Last week, I mentioned that I would be testing out foursquare for a week and then reporting back on what I thought. According to my feed, during my test week I checked in at:
@Kohl’s (2 days ago)
@Unveiled Fitness (3 days ago)
@Sushilicious (4 days ago)
@Mission Viejo Post Office (5 days ago)
@Unveiled Fitness (6 days ago)
@Starbucks (6 days ago)
@The Corner Bakery (6 days ago)
@Starbucks Coffee (1 week ago)
@Trader Joe’s (1 week ago)

While it may seem like a small list, this really is everywhere that I went in one week that I could check in at. I don’t go out a ton, I work from home, and only have one day a week where I am in meetings. My schedule makes it hard for me to visit a ton of places, but I did visit enough places to see how it works. Here are just a few of my impressions:

1. It isn’t really beneficial to anyone who doesn’t visit places a lot. None of the places I visited offered any “first timer” rewards, I didn’t get a thank you from anyone for checking in and I kind of felt like I was just saying I was there for no reason other than to say I was there.
2. I didn’t meet anyone new at the locations because I said I was there, and the tips that were given from people who had been there before were not anything more than “try the x drink” or “go to the place next door for x”. I didn’t feel like it opened up conversation.
3. I understand the value rewards based on visitation for the frequent travelers or those who visit the same coffee shops/restaurants a lot…but, I don’t see why this has to be done through foursqaure. Most of these companies are already on twitter, and with just a little work, it would be easy to figure out who is visiting your stores. Reward them on twitter, where it is public and more people can see it rather than on another tool that people have to use. I am all for simplicity and organization, and foursquare just seems like overkill and a waste of time.
4. It is just one more site in an already over crowded world of social media. And not one that I find valuable personally.

Have you used foursquare? What are your thoughts?