It’s Now Easier Than Ever to Access the Hornet Shop and Spend Your Hornet Points

With Hornet version 7.0.4, currently being rolled out to all users around the world, it’s easier than ever to access the Hornet Shop. For those not familiar, the Hornet Shop is where you’ll purchase a Hornet Premium subscription, or fun Hornet merchandise (like brand-new Hornet t-shirts and phone cases), or Honey, or even an Amazon gift card.

Let’s break down Hornet’s fun new feature:

How do I access the Hornet Shop from my profile?

In the top right corner of your profile, you’ll see three dots. Clicking on those three dots opens up a menu. That’s where you’re able to access “Settings” (your personal app settings), “Insights” (where you can view the engagement stats of your posts), “Edit Profile” (that one’s self-explanatory), and — now — “Hornet Shop,” a direct link to the Hornet marketplace, where you’re able to purchase all sorts of items and services.

What kind of stuff can I purchase in the Hornet Shop?

Among the many things for sale in the Hornet Shop, this is where many users have purchased a Hornet Premium subscription. You’re able to purchase Premium for one week, one month, three months or one year. You can even purchase one month of Hornet Premium for a friend!

Also available for purchase in the Hornet Shop is Hornet Honey, which you can use to unlock premium features in the app and give awards to creators. When you come across a really compelling post in the Hornet Feed, a photo or a video story, you can spend Honey to award that user with one of several fun awards. It’s a great way to reward other users’ for creating fun content, and also to get their attention. (Find more info on Hornet awards here.)

If you’re looking for swag, the Hornet Shop is also where you can purchase Hornet T-shirts (we’ve got a ton new tees in the store now!), a Hornet phone case, a Hornet pillow, and even a Hornet “Love Is Love” shower curtain!

Other things up for sale in the Hornet Shop include gift cards for use at Amazon, iTunes, the Google Play Store, Netflix and Starbucks; and monetary donations to OutRight Action International and Gay Games 11 in Hong Kong, both of which Hornet will match 100%. We’re very excited to see that many Hornet users have decided to donate to these great causes!

Unlike most online stores, however, in the Hornet Shop you have multiple ways to pay for things. Sure, you can pay with cash, using a credit card, but you can also pay for things using your Hornet Points. You’ll find your Hornet Points balance at the very top of the Hornet Shop page.

Remind me: How do I earn Hornet Points?

Hornet Points can be earned in two ways: First, you accumulate Hornet Points by receiving awards from other users on your posts.

The other way to accumulate Hornet Points is by contributing to the Hornet Community via one or more of our various programs. Users who contribute to making Hornet a more fulfilling community — via translating the app or articles, being a beta tester or moderator, or by taking on the role of Featured Guy, Health Ambassador or Sport Captain — earn Hornet Points. If you’re interested in joining one or more of Hornet’s many contributor programs, you can find more info here.

What if I don’t have enough Hornet Points to purchase what I want?

Let’s say you’ve found something you want to purchase in the Hornet Shop — a new T-shirt, Honey or Hornet Premium for you or a friend — but you don’t have enough Hornet Points. You’re now able to use both Hornet Points and a credit card toward the same purchase. It’s a great way to buy what you want even if you haven’t yet earned enough Hornet Points for it.

Have fun surfing the Hornet Shop, now accessible right from your profile.

As an added bonus, now through December 25, you can use the discount code HOHOHORNET to make your Hornet Points go twice as far in the Hornet Shop. That means the price of everything in the Hornet Shop (other than gift cards) is now half-off! Now get spending!