AmEx Enters Couponless Loyalty Program Game with LevelUp

Do you ever wonder what all of that “checking-in” stuff on Facebook is all about? For one thing, retailers often reward those that check in to one of their locations with special offers and deals. Retailers have long been using a service called Foursquare to offer these special deals and incentives. American Express has now partnered with a competitor of Foursquare, SCVNGR,to offer its own version of a location-based reward app.

LevelUp with SCVNGR

A Google Venture business, SCVNGR offers a location-based social app that goes by the name of LevelUp. The LevelUp app is taking the mobile world up a notch. American Express cardholders have to opt in to use the program. Once enrolled, the special rewards show up directly on their credit card statements on a monthly basis. Mobile alerts also go out to the cardholders’ mobile phones each time they receive rewards. In one example, a company awarded spenders at a retail location with a $20 coupon after completing a $10 purchase.

The Twist

Daily deals are not new and neither are location-based apps. So, what’s the big deal about the American Express hookup with SCVNGR and the LevelUp program? Well, the American Express LevelUp program has a twist that so far the other location-based apps do not offer.

To redeem a LevelUp American Express reward, cardholders simply have to use their American Express card when purchasing the product described in the deal. Recipients don't need to print out a deal voucher and trek over to the retailer; all they need is that AmEx card that they already carry.

In essence, the LevelUp program turns the American Express card into a loyalty card all on its own with no need for an extra plastic card, punch card or voucher. The program is one more added convenience that American Express provides to its cardholders in an attempt to stand apart from the crowd of other issuers.

Bryant Park

Bryant Park is a financial consultant for one of the companies listed on Wall Street. He writes on a variety of topics ranging from credit cards to different loans that can be availed by consumers. He holds a bachelor degree in Financial Services from Dartmouth College.