“We have noticed that the number of visitors in the city centre is declining more and more because of online trading,” says Andreas Fiacco, managing director of Spotilike. It is also the name of the app he has developed with his business partner Christian Herrmann. It is intended to help make local shopping more attractive to customers again. The app shows users interesting shops (“Spots I like”) nearby and sends information about current discount campaigns using push notifications. It will also soon have a digital stamp card with which customers can benefit from shop loyalty schemes.

The highlight, according to the creators, is that the customer does not have to actively search for a shop but is made aware of interesting “Spots” in his immediate area via the app. “You don't need to first go past a shop but will already be made aware of bricks-and-mortar shops and their offers at the main station, Friedensplatz or other places in Bonn,” explains Andreas Fiacco.

Spotilike concentrates firmly on small, owner-run shops and not on the large chains. “In the end, it is these shops that give a city its flair in the first place,” says Fiacco. “Our aim is to increase the number of visitors in the city and in the individual shops with the help of digital tools,” says Fiacco.

More than 100 shops in Bonn are currently represented on the Spotilike app, which is available for download for Android and iOS. And now the 180 stands at the Bonn Christmas market can be found there too. They can be accessed using the interactive map (if the user allows the app to use his location) or searched by categories such as handicrafts, food and drink or entertainment.

Individual stands can be saved as favourites or shared with friends via WhatsApp or Facebook. It is also possible to navigate the way to a particular stand – so you should not get lost at the market anymore.

(Original text: Anna-Maria Beekes. Translation: kc)