While the Sunday newspaper continues to be the main choice for cutting coupons, the Internet is becoming an increasingly important part of the savings culture. It has grown by 83 percent over the last three years, topping all other coupons sources, according to a Scarborough Research study.
Overall, 11 percent of all households now get their coupons from the Internet. The Sunday newspaper still accounts for over half with 53 percent.
Other major coupon resources are the mail, where 35 percent of households get coupons, in-store coupons (33 percent), preferred customer/loyalty cards (22 percent), in-store circulars (22 percent, weekday newspapers (17 percent), product packages (17 percent) and magazines (15 percent).
Local Market Ranking: Top 11 Cities for Grocery Coupon Clipping Households (%)
Milwaukee, WI 40Rochester, NY 38
Pittsburgh, PA 36
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA 36
Buffalo, NY 36
Hartford/New Haven, CT 36
Columbus, OH 36
Toledo, OH 36
Syracuse, NY 35
Green Bay/Appleton, WI 35
Cincinnati, OH 35
=====
“With prices for consumer goods rising, we can only expect that a 'good deal' is of increasing importance to shoppers. Coupons are one of several economically-focused promotional tools that stores and product brands can use to get shoppers in the door and spending despite these uncertain economic times. And, the Internet provides an easy to use vehicle to search for coupons,” said Alisa Joseph, vice president, advertiser marketing services, Scarborough Research.
Another finding of the study was usage was across all demographics and income groups, and was slightly higher among upper-income households, seeming to imply they buy more brand items. Other demographics would use the coupons, but as coupon users know, many times a brand item with a coupon is still more than buying something generic. So branding would be more important to those with higher incomes.
This is all to say that not only will this continue to be a big business, but even more so on the Internet as consumers gradually learn the tools available to them in relationship to savings and coupons.
The secondary theme (but not in importance), is we are in the type of economic times where savings, good deals, added value, among numerous other important factors, must be part of our online strategies.
Many of the more well known and successful Internet entrepreneurs have already started implementing these strategies in order to reach tight-fisted consumers in a meaningful way. This will go on until news of the economy experiencing a real turnaround is reported on. No one knows how long that will take, but I would say at least another couple years.
As far as coupons go, the Internet will continue to grow at close to the current rates for some time to come.
Comment Preview