) about the location of shoppers.
It's about the shoppers themselves - and the services and offers they demand - when, where and how they want them.
Read more about the book, here.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> IN STORES NOW - LEARN MORE (AND ORDER YOUR COPY) - HERE <<<
"... REQUIRED READING FOR THE DIGITAL AGE ..."
“Absolutely inspiring! Mathieson takes us on a lively journey through the digital marketing universe, with powerful insights into what has worked, what hasn’t, and most important of all—why. His 10 rules of engagement will spark creativity and inform a new generation of digital marketing initiatives— including my own. Put simply, THE ON-DEMAND BRAND is required reading for the digital age.”
Peter Cole, Technology Director, R/GA
>>> IN STORES NOW - LEARN MORE (AND ORDER YOUR COPY) - HERE <<<
-----------------------------------------------------------------------