Facebook's location-based Check-in Deals have arrived in SA with three launch partners: Cell C, Chevrolet and Avis.
The service is offered through Facebook's official sales partner in Africa, Habari Media. Check-in Deals became available locally yesterday, and allow users to see specialised discount offers when they visit local stores and "check-in" with their GP-enabled mobile phones.
Facebook Deals is an expansion of Facebook Places, the mobile phone add-on, which allows users to check-in to places via Facebook when they have physically arrived, thus informing their friends where they are.
Cell C's executive head of marketing, Simon Camerer, says as SA is one of the biggest Facebook-using nations in the world, it was “only natural” to look at that environment to connect with customers.
“We have put together two very competitive deals, which will be offered exclusively to Facebook users who follow the check-in and redemption process.”
The launch offers include a Nokia C3 handset with 100 off-peak minutes per month on Casual Chat 100. Customers will also receive 24GB of data (at a rate of 2GB per month over 12 months) and a 7.2Mbps USB speedstick.
The second check-in offer from Cell C is a Nokia E5 handset for R99 per month on a 24-month contract, also with 100 off-peak minutes per month. The 7.2Mbps speedstick is also included with 3GB once-off data.
The offers will be available on Check-In Deals until the end of November, countrywide.
Local market
To check-in, users must open “Places” on Facebook mobile, and select the nearest store. The deals for which the user is eligible will show up, and once checked-in, the option will be available to “Claim the Deal”. A virtual voucher with then appear on the handset.
There are 4.25 million active Facebook users in SA, and 3.1 million access the service via their mobile phones.
The social network recently scrapped its plans for its Groupon-like daily deals service, Facebook Deals. The service was shut down after a four-month trial in the US.
According to Facebook, Check-in Deals concentrates on connecting a retailer's Facebook presence with its real world presence. There are four types of deals that a company can run: once-off promotions, loyalty deals (claimed after a certain number of check-ins), friend deals for groups, and charity deals.
Avis will reportedly offer a range of personalised deals to customers when they check-in to collect a reserved vehicle. Chevrolet SA will offer a charity check-in deal, where in addition to individual deals, it has committed to donate to the General Motors Child Life Foundation for every 100 check-ins at one of its dealerships.
Facebook will not generate revenue from the deals, but businesses are encouraged to buy advertising to advertise the deals to users who are located in the areas, and who fit the brand's target audience.
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