“Everyone is looking for a few extra dollars these days,” begins Alison Moshkelani, talking about the appeal of FotoPay™, a brand-new app that gives users the chance to earn money while visiting stores and restaurants. When Moshkelani and her colleagues at A Closer Look developed FotoPay, a primary goal was to make the gigs as simple and easy as possible.
“I think we’ve done a pretty good job executing on that,” she adds. Indeed, each gig requires just one photo and pays two dollars, with the typical assignment a photo of a store display—or a sandwich, beverage or meal that has been served. That makes FotoPay a win-win for both users (aka Fotographers) and the market research company’s clients, the latter of whom gain useful intelligence and marketing benefits from the photos. The app is also something of a departure for A Closer Look, which is best-known for its relatively intricate mystery shopping jobs.
I recently checked-in with Moshkelani to find out why the company created FotoPay, and what Fotographers can expect as the app continues to evolve in the coming months.
What inspired A Closer Look to create FotoPay? Was there a light-bulb moment?
It started with our CEO [Chris Gillen] speaking with an existing mystery shopping client. They were talking about how photos made such a difference to the reports—how the quality of the pictures gave them the insight they needed. He latched on to that and scratched out the plan for an app. We thought we could crowdsource it—the same way we do mystery shopping—and allow people to make a few extra dollars while providing valuable information to our clients.
Can you give an example of the kind of intel the photos might reveal?
We did a Beta [test] for a client—an ice cream shop—and the first thing they noticed from the photos was that their locations were overfilling the cups. That’s revenue loss, right?
How long did the development process take from initial idea to launch?
Just under a year—with a few soft launches. First it was internal, with our employees getting out there to see that it worked. Then we launched it to a broader group of mystery shoppers, as we have a lot of those in our database. Then in February we went live.
In addition to the intel, FotoPay has a lot of potential to drive new business for clients, or so it would seem.
We think FotoPay can attract new business by getting users to try things they may not have tried before, and also help brands create loyalty. You open the app and say, ‘I have never been to this place. I wonder if it’s good? I think I’ll go here.’ Or if you are already going to a location, maybe you want to try a new product. You open the app and think, ‘This looks delicious,’ and you can try something new and get $2 off, kind of like a coupon. It’s a cool way to help clients get more eyes on their brand and get more foot traffic.
Do all gigs require a purchase?
There are some gigs where you make a purchase and some where you don’t, like selfie gigs. For example, Krispy Kreme recently had a ‘wear green and get a free green doughnut promotion’; we had people taking selfies with their green doughnuts in front of Krispy Kreme signs. We also just added Trader Joe’s—asking Fotographers to take a picture of Trader Joe’s chalkboards for a quick $2.
Is there an age requirement for using FotoPay?
Yes, 18 and older.
In which markets is FotoPay already available?
For now we are focusing on 12 major metro markets: Atlanta, New York, Dallas, Orlando, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Detroit, Nashville and Boston. Plus, we’re adding new brands and locations daily.
I see different “status” levels that FotoPay users can achieve, starting with “rookie.” What are the levels and is there any significance to them?
The levels are: Rookie, Shutterbug, Foto Wizard and the final one is Paparazzi, which is my favorite. Right now, the levels are just for fun—the competition of seeing your profile photo on the front page or when you go to the leaderboard. But we have a lot of ideas for bringing this app to the next level. We would love to continue to gamify and offer special gigs for the Paparazzi that pay a little bit more.
What kind of feedback have you heard from FotoPay users thus far?
Lots of people have said that they like the simplicity and the concept of getting a mini “rebate” on purchases.. Like any new product, there have been a few teething problems, but luckily we have a great support team that quickly responds to questions and we’re constantly working on ways to make FotoPay better. We are all excited to help people; the app is our little baby that we love so much [laughs].
Do you plan to start a referral program in which users can refer their friends?
For now, we’re relying on word-of-mouth, but we have talked about that. With or without a referral program we want to have a fun app where people say, ‘Check this out, this is really cool.’ But yes, we are going to continue to get feedback and continue to iterate.
Even at this early stage, it’s clear that FotoPay has a lot of potential.
It’s such a contrast from mystery shops; the gigs are quick, easy, minimal effort—no long reports. It’s a really cool way to get a couple dollars off a sandwich or an ice cream or to earn a couple extra bucks. The ease of it is the best thing for everybody.
Get started with FotoPay by downloading the app at Fotopayarmy.com.
