TreatTicket.com, a Northern Ireland deals provider has developed an app aimed at revolutionising the way high street retailers interact with local consumers, and how customers can locate discounts and offers in their area.
With many local businesses feeling the heat from online competition, TreatTicket Mobile has been heralded by the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA) as a completely affordable digital marketing tool that has the ability to digitally drive significant footfall to the high street and local retailers.
TreatTicket Mobile provides all businesses from large multi-nationals to small retailers with a digital platform to upload offers to a mobile directory of ‘deals’ visible to those who have downloaded the free app.
All types of businesses including, hotels, restaurants, pubs, cafes, spas, hair salons and retailers on and off the high street use the app to upload offers to drive trade on quiet days or sell unwanted stock.
With 43 per cent of shoppers in the UK now using smartphones TreatTicket founder and managing director Mart McCall cites digital shopping as the inspiration for the development.
“Digital is now an integral part of the way in which we shop,” she said, adding that recent statistics showed that more than half (55%) of consumers now prefer to shop online.
“The introduction of TreatTicket Mobile will allow these consumers to continue to ‘browse’ online and drive footfall in-store to local business which of course will financially support the Northern Ireland economy.”
Ms McCall, who has already raised almost £1 million private investment for her company continued: “TreatTicket Mobile presents local businesses with a unique opportunity to communicate with a mass digital and mobile market, in real time and in a cost effective manner. The internet doesn’t have to be the enemy of local businesses.
“The free TreatTicket app allows them to take advantage of the digital technology available to us and use it to drive customers and sales in-store.”
TreatTicket Mobile provides shoppers with the best of both worlds – actively hunting for an offer online and letting the offers find you by utilising ‘push’ technology.
The geo-targeted elements of the allow consumers to find the best offers, via sector or business name, closest to them at any given time.
The technology has received backing from Glyn Roberts, chief executive of the independent retail group NIIRTA.
“TreatTicket Mobile has the ability to bring ‘digital’ spend back into the high street,” he said.
“The ease and convenience of online shopping presents a threat to independent retailers based on our local high streets and in our town centres. But I urge all local businesses to fight back and make ‘digital’ work in their favour.”
