Author: Lucy

Walgreens geolocation beacons offer shoppers coupons and deals

| November 18, 2016

The company is now pushing the use of geolocation options to customers through their mobile app.

Walgreens geolocation beacons are taking a much more central role in the latest mobile app update. The application is now pushing the use of the store’s beacons with offers of location based deals such as coupons.

The Walgreens chain has been testing the use of location based beacons in certain specific stores.

The Walgreens geolocation testing first started in February and has been focused on Duane Reade locations. The store expects that these additional mobile marketing tools will help it to record an increases in sales. At the same time, the company has expressed certain concerns about barriers to widespread adoption.

Walgreens Geolocation Beacons - Walgreens StoreFor this reason, Walgreens is being very careful and strategic about the way it is approaching location based marketing. It is seeking to ensure that its offers and features are always within its shoppers’ comfort zones.

The reason is that Walgreens geolocation uses tech that has caused consumers elsewhere to voice concerns.

Location based beacons have the potential to boost both engagement and sales while in-store at Walgreens. This mobile technology is seen as particularly promising when it comes to selling consumer packaged goods (CPGs).

Moreover, recent studies have shown that CPG shoppers are interested in receiving discount coupons. BI Intelligence reported that 61 percent of American shoppers who had never used geolocation in-store would opt-in in exchange for receiving mobile coupons and discounts from a retailer.

Furthermore, that same report said that 47 percent of US shoppers would opt in to location based messages in exchange for loyalty rewards. Since CPG purchases happen exceptionally regularly, Walgreens may be on to something in using location based tech to offer in-store savings opportunities. This has the potential to boost total sales and customer loyalty.

In fact, the same report indicated that beacons such as those used by the Walgreens geolocation program are already making a difference. It estimated that $8 billion in CPG sales was influenced by the receipt of some form of beacon-triggered message while shopping in-store. That represents 2 percent of the total CPG sales in the United States.

Will the Vine app soon offer 6 second porn?

| October 31, 2016

Pornhub has (jokingly) offered to purchase the mobile application now that Twitter has discontinued it.

Twitter has decided to shut down the Vine app in a choice met with considerable controversy. One of the founders of the mobile app has expressed his regret over the decision. At the same time, the Pornhub adult entertainment site has launched its own promotional stunt bid to acquire it.

When the six second video sharing platform was shut down, Rus Yusupov tweeted his disappointment.

Yusupov is one of the founders of the Vine app. He left the company last year but was still upset with Twitter’s decision to shut it down. Twitter bought the company in 2012 for what was reported to be $30 million.

Vine App X-ratedAccording to Twitter, it decided to cease the Vine platform when that company reported a boost in its own monthly active user growth throughout the third quarter. However, at the same time it dropped 9 percent of its work force. This suggests that it is seeking to slash costs and place the focus on live streaming features.

The Vine app had developed a solid user base and generated a number of famous “Viner” celebrities.

A number of stars found their place on the six second video sharing app. Like Yusupov, those stars headed to Twitter to share their disappointment in the move.

Twitter posted a blog at the end of last week which explained that the Vine application and website wouldn’t be closed immediately. Instead, users will still be able to view and download videos. That said, it also didn’t provide very much information about what will happen to the mobile app now that it is being abandoned.

The blog post said “What’s next? We’ll be working closely with creators to make sure your questions are answered and will work hard to do this the right way.”

Pornhub saw this as a perfect opportunity to create its latest marketing scheme. It has a long history of making joke bids like the one for the Vine app in order to draw attention to itself. It submitted a tongue-in-cheek letter describing the appeal of six second porn videos.