The Lookout Blog

Best Apps for Holiday Shopping on Your Phone

It’s that time of the year again. With “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday” right around the corner, big sales will hit both traditional and online stores. As you start searching for items on your wish list, here are a few great apps and some tips to keep in mind. With the large number of growing discount-friendly and coupon apps as well as new innovative mobile payment options, don’t even think about shopping without your mobile phone!

In order to find the best prices and products this season, all you need to do is consult your phone. What’s better than finding what you’re looking for? Getting a great deal…of course! One application that brings together the physical store with mobile deals is Shopkick. As you walk through a store, the app will send you the retailer’s discounts directly to your phone. And don’t be surprised if the retail clerk who asks if you’re finding everything all right consults a mobile device to answer your questions.  Businesses including Lowes and Best Buy have issued company mobile devices to many employees to encourage sales representatives to use phones to check inventory and help customers learn about products.

You should also have your eyes peeled for QR codes throughout the stores. Use apps (like Google Goggles) to scan the code on in-store signage or product packaging and see product demos or learn more information on how a particular product works. What if the price tag in one store looks too high? You can use your phone to search for an even better deal.  Amazon’s Flow app allows you to take a picture of the item and will quickly locate the same product online, allowing you to compare prices, read comments and reviews, and even purchase the item right from your phone.

You can use your phone for more than finding discounts and information—you can also purchase gifts. If you have Google Wallet on your phone you can simply wave your phone at the register at many retail locations to buy goods.  Another recently released mobile payment app by Square called Card Case allows you to pay for products and services at local merchants by saying your name to complete the transaction. You can use Card Case to simply select a merchant and open a “tab.”  Unlike NFC’s mobile payment system, with Card Case, you don’t even need to wave your phone or preload money. The app automatically opens when you enter the store and you can make purchases with your smartphone without taking the device out of your pocket!

Replacing coupons, catalogues, and wallets—mobile phones have become your best shopping companion during the holiday season. If you plan to use your phone to make purchases on the mobile web or pay for goods at the register—just remember to follow a few quick steps to keep your sensitive data and financial information safe:

• Put an auto-lock on your device and enable your screen to lock after five minutes.  Even if you step away from your phone for a few minutes–this will help ensure that your information is kept private.
• Set a strong password. A passcode is the first line of defense in protecting your phone and your data.  Avoid using simplistic codes that can be easily guessed (“1111,” your birthday).
• Download the software updates for your phone. It is important to stay up-to-date with the software on your phone and apps because they can include patches to security flaws that can put your information at risk.
• Download a mobile security app that will protect your security and privacy, locate your device if it ever goes missing, and remotely wipe data if the phone is ever stolen.
• Keep shopping and purchases on public Wi-Fi to a minimum. It is perfectly fine to “window shop” while on public Wi-Fi, but if you are making a purchase and entering sensitive account information, make sure you are using your carrier’s data connection (you’ll see 3G at the top of your screen) or a secure Wi-Fi connection.

By following these safety tips, you can best protect your information before hitting the mall.  For more information you can follow these steps for mobile payments protection! We wish you happy shopping this season (now if only there was an app to help avoid standing in long lines)!