Retailers Try to Cash In on Pokemon Go

Retailers have been experimenting with augmented reality and location-based mobile activity as a way to boost sales and shopper engagement for years. Now they're looking for ways to piggyback on the successful use of those tactics by Niantic's Pokemon Go, a free mobile application that lets players catch and fight digital monsters based on their real-world location.Released on July 6 through a licensing deal with Nintendo, the iPhone and Android game already has millions of players around the world. The game uses phones' GPS to create a digital map populated by Pokemon for players to capture, "PokeStops" that reward players with in-game items, and "Pokemon Gyms" where players can fight the other players' Pokemon. Each of the latter two is tied to a real world location such as a piece of art or a business.There is currently no way for businesses to control whether or not they appear in the game, though it's rumored that Niantic may make that an option in the future. Those locations lucky enough to have significance in the game can further entice players to visit by purchasing "Lures" that draw additional Pokemon to a PokeStop for 30 minutes. The items are sold through the game for 99 cents and can be purchased and placed by any player.While most retailers are still struggling to come up with ways to monetize the game's popularity, GameStop has been quick to seize the moment and leverage the fact that nearly 200 GameStop locations are PokeStops and another 30 are Gyms. A Pokemon microsite within gamestop.com hosts a list of all the stores that are in-game locations and sells a wide variety of Pokemon games, toys and apparel along with Google Play and iTunes gift cards that can be used for in-game purchases. Visitors to the microsite can also preorder copies of Nintendo's Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon, which will be released on Nov. 18. A home page display ad on gamestop.com, and Facebook and Twitter updates link to the page.GameStop additionally:placed Lures at 50 of its stores every two hours on July 23 and 24.created a new Twitter account devoted to Pokemon Go activity, with updates alerting consumers when and where Lures are active. offered an extra $25 in store credit to shoppers who traded in select used video games towards the purchase of Pokemon products, or iTunes or Google Play gift cards, from July 14-24.will host a themed in-store event on Aug. 1 and release an exclusive Pokemon toy. A July 27 email promoting the event also offered PowerUp Rewards loyalty cardholders 1,500 bonus points with purchase of any Google Play card.Pokemon Go doesn't offer any in-game ads but some brands are still trying to use it to reach consumers. According to Mobile Marketer, Stonyfield Farm is working with Aki Technologies and using geotargeting to push ads in music and messaging apps to players who are near PokeStops. The display ad carries the message: "Time to catch a Stonyfield."Other retailers have attempted to use the game to engage followers on social media, promote products such as battery cases and snacks that could be relevant for players on the go, and to draw shoppers in stores by advertising rare Pokemon caught in aisles. See Related Updates below for a roundup of retailer activity.

P2PI MEMBERS

JOIN P2PI

You May Also Like

Amazon Launches 'Phygital' Shopping Experience for Mobile Games

Revlon Lends Lipstick Hues to Home Design Game