shopkick Expands into First International Market; Five of Germany's Largest Retailers Launch Nationwide Programs on Day One

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., and BERLIN, Oct. 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- shopkick, the most widely used real-world shopping app, today launches in Germany, Europe's largest economy and retail market, in partnership with many of the country's largest and most popular retailers and brands, as well as one of the largest media companies in Europe. The first global expansion showcases the app's new backend, now quickly and easily scalable across countries and languages. Shopkick's recent acquisition by South Korea-based mobile and commerce leader SK planet positions the newly combined company as a dominant global player in retail technology – both in offerings in current markets, and also in capabilities available to new regions.

"Since shopkick launched in the US a little more than four years ago, we have expanded from tests in a few hundred stores with four retailers to our current national footprint of 10,000 large retail stores across 15 national partners. Now we are going to Germany because it is Europe's largest and the world's fourth largest economy, and has one of the highest smartphone penetration levels in the world," said Cyriac Roeding, CEO and co-founder of shopkick. "We will be national in Germany from day one, with 1,400 stores. There has never been an app to offer walk-in rewards at all locations of any German retailer and yet shopkick kicks it off with five large players. That's true testament to what we've proven in the American market, and we're excited that German shoppers can now reap the benefits."

At launch, shopkick's German network is comprised of more than 1,400 stores: all Douglas (largest beauty retailer in Germany), Media Markt and Saturn (together the largest consumer electronics retail chain in Germany), OBI (one of the largest do-it-yourself retailers in Germany) and Karstadt (one of the largest department stores in Germany) locations. Its brand partners in Germany at launch include P&G, Henkel and GSK.

The German launch will be supported by massive television, mobile and online marketing in Germany through a strategic partnership with ProSiebenSat.1, one of Europe's largest media companies. ProSieben will run shopkick television commercials as well as integrate shopkick into some of the countries' largest mobile apps. 

Shopkick's recently opened Berlin office is headed by Peter Thulson, vice president of international partnerships and acting managing director, Germany. Local teams are currently being staffed for partner management, user growth and content management. 

Some of the traction in the United States that proves shopkick's impact to new foreign partners, include:

• Shopkick had driven over $1 billion in sales for partners, half in the last 12 months alone
• In January 2014, Nielsen again rated shopkick the most used real-world shopping app, ahead of any physical retailers' own apps, having the most active users, and the most time spent in the app per user per month (1 hour 50 minutes; second most used app is eBay with 1 hour 5 minutes)
• 35 million dollars have been earned by users; 3.5 million gift cards redeemed
• 50 million walk-ins to partner retailers
• Over 100 million product scans
• More than 15 retail partners, 10,000 store locations with shopkick presence technology shopBeacon installed
• Over 150 brand partners
• Over 8 million users

Each engagement on shopkick is valuable to brand and retail partners, and is a revenue event for shopkick: every walk-in to a partner store, every product scan, and every purchase.

Shopkick shows the best deals and products at favorite stores, and delivers high-value rewards, in a currency called "kicks," to shoppers for a variety of actions they take as they go about shopping: being present in stores, browsing and interacting with products, and purchasing at participating retail stores as well as right within the app. Shoppers can redeem kicks to treat themselves with store gift cards, a free coffee or dinner, Coach handbags, song downloads, movie tickets, donations to charity and more.

About shopkick, Inc.

The shopkick app is the best mobile shopping companion that helps users save money and get rewarded. At home or on the go, find the best deals and trending products at the favorite stores.  "Save" items anywhere you want, to be reminded next time you visit a store where they're sold. All this while earning rewards along the way for everyday shopping actions like store visits, picking up products at stores, and purchases.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) named shopkick a Technology Pioneer 2013. Forbes rated shopkick as one of America's 100 Most Promising Companies in 2014. Inc, magazine named shopkick one of the Fastest Growing Private Companies in America in 2014, and Nielsen ranked shopkick the most widely and often used real-world shopping app. Shopkick's growing Partner Alliance includes American Eagle Outfitters, Best Buy, Crate and Barrel, JCPenney, Macy's, MasterCard, Old Navy, Simon Property Group, Sony, The Sports Authority, Target, Visa, Procter & Gamble, Mondelez, Revlon, Unilever, Pepsi, Levi's, HP and more. The Redwood City-based company was initially funded by Kleiner Perkins' iFund, Greylock Partners and Reid Hoffman, founder of LinkedIn and investor in Facebook. In October 2014, shopkick was acquired by SK planet, the South Korea-based mobile and commerce leader.

Media Contact:
Grayling for shopkick
Alia Dudum
415.593.1400
[email protected]

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shopkick-expands-into-first-international-market-five-of-germanys-largest-retailers-launch-nationwide-programs-on-day-one-707143761.html

SOURCE shopkick

Related Links

http://www.shopkick.com