July 2008 Archives
In another article Grocery Coupons now used more often by Grocery Shoppers, we noted that online coupon usage is up 83% over the same period last year. This study demonstrates the size of the online coupon user base.
The number of people turning to the web for coupons has soared to 36 million in 2008. That’s an increase of 10 million people from 2005. Traditionally consumers have associated coupons with the Sunday paper, but as consumers turn to the web for news they’re also looking online for savings. In an effort to learn more about these “Coupon Clickers,” Simmons/Experian Research and Coupons, Inc. conducted a survey ‒ the 2008 Printable Coupon Consumer Pulse. The research confirms the most popular sources for printable coupons are savings‒specific sites like Coupons.com. A June Hitwise report found Coupons.com has the largest market share for savings sites, and traffic has increased 190 percent since 2007.
“The economic downturn is generating a shift in coupon use and a
long‒term change in consumer perception and behavior,” said Steven
Boal, CEO of Coupons, Inc. “A new generation of shoppers is discovering
coupons on the Web and printing coupons is becoming a regular part of a
consumer’s shopping routine. In fact, almost a quarter of the 148
million Americans that use coupons now find them online, and nearly
half of these Coupon Clickers are between the ages of 22 and 44.”
Read more: Coupons.com
Food prices overall rose 5.1 percent between May 2007 and May 2008, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA predicts prices for food consumed at home will rise another 5 percent to 6 percent this year. That can mean quite an increase in the typical family grocery bill and cost of putting food on the table.
While there are several techniques offered for effecting savings on your grocery bill, grocery coupons and supermarket loyalty cards can be some of the most effective. Coupons and loyalty cards can help you save BIG.
A survey conducted for Consumer Reports ShopSmart magazine found that shoppers who used grocery coupons saved an average of $678 a year, or more than
10 cents of every grocery dollar. When you combined the coupons with on-sale items and use them with special double or triple coupon days your grocery savings can easily exceed 40 cents of every grocery dollar.The availability and value of grocery coupons varies greatly. While newspapers have traditionally been known as easiest way to get your hands on lots of coupon savings, we at Grocery Guide are seeing some interesting trends develop in regards to online grocery coupons. Online coupon usage is up 83% over the same period last year.
With our extensive coupon data files we are able to go back a number of years and track variances such as "face value" and "frequency of issue" on specific brands, products and manufacturers. As the online coupon market continues to evolve we are predicting big changes for coupon users and will be sharing more of our findings soon.
So for now remember, to save money on the grocery bill; "pre-shop" by comparing stores, brands and products online, prepare your shopping list, locate and use grocery coupons (online or newspapers) and supermarket loyalty cards and plan your meals around what is on sale at the local grocery store.
Internet coupons are of increasing interest to consumers, according to a recent analysis by consumer and media measurement firm Scarborough Research. Eleven percent of households currently obtain coupons via the Internet, and this has increased 83 percent since 2005.
However, the Sunday newspaper remains the number one place for acquiring household coupons. Fifty-three percent of households get their coupons from the Sunday newspaper. Other leading places for acquiring coupons include the mail (35 percent of households usually obtain coupons via the mail), 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).
All of the coupon acquisition categories have experienced growth since 2005, however none at the level of Internet coupons.
“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.
Scarborough also examined Grocery Coupon Clipping Households*, or those households that use grocery coupons (specifically) once a week or more. The analysis found Milwaukee, WI and Rochester, NY are the leading U.S. market areas for these households. Forty percent of Milwaukee households and 38 percent of Rochester households use grocery coupons once a week or more. Nationally, 27 percent of households use grocery coupons with this same frequency.
People hailing from leading grocery coupon clipping cities have higher than average Sunday newspaper readership rates. Nationally, Sunday newspaper readers are 15 percent more likely than all adults to use grocery coupons in their household. Not surprisingly, adults in leading coupon clipping market Milwaukee are 24 percent more likely to read the Sunday newspaper, and those in Rochester are 32 percent more likely to be readers of the Sunday paper. Sunday newspapers are known for being stuffed with coupons and advertising circulars.
