Loyalty App Gives Boost To Independent Shops

Loyalzoo says small shops can compete with big brands

Chiswick-based tech startup Loyalzoo is celebrating its Seedrs crowd funding campaign reaching its £120,000 funding target in less than 24 hours from its public launch.

Loyalzoo is the UK’s first cloud-based loyalty app for independent shops and eateries as a replacement for traditional loyalty cards.

Many big retailers such as Starbucks are getting rid of their loyalty cards and using apps but, as so often happens, independent shops risk being left behind. Loyalzoo was set up to give these small shops the same technology and a chance to compete with the big brands.

According to local co-founder, Massimo Sirolla, a loyalty app works far better for independents.

“Customers can hold all their loyalty programmes with all their favourite shops in one place. That makes a lot more sense than having an app for each shop. People are a bit taken aback at first that this is so easy”, says Sirolla, “then they love it”.

Loyalzoo was recently named by Everline Future 50 as one of the UK’s top 50 most disruptive businesses. They believe the success of their funding campaign owes something to the affection the public feels for small independent shops.

“People may shop online or at retail parks,” says Sirolla, “but their heart is with the independents. And this is not all sentimental by any means. Sure, lots of small shops are closing down, but many new ones are opening. Just look at the number of independent restaurants popping up all over the place”.

April 11, 2014