Three coupon tips for 2010

Although consumers are shopping and spending more than in the past twelve months, many are shopping differently. They are looking for deals, which means now could be the perfect time to invest in a coupon campaign. Over the past year coupon distributors have seen coupon clipping and redemption increase by more than 20%.

There are more consumers clipping and redeeming coupons than ever before. But it isn’t just grocery stores which are seeing the redemption. Consumers are now looking for coupons for everything from computer purchases to banking offers. Which means now is the time for brands to develop their own coupon campaign to cash in on the trend.

“We’re seeing more and more retailers offering coupons,” said Andrea Woroch with CouponWinner. “We’re seeing coupons for financial services, dental care, health products. It isn’t just grocery stores who are offering coupons now.”

Tip #1: Consumers look for specific deals. Although different types of retailers are offering coupons, it is still the tried-and-true coupon offer - a percentage or dollar off - that appeals to the consumer.

“By offering a specific dollar amount for a specific product it’s a way to give that product more appeal to consumers,” said Woroch. “More people are looking for coupons these days than ever before.”

And most are turning to the Internet rather than waiting for the Sunday circulars to come around.

Tip #2: Don’t forget about online coupon hubs. Although printing coupons in the Sunday circulars is still important, retailers must also look to online couponing hubs for distribution because those hubs are hotter each day.

“Brands can target a larger amount of consumers online,” said Woroch. “And, with social networks we’re seeing more consumers sharing coupons with friends through social networks.”

Some coupon destinations give consumers the ability to re-post or re-tweet coupon deals to friends and family.

Tip #3: Add in a code. The majority of coupons are still redeemed offline, by the consumer handing a physical coupon to a clerk. But online coupons and mobile coupons are growing faster each day. So add in a coupon code that consumers can use at their favorite e-commerce hub so that they get the deal online as well as offline.

by Kristina Knight

Thrifty consumers turning to their mobile devices

After all the talk, mobile marketing appears to be experiencing its long-awaited breakthrough year. While branded applications are leading the way in mobile marketing, many consumers are taking advantage of a new spin on a tried-and-true marketing tactic: mobile coupons.

Marketers are quickly turning to coupons to get the word out as well. Mobile coupon spending is expected to grow from $90 million in 2009 to $370 million this year, according to the 2010 U.S. Local Mobile Advertising and Promotions Forecast. That number is expected to hit $6.52 billion by 2014, ClickZ reports.

Printed internet coupons hold more of the coupon market than mobile ones, but the redeemed value of mobile coupons is 24 percent higher than internet coupons. Smartphones are driving the coupon market, thanks in large part to GPS capabilities that let marketers offer discounts to consumers who are in close proximity to a retail location.

There’s An App For That: How Mobile Is Changing The Face Of Retail

It’s no secret that, in today’s self-serve world, consumers are becoming increasingly empowered by easy access to information. In many cases, answers are now only a click away. So, it was only a matter of time before on-the-go consumers started demanding the same convenience from their mobile devices. Given the fact that about 85% of all U.S. households own at least one mobile phone, it’s not surprising that mobile is fast becoming the search tool of choice– particularly for people making purchasing decisions.

Retailers are starting to feel the effects. According to Forrester’s Research, consumers who research products online before making an offline purchase affect over $500 billion in sales a year. Consumer behavior is influenced by the information they’re able to find on their own, on the go.

Mobile puts the power of information into consumers’ hands, even as they’re standing in the store aisle. This opens up new possibilities for shoppers– even those who aren’t yet comfortable with actually purchasing from their mobile devices. Comparison shopping and searching for products by phone, for example, are high-value, low-risk activities that people curious about mobile shopping can start out with.

Interested in becoming a more informed shopper? Consider the following mobile apps that aim to improve your shopping experience

1. ShopSavvy- This app allows users to comparison shop right in the store, by scanning a product’s bar code using a camera phone. It then finds the lowest prices online as well as at local retailers, searches coupons, and actually lets users make purchases. With over 40 million scans reported each month, this is one of the most popular shopping apps on the market today. ShopSavvy is available on the iPhone, iPod Touch, Android and Nokia phones.

2. FastMall- This app is a resource for mall shoppers. It provides interactive maps of mall stores and restrooms, gives the quickest routes to stores, and even helps consumers remember where they parked their cars. You can also make lists and get coupons. It’s available on the iPhone and iTouch.

2. GroceryIQ- A handy app that allows you to create and organize grocery lists, scan products and save lists of frequently purchased items. Coupon users will appreciate being able to access and share coupons. Shoppers can also take photos of bar codes to add items to their lists and create lists of frequently or previously purchased items. Available on the iPhone and iTouch.

4. Google Shopper- Google has joined the mobile retail game with this app, currently available for Android. The Shopper lets you inquire about product information using your phone’s camera. It recognizes bar codes and saves your search history so you always have it available. A couple of neat features—it can recognize visual data, such as book covers and video game cases, and you can speak the name of the product rather than scan or type it in.

5. Yowza- Ever wonder what coupons are available for stores near you, wherever you are? Yowza uses GPS to determine your location, then sends you coupons for nearby stores. Just set the distance parameters for anywhere from 1 to 50 miles. This app started out for users of the iPhone and iTouch, but is now available for use on the BlackBerry, Android and Palm.

Apps like these put more power into the hands of consumers, as they allow shoppers to determine who has the best deals quickly, conveniently and on their own. So, should mobile commerce have retailers worried? It depends on how willing they are to embrace, and even profit from, the new technology. As Alexander Muse, founder of Big in Japan and developer of ShopSavvy, has said: “They realize, sometimes I win, sometimes I lose. But if I stay out of the conversation, I never win.”

And consumers might well say the same thing about themselves.

By Beth Hrusch