Web: www.pigsback.com
Developer: In-house
I'll be upfront. I'm not a big collector of points and don't really understand those who are. A good friend of mine thinks I'm the mad one and refers as proof to his 'free' shiny, chrome kettle that only took the purchase of 3,000 gallons of diesel.
But, I admit to being intrigued by Pigsback.com, a 'relationship-marketing community' that has just launched in the UK.
It comes with some pretty big credentials: it's Ireland's sixth-largest consumer web site and boasts more than 30 per cent of the country's online spend. Five years ago, companies like these (remember Beanz and its credit card?) were the marketing Shangri-La, but they never quite got it right.
As soon as you open the web site, you're hit by the brash, pink branding.
You can't help thinking that the primary target must be women, which is reinforced by much of the imagery, language, lead offers and rewards.
Once you've registered, you get your first PiggyPoints and 110 of them at that. After an initial burst of excitement, I realise that I'm 40 points short of getting the Pigsback Post-it pads and head off to see how I can increase them.
There's a wide and diverse range of offers on the web site - CDs, travel, music and wine - all prompting you to register or buy something. The range of brands gives the web site credibility and a feeling of security.
The only problem being that, right now, I'm not really looking to buy anything. I do, however, make a note to return next time I'm looking for a CD.
I suppose this is where I get a bit confused with the whole concept.
Relationship management makes sense when it is direct with that user, my CD shop, my supermarket, etc. But when it's with someone who is brokering that relationship, I do have some concerns.
Still, one area that does intrigue me lies within the Jackpot section, where I can register with Paddypower Poker and try to win up to 10,000 pig points. A bit radical, I admit, but it seems to resonate with me and suddenly the concept seems to connect because I'm away and registered.
Pigsback.com simplifies the whole relationship-marketing concept and is clearly working for some major brands. However, you can't help thinking that there's a core consumer group who sits in the middle, looking to be courted by such companies. So, it will be interesting to see whether Pigsback.com is able to broaden its appeal outside of that group.
For me, it was the idea of trading or betting my points that animated me. I just need to work out what to do with my '10,000' points - when I win them, that is. Perhaps those silver, pig cufflinks sitting at the top of the points table.
AND NOW FOR THE REST ...
MyOffers.co.uk seemed to have a very simple layout and took me straight through to a sign-up form. I didn't end up registering on the site as it asked me for too much information at an early stage: home address, number of kids, income, etc.
The disclaimer seemed very strange in that it stated that MyOffers would send me information from its suppliers based on my interests even though I hadn't divulged any.
It all seemed a bit brash, plus that crazy, scary frog was all over the sign-up page. A real shame, as the site looked good overall.
The design of ipoints.co.uk seems very simplistic, but as you navigate around it, you realise it's very effective and has worked hard on the redemption area. Products you can redeem your points for range from flowers and champagne to a sky-dive or an iPod.
The site seems to be geared to appeal to all age groups. If anything, it appears a little cold, and it would have been good if the company had tried to bring some of the offers to life or added a degree of buzz. But, overall, a good, solid site.
Nectar's search listings claim that Nectar is the UK's largest rewards programme and its web site (www.nectar.com) gives the game away too, the most impressive site in the sector. Although its branding is almost as purple as Pigsback's is pink, Nectar.com is a good-looking web site that's easy for users to navigate.
It's relatively simple to register. Signing up to receive your Nectar card is a more enticing prospect than submitting your details and preferences on a rewards site with a less trusted - if not unknown - brand.
The 'Get started' section helps the uninitiated and explains how it all works. This includes information on getting points by shopping at places like Sainsbury's, Debenhams, BP, Thresher's, and how to redeem them and manage your account.
The range of rewards is also encouraging; there are offers in every imaginable sector, as well as 'catch-all' promotions like '拢2.50 off shopping at Argos'. But, the bang you get for your buck is less encouraging. My opening budget of 100 points is precisely 37,000 short of earning me an iPod mini.
At Greasy Palm (www.greasypalm.co.uk), things are less reassuring.
Signing up to this site encourages you to accept a piece of software labelled 'Rebate catcher'. It promises to 'ensure you never miss one of our retailers' cashback offers again'. It doesn't look such a bad idea as it promises to deliver a pop-up reminder whenever you visit a site on which you can get a reward. However, downloading software is a large step for most users.
From Microsoft, it's not particularly enticing and from an unknown rewards programme, it's an absolute no.
Once you've registered, you start out with 拢2.50, but the first page offers some intriguing ways to bump that up: refer a friend to get 拢7.00 or change your homepage to Greasy Palm to get 35p. It's all very interesting stuff, but there is one huge omission - an explanation of what Greasy Palm is and how to use it.
A 'get started' section along the lines of Nectar's would be ideal, so users can get to grips with the idea. This is even more crucial for a brand that lacks a reputation in a field where suspicion needs to be addressed at every turn.
- Jeremy Hill is founder of Buy3Cows and was formerly head of digital at Starcom.
TOP FIVE REWARDS AND DIRECTORIES WEB SITES Rank Web address Visits (% relative market share) 1 uk.kelkoo.com 14.82 2 www.myoffers.co.uk 4.37 3 www.shopathomeselect.com 3.95 4 www.dealtime.co.uk 3.86 5 uk.shopping.com 3.76 Rank Web address Pages (% relative market share) 1 www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies 16.93 2 www.channel4.com/bigbrother 10.00 3 www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders 5.35 4 www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho 4.27 5 www.bbc.co.uk/neighbours 3.37 Rank Web address Session time (minutes) 1 www.thirdwatch.net 21:03 2 www.cartoonnetworkla.com 16:22 3 www.badgirlsonline.co.uk 13:21 4 www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies 12:42 5 www.holby.tv 12:22 Source: Hitwise, week ending 30 July 2005.