After announcing a partnership with Best Buy a few months ago, Shopkick is debuting a new implementation of its geo-coupon system at Target today. Users can now unlock coupons via Shopkick’s app in 242 stores in the Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York City, and San Francisco/Silicon Valley markets.
Instead of checking in, as you would with a geo app like Foursquare or Gowalla, shopkick automatically recognizes when someone with the free shopkick app on their phone walks into a store. When guests enter a participating Target store, they will receive points, called “kickbucks.” Guests also can scan select product barcodes in-store to earn additional “kickbucks.”
You can then use “kickbucks” to redeem Target GiftCards. Users of the app will also receive instant scannable mobile coupons just for entering Target (the coupons can be scanned and redeemed at checkout). The retailers says that offers will be extended to a variety of products, including food, cleaning supplies, electronics and toys.
Target operates 1,752 stores across the U.S., so this is definitely a smaller implementation. Regardless, it’s a big win for the startup in advance of the holiday shopping season. The company also has partnerships with Macy’s and American Eagle. Shopkick faces competition from Stickybits, Facebook Places and a host of others.