Amazon gives iOS, Android users $5 to skip retail stores
updated 05:05 pm EST, Tue December 6, 2011
Amazon Price Check users get 5 percent savings
Amazon has promised shoppers up to $5 in savings for using its Price Check app on December 10. The potential 5 percent savings applies on up to three qualifying items in the toy, electronics, sporting goods, music and DVD categories. The Price Check app is available for iOS (App Store) and Android (Market) devices and allows shoppers to compare prices while shopping in malls and stores.
At the same time, Amazon has added the ability to submit in-store prices using the app for comparison shopping for all other app users to see. The app lets users scan a product's barcode to find it in Amazon's catalog, snap a photo of it, speak the product name, or type its name into a search window.
Users are reminded they need the latest version of the app installed in order to take advantage of the potential savings. They also need to enable the geo-location feature of the app.
The offer is an aggressive one for Amazon, which is knowingly provoking retailers already worried about visitors using their stores only to try products. It still taps into a common reality where many shoppers know they can get better deals online but want to either test for themselves or buy immediately if they can't get a better deal.
