New to Shopkick

[travelbug]

I just downloaded and started using Shopkick a couple days ago. It's kind of fun! I had read here on the DIS that a number of people were earning money from it, so I thought I'd give it a try.

I have a question about rewards. I selected Walmart gift card as my choice. The smallest reward of $2.00 can be redeemed with 500 kicks, which I already have. But I really don't want to cash out until I have a larger amount, at least $5.00 but preferably $25. I'm not seeing a way to select a higher amount ahead of time so it doesn't keep prompting me to cash out for the $2.00. Do I just ignore the prompt and keep on accumulating kicks until I'm to a level where I want to cash it out? Or do I select a different reward that I really don't want, for a greater amount of kicks, and then change it at the last minute when ready to cash out for Walmart?

Any other advice or hints for a Shopkick rookie?

 

[Moramoon]

I just ignore it until I'm ready to cash out. I don't really have any tips, but when I'm out shopping I always check for scans. I've had quite a few items that were high kick amounts so I've accumulated a lot the past month. Every one in awhile they'll do events where you can earn bonus kicks on walk ins and purchases with linked cards. They'll normally send an email, but someone will also normally post about it in the gift card deals thread as well.

 

[Narnia_girl]

You can get extra kicks by scrolling through the Discover tab. Click on each rectangle that has a product theme and scroll to the bottom of products. You should see a "Tap for a Surprise" icon. It will have 1 kick on it. You can do this for several product groupings, but the ones with white borders around them usually don't have any points.
Also, sometimes there is a video you can watch, or do a virtual walk-in with online stores for 1 kick.

Have fun!

 

[miztressuz]

Check the Discover tab for videos and other surprise points. They seem to add new discover books every day but I let them accumulate a couple days and then scroll through a bunch at once, just a personal preference. Videos have been 5-10 points mostly, the shopping list themed ones usually give a "surprise" point (seems to be every other list thereabouts) which is usually 1 point, but once (literally) I got a 2 pointer, and I'd like to say just ignore the slide shows but occasionally they do stick surprise points in there but much fewer and far between then the other books. Haven't found any points in the recipes yet but every couple days I just look at everything on the off chance they really will surprise me

For me, Shopkick kills my battery if I leave the GPS on. Since I don't tend to leave the GPS on anyway, I just leave it off until I want to use the app. (without shopkick/gps battery lasts 2-3 days, with gps before shopkick about 1 day, with shopkick and gps 8 hours max; it's seriously terrible) Most of my walkins credit before I hit the door but some stores seem to have a beacon inside the entrance and those might take a minute or two to register. The only trouble with walkins I've had is when stores have been in the mall near each other, seems to mess it up a bit. But when I reported a walkin trouble I've gotten the credit so they seem to have an ok system for it.

As for the rewards, you can set it to any reward you want and still change it before redemption. I had it set to target but was going to best buy that day, so I selected best buy, redeemed my points, had my reward in about 15 minutes. I guess they make you pick one to make it easy for you or show you a goal or something? But it really doesn't matter so personal preference if the cash out prompt gets annoying. I don't recall getting a prompt so maybe once you do your first cash out they let it go?

 

[Marionnette]

You can also collect Shopkicks for "visits" and "views" at the online stores (eBay, Jet, etc.)

 

[Andrea1975]

When you go to the "kicks center" (where you can change what type of gift card you want and see your progress) click on the middle of the circle where the image of the gift card is. Then you can select a higher gift card level ($5, $25, or $50). Make sure you click on "set as my reward" before going back to the main screen.

 

[travelbug]

Thanks so much, everyone! I learned things from every single one of you, and I appreciate it!