Mobile marketing platform Shopitize has struck a partnership with publisher Johnston Press which extends its reach to 25m consumers in the UK.

Johnston Press publishes 250 newspapers and associated websites. The deal will enable it to offer its readers a range of rewards, activated through the Shopitize platform, through which brands can build relationships with consumers based on verified purchases of their products.

Shopitize drives shoppers in store to purchase via offers on groceries delivered via the Shopitize app. The purchase is validated when the consumers photographs the receipt and then uploads it to Shopitize for verification via the app. If it’s a long receipt, it can be photographed in several parts which are joined together in the app. When they have accumulated a certain amount’s worth of discount, £5 for example, they can cash it out into their PayPayl or bank account.

There are certain issues with the platform, mainly relating to the verification process. Not just the photographing of the receipt, possibly in three or four stages, but also the fact that the consumer has to scan the product as they shop to ensure they are buying the discounted item, as there’s nothing on the pack to flag up the discount.
On the upside, it means consumers get offers they can redeem in almost any store in the land where the product is sold, without the need for retailer or pack integration. From the brands’ perspective, the platform also captures detailed transactional data on the stuff that Shopitize users actually buy in store, enabling them to target users with relevant offers via the platform in the future.

Shopitize has attracted some big brands, including Heinz, Colgate, Maltesers and Lurpak. The Johnston Press deal aims to help the company increase its reach.