Foursquare, AmEx team up for deals
Building on a small test that linked American Express and Foursquare accounts, the location-based network is rolling out the new program nationwide.
Foursquare users with American Express accounts can now receive discounts due to a partnership between the two companies.
Following a small test conducted in March, Foursquare is unveiling a program across the country that lets people get money back on their AmEx cards when checking in at stores and paying for promoted deals with their cards.
To tap into the deals, people must first sync up their AmEx cards with their Foursquare accounts at a designated Web page. They can then check in at participating merchants to unlock deals and load them directly to their credit cards. After paying for the item with their AmEx card, users will see credit applied to their account in a few days, according to Foursquare.
To kick off the new program, Foursquare is offering deals with two retail chains. Spend $75 at H&M and you'll get $10 back on your card. Spend $50 at Sports Authority and receive $20 back in return.
New Yorkers can also get back some savings by dining at several New York City restaurants, including Blue Smoke, Union Square Cafe, Untitled (at the Whitney), and The Modern. Foursquare said more businesses will soon join the program.
The deal with AmEx is Foursquare's largest partnership yet, according to The New York Times. The move is designed to help bring Foursquare and similar location-based networks into the mainstream. Foursquare, which launched in March 2009, reached the 10 million user mark this month.
Foursquare won't see any revenue from the AmEx program, but the company hopes it will lure in other "more lucrative" partnerships, the Times noted.