Cupertino, California – Based in Chiswick, West London, Loyal Zoo Ltd is the first UK company to develop a loyalty app which works without paper, plastic or QR codes. Everything is done with just a couple of taps. The Loyalzoo app was developed specifically for small and independent merchants. This is an important event in the retail trade. Until now, it is the big brands which have benefitted from the digital revolution. Now, the independent sector has a loyalty app tailored to suit its needs.

Many shops are adopting the system, in Chiswick as well as in other parts of London and the UK. These range from coffee shops, bakeries, beauty salons, pubs, and even dental clinics. Here are some of the unique features of the Loyalzoo app:

* Simple one-tap use. The loyalzoo app is a purely cloud-based system. So there is no plastic, cardboard or QR codes. Anyone with an iPhone or any Android phone can get started straightaway. It will soon be available for Blackberry and Windows phone users.

* Local shops in one place. Many independent shops may have their own loyalty scheme. But customers are tired of carrying around pieces of cardboard. Now, they can just launch the app and see all their rewards in one place.

* Suitable for any retail outlet. There are two types of scheme: points or stampcard. The stampcard will be used by shops with a simple range of goods – coffee shops or drycleaners for example. The points-based scheme works best for clothes shops, restaurants or pubs, outlets with a greater diversity of products. Both schemes allow for up to three different types of reward.

* Simple sign-up. Customer sign-up could not be more simple. Many people using independent shops do not want to fill out long forms giving all sorts of unnecessary information. They can sign-up and get started with name only, or even a nickname.

* Facebook integration. Customers also have the option to sign-in via Facebook, allowing them post their checks-in to their Facebook wall automatically.

“A loyalty app for independents is an innovation whose time has come,” says director and co-founder Mark Ryan. “The number of shops offering their own loyalty scheme is now unmanageable for the consumer. People can’t keep track of them, yet merchants know that rewarding loyalty is a must.”

The launch also coincides with growing concern for the future of the high street. The closure of so many local shops as well as the rise of online shopping has left Britain’s high streets in a parlous state. After years of decline, there are signs of a return to supporting local merchants. Neighbourhood shops are appreciated now, not just for the uniqueness of their offering, but also for their contribution to the life of an area.

The Loyalzoo idea is a blend of tradition and high-tech. “We’re out to support local shops with the very latest technology,” said Ryan. “In the past, when it came to innovation, independents have come last. Now they will leapfrog the big brands because the Loyalzoo app is so much more advanced than what the chains use, yet much simpler to use for both customers and merchants. We’ve made it super-smooth and simple. A busy shop, pub or restaurant can’t have it any other way. And it looks great. Here’s a way of supporting the High Street which benefits both merchant and consumer.”

Device Requirements:
* iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad
* Requires iOS 5.1 or later
* 20.2 MB

Pricing and Availability:
Loyalzoo 1.2, the innovative app designed to connect local, independent merchants to their customers, and to offer them rewards for repeat business, is Free and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Lifestyle category. It also available on Google Play.

Loyalzoo 1.2
Download from iTunes (iPhone)
Download from Google Play (Android)
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Loyal Zoo Ltd was founded in London in 2013 to give independent merchants throughout Britain the benefits of a mobile loyalty programme. Its two original founders live in Chiswick, West London. Their backgrounds are in mobile technology and the retail sector. All Material and Software (C) Copyright 2013 Loyal Zoo Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other trademarks and registered trademarks may be the property of their respective owners.