Last week, okay so it was 2 weeks ago…don’t you love how the busy holiday season messes up the ability to write a blog entry?,  I gave you an overview of the first of my Disney Penny Apps, Shopkicks.  This Saturday, we are going to take a deeper look into the In-Store Side and focus on Walk-In Kicks and Scan Kicks.

VIDEO:  What is ShopKicks?

But before I do make sure you have used my link to download the Shopkick App so we both get a few more Disney pennies…

Referral Link :  http://getsk.co/mall911058

Walk In Kicks

By just walking into a store that is offering Walk In Kicks, you earn Kicks. It’s simple but you must have your location and your Bluetooth on.  I have my settings set to “While I am Using App”, otherwise I find I am constantly using data through roaming and with 5 people using data in the household we hate the months where we use our “unlimited data” and are forced to use the slower data speed.  However, with location and notifications on for the app, you’ll get a happy little bleep when you get close to a store that offers Kicks!

Before I go shopping, I open the Shopkick App to see who is offering Walk In Kicks or Scan Kicks and make my game plan on which stores I will be visiting.  Normally after my morning run on Saturday, I go and pick up as many Walk In Kicks as I can before going home.

How to Get Walk In Kicks

When you park, open the app and select the store from the store list, and then step inside the store (sometimes just outside the store works too though).  A little blue circle will appear on your phone saying, “Hi, [Your Name]” and then flip over to show you how many kicks you got for walking in! Then tap the circle to accept.

If it doesn’t do it right away, go back to the app’s home page, drag down to refresh the page. I often do this several times, as the app is trying to locate the store Wi-Fi to verify you are where you say you are…

If you still are not getting Walk in Kicks, try the following…

• Double check that the store is offering walk-in kicks. Not all stores do this, nor do this every week.
• If a store isn’t registering walk-in kicks, try either connecting or disconnecting from the store’s Wi-Fi through your settings. I often go in manually and turn Wi-Fi on and off to connect to a store.
• If it’s still not working, close the app down on your phone, reopen the app, and try again.
• If none of that works, click “Report Issue” at the bottom of the Walk-in information tab for that store…sadly most cases you will not get the Walk In Kicks for that visit.

Here are some things to know about Walk In Kicks:

• Not every store offers walk-in kicks.
• Walk-in Kicks may not always be available every day, even for stores that usually offer them.
• The amount of Walk-in Kicks you can earn varies by day. ShopKick tends to offer higher walk-in kick rewards on the weekends and for holidays.
• You can only earn walk-in kicks once per day per store, sometimes once per week.
• You can earn anywhere from 5 kicks to 200 kicks for walking into a store and using the app.

ShopKicks Walk In Help Desk Link

Generally Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Carter’s, Oshkosh, American Eagle and TJ Maxx will offer Walk-In Kicks most weeks.  Be sure that you look through your list often as stores change and check your email as there are always special events happening that offer Walk-In Kicks.   Also, if you are traveling out of your normal location check for Walk-In Kicks at that location.  I often find myself at malls when I am traveling for business and can pick up a few Walk-In Kicks at different locations and stores.

Scan Kicks

Call it a scavenger hunt…Scan Kicks is the fun way to get your little ones involved or send your bored teenager off to do. However, I do not recommend doing your Scan Kicks with your Mr. Grumpy, no matter how much free money you are making most do not have the patience to spend that extra time in the store.   If you like to window shop, walk down every isle in a store, or take your sweet time as you shop, this app feature is perfect for you. It’s also a great time killer, when you are stuck with collegues who love to shop and you don’t on business trips.  Various stores offer Scan Kicks (even if they don’t offer walk-in kicks) so make sure you check your app often.

VIDEO : How to Scan for ShopKicks

HELP LINK:  Shopkicks Scans Help

When you enter a participating store, open the app on your phone, connect (or disconnect) to the store Wi-Fi so you don’t hit any “little potholes back there” and click the store from the list. Then tap the Scan kicks icon.  Note:  You must allow Shopkicks to access your camera.

Here you will see a list of items in the store, which if scanned, earn you kicks! The amount of kicks is listed next to the item, as well as if the items are eligible for a KickBate™ which we will discuss next week. The eligible items are random, like a certain brand/style of diapers, a Barbie doll, a magazine, dog food, personal care products, wine, household products or food.  Note that a lot of kicks will be similar in all stores offering Kicks.  Once you scan the item in 1 store, it will not be available in the other store.  So, I always pick the store that I can get most Kicks in one stop and if I have time, I scan at other stores.

When you find the specific item in the store, click on the listing for it in the app. Your phone will turn on its camera, so you can scan the bar code found on the packaging for that item. After you scan it, a blue circle (and happy noise) shows up and tells you how many kicks you earned by scanning a bar code as you shopped and browsed the store! If you scanned the wrong item, it will tell you and not award Kicks.  I often will pull up the picture and enlarge it so that I can see the item more clearly.

I haven’t had many issues with Scan Kicks not working either. If I do have an issue it normally has to do with store Wi-Fi, so I go into my settings and disconnect & reconnect to Wi-Fi.

After you scan an item you may or may not have a quick little survey show up on your screen about that product.  Most are optional and can be closed out before completing, without forfeiting your kicks.

Here are some things you need to know about Scan Kicks:

• The same item is often listed under multiple stores.
• Scan Kicks are awarded once per day, per item.
• You cannot scan the same item in different stores, the same day, and earn kicks from both stores.
• Some scan kicks refresh every single day. Others refresh less frequently, if at all.
• A store that offered scan kicks before may not have any on a different day.
• Scan Kick items’ range in value, some only 1 kick up to 500 kicks (which is rare). Generally, 5-20 Kicks per item is a good range.

Last weekend was a “Blue Weekend” with Shopkicks.  This event happens a couple times each year and is a way for stores to actually get you in the stores by offering you literally up to thousands of kicks.  During Blue Weekend, I was able to earn a $25 Disney Gift Card to put towards my next trip by just walking in, scanning, purchasing a few items featured and testing out the link my card feature.  What are you waiting for, Disney Pennies are there for the making?

Next week, I will share more about In-Store Purchasing Kicks & Linking Your Card Kicks.  Until then, Happy Kicking!