What’s better than retail therapy? Getting Cash Back.

Retail therapy can cure a lot, but what’s even better than a therapeutic new purchase? Getting cash back for each of your “mental-I-deserve-a-break-so-I’ll-go-shopping” sprees.

Now, if you’re a member of the Blastoff Network, you have already experienced the benefits of shopping in a place that gives you cash back. Seems simple enough, right? Sign up, shop and get money back for each purchase you make. You get to enjoy your new purchase AND get a check in the mail for shopping. While we think this is a pretty awesome concept, we could be slightly biased. So, to understand the shopping habits and desires of the average online consumer, we conducted a recent survey to check the pulse of the general public.

What did our pulse check reveal? We found that 41 percent of the respondents to Blastoff’s ask500people.com survey either agreed or strongly agreed that they would shop at a new Web site – like Blastoffnetwork.com – if it meant they would receive cash back for each purchase made. Of this group, 40 percent were between the ages of 26-35 years. (The majority of the remaining respondents – nearly one third – said they were undecided. We’re not quite sure what in the world they’re waiting for…)

What does this mean? First of all, it means we aren’t crazy! People DO want to shop where they can get cash back for purchases they make. Second – and arguably more important – it means that we, as consumers, can expect to see increased benefits for the purchases we make. As social networks continue to evolve, shoppers will be able to leverage their personal networks to find the best deals and products, and get money back with every purchase that they – and their friends – make. For retailers, it means a new way to attract new audiences to your brand.

Our prediction – and what Blastoff members have already discovered – is that shoppers will not only look for places that give them cash back when they shop, but that also allow them to leverage their social networks to make money. The more friends who shop, the more money you make.

With incentives like that, you deserve – and can afford – a break!

New Stores - Babies R Us, Toys R Us, JCPenney and Nike!

How’re those New Year’s resolutions working out for you? If that new diet now involves the occasional doughnut and your exercise routine means no longer using the remote to change channels, why not trim the fat from your finances instead?

At Blastoff, our gain is also your gain...but in a good way. Every time we add new stores to your mall, you win with great savings on the things you regularly buy.

April may be known for rain showers, but it's also well known for its baby showers too. And since spring is associated with new birth, what better way to celebrate than with an online trip to Babies R Us to get 2% cash back on all of your infant and toddler needs? Or head over to Toys R Us for the same great savings on a slew of popular playthings for those slightly older children (or kids-at-heart) in your life. And don’t forget to check out their current specials.

Now that you’re getting in shape and ready for summer, shape up your budget and give your wardrobe a workout with some new threads. JCPenney offers 2% cash back and several specials and coupons to expand your savings. And if the weather has you clawing to get outdoors, jog over to the Nike store and get in step with up to 5% cash back on one of the most popular lines of footwear and clothing around.

You’ve been good. You’ve stuck to your resolutions. So it’s time to reward yourself with cash-back savings at all of your favorite merchants. Here’s to staying fiscally fit in 2010!

Blastoff with TOMS Shoes

One of our newest additions to our Blastoff Mall is TOMS Shoes. These shoes are becoming popular because of their simple look, comfort, affordable price, and the good feeling you get by helping a child in need. TOMS is unique because with every pair of shoes you buy from them, they give a pair of shoes to a child in need. As of December 2009, they have given over 400,000 pairs of shoes to children all over the world. These shoes are being sold at music festivals, high-end boutiques, and most importantly the Blastoff Mall. Blastoff Members are lucky because not only can you buy new kicks that help out someone in need, but you also get 6% cash back. There is a versatile selection with great colors and fun patterns that is sure to fit in with any style. Men, Women, and children can even let their creative side shine because these shoes are easy to customize yourself.

On April 8th, TOMS is asking people to go one day without shoes to spread awareness and to see how fortunate we really are to enjoy the luxury of footwear. The TOMS website has the tools to help you host this event, find an event in your area, promote the event, and ways to still participate if you can’t be without your shoes for a day.

This is the one pair of shoes that you can't feel guilty about buying. Be sure to check out TOMS Shoes in the Blastoff Mall.

Spring is Here!

Ok, so it doesn’t elicit the same level of excitement as July or December, but March has a set of thrills uniquely its own: St. Patrick’s Day, Mardi Gras, March Madness, Daylight Savings, and the ever-popular (and highly necessary) Spring Break. This is the month when flowers bloom, animals leave hibernation, drinks flow, the sun shines (well...during the day at least), love is in the air, the kids are out of school for a week, and green abounds.

