Short Pump Town Center is the first shopping center to implement a new Facebook program that rewards shoppers who "check in" with special savings.

The mall is using the Facebook Deals platform, which allows shoppers to virtually "check in" to the shopping center via Facebook on their smartphones when they are on the premises and receive local offers.

Short Pump’s introductory "Deals" promotion rewards the first 50 check-ins with a $10 gift card, and the check-in appears visibly to the shopper’s friends in their Facebook activity feed.

“Facebook Deals provides an easy way for us to entice shoppers to the Center and deliver special offers from Short Pump Town Center and our retailers," said Misty Parsons, Short Pump’s director of marketing, “The viral nature of these check-ins helps spread the word to other Facebook members. Since claiming our location on Facebook we’ve received over 100 check-ins.”

Facebook recently launched the Deals location-based service (LBS) in partnership with approximately 20 major brand partners, including Starbucks, REI, JCPenney, The Gap and McDonalds.