Local Deals Go to School As Mega-Campus Arizona State University Opts for Apriva App

The more than 72,000 students and faculty members of Arizona State University have a new app to help them find deals from local merchants. Dubbed ASU Deals, the app, available for iOS and Android mobile devices, enables users to search for local deals and receive notifications from merchants.

Developed by Apriva, a mobile point-of-sale specialist based in Scottsdale, Ariz., the app is a branded version of AprivaLife. The app enables users to receive coupons, participate in loyalty programs, and use maps to find merchants. Banner ads also can appear in the app from merchants or the university.

“The app allows ASU and merchants surrounding there to communicate and market not just to ASU students, but alumni and other supporters who use the app,” David Riddiford, Apriva president, tells Digital Transactions News. Talks with the university, which has one of the largest student populations in the nation, began about 18 months ago.

To redeem an offer, the user can present a quick-response form of bar code for presentation at the checkout. Later this year, the app will support near-field communication (NFC) technology, enabling contactless redemption.

Apriva enlisted a local independent sales organization to recruit merchants, but once the merchant base is built out more the effort will open up to other providers, Riddiford says. It’s because of the unique nature of the development of the app between Apriva and the university that, initially, only one ISO is being used, he says.

Apriva also will have a reseller program for the app, but Riddiford would not release specifics at this time. Apriva says it works with approximately 1,200 resellers.

Participating merchants use a Web portal to manage and customize their offers. They can pick from a group of different kinds of offers, Riddiford says, that they push out via the app. In addition to offer types, merchants can customize the amounts and delivery of the offers. “It really is a tool to allow merchants to figure out the best marketing strategy that works for them,” Riddiford says.

AprivaLife is one of several point-of-sale products offered by Apriva. Others includes mobile POS apps, vending, and developer-integration services. Currently, entertainment-venue operator Dave & Buster’s Inc. uses a branded version of AprivaLife that includes a payment option to reload game cards.