Macy’s Takes iBeacon Technology Nationwide, Installing More Than 4,000 Devices

Macy’s will soon be giving extra shopping love to consumers nationwide via its shopBeacon program. After a beta run during last year’s holiday season at two flagship stores, Macy’s says it’s broadening the use of the shopBeacon technology to all Macy’s locations during the coming weeks. The shopBeacon program involves the integration of iBeacon’s technology […]

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Macy’s will soon be giving extra shopping love to consumers nationwide via its shopBeacon program.

After a beta run during last year’s holiday season at two flagship stores, Macy’s says it’s broadening the use of the shopBeacon technology to all Macy’s locations during the coming weeks.

The shopBeacon program involves the integration of iBeacon’s technology with the Shopkick app. iBeacon’s mobile-location based devices are placed within various areas of the department store to deliver personalized discounts, product recommendations and rewards to shopkick app users via their smartphones.

According to the announcement, “As shoppers enter any Macy’s nationwide, shopBeacon will remind those shopkick app users who’ve opted in to receive notifications to open their app.”

Macy’s shopBeacon test run last November at its NYC Herald Square and San Francisco Union Square locations was a closed beta trial.  Now with more than 4,000 devices being placed in various departments of Macy’s US retail locations, the department store claims this is the largest implementation to date of iBeacon technology.

Once the program has been activated – which Macy’s says should be shortly after the devices are installed in stores by early Fall – shoppers will receive general Macy’s promotions; but, by Spring 2015, the department store says it will be able to offer more tailored discounts.

In addition to broadening its shopBeacon program, Macy’s also announced several other technology advancements, including same-day delivery pilot programs and the ability to use Apple Pay when it becomes available in October.

We will continue to test, to learn, and to proceed aggressively with new ideas that excite our customers and that make shopping more convenient and fun,” said Macy’s CEO Terry J. Lundgren in the announcement, “Our goal remains to help our customers shop whenever, wherever and however they prefer, and to use the entire inventory of the company to satisfy demand.”


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Amy Gesenhues
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Amy Gesenhues was a senior editor for Third Door Media, covering the latest news and updates for Marketing Land, Search Engine Land and MarTech Today. From 2009 to 2012, she was an award-winning syndicated columnist for a number of daily newspapers from New York to Texas. With more than ten years of marketing management experience, she has contributed to a variety of traditional and online publications, including MarketingProfs, SoftwareCEO, and Sales and Marketing Management Magazine. Read more of Amy's articles.

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