Australian consumers are about to reap the rewards from the next generation of social marketing as 7-Eleven teams with Facebook to trial the Facebook Check-In Deals application in Australia.

While Facebook Check in Deals are already available in the US and Europe, the convenience store franchise chain was one of only a handful of retailers invited to test the functionality in the Australian marketplace.

During the initial trial, lasting one week from Monday 15 August, customers can check-in at any 7-Eleven store on their smartphone and claim a 450ml Coke, Coke Zero or Diet Coke for only $1.

Julie Laycock, 7-Eleven’s head of marketing, said that Geo-Marketing was the perfect way to engage with customers on-the-go, as the mobile phone is typically the only device people have at point of sale.

“Facebook Check-In Deals will be a game changer in the Australian retail space. While there are many websites offering coupons and deals, Facebook Check-In Deals highlights deals available where smart phone customers shop and play.

“Through smartphones and the Facebook Check-In Deals application, 7-Eleven can now offer customers a deal that literally sits in their hip pocket. With over 92,000 Facebook fans and 500 7-Eleven stores in Australia, the new Facebook Check-In Deals platform will enable us to bridge the gap between online engagement and real world experience,” said Laycock.