Loopt continues to ramp up its focus on location-based deals. The pioneer of the mobile social network is launching a new app called LooptCard, which lets mobile consumers tap into offers, coupons and discounts by checking-in to spots. Today, Loopt is partnering with deals site Mobile Spinach to offer users deals and coupons for local merchants via the Loopt App.
The deals are part advertising part coupon and will only be featured in San Francisco for now. Coupon site Mobile Spinach will offer dozens of deals exclusively to Loopt users and through their own site per week. For example, Blowfish Sushi, a Sushi restaurant in San Francisco, offers any signature roll for free which typically costs $10-$15 per roll. Loopt users show their phone message at the restaurant to receive these discounts. Loopt says it will be rolling out the offers in LA and New York in the coming months.
The deals feature will be integrated into Loopt’s app in the same way that local content and reviews about restaurants, bars and events from Zagat, Citysearch and the Loopt community are featured in the app. Loopt’s COO Brian Knapp tells me that location-based deals are central to the future strategy of Loopt. And the coupons serve as an advertisement and an incentive to frequent an establishment. Loopt is monetizing these coupons in some way, but Knapp declined to give the specifics of what the revenue breakdown is.
Of course, most of Loopt competitors are making similar ventures in the mobile coupon and deals space. Foursquare has special deals for “Mayors” of establishments and Yelp offers location-based specials and offers in its mobile apps. Even Google is getting into the mobile coupon game.
With 3 million users, Loopt is continuing to innovate its platform to compete in a competitive space, where Facebook may be entering as well. Location-based deals are one part of the picture; with check-ins, advertising and even merchant reviews and listings all included as features.