Swipely Innovates Credit Card Uses in RI
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
Swipely, the six-month-old Providence technology start-up launched by Angus Davis, has just added significant heft to its promise of how consumers can interact with their credit cards.
Announced yesterday, Swipely identified the four following points that touch on aspects of shopping, but until now have existed in separate applications.
* Reviewing isn’t enough. Sharing with friends may be fun, said Swipely spokespeople, but most people "aren't into writing reviews."
* People like saving money. Swipely reports that customers have asked repeatedly to help them save money on everyday purchases, something missing from early versions of Swipely.
* Local commerce dwarfs online shopping. According to Swipely, 97 percent of US retail spending happens offline, with customers reporting that local info is more valuable than what’s on iTunes or Amazon.
* Saving money is popular but can be cumbersome. Swipely avows that It’s hard to print coupons, remember loyalty cards, wait for a one-day event and launch a phone application every time you walk into a restaurant. "You shouldn’t have to do unnatural things to get more out of shopping," a spokesman said.
Beginning yesterday, Swipely users in Rhode Island will earn cash back rewards when they shop at favorite local places. The new Swipely lets customers save money and see what’s happening at the places they shop, enabling the follow social components of the shopping experience... but all from a customer's existing credit card.
* Save money and earn rewards. Just swipe your card at participating restaurants, shops and stores to get cash back on your first purchase and earn reward points every time you go back. You won’t have to cut a coupon, buy a voucher, carry a loyalty card, or download a phone application, because credit and debit cards from over 5,000 banks already support Swipely. The savings are automatic, and you can even earn extra rewards by recommending favorite places to friends.
* See what’s new where you shop. Swipely will show you a feed of local shopping news -- tonight's specials at your favorite restaurants, which band is playing at the bar across town, the new waffle maker at Williams-Sonoma and a coupon code from J Crew. Your personal shopping news feed from millions of businesses is personalized based on where you shop.
* Organize your shopping history. Keep track of where you shop, how much you spend in various categories, and even see your shopping on a map. Your shopping history is private. If you want, share a review of any place with your friends (many businesses will even give you bonus reward points for sharing a review!).
The roll-out group of 75 local participating businesses features high-visibility spots such as Nicks on Broadway, Haruki Sushi, Nikki’s Liquors, Alayne White Spa, Sneaker Junkies and Waterman Grille.
According to the company, Rhode Islanders are the only people who are able to use the new version of Swipely.
Providence swipers can see the ever-growing list of participating merchants by going to Swipely.com and clicking the “Deals & Rewards” tab. Businesses who want to consider inclusion in Swipely's network can email [email protected]. Want to vote for Swipely in your city? Give us a shout on Twitter at @Swipely.
Related Articles
- Tech10 Awards Recognizes Rhode Island’s Technology All-Stars
- Tech Collective Poll: Can Technology be the Driving Force to Rhode Island’s Economic Growth?
