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iPad offline business idea

by Steve Ranger
10 replies
What is required?

1 iPad.

1 secure wall mount.
pdock

E-mail capture app (which is very simple and has secret unlock feature)
Chimpadeedoo for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store

Contact businesses and ask if they want the full set
up plus a monthly fee for the mailing list management.

It goes next to the till.

Use some sort of bribe for the customer to sign up
i.e. sign up to our mailing list and we'll send you
awesome 25% coupons.

The iPad is the new flavour of the month (maybe year
haha) and people will instantly want a play - all they
can do is enter there e-mail and click submit - whether
they verify the subscription back at home is up to them!

What you think?
#business #idea #ipad #offline
  • Profile picture of the author MichaelHiles
    Yeah all those internet kiosks were a real hit in the 90s.

    Comeon man.

    Would YOU do this? No.
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    • Profile picture of the author Steve Ranger
      Originally Posted by MichaelHiles View Post

      Yeah all those internet kiosks were a real hit in the 90s.

      Comeon man.

      Would YOU do this? No.
      I think you're missing something. Back then the Internet wasn't popular. Most people buying from stores didn't even have an e-mail address back then - nowadays everyone has one BECAUSE of Facebook.

      If you know a bit about marketing you should know the money is in the list, and you should also know that offline marketing is becoming more and more popular.

      As for kiosks, I know someone that has an 'old school' set up in a shopping mall (with there permission obviously) and he gets over 100 sign up's per day for his offer - he is raking it in and has exclusive rights.

      Personally, I wouldn't do this. I like to travel so making my money solely online is perfect for me. I just thought I would throw this out there for discussion. Technologies that are kinda new such as this iPad bring opportunities... and marketers should be looking for ways to monetize it rather than dismissing it because it didn't work 10 years ago!

      If you walk into a store and see an iPad doing e-mail capture you owe me an apology
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  • Profile picture of the author MichaelHiles
    Why wouldn't you just do what most retailers do with their P.O.S. systems now?

    Ask for an email address at checkout?

    I mean... I'm all for getting info. Certainly.

    But iPads as kiosks is pretty "gimmicky" at best, and probably not going to fit into the average shopper profile.

    I don't see it, but hey, who knows.

    Go do it and prove me wrong. I'm a big boy.
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    • Profile picture of the author Steve Ranger
      Originally Posted by MichaelHiles View Post

      Why wouldn't you just do what most retailers do with their P.O.S. systems now?
      In the UK the only method of getting a customers e-mail is by them filling out a postcard that's usually placed next to the till (in TopShop for example).

      I'm sure this would go down a treat inall the UK fashion stores! If you had the right contacts you could have these running within a week - then see if they're a success.... or complete failure!

      Just a tired idea that came into my head at midnight here
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      • Profile picture of the author Paul Myers
        Suggestion: Get one, and set it up for free in an appropriate store. Tell them you want to test the concept, and that you'll do it all for them at no cost, just to prove that it works.

        Word of warning: Be prepared to replace the iPad. The screens are relatively fragile, and it wouldn't surprise me to find that they are ruined by careless shoppers fairly frequently. You may want to go with something more durable. You also might consider having an incentive that is emailed to them immediately upon sign-up, so they don't fill the system with quite so many junk or improperly typed addresses.


        Paul
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        Stop by Paul's Pub - my little hangout on Facebook.

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        • Profile picture of the author Steve Ranger
          Originally Posted by Paul Myers View Post

          Suggestion: Get one, and set it up for free in an appropriate store. Tell them you want to test the concept, and that you'll do it all for them at no cost, just to prove that it works.
          Awesome way to get yourself straight in. If it did work you could then use the original stores as social proof. Other retailers would think they're missing out etc..

          Damage is a problem and it would certainly need a good clean at the end of the day.

          BTW. There is no chance in the world I'm going to try this. Just thought it would be nice to discuss!
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  • Profile picture of the author wiseleo
    Love it. Thanks for the idea.

    Hot Topic has the HT1 system setup in their stores that's along these lines.

    Why retailers don't do it? Try being a retailer. I helped to run a clothing store once. Most of my time was tied up making suppliers perform to their expectations. Misplaced orders, people who don't speak English on the other end of the phone, fax being the technology of choice...

    This can be too easy to duplicate by the retailer. You would need to sell your copywriting skills in order to retain the edge and not be, quite literally, replaced by an iPad.
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  • Profile picture of the author Prawn
    I like it! Perhaps you could you use your method to build a list for local clients.
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  • Profile picture of the author AmyBrown
    I can see it being an effective strategy in an environment where people are browsing rather than making an immediate purchase. I work with several artists and I can see the concept in an art show or gallery.
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    "Test fast, fail fast, adjust fast."
     Tom Peters

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  • Profile picture of the author Steve Ranger
    Browsing.. I see what you're saying... if I was in a fashion store such as Levi's... and I saw a fancy new iPad in the corner saying "Enter your e-mail for an invite to our private sale event"..... I really think I would enter it....! Then Levi's can hit me with all there special sales.... Xmas offers etc...... I'm gonna put my neck out and say this WILL become VERY popular over the next 2 years.

    All the retailers are moving online as well.. it makes sense!
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