Karrot, a mobile loyalty app developed by Airtime Rewards, has launched to help consumers reduce their monthly mobile phone bills when shopping with retailers signed up to the Karrot program.
Simple to download on Apple’s iOS and Android phones, the app has already been embraced by a number of high street chains including Caffé Nero, H Samuel and Blue Inc.
Karrot works in conjunction with all major network operators, including O2, Vodafone, Three and EE and works on both pre pay and pay monthly accounts.
The app enables users to earn loyalty points based on the amount spent with retailers. The points are then redeemable against the customer’s mobile phone bill. The technology will allow the retailer to see the impact the app is having on new sales and repeat business. The insight derived from the app will also enable retailers to target customers who are not returning.
Once customers have registered their mobile and payment card information with Karrot, transactions with participating retailers are logged automatically at the point of sale or at the online checkout. Customers can then redeem points within the app and the saving is automatically applied to their mobile account or can be gifted to friends or family.
Karrot is the brainchild of mobile technology entrepreneur Adam Ward. Alongside co-founder Josh Graham, Ward previously worked at 2ergo plc where the pair were involved in hugely successful mobile loyalty projects with Orange (Orange Wednesday) and O2 Telefonica. Airtime Rewards has been seed-funded by 2ergo founder Neale Graham and former Chairman Keith Seeley, both of whom are directors.
Ward say:s “Karrot is a tremendously exciting proposition which takes all of the learnings from 10 years running some of the UKs most successful mobile products and services; crucially we’ve made collecting loyalty points very simple for the consumer and developed technology that uniquely removes the need for retailers to make any process changes at the point of sale or invest in new technology in order to issue rewards.
“Karrot can significantly reduce the cost of owning a smartphone – a device which has fast become an essential for everyday life. The incentive for the consumer is clear but this has huge potential for retailers in driving new sales and increased frequency of spend.”
