New consumer apps aim to incentivize and attract.

• Author: Martin, Maria
• Position: DIGITAL RETAIL

REMEMBER THE DAYS of wandering through the grocery or department store with coupon books, hunting for the right brand of coffee or practical winter sweater, clutching that slip of paper that would save you 50 cents? Or how about those rebates that involved cutting off tops, filling out forms and mailing in with a receipt?

If those days don't ring a bell, you're likely younger than 30; and even if you're eligible for AARP membership, those times are long past.

Today's consumer is more likely to research on the Internet before trekking into a store to make a purchase. And mobile apps have become increasingly effective at on-demand ordering.

There are apps that redirect users to partner websites; those that require users to type credit-card numbers onto mobile machine screens; those that offer instant-ordering algorithms supposedly tailored to customers' tastes (which seems either impossible or creepy); and there are those that require users to load an imaginary shopping cart.

Now savvy digital retailers are looking into ways to draw consumers in, marketing products more efficiently and offering incentives to loyal customers. While some of the latest applications have thrived at delivering on-demand services to shoppers, a few have gotten the experience part right and actually sell the stuff they're offering in a frictionless fashion.

As retailer-consumer relationships evolve, we take a look at a few mobile app and tech-based businesses in Colorado that are changing the way consumers shop and the way products are marketed.

Active Junky

Shopping portal for athletic ware

Whether your choice sport is kayaking, skiing, running or camping, being an outdoor enthusiast doesn't have to be expensive. Kevin McInerney, founder and CEO of Active Junky, created a method for saving money on more than 250 sport brands and retailers, from Nike to Cabela's.

"Sign up with us, navigate to what you want to buy and where you want to buy it, and you'll get cash back," says McInerney, who launched the Denver-based company in 2011.

Here's how it works: "Say you want a $1,000 bike, and you find the one you want at REI," he says. "Our site will take you to the REI site, where you make the purchase. REI pays us a commission for that customer, and we pass off half of that commission to the consumer."

That can range from a few percentages off the purchase price to more than 20 percent, he notes.

The company, which employs 10, also has a gear-testing team to build a sense...