Digital coupons surpass print

Digital Coupons Surpass Print Coupons for the First Time

March 24, 2021

Digital coupon use was already on the rise, but in 2020, digital coupon usage surpassed the use of print coupons for the first time ever. Some retailers like Walgreens and CVS suspended their print circulars altogether during the pandemic, opting for online-only. COVID-19 obviously had a major impact on everything including digital coupon use, yet seeing as companies large and small are adjusting their marketing strategies to include more digital deals, it's safe to assume digital coupon redemption will continue to gain popularity in a post-pandemic world.


Paving the way for local directory and coupon websites

While it's likely that print coupons won't be going away anytime soon, consumer and