Chatterfly

Chatterfly, founded in 2010 by Charles Michael Yim, operated as a mobile-based rewards platform targeting local businesses. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, the company aimed to digitize traditional customer loyalty programs, replacing paper punch cards with a smartphone application.

The business model centered on connecting local merchants with consumers through a loyalty system. For businesses, Chatterfly provided a web portal with a dashboard to monitor analytics, track customer purchases, and manage redeemed rewards. The sign-up process for retailers was designed to be a self-serve, 60-second procedure. The platform served various local businesses and by September 2011, had enrolled over 150 businesses in the Bay Area.

Consumers used Chatterfly's mobile apps, available for iPhone and Android, to accumulate points. Points could be earned not only through purchases, verified by scanning a QR code at the venue, but also through social media engagement. Users were rewarded for activities such as checking in on Foursquare or sharing photos and videos of the business on social networks. These accumulated points could then be redeemed for products and services at the local business or for "global rewards" that Chatterfly would ship directly to the user. In December 2011, Chatterfly was acquired by Plum District, a daily deal platform focused on mothers, as part of Plum District's strategy to integrate a digital loyalty solution into its offerings.

Keywords: mobile rewards, customer loyalty platform, local businesses, QR code rewards, social loyalty, digital punch card, customer retention, retail analytics, mobile loyalty, Plum District acquisition, Charles Michael Yim, consumer engagement, small business marketing, location-based rewards, mobile commerce, point redemption, iPhone app, Android app, merchant dashboard, social sharing rewards