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JCPenney aims to influence consumer shopping habits via mobile loyalty app

JCPenney is letting customers access their loyalty program account and a $10 monthly coupon they earn as part of the initiative via a mobile application.

The company partnered with Outlier and joins a growing list of retailers that are using the Swagg application to offer consumers special offers and access to customer loyalty programs. Currently JCPenney is not offering any gift cards via the application. 

?It's all about offering convenience to our customers,? said Kate Coultas, spokeswoman for JCPenney, Dallas. ?We have always been committed to offering relevant shopping experiences to our customers and today, we know more and more customers using their mobile devices when shopping."

JCPenney operates more than 1,100 department stores throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, as well as one of the largest apparel and home furnishing sites on the Internet at http://jcp.com.

Outlier Inc., is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Inc. and creates easily accessible, branded and personalized mobile commerce channels that give consumers access to their accounts, offers and transactions while on the go.

JCPenney Swagg
The Swagg application lets consumers buy, personalize and exchange gift cards via their smartphone.

Consumers can view their JCPenney Rewards account via the Swagg application.

?With Swagg, the goal is to make sure consumers have access to the content they want, when they want it,? said Andy McGowan, director of communications at Firethorn Holdings, Atlanta. ?We are creating a fresh and exciting mobile revenue channel that will bridge relationships among consumers and their favorite brands.

?Our technology creates easily accessible, branded and personalized mobile commerce channels that give consumers access to their accounts, offers and transactions while on the go,? he said. ?We are bringing this expertise to the merchant community as the world continues to move toward the mobile lifestyle."

Mobile gift cards
If consumers have any JCPenney gift cards, they can store them in the Swagg application and then redeem them online or in-store when they want.

?We have focused on building Swagg by establishing relationships with consumers through experiential, social and digital marketing,? Mr. McGowan said. ?We know that apps are primarily downloaded from a user?s smartphone device.

?In order to build a brand, it?s important to develop a culture of being able to communicate directly with the consumer in engaging and compelling ways,? he said. ?We will continue to announce additional merchants over the next few months.?