Roamler: mystery shoppers in the digital age?
Since its launch in the Netherlands in June
2011, Roamler, the location-based crowd-sourcing app, has gone from strength to
strength.
The project of Dutch entrepreneurs Martijn
Nijhuis and Wiggert de Haan, began in late 2010 following ‘a market research project for a company that rents out advertising space at bus stops’. At the time, this research had to be carried out at each individual
advertising space, but with Roamler, these tasks would be open to Roamlers to
complete, drastically improving efficiency. From
these humble beginnings, it has now grown into a whole community, with the
capacity to create mobile workforces.
How does it work?
After signing up to Roamler, the app
works by pinpointing your location to help give you the opportunity to fulfil tasks
in your area. The initial tasks are quite simple to help affiliate the user
with the app. Following this, you are then given the chance to perform tasks
for brands which give you the chance to begin to earn money. Examples could
include photographing a certain thing or site, highlighting a product’s placing
in a store or even simply buying a pint of beer and taking a picture of it. By
increasing your XP (Experience Points) through these tasks more will eventually
become available and subsequent (slightly) higher earning possibilities.
The beauty of the app is that it can
be beneficial for both individuals and companies. Whilst a brand can gain
important street-level research findings, individuals can obviously earn some
money and also learn new things. De Haan claims that keen Roamlers could earn
hundreds of euros a month, however he notes it is more likely to be in the ten
to twenty region. There has been some criticism that Roamler is more
advantageous for the brand and can disregard the workforce to an extent.
However, the praise for the app has mostly been widespread and the expansion
for it has been successful so far.
The future
With their success, Roamler has
identified the strong demand for street-level market research. The insight
brands can gain could be crucial to their success and with such a willing, and
competitive, mobile workforce, the potential could be great. Some of the
companies currently involved with the app include Heineken, Coca Cola and TomTom, and this looks sure to be added to with the app’s expansion.
De Haan has also put forward the idea
that, in addition to companies, private individuals will soon be able to post
tasks. Consequently, with these increased and varied task opportunities,
earnings for Roamlers may too be greater.
Roamlympics
This article wouldn’t be complete
without a mention of the Olympics, and Roamler have helped by starting their
very own Roamlympic Games (RG). New tasks will be available during this time
which can earn the user RG points, different to the XP discussed earlier. At
the end of the games on 12th August, the Roamler with the most RG
points will be crowned the winner.
Josh Bennett, Content Writer
@JoshAtSMF
Josh Bennett, Content Writer
@JoshAtSMF
Roamler: mystery shoppers in the digital age?
Reviewed by Mili and Paul
on
Monday, July 30, 2012
Rating:
Reviewed by Mili and Paul
on
Monday, July 30, 2012
Rating:
Mili and Paul
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