Mobile startup shopkick has turned to Big Oil for its latest retail partner. Under a new deal, ExxonMobil will let customers that use the shopkick app at its gas station convenience stores earn points that can be redeemed at the stores of other retailers that work with shopkick.
Unfortunately for consumers reeling from high gas prices, the rewards don’t include discounts at the pump.
Customers using the location-based shopping app at 375 participating ExxonMobil locations in Miami, New York and Washington, D.C., however, will gain points, or “kicks” just by walking in the door. The kicks can be redeemed at one of shopkick’s other participating retailers, including Target, Best Buy and American Eagle Outfitters.
Those points can be put toward in-store gift cards, song downloads, movie tickets, or Facebook Credits, as well as donations to 30 different causes and charities and more. The idea is that the incentive to earn additional points will help steer shopkick’s more than 3 million users to ExxonMobil stations, instead of competing gas stations.
Besides brick-and-mortar retailers, shopkick has also struck alliances with brands such as Kraft Foods and Visa, as well as the CW TV network.