This article was taken from the Hanifin Loyalty Blog.  In it, Mr. Hanifin explains why he is leaving Foursquare.

After 1,100 check-ins and 39 badges earned since 2009, Hanifin is leaving Foursquare.  In the early days of Foursquare, Hanifin was excited that retailers, restaurants and other venues would be promoting specials constantly.  However, the excitement fizzled quickly as few retailers used Foursquare and the technology generated only mild competition with friends for check-ins and mayorships.  Soon, Hanifin became bored with the lackluster competition and realized that there were no rewards to be earned through Foursquare.  He realized that the only way to become mayor at a Panera or Chili’s, for example, was to actually work there.

Hanifin hoped that Foursquare would innovate once new location-based applications hit the market, but his hopes were short lived.  He laments the lack of local merchants participating in Foursquare.  Hanifin suggests that Foursquare is not relevant and that the offers are not really that valuable.

Discussion Questions:

1. What is wrong with Foursquare?

2. Do you use it?  Why or why not?

SOURCE: Bill Hanifin, Retail Wire, April 8, 2013