Where are these consumers shopping? Grocery Coupon Clipping Households shop across categories, including mass grocers such as SuperTarget, traditional grocers such as Kroger’s, and warehouse clubs such as Sam’s Club. However, they are average for shopping at Wal-Mart Supercenter, the grocery store with the highest percentage of grocery shoppers nationally.
The Scarborough analysis also showed that Grocery Coupon Clipping Households tend to spend slightly more money on groceries weekly, $114, versus the national average of $110. They are more likely than the average household to purchase a variety of grocery products across categories – from pantry staples like coffee and ready-to-eat cereal to health items such as yogurt and energy/nutrition bars.
The demographic profile of Grocery Coupon Clipping Households illustrates that the appeal of coupons is wide-ranging. They are average for having children at home. People across all income brackets clip grocery coupons – however those with higher household incomes tend to be slightly more likely to clip grocery coupons.
Albuquerque, NM, El Paso, TX, and Fresno, CA are the markets least likely to have Grocery Coupon Clipping Households. Fourteen percent of Albuquerque households use grocery coupons once a week or more. Fifteen percent of those in El Paso and Fresno use grocery coupons with this same frequency.
Read more and see the tables: Scarborough Research
*Grocery Coupon Clipping Households are households who use grocery coupons once a week or more.
However, the Sunday newspaper remains the number one place for acquiring household coupons. Fifty-three percent of households get their coupons from the Sunday newspaper. Other leading places for acquiring coupons include the mail (35 percent of households usually obtain coupons via the mail), 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).
All of the coupon acquisition categories have experienced growth since 2005, however none at the level of Internet coupons.
“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.
Scarborough also examined Grocery Coupon Clipping Households*, or those households that use grocery coupons (specifically) once a week or more. The analysis found Milwaukee, WI and Rochester, NY are the leading U.S. market areas for these households. Forty percent of Milwaukee households and 38 percent of Rochester households use grocery coupons once a week or more. Nationally, 27 percent of households use grocery coupons with this same frequency.
People hailing from leading grocery coupon clipping cities have higher than average Sunday newspaper readership rates. Nationally, Sunday newspaper readers are 15 percent more likely than all adults to use grocery coupons in their household. Not surprisingly, adults in leading coupon clipping market Milwaukee are 24 percent more likely to read the Sunday newspaper, and those in Rochester are 32 percent more likely to be readers of the Sunday paper. Sunday newspapers are known for being stuffed with coupons and advertising circulars.
Where are these consumers shopping? Grocery Coupon Clipping Households shop across categories, including mass grocers such as SuperTarget, traditional grocers such as Kroger’s, and warehouse clubs such as Sam’s Club. However, they are average for shopping at Wal-Mart Supercenter, the grocery store with the highest percentage of grocery shoppers nationally.
The Scarborough analysis also showed that Grocery Coupon Clipping Households tend to spend slightly more money on groceries weekly, $114, versus the national average of $110. They are more likely than the average household to purchase a variety of grocery products across categories – from pantry staples like coffee and ready-to-eat cereal to health items such as yogurt and energy/nutrition bars.
The demographic profile of Grocery Coupon Clipping Households illustrates that the appeal of coupons is wide-ranging. They are average for having children at home. People across all income brackets clip grocery coupons – however those with higher household incomes tend to be slightly more likely to clip grocery coupons.
Albuquerque, NM, El Paso, TX, and Fresno, CA are the markets least likely to have Grocery Coupon Clipping Households. Fourteen percent of Albuquerque households use grocery coupons once a week or more. Fifteen percent of those in El Paso and Fresno use grocery coupons with this same frequency.
Read more and see the tables: Scarborough Research
*Grocery Coupon Clipping Households are households who use grocery coupons once a week or more.
