New app aims to promote independent town stores
AN APP for shoppers, created by two business partners who studied in Loughborough, looks to promote independent stores in the town and help people discover hidden gems.
LoyalFree is a mobile app which looks to replace the traditional, hardcopy loyalty card by allowing customers to collect virtual ‘points’ when shopping at smaller businesses until they have enough to claim a reward.
Sophie Hainsworth, 27, and Jason Nesbitt, 28, are the brains behind the innovative idea - and both were educated in the area.
Sophie attended Loughborough High School, and Jason, who built LoyalFree’s website and phone app from scratch, started his programming career at Loughborough College where he completed a technology and IT-based BTEC course.
The idea for LoyalFree was born last year when Jason was approached by two friends who both wanted an app to promote their businesses.
After seeing the potential for a loyalty card-style app, Jason set to work in August to make LoyalFree a reality and by November it was live.
The app currently focuses on helping local businesses in Loughborough and Leicester.
Businesses already on the app include: A Perfect Blend, Eclectic, Noodle Cafe, Elf Foods, Cafe Fifty Three, Room for Shoes, and Bom Bom Patisserie.
LoyalFree looks to benefit the consumer and promote independent and smaller businesses by encouraging shoppers to steer away from big chain stores.
It also give business owners the opportunity to access potentially valuable customer information such as data relating to peak shopping hours in store.
Sophie said: “We have had 23 businesses signed up and 424 users which seems to be growing at a rate of 20 people a day.
“We’ve created a system where local businesses benefit from more customers and understanding them better and customers can collect rewards and find new places to go.
“It’s important to us that we give people the freedom of choice.
“Often smaller stores have higher quality products but because chains often buy the biggest plots on the High Street the smaller businesses on side streets lose out.”
When asked what the next step was for the app, Jason said: “We’re going to expand it to Nottingham and then the world - I’m sure there’ll be a few steps in between though! We’ve made it so scale-able that it could work in every city.”
The app is available on Apple and Android devices with cameras.
For more detials and information on using LoyalFree in your business, visit: www.loyalfree.co.uk