Shopkick points, in case you're wondering, can be redeemed for real-money rewards, so merchants insist on making sure users are actually inside the
store, not just "checking in" from wherever with, say, Foursquare. Not even a year old, Shopkick has already has had success partnering with big, nationwide chains, like Best Buy, Target, Macy's, and
Crate and Barrel.
Having already signed up nearly 2 million users, the company believes it grow much large through local-business partnerships. "Groupon, a quasi-competitor, has shown that an Internet company can get small, local businesses to participate in web deals ... So it's a good idea for Shopkick to try this," BI believes. Launch cities include New York, NY; Los Angeles and San Francisco/Bay Area, Calif; Seattle, Wash; and Washington D.C.