Beginning Wednesday, shoppers equipped with Shopkick on their iPhone or Android devices will be eligible to collect points, or "kicks," as soon as they step foot in one of Target's 1,764 stores. They can earn more points by scanning various products in the store using the app, and then redeem those points for items such as Target gift cards, Facebook credits, dining gift certificates, iTunes downloads, charitable donations, etc.
So how much do you have to do for a reward? Five hundred kicks will get you a $2 Target gift card; 6,250 will get you a $25 one. Walking into a store merits 60 kicks on a normal day, and between 120 and 300 kicks on special promotional days. Scan every designated item in the store and you'll earn 315 kicks. If that seems like a lot of work, remember, it's designed as a bonus for repeat shoppers -- not scavenger hunters.
Target's program is an expansion of one implemented at 242 of its stores in November 2010 and is the largest partnership Shopkick has announced to date. In November, the startup partnered with Visa to allow shoppers to collect points by making purchases from -- rather than just visiting -- retailers including Toys “R” Us, American Eagle Outfitters, Old Navy and Wet Seal. Shopkick, which claims 3 million members, has also worked with CW Television Network, offering kicks in exchange for watching and recording ads displayed on the network.