Mobile Coupons Surpassing Print, Desktop in Popularity

More consumers are searching for coupons via mobile app than in print, with mobile apps being the top place to find coupons, according to insights from a new partner study by RetailMeNot and Placed.

The study – which is based on 10,843 consumer responses and is titled "The State of Coupons and the Role of Mobile" – delivers what its authors declare to be one of the most extensive analyses to date around consumer trends in couponing and the impact that mobile has had in changing the shopping planning process.

Among the key findings:

• Coupons remain the shopper's primary savings method. More than three in five consumers actively seek out coupons in preference of other types of promotions.
• Coupon users plan ahead before redeeming -- 85 percent look for coupons (non-grocery) prior to visiting a retailer.
• Mobile apps are the top go-to place to find coupons, with 43 percent of consumers now turning to mobile apps when seeking out coupons, alongside 36 percent who look to print.

While coupons are still the number one incentive consumers prefer, "Coupons are no longer limited to Sunday circulars," said Marissa Tarleton, CMO, North America, RetailMeNot Inc. "Mobile has made coupons an on-demand activity, with nearly half of consumers preferring to look for coupons via a mobile app, the number one choice for conducting searches. Retailers who embrace this change in consumer behavior to deliver offers at all stages of the planning process are poised to capture sales in the moment." 

Mobile Apps Are Key for Deal-seekers

With three in five consumers actively seeking out coupons when planning to shop, the coupon usage study found that mobile apps have become the primary source for deal-seekers: 42.8 percent of consumers typically use mobile to locate coupons, followed by print at 35.9 percent and across all platforms at 28.8 percent of consumers. 

"These results highlight the need for retailers to have an omnichannel presence when it comes to offers," said David Shim, founder and CEO, Placed. "Print is the medium in which retailers have had decades to optimize against redemption, but the greenfield opportunity exists in mobile and omnichannel coupons."

When surveyed on frequency of coupon usage, more than half of consumers responded that they use a coupon in one of every four purchases or more frequently. The study also found that 75 percent of consumers used at least one app to assist in their shopping experience while in-store, while 27.5 percent used at least three apps.

"Based on the number of deal seekers combined with the shift to mobile and the few number of apps consumers turn to, it is critical that retailers build out an ecosystem of partnerships to reach mobile shoppers," said Tarleton. 

Placed asked consumers what their favorite and most influential apps were when shopping. The answer highlighted three things: the popularity of Amazon; the importance of delivering a high-quality ominichannel experience to consumers; and using mobile deals to convert shoppers into purchasers in-store.

The RetailMeNot and Placed "State of Coupons and the Role of Mobile" research was conducted through a combination of direct measurement and surveys across Placed audience, which represents one in 300 adults in the U.S. which have double-opted in to share the data. Conducted in October and November 2015, this analysis includes survey responses from 10,843 consumers.

The full study can be downloaded here.