Making Money Just by Walking or Commuting: The Amazing World of “Next-Generation Littering”

A new era has arrived in poikatsu.

The most popular type of litter is the “mobile point system. It is the ultimate discount, and it can be called a “mobility revolution” because it adds value to commuting to work, school, and even walking to promote health. Sachiko Watanani iPhone app guide for the lifestyle information website “AllAbout”, explains. 

“The “Movement Points” program allows you to accumulate points on your own just by holding a smartphone with the app in it. It is quickly gaining attention as a way to reduce exercise due to the Corona Disaster, and it is a benefit for those who travel for long periods of time. There’s no harm in getting started.”

Behind the creation of the mobility point system is the aspect of “energy conservation”. Depending on the application, points are awarded at a much higher rate for travel by foot or train, which emit less CO2. It is expected that more benefits and point usage will be added in the future.

 

Another attraction is the ease of use. Basically, all you have to do is install the application and leave it alone (see chart below). There is no need to even launch the application every time. The only drawback is that it consumes battery power a little faster because you need to set your phone’s location to “always allow”. The chart below summarizes the usage and services of the four major companies. We hope you will find it useful. Let’s take a look at each service below.

The most notable of the mobile point services is “Miles,” which arrived in Japan last October from Silicon Valley in the United States. The feature of this service is that the more eco-friendly the means of transportation, the more points can be accumulated. The points are multiplied by 0.1 if you fly, but 10 times if you walk. The AI automatically determines the means of transportation. Takahito Kikuchi, president of Poitan, Inc.

“The points do not expire, and there is no need to go through complicated procedures such as viewing advertisements or referring friends. There are three statuses, Silver, Gold, and Platinum, depending on the number of points earned each month. Each status offers preferential treatment such as bonus points and a higher exchange rate. Once you get to Platinum, you only need to earn two rewards to maintain your status. In my experience, traveling by train is the most economical. With Shinkansen, you can gain even more distance. In fact, I earned 1,800 points just for a round trip between Tokyo and Osaka. That’s enough points for three cups of coffee at FamilyMart (one-time redemption only), and it also raises my status.”

ANA Pocket, operated by All Nippon Airways, is also a great way to earn points. The system allows passengers to accumulate points for all modes of travel, and every 500 points earned earns them a prize in the form of a gacha, a monthly prize that changes monthly and includes a pair of round-trip tickets for domestic flights. However, please note that points expire after 30 days.

ANA Pocket” is available for a monthly fee of 550 yen. There are two types of courses: a paid course, which costs 550 yen per month, and a free course. The paid course allows users to convert accumulated points into miles. The free course also allows users to convert their points into ANA SKY Coins through a gacha. 10 ANA SKY Coins = 10 yen and can be used to pay for ANA airline tickets and travel products. ANA Pocket” has a feature called “Challenge ANA Pocket.  There are various missions such as “200 points if you walk 2km everyday” or “300 points if you check in at ANA domestic airports”. If you accomplish the mission, you will receive points as a reward.

“If you do not enter a challenge, you will not receive points even if you accomplish the mission, so do not forget to enter. In your spare time in the morning before work, enter the ones you think you can accomplish,” says Wataya.

ANA’s rival, “JAL Wellness & Travel” by Japan Airlines, costs 550 yen per month. The service allows users to exchange points for JAL mileage based on the number of steps they take for 550 yen per month. The service is an oddity in that it offers an audio content/audiobook service in which books are read aloud to you with your miles, and you can read the latest business books and novels each month. You can also use your accumulated miles to pay for the service, which is recommended for people who exercise on a daily basis and those who lead a life of frequent travel, such as business trips.

“Trima”, a long-established mobile point of sale, offers a wealth of benefits. Mr. Wataya, mentioned above, says.

“Amazon gift certificates, nanaco points, T-points, d-points, and so on. The points can be converted into highly versatile gift certificates and electronic money, so they are easy to use. It is important to earn points efficiently not only by traveling and walking, but also by watching advertisement videos. Trima accumulates one “tank” for every 10 km traveled. When one tank is accumulated, it can be converted into points, but there are only three tanks at the beginning. No points are awarded for further travel, so you need to be creative in acquiring additional tanks, etc.”

Harumi Maruyama, a consumer affairs advisor, continues.

“Trima offers a variety of ways to earn points, such as watching videos, taking surveys, introducing friends and going on missions, all without having to walk. Another attractive feature is that if you watch an advertisement video before you move, you can triple the number of points you earn. That makes it easier to accumulate points, but it is probably for those who can do it often.”

The greatest appeal of mobilepoint is not only its ease of earning points or its convenience. Mr. Kikuchi, mentioned above, says, “You don’t have to choose just one app.

The biggest attraction is that you don’t have to choose just one application. You can use multiple apps at the same time. If you download all the apps, you can earn points for all of them at the same time.

Promote health, save energy, and even earn points. There is no way to avoid incorporating the ultimate in littering into your daily life.

From the June 3, 2022 issue of FRIDAY