Front Flip
closedA mobile engagement and loyalty marketing program through promotions, customer analytics and targeted mobile campaigns.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | investor | €0.0 | round |
| N/A | €0.0 | round | |
$3.8m | Series B | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Front Flip, LLC operated as a mobile marketing and customer loyalty platform, primarily targeting the restaurant and retail sectors. The company was founded in November 2011 by brothers Sean and Matt Beckner in Leawood, Kansas. The idea originated from Matt Beckner's realization that his favorite local businesses had no effective way to recognize or retain loyal customers like himself. This led to the creation of a platform designed to move beyond traditional punch cards, aiming to foster customer engagement through entertaining in-store experiences and targeted mobile rewards.
The core of Front Flip's service was a mobile application that allowed customers to scan a unique QR code at a participating business to unlock a digital scratch card. This gamified interaction provided a chance to win instant prizes, such as discounts or free items. Beyond the initial scan, the platform enabled businesses to collect valuable customer data, including visit frequency, and send personalized mobile rewards—referred to as "virtually wrapped mobile gifts"—for occasions like birthdays or to re-engage customers who had not visited in 30, 60, or 90 days. This system provided businesses with rich analytics and the ability to execute targeted mobile campaigns to drive repeat traffic and increase sales. The business model was subscription-based, charging clients a monthly fee for access to the platform; in 2013, this fee was reported to be $125 per month.
The company demonstrated significant traction, working with franchise groups for major brands like McDonald's, KFC, and Pizza Hut. By July 2013, Front Flip had reached over 650,000 mobile users across more than 2,000 retail and restaurant locations. The firm successfully raised $7.7 million through Series A and B funding rounds from investors including the Archer Foundation. On January 15, 2015, Front Flip was acquired by Shoutz Inc., a marketing and technology company based in Austin, Texas. The acquisition was seen as a strategic move for Shoutz to reach millennial customers for its lottery and gaming clients.
Keywords: mobile loyalty platform, customer engagement, digital rewards, QR code marketing, restaurant technology, retail marketing, customer retention, mobile scratch card, Sean Beckner, Matt Beckner, customer analytics, mobile marketing, loyalty program, Shoutz Inc., Leawood startup