In just a year or so, we will see the same story about the coupons' madness. How valuable is it to get 10% out of a coffee ? if groupon and daily deal makers do not change the mechanic and move to the next(?) level, it will end up as pure spam. Coupon fatigue just like checkin fatigue
Foursquare, Gowalla ...are simply missing an opportunity to move to that next level of guinuinely discovering places. They havent (yet) found a deeper motivation for checking in (than badges for younger gamers).
I recently read a book mapping some modern places (in european cities) with their forgotton history. You could walk to some restaurant in Paris and discover (from the book) that some historical event happened here.
Historical view as well as many other angles are possible and could drive attention for mass markets ...and that looks like a guenuine discovery.
I dont believe "check in and get coupons" is really enough
Foursquare, Gowalla ...are simply missing an opportunity to move to that next level of guinuinely discovering places. They havent (yet) found a deeper motivation for checking in (than badges for younger gamers). I recently read a book mapping some modern places (in european cities) with their forgotton history. You could walk to some restaurant in Paris and discover (from the book) that some historical event happened here. Historical view as well as many other angles are possible and could drive attention for mass markets ...and that looks like a guenuine discovery.
I dont believe "check in and get coupons" is really enough