Editor's Review
Japanese department stores run on membership, and this is where Daimaru and Matsuzakaya keep theirs. The app holds the digital version of the card presented at the register, tracks the points a purchase earns, and stores the coupons and member offers that would otherwise arrive on paper. Store information sits alongside it: floor guides, opening hours, restaurant and event listings for each branch.
For a regular customer of either chain the value is plain enough. One less card in the wallet, a points balance that is actually visible, and advance notice of the seasonal sales these stores build their calendar around. There are links through to the group's online shopping and gift services as well.
Two things narrow who it suits. The interface and the content are in Japanese throughout with no English option, so a visitor without the language will not get far past the card screen. And the benefits depend on membership in the chain's own programme, which means signing up before the app does much beyond listing shop hours. A 4.2 rating is about what a loyalty app of this type deserves: competent at its job, and not reaching for more.
Features
Digital membership card shown at the register in place of a plastic one
Points balance and purchase history for the loyalty programme
Member coupons and seasonal offer notifications
Store guides with floor plans, opening hours and event listings
Links through to the group's online shopping and gift services
Pros
Replaces the physical membership card at checkout
Points and coupons are visible instead of arriving by post
Store and event information is usable before you join anything
Cons
Japanese-language interface only, with no English option
Most of the app needs an account in the chain's membership programme
