Macys are one of the first big retailers to be trialling Apple’s iBeacon which is built into the latest generation of iPhones. iPhone owners who use the retail app Shopkick will start receiving a notification when they walk into either Macy’s Herald Square, New York or Union Square, San Francisco locations.
The notification will direct them into Shopkick’s app, which can alert them to deals and remind them of products they were interested in that are on sale at the store. So far the trial is limited — Macy’s will only ping your iPhone when you actually enter the store. But soon, Macy’s might also ping shoppers on a department-by-department basis, showing them unique promotions as they walk into departments.
