shopkick致力于本地化和在线行销的对接, 已研发出适用于iPhone的新应用程序：用户只需逛逛商店，挑挑商品便可获得Facebook Credits。

通过这一新应用程序，当用户的手机接收到来自Shopkick的信号或条形码时，他便能收到相应的虚拟货币kickbuck。例如，只要走进一家“百思买”，该用户便能获得70 kickbucks。这意味着Shopkick将像其他许多流行的卫星定位应用程序一样真实有效。其兑换率是25 kickbucks：1 Credit。

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Shopkick的合伙机构Simon Property Group拥有100家购物中心，再加上许多连锁商店如“百思买”、“体育权威”、“美国鹰”等，有十分有力的门市促销优势。而shopkick的移动门市硬件系统（hardware-to-mobile walk-in system ）则在连卫星定位服务也举步维艰的高密度商业区运作良好。不远的将来，用户将可以通过进出某些特定的零售商店获得该程序的奖励。即便是出入便利商店或药店，挑选费城卡夫奶酪或汰渍洗衣粉等产品，也可为获得25 kickbucks的奖励。

在Shopkick获得Greylock Partners和Kleiner Perkins Caufiled & Byers的新一轮2000万美金资金后，用户即使不必走进商店也可以得到kickbucks——只需运用Shopkick这一程序浏览某一商店的简介，该用户便有机会获得现金。这十分有利于吸引部分鲜少逛街的用户。

这款应用程序的操作简单有趣，用户可以提升等级，获得徽章，甚至于将自己的照片贴在“业务墙 profile”上。当通过应用程序将kickbuck替换为Facebook Credits时，这些Credit经常会出现在用户的Facebook账户上。令人疑惑的是捐赠选项的相关按钮 ——与之相连的并不是同一个开发商，而是一款由Shopkick的制造者开发的移动程序Causeworld。这款程序主要是让用户登录商店以挣得捐款。（译者：dora)

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Shopkick, a startup trying to pair location and shopping, has a new iPhone application out now that lets users earn Facebook Credits by walking inside retail businesses and scanning items.

Users obtain Kickbucks, the app’s virtual currency, when their phone receives a signal from a Shopkick in-store transmitter or scans a bar code. For example, you get 70 Kickbucks just for walking inside Best Buy. The process means check-ins can’t be faked like on other popular GPS-based location apps. The exchange rate is 25 Kickbucks to 1 Credit.

Shopkick has partnered with Simon Property Group, owners of 100 shopping malls, plus many Best Buy, Sports Authority and American Eagle stores to roll out their walk-in promotion. Shopkick’s hardware-to-mobile walk-in system was designed to work well in malls where a high density of businesses and low wireless signal can cause problems for GPS-based services. In the future, the app will reward users for walking to certain departments of retail locations. Users can also visit convenience stores or pharmacies and earn 25 Kickbucks for scanning bar codes of items including Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese and Tide detergent products.

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Shopkick, which has raised $20 million  in rounds led by Greylock Partners and Kleiner Perkins Caufiled & Byers, is giving away Kickbucks to users even if they don’t go inside — simply using the app to view a profile of a business that you’re within 500 feet of will get you the currency. This helps engage users even if they don’t visit stores.

The app runs smooth and is fun to use, letting you level up, earn badges, a get your photo on the “wall” of a business’ profile. Facebook is used for login, but sharing and invite features on the app all route through email. When Kickbucks are redeemed for Facebook Credits through the app, the Credits instantly appear in a user’s Facebook account. One confusing point is the option to donates to “causes” — this isn’t related to the app developer of the same name, this is for Causeworld, a mobile app by the makers of Shopkick which lets users check-in to stores to earn donations.

By ensuring customers are actually inside stores and physically handling products, Shopkick offers businesses something worth incentivizing with discounts, gift certificates, and Kickbucks redeemable for Facebook Credits, donations to charity, DVDs and more. Shopkicks prevents gaming of the system by only allowing one Shopkick account per phone number and by limiting how often Kickbucks can be earned by walking into a certain location or chain, or scanning a specific item. Shopkick’s combination of security for businesses with quality incentives and fun for users could make it the killer location based loyalty app, all without having to tell people where you are.(source:inside facebook)