Why not celebrate this wonderful time with some “wearin’ o’ the green” yourself? Whether you’re talking about saving some green or shopping green, spring over to the Blastoff Mall for the break you’ve been looking for. Save daylight and money with the convenience of online shopping with cash-back rewards.

We’ve got nine of the nation’s top green merchants (environmentally friendly):
• Kohl’s
• Macy’s
• Nike
• Office Depot
• Origins
• Staples
• Starbucks
• Target
• Timberland

And if you’re looking for a getaway to make your friends green with envy, march to the most popular Spring Break destinations, like Panama City, Orlando, the Caribbean, Vegas, or Mexico. Check out the travel deals offered by some of our travel retailers:
• Cheap-O-Air
• i4vegas
• Orbitz
• Priceline
• Southwest Vacations
• Travlocity
• United Vacations

Or just get outside on the green and hit a hole-in-one with our latest sporting stores:
• Baseball Rampage
• Dunham’s Sports
• Eurosport
• Golfballs.com
• In The Hole Golf
• Sports Authority
• TGW.com

With such exciting deals and new adventures to explore, whatever you decide, we’re sure your March will be anything but blue.

Blastoff 2 Cabo Contest Winners!

Between January 27 and February 10, thousands of hopeful Blastoff members threw their sombreros into the ring for a chance to win our first “Blastoff 2 Cabo” Sweepstakes. And on February 11, we picked our 8 lucky winners, whom we would like to congratulate here:

Grand Prize - Mark C. of Copperas Cove, TX
First Prize - Julius B. of Corvallis, OR
Second Prize - Jamario M. of Lakewood, CA
Second Prize - Sam C. of Corona, CA
Third Prize - Denise W. of Alexandria, VA
Third Prize - Andrea S. of Acworth, GA
Third Prize - Joan F. of Pooler, GA
Third Prize - Keith S. of University Heights, OH

The prizes included shopping sprees in the Blastoff Mall--valued from $250 to $1000--and a trip for two to the luxurious Riu Palace Resort in beautiful Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. To enter, all members had to do was invite their friends to join their Blastoff network. They received one entry per valid invitation, up to 100 entries per person.

In addition to the free dinero, the shopping spree winners also enjoy the cash-back savings offered throughout the Blastoff Mall, with new merchants such as Baby Age, Highlights Magazine, and American Express Gift Cards.

We’d like to thank everyone who entered, and we hope that even if you didn’t win a prize, you were able to grow your Blastoff network. Our second contest has already ended, and we will be announcing those winners soon. Check back often. More contests are on the way...

Dallas Meetup Event

Thanks to everyone who came out for our first ever Meetup event in Dallas on Tuesday evening - it was a big success!

Over 150 companies were represented at the event. Participants included top-tier CEOs, marketing executives, press and other leaders in the DFW area interested in partnering with Blastoff or wanting to learn more about emerging viral marketing strategies.

Blastoff President & Founder William Rodgers shared some Blastoff history, as well as a sneak peak of what’s to come including the highly anticipated Product Search feature and our big charity initiative / campaign Blastoff to Make a Difference.

Adam Penenberg, writer for Fast Company Magazine and author of the book Viral Loop gave the keynote speech followed by a book signing where we gave away 100 autographed copies of his book for free!

Overall, it was exciting evening of information, networking and fun! We’re already talking about hosting Meetup events in other cities – perhaps LA and maybe even NYC but we would like to hear your thoughts and feedback first – so please feel free to share!


Here are a few photos from the event:
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Save Even More This President’s Day

It’s President's Day and we’re celebrating the occasion with even more cash back and special offers from some of our favorite retailers.

Take advantage of up to 70% off at Sears through Tuesday February 16. Don’t forget to check out Banana Republic, they’re offering up to 25% off all regular priced merchandise and free shipping on orders over $150. And if you like free shipping then you’ll want to check out Steven Madden, free shipping on any order over $150 and UGG Australia, free shipping on all orders over $140.

Be sure to login to the Blastoff Mall as more great sale offers are posted throughout the week giving you more opportunities to increase your savings with more cash back! More and more retailers are joining every day and we're happy to welcome Nordstrom as our newest retailer!