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If you’re looking for a shopping app that combines the best features of all your other shopping apps, check out Clutch Shopping. This brand new app is a combination of shopping apps collected into one simple but powerful app.
I spoke with the CEO, Ned Moore, earlier this month, prior to the December 6 launch of the app. “When you think of shopping on mobile devices, it’s way too complicated now.” He explained that the mobile-savvy consumer now has 7-9 shopping apps for gift cards, loyalty cards, merchant specific apps, a wallet app, a daily deals app, a price comparison app and others.
“Our mission is to simplify that entire process. Clutch is the first mobile shopping platform that unifies gifting, shopping and loyalty all in one place,” said Moore.
Clutch Shopping has many features that make this app versatile, giving you information about both local and online stores. Location services for this app combined with scanning services allow you to find the best deals, whether they’re online or around the corner. “We blur the line between local shopping and mobile shopping,” said Moore.
The Clutch company is located in the Philadelphia area and fairly new, though the team has prior experience with online retail, including Half.com, which was purchased by eBay.
Gift Cards
You can buy gift cards from retailers directly from the app. You can add videos, photos and notes to your gift cards to personalize them.
You can also store gift cards you receive to keep them handy when you’re out shopping. If you allow location services, the app can remind you when you’re near a store where you have a gift card to use there.
Deals
Save a wish list of products and services and Clutch will notify you of deals on these items. If you allow location services for the app, you can be alerted when you’re near a store that sells an item on your wish list. You can also save favorite stores and see their deals.
“We aggregate about 100,000 deals a day, including daily deals, manufacture rebates, and coupons,” said Moore. The app learns the deals that appeal to you and can send you ones that are relevant. Moore gave the example, “Carolyn shops at Sephora, she’s 1/4 mile away, she has a gift card and she’s a loyal customer. Based on that, we know that she only acts on deals that are 15% and higher, are there things that match up that would be very relevant or that she might be interested in?”
Shopping
Clutch lets you shop both locally and online. The app can show you local deals as well as online ones. You can scan products using the app to get online reviews and price comparisons, and make purchases directly from the app. “It’s the next generation of shopping that creates a more meaningful shopping experience,” said Moore.
If you’re searching for a product, you can specify the price range you’re willing to pay using a slider bar. The app tells you which local stores are selling the product, the price of the product, as well as the distance to the store.
You can search by product or brand from items such as cars, clothing, computers, flowers, etc.
Gifts
You can link the app to Facebook to save your friends’ birthdays in a calendar. You can also add birthdays manually and receive reminders of important dates. You can also share products and wish lists on Facebook.
Lists
You can save favorite items to your Clutch list. You can save specific items or product categories. You can make this list public and share it on Facebook or keep it private.
“If I’m you’re friend and I’m in the Clutch app and I see your birthday is coming up, I can actually look at things on your Clutch list.” Moore gave the example of someone who has a mountain bike on her Clutch list. You may not get her a mountain bike, but you could get her a bike helmet or a gift card to a mountain bike store, locally or online.
“You can buy a much more relevant gift for someone based on the things they are actually doing,” said Moore.
Wallet
You can scan your gift cards, loyalty cards and coupons into the wallet part of the app. I found the scanner to be accurate, but had to add information for the coupons to remind me what they were for, the amount of the discount and the expiration date.
The app can store your credit card information as well as PayPal account information, though it’s not stored on the device. According to Moore, this data is encrypted and payment can only be made through the app for online purchases, though updates may allow in-store purchases directly from the app.
Settings
To keep your information confidential, you can set a password for the app. You can also sync Clutch with Apple’s Passbook app.
You don’t have to register to use Clutch, but if you do, your data will be backed up and you can sync between devices.
Availability
Clutch Shopping is available free for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch at the iTunes App Store. An Android app is planned within 90 days, according to Moore.
Bottom Line
Clutch Shopping is an app that combines the functions of many other shopping apps in a single app. Whether you like shopping locally, online or both, you may want to check out this free app to make shopping easier for you.
Do you like the idea of an all-in-one shopping app? Which features of Clutch Shopping appeal most to you? Let us know in the Comments section below!
Hi Carolyn,
I saw a good use for the Ipad yesterday when I went to the hospital. The doctor was trying one. Because it has a solid state drive instead of the usual slow disk drive it downloaded my blood test results really quickly from the main server, saving lots of time. The results were normal, which is a bit weird for me really! It was a larger size Ipad to the ones I have seen in the past, maybe 10 inch? They do have predictive text though to save typing, so that would help too. The patients normally go in and come out quite slowly, but yesterday it was really quick! Even saving a minute of time on each patient probably means he can see an extra patient each day.
I’ve had my internet off all morning. I think it was the provider but it’s hard to be sure. The call centre guy made no sense, they just take you though a routine, that I had gone through several times before I called. It suddenly started working again, so I suspect the line.
Hi Mike, Wow, that’s a great iPad story, saving time for doctors and patients is a truly worthwhile benefit. I’m glad your test results went well, Mike, that’s fantastic news! :-bd
I’m glad your Internet is back up too. I often had problems with mine when I lived in the UK and spent a lot of time on the phone with customer service then. Very frustrating!
I keep thinking about your Christmas story. 🙂
Hi Carolyn
This appears to be great app. The app allows for online as well as local deals, that idea appears to be really interesting. I am thinking how it is synchronizing between the local and online database, appears to be interesting.
Thanks for sharing this great idea.
Sapna
Hi Sapna, Yes, this app has a lot to offer and it’s free. The developer was very ambitious in tackling an app that was so sophisticated as its first app, but they have a lot of experience in tech which helps.
Thanks for stopping by and adding to the conversation, Sapna!
Wow! This sounds like the perfect app for me. I do use several different mobile shopping apps, often switching between them while out shopping. I use one to store my loyalty cards, another to scan bar codes, and another for QR codes, and another for general shopping stuff, coupons, ect. Oh, and then there’s the lists one. Would be nice to have a “one-stop” go-to app. I’ll have to give this one a try and see if it can simplify my shopping apps. Though honestly, I think I’ll still use more than one. I like to check coupons on several sites, just in case one picks up the others don’t have. And, sometimes a coupon is only found on one app.
Thanks again for introducing me to a great new app!
Hi Carol, I’m glad you like this app. It’s free so why not try it out?
You’re right about finding coupons on individual apps. It’s kind of like searching for online coupons at different websites. You never know where you’ll strike gold!
I don’t really like he idea of having an app for it. That is because I rarely get to do shopping online. I am still the person who likes the trouble of walking down the aisles in search of the perfect gift!
But yes, for people on the run, I don’t see why this app won’t be useful. I must be a life savior!
Hi Hajra, You’re right, shopping in stores gives you the advantage of seeing the products in person, touching them, holding them and seeing the quality first-hand.
But that’s one of the great things about this app, Hajra – it works with both local and online stores. Sometimes when you’re in a store and want to buy a product, you still want to read online reviews. This app gives you that ability at your fingertips. It shows you online reviews of products from many different sites.
Thanks so much for shopping by and sharing your thoughts, Hajra!
Looks very useful app. Giftcards is one of the useful feature of this app for me.
As I was planning to get a hand made gift card for my friends wedding day.
Thanks for sharing.
Hi Khaja, Yes, Clutch can be a very useful app because it brings the features of so many other apps into one app. I like that it can both send and store gift cards.
Thanks so much for stopping by and adding to the conversation, Khaja!
I have actually never shopped via my mobile phone before, but I buy a lot of things online. I’m not sure why I haven’t used my mobile for shopping, but it’s probably because it’s too complicated and too small for finding exactly what I’m looking for.
This app might do it for me as long it’s very easy to use and everything is integrated. I’d use it for sure.
Hi Jens, You’re not alone, many people might do research with their mobile devices but never actually make a purchase from them. Some people are worried that their purchases aren’t secure, others prefer to see the items on the bigger screens of their computers.
Even if this app is only used to research reviews, pricing and availability, it can still be a useful app!
Hi Carolyn,
Recently you have been talking about various apps for gifting 🙂 And now on to shopping, which girlies would love to have 😉
I’ve seen some apps my friends (girlies) used to use in their mobile devices but this sounds wonderful. Actually I haven’t heard of an app with a lot features like this though. Did you?
Have you been using and purchased any items dear? 🙂 Like to see myself, but gotta wait 2-3 months as you mentioned.
Anyway I think this is for US only, right Carolyn? 🙂
Happy Holidays 🙂
Cheers…
Hi Mayura, I have been using some items, Mayura. I have found these apps to be very handy for holiday shopping. This app has only been out for a couple of weeks but the developer gave me early access to it so I could test it for a review.
It’s not available outside the US yet, Mayura. Often developers like to make sure they get their tech right in one country before releasing it in other countries. I hope it comes to your country soon, Mayura!
Happy Holidays to you too, Mayura. Thanks for being such a supportive Wonder of Tech reader! (*)