Electronic Coupons that make more sense

Electronic Coupons that make more sense
Tags: Future Trends, Retail, Supermarkets & Grocery
September 30, 2010

It’s like getting free popcorn at the end of the movie. It just doesn’t make sense to receive your coupons when you’re heading out the door of the grocery store, or hardware store, or any retail outlet.

That’s why there’s a trend among retailers to provide coupons to customers through a kiosk as they enter the store. In many cases, the customers scan their membership or savings card, and a variety of coupons are printed for them.

Retailers appreciate the range of coupon types that can be dispensed on the kiosks (brand and manufacturer coupons, etc.) Some coupons may be distributed according to the buying habits of specific customers, while others may simply be special offers for the day.

Retailers also enjoy the fact that coupons can be generated and placed on the kiosk much more quickly than they can be distributed through traditional media. This allows retailers to target specific inventory almost immediately, and get the results they want through couponing.

Many retailers have found the decision to invest in coupon kiosks to be an easy one, based upon common-sense principals that are backed up by real-time results: people are more likely to utilize their coupons if they don’t leave the store and forget about them.

Couponing through kiosks is an effective tool because retailers can sell more product, and also increase revenue by focusing on margin. In just about every case, both the retailer and the consumer are happy.

Stores such as Food Lion, Giant Eagle, Marsh Supermarkets and CVS have taken advantage of coupon kiosks.

Reader Comments

Lashawna RoseKier

about 7 months ago

Collect coupons. No way around it. Coupons are your ticket for free food. The best source for them is the newspaper coupon inserts. Collect these from friends and others in your community, from recycle bins and hotel lobbies. Use your computer to print them off the internet. Get them any way you can, the more the better. You want multiple copies of the same coupon. You can also email companies and request coupons. And you can buy them for pennies as well. Keep them all well-organized in a way that makes sense to you. And keep them until they expire. They can be left uncut until you need them. Be sure that you understand the terms used.