Digital Coupon Coup

Digital coupons have been around in one form or another for decades, but they are enjoying a surge in popularity. Many people have been taking advantage of digital coupons, using smartphones to make them even more portable and easier to keep track of, or utilizing them for online retail transactions where copying and pasting a simple text string provides an easy way to cut costs. Today, research shows that digital coupons have become more popular their paper counterparts in the last few years.

Not only are digital coupons convenient and getting easier to use, but as fuel prices drive up overall prices, more and more people are looking for ways to save. Meanwhile, supply chain issues continue to make many things harder to find at any price, and alternatives to popular sold-out brands have found that digital coupons can provide an incentive for customers to try something new. (Grant, 2021) (Chandolia, 2020).

If you’re interested in saving some of your cash, read on.

Paper vs. Digital 

• Many brick-and-mortar grocery and retail chains accept digital coupons from manufacturers and also provide their own, essentially the email or website equivalent to a paper insert or flyer. These can usually be found on the website for the retailer, such as on Kroger’s digital coupon page on their website or app. Others may have links to a third-party digital coupon website, or have an option to sign up for a weekly email. It’s always worth checking the website for any stores you frequent for the most up-to-date coupons available.
• Check to see if your most frequented stores offer loyalty programs or savings cards. Some stores, such as CVS, allow shoppers to transfer all earned savings and coupons to their card for convenience.
• For the extreme couponing enthusiast, many digital coupons can be combined with paper coupons (known as stacking), though there are limits (Alana, 2022)

Happy Hour at the Store 

For those interested in convenience above all, there are several apps and browser extensions that can find digital coupon information for you, and even apply or suggest the best ones to use based on what you are buying or where you are shopping.

• Some, like Rakuten, will list coupons from dozens of stores, including those that offer cash-back rewards systems
• Others, like Honey, are best used as a browser extension when shopping online, as it will search for and apply the best possible coupon codes to your cart with the click of a button

Whether you’re looking for a reason to try something new, or just to save on things you’re already buying, digital coupons and coupon apps can save you some money with ease.

References

Alana. (2022, March 14). 9 Things You Need to Know About Using Digital Coupons. The Krazy Coupon Lady. Retrieved June 16, 2022, from https://thekrazycouponlady.com/tips/couponing/7-things-every-shopper-should-know-about-digital-coupons

Chandolia, H. (2020, November 9). The Power of Digital Coupon in the New Normal. RSA America. Retrieved June 16, 2022, from https://rsaamerica.com/the-power-of-digital-coupon-in-the-new-normal/

Grant, J. (2021, December 29). New research shows strong influence of digital coupons – RetailWire. RetailWire. Retrieved June 16, 2022, from https://retailwire.com/discussion/new-research-shows-strong-influence-of-digital-coupons/

Twenty Over Ten. (2022, April 18). Digital Deals: The 4 Best Coupon & Comparison Shopping Apps. Axiom Advisory. Retrieved June 16, 2022, from https://axiomadvisory.com/money-matters/digital-deals-the-4-best-coupon-and-comparison-shopping-apps