By Kat Boushee
The use of Foursquare and Facebook has changed and grown in the past year as retailers and even CCSU have been jumping on the social media express.
The information desk at CCSU is a designated check-in point on Foursquare and they give out prizes to students that check in each semester.
Amanda West, a CCSU student and student worker at the information desk, said that students often “walk by two or three times on their phone before checking in,” and that the information desk took a while to run out of the coffee mugs and keychains given to students who check in.
According to online research company Hitwisehits on Foursquare in the U.S. increased 50 percent in December through February of 2009-2010. However, Foursquare usage at CCSU still seems to be growing slowly.
On Foursquare someone becomes a “mayor” of a location by checking in more than anyone else in a 60-day span. Mayors might receive perks and discounts at some retailers, and often stores will provide tips or coupons to anyone checking in at their location.
At the CCSU bookstore one can check in on Foursquare and receive a Snickers square bar.
Jack O’Leary, manager of the bookstore, believes that foursquare is only the beginning.
“It’s going to continue to grow,” O’Leary commented. He believes that the next step will be Quick Response codes.
Quick Response codes are like bar codes that contain a lot more information. They originated in Japan in 1994 and are still commonplace in the country while growing in popularity in the U.S. According to Baltimore-based social media marketing firm MGH, 32 percent of smartphone users polled said they had scanned a QR code.
They are utilized by downloading an application to a smartphone, opening the application and pointing the phone’s camera at the QR code and the application will process the code and automatically open up the picture or video on your phone.
Facebook is also trying to take over the social retail market. On April 25 they announced that they will be launching a section of Facebook called “Deals.” It will be debuted in Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, San Diego and San Francisco.
Facebook deals will show up in your email and if Facebook feels that a particular deal is of interest to you, it will show up in your news feed. This leads into Facebook’s “Credits” system. Previously, Facebook credits were used to buy virtual gifts on Facebook but will soon be able to be used to purchase real merchandise.
As Jack O’Leary said, “social retailing is the next evolution.”
If he is correct, it might behoove even the most tech-wary consumer to step up to the social media plate and download one or more of these apps.
