The App Is Here!
Let’s say you run over to Target (cough, marketing opportunity, cough) to get shampoo, dog food and paper towels. You’re cruising down the aisles with the shopping cart but stop to put in a pair of running shorts and a cute tankini. You continue to rush around the store but a set of hand towels catches your eye. The towels have succulents and cactus graphics on them. Your cousin Rochelle would absolutely love those towels so you check the price. It’s $8.00 for the set. Great price but you‘re on a budget and can’t afford to buy her gifts every time you think of her.
No problem. Since you’ve already downloaded the Thoughtful Pinch app, you open it up because it’s the perfect time to do so.
Seconds later, you’re holding up the towels and snapping a selfie with the camera feature on the Thoughtful Pinch app showing Rochelle the item that made you think of her.
In the app, you write a quick note in the field below the photo: “Rochelle, I was in Target and saw this towel set. It’s so YOU! I’m sending you a Thoughtful Pinch. “
The app prompts you to fill in the goal amount - the item costs $8.00 but you make a guess that an additional $5 should cover shipping costs. The goal amount is now - $13.00. The next field asks how much you are contributing. There is a minimum of $2.00. You type $3.00 in the field.
It’s set to go because you have already previously entered in your credit card information so you’ll hit the “submit” button. The pinch has now been created.
Almost immediately, you are given the opportunity to share the pinch that you have just started. Hit “share” and presto - it’s launched into the social media world. Let the fun begin!
Rochelle, if she’s someone who pays attention to her notifications, sees the note and photo on her page and instantly feels the warm fuzzies because you thought of her. News flash - most people like to be thought of.
Meanwhile, on your page, your cousin Jay-Jay in Columbus, GA sees that you have initiated a pinch and agrees, those towels are great for your mutual cousin Rochelle. She wants in. She clicks on the link and she is instantly on the Thoughtful Pinch app where she is able to contribute to the $13.00 goal amount. She fills in the fields to contribute $4.00 and hits the “submit” button and then she shares it.
Well by now another mutual cousin in Cypress, CA sees that both of her cousins are talking about Rochelle. What are they talking about? Patti sees the selfie with set of towels and wants in on the action. She comments, “Yes, Rochelle has to have those towels!” Patti contributes $3.00 to the $13.00 goal amount and hits “submit” and she shares it.
Update: Rochelle is only $3.00 away from getting these cactus and succulent printed towels.
Randomly, a friend on Rochelle’s page sees this activity. She has no idea who all these cousins are but she loves Rochelle and thinks that this is the perfect gift for her. She clicks on the link and contributes the last $3.00 needed to get this set of towels to Rochelle. She hits “submit” and “share”. Done.
Everyone on social media cheers because Rochelle is going to get those towels. Yay!
Now what’s next? Well, since you are the one who started all the excitement (on your way to the dish soap aisle no less), you are considered the pinch "Starter.” An email from Thoughtful Pinch is sent to the starter notifying them that the full amount has been collected. In that same email, the starter is able to redeem a prepaid Visa card/prepaid Visa Reward card from Tango. The starter uses the prepaid Visa card to purchase the thoughtful pinch and ships the towels to Rochelle.
Rochelle feels all the thought that went into the gift. Mission accomplished.
The video below is a visual example of another scenario on how this app works.
This basic version for the Thoughtful Pinch app is called the preview. Before the company ILM developed this preview, we already started a running list of more advanced versions. When the other versions come out (all I need is money!), the hope is to have the capabilities to scan the bar codes on the items for automatic information referencing the gift item. Plus, hopefully not too much later, I would like to have direct shipping opportunities from the retailers (Target, if you’re out there, this has your name all over it). This would make it even easier for the “starter” because they can skip the extra steps of redeeming the prepaid Visa card, purchasing the item and then shipping it. So I’m only looking for more money and a retail partner - you know, nothing major.
So far I have at least 7 versions of the app after this preview version. The next versions will have features that will blow your mind. I AM POSITIVE THAT THIS APP WILL CHANGE THE GROUP-GIFT-GIVING WORLD!
Download the Thoughtful Pinch app now and then just sit back and enjoy your newsfeed.
Pinches,
Barb
