European performance marketing and tech company Tradedoubler has teamed up with Apple to launch a new mobile wallet venture.
Tesco, The Body Shop, Seatwave and eFlorist are the first of the Swedish-founded network’s clients to jump on board with Apple’s innovative Passbook.
Working with mobile wallet technology provider Passforce, Tradedoubler is integrating the mobile wallet into its performance marketing programmes for the four major advertisers, via a number of publishers.
Tradedoubler also said it is the first affiliate network in the world to introduce a fully integrated marketing solution for Apple’s Passbook, as an option for its clients in the UK.
The new offering allows consumers to store all of their digital tickets, boarding passes, store cards and coupons in one easy-to-access app.
Improving Voucher Code Performance
Tradedoubler’s head of mobile in UK, Neil Ranatunga, said the move is an ‘exciting and unique proposition’ for its clients.
“We now have the ability to help improve conversion, even after the customer has left an affiliate website,” Ranatunga said.
“By driving more sales for our clients and more commission for our affiliates from the same level of traffic, we believe that Tradedoubler’s Passbook solution opens the door to a brand new way of improving brands’ voucher code performance.”
Tradedoubler, which is listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange, said that research from its ‘Insight Unit’ shows that shoppers are increasingly bargain-hunting via mobile, with 51% of connected consumers proactively searching for vouchers on their phones.
By integrating Tradedoubler’s Passbook solution into their performance marketing programmes, advertisers will be able to follow-up the initial delivery of a voucher, coupon or special ticket – even after consumers have left the original affiliate channel on their iPhone or iPad2.
Track & Reward
Options could include tactical push messages to remind customers that vouchers are about to expire, combined with geo-targeting to drive them in-store, or even offering updates to customers when their code expires.
Consumers will also benefit from having their coupons and vouchers stored in a single location, where they can access and redeem them at a convenient time or place.
Tradedoubler said by making it easy to complete the purchase via mobile, the purchase journey can be accurately tracked and the affiliate rewarded.
Passbook For All?
We asked other networks if they had any similar plans to Tradedoubler.
Senior partnerships manager at Webgains, Adam Murray, said: “It’s certainly an interesting move. I think the Passbook technology faces certain challenges when it comes to gaining traction among consumers, not least that most methods of using it require users to take an extra step in their journey.
“I think where it has more potential is in targeting users with offers based on their Passbook behaviour (for instance based on travel documents or tickets etc). We’ve been looking into similar opportunities with several mobile wallet providers to examine what kind of ROI it might generate for our clients before we move forward.”
Affiliate Window’s mobile and emerging channel specialist, Hatice van Leeuwen, said Affiliate Window can offer a passbook-style solution, where it can push specific offers for its advertisers, and consumers can then redeem the offer by showing their passbook in-store.
“This service is similar to what voucher publishers are doing. Passbook is only handy when there is an offer/discount involved, not to just check the new collection, for example,” Van Leeuwen said.
Long-term Solution
Ranatunga said while one or two advertisers may have dipped their toe into the world of Passbook, what Tradedoubler is offering is different.
He said the key difference is that this new offering allows Tradedoubler’s advertisers to target people who have not necessarily engaged with the brand yet before, and can ‘nudge’ them along the path to conversion with features such as the tactical push messages, geo-targeting and updates to customers when their code expires.
He said brands have so far used Passbook almost exclusively as a feature for existing customers only.
He stressed that another difference is Tradedoubler’s Passbook solution’s focus on this, is as a long-term, fully integrated strategy, whereby Tradedoubler fully manages the whole process – in its quest to increase conversion.
“Yes brands may have worked with Passbook, but in a different way to what we are offering. We are offering a brand new way of driving new incremental revenue to brands and affiliates alike,” he added.
