When retail investors discover TiiCKER, some have questions about how stock perks work. So the editorial team thought it would be worthwhile to dig into our mailbag and answer some common questions about TiiCKER. Periodically, we will answer these questions and give individual investors a few tips and tricks so they can get the most out of the platform that rewards shareholders for simply owning stock in their favorite companies.

Question: “I’m new to investing and I’m just learning about the benefits. I’m not thrilled with the performance of my portfolio, so I’m trying to squeeze every bit of value out of my investments and discovered TiiCKER. I don’t mean to be thick, but as an inexperienced investor, I’m not quite sure how TiiCKER works. Can you walk me through?” – TOM E., Wilsonville, Ore.

Answer: Tom, the world of retail investing is vast and we understand that it can take a lifetime to figure out everything there is to know about individual investing. We are happy to tell you more about TiiCKER and how you can make it work for your portfolio, even when your share prices might be floundering in this bear market.

When you get right down to it, TiiCKER is simple in just about every way. Our goal is to connect you and your portfolio to valuable stock perks you can receive from companies simply for owning shares of their stocks. You earn shareholder rewards based on the number of shares you own and the length you hold them. Shareholder perks are available for holding as little as a single share in some stocks, though the value of the reward often goes up with the number of shares own.

Still, we don’t want you to get the idea that you have to be Warren Buffett to find shareholder rewards on TiiCKER.

Individual investors with a single share of Wolverine Worldwide (Tii:WWW) – with no holding requirement – are able to receive a 30% discount on its family of footwear brands like Bates, Chaco, Hush Puppies, Keds, Merrell, Saucony, Sperry and Stride Rite to name a few. Own any shares worth $100 in your connected portfolio and you are eligible to receive a perk directly from TiiCKER. Anyone who opens a free account with TiiCKER and connects a portfolio with at least $100 worth of shares is eligible for an $11 gift card from Amazon or Visa.

Though redeeming shareholder rewards is the fun part, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. First, let’s walk you the simple process of creating your account. Step one is to create a profile. It is safe, secure and easy to get started. The next step is connecting a brokerage account. Seamlessly and securely connect your online brokerages to discover shareholder perks you qualify for based on your linked portfolio. Security is #1. At no point will TiiCKER ever have access to your credentials. Next, start discovering brands. TiiCKER is a great platform to learn about companies you might not know about and read Insights that can get a new investor like you up to speed quickly. Finally, it’s time to collect rewards. And there are definitely benefits to ownership on TiiCKER.

Need a new refrigerator? Whirlpool (Tii:WHR) shareholders with a single share receive up to 30% OFF the Whirlpool family of brands including KitchenAid, Amana, Maytag, Whirlpool, JennAir, Hotpoint, Gladiator and more.

Or maybe you are hungry for some healthy quick meal options? Shareholders who hold at least 1,000 shares of Real Good Food (Tii:RGF) stock qualify for: A $100 digital gift card for Realgoodfoods.com, a $100 swag credit in the RGF Shareholder Store and a $250 Visa gift card (visit one of our awesome retail partners like Wal-Mart, Costco, Target or Kroger to find the freshest RGF meals to stock up on).

Perhaps you enjoy VIP treatment for your stock ownership? Retail investors with just 100 shares of Willamette Valley Vineyards (Tii:WVVI) are eligible for a VIP Winery Tour, exclusive wine access, a 25% discount on wine and discounted admission to special events.

There are hundreds of other shareholder perks on TiiCKER as well. Though your connected account will let you know which investor rewards you are eligible for, we encourage you to explore the site. We hear over and over from those on our platform that they have discovered new companies as they explore TiiCKER.

We definitely understand your desire to get the most value out of your stock ownership, Tom, and with the market down, TiiCKER can provide unexpected and valuable returns on your investments.