ANN ARBOR, Mich., March, 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 180 million Americans are members of an association or customer loyalty program – think AAA, AARP, USAA, alumni and professional associations, supermarket and big-box retailers, museums, zoos, credit cards and many more. These groups offer members-only discounts on food, clothing, travel, gas, groceries, office supplies, dry cleaning, insurance, home improvement supplies – and much more. But members rarely use these perks because they don't remember the offers. Larky's free web site and iPhone app deliver perks information at the right time and place to finally give people the discounts they deserve.

"We're not trying to convince consumers to make unnecessary impulse purchases," says Larky co-founder Andrew Bank, who manages marketing, sales and business development. "Larky helps them get the discounts on everyday items they're already entitled to but don't know about yet. For example, Blue Cross Blue Shield members are entitled to discounts at Reebok.com, and paying for USA Today with your Visa card saves you 50% off the list price. But who can remember all these discounts? Larky does, and we'll let our users know online or at the point of sale so they save money seamlessly and effortlessly."

Getting started with Larky is free, fun and intuitive: users simply add their association memberships to create a personalized perks dashboard showing their perks and discounts across all their memberships. No member numbers or passwords are required. The Larky iPhone app delivers location-aware reminders of nearby discounts. Imagine walking into a store and getting this reminder on your phone: "Hey Joe, don't forget your 20% discount. Tap here to redeem." Then they start saving money on things they buy every day – all without paying extra fees, changing their usual buying habits, or lugging around a wallet-full of membership cards.

"People love getting a good deal," notes Gregg Hammerman, Larky's co-founder handling finance, operations, and technology. "Bargain hunting has become a national pastime, and Larky gives consumers a way to find discounts on stuff they would buy anyway. It's a win for Larky users because it helps them save money. But it's also a win for the associations and merchants that offer valuable discounts. The associations want to provide value to their members, and the merchants want additional business from these targeted audiences."

Bank and Hammerman were inspired to start the company when they realized how much money people were leaving on the table by not using their discounts. The two are serial entrepreneurs who have worked together for more than 15 years. They co-founded Techstreet, a digital information platform they later sold to Thomson Reuters.

Bank and Hammerman quickly brought many association partners on board and its perks platform covers discounts from over 1,500 organizations. Larky aims to continually expand its portfolio of partners, delivering more savings opportunities to its growing member base.  Bank and Hammerman also have a bigger vision for where Larky can go, "As mobile payment platforms gain traction, we'll work closely with the leaders in this space to make it easier for consumers to get the discounts they deserve. Imagine waiving your smart phone at the cash register to pay for something and automatically getting your discount. This is the way it should be and Larky will facilitate that."

The company launched in January 2012 and successfully tested the Larky concept in beta beginning in August. Now, Larky is bringing its unique, easy-to-use service to consumers nationwide. To sign up for a free Larky membership or learn more about the company, please visit www.larky.com. Download the free Larky app at https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/larky/id573710731.

About Larky
Larky is designed for anyone who has ever bought something and later realized they could have paid less by using member discounts or perks they forgot they had. Larky helps consumers get all the perks they deserve from association memberships and loyalty programs. Larky sends reminders at the right time and place so members don't miss a thing. It's serendipitous delight. And it's free. Find out more at www.larky.com.

SOURCE Larky