As the economy limps along, we are all looking to stretch our dollars, penny by penny. So why not put your expensive iPhone to work, download the free ShopKick app, and start racking up reward points redeemable for gift cards at a variety of major retailers.
Creating a profile for the ShopKick app takes less than three minutes. And you can start immediately by redeeming points for nearby stores. Just tap the green bubble that appears on your screen. Remote tapping earns you a few points. Tap while standing in the store, and you get 10 times the number of points. And some stores have scannable products that will earn you even more redeemable points (this is currently available in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles only).
Bonuses include buy-one-get-one-free offers and discounted prices. Sports Authority promised a $10 gift card with a $50 purchase and the ShopKick app. You can also exchange points for Facebook credits.
As you collect more points, you advance through the six levels of credits. (What you get as you advance is unclear.) However, the money-saving features of the app are diluted by some superfluous features. Not all stores that appear include points options. Some just allow you to “like” the business on Facebook, a shameless marketing ploy that serves only to waste users’ time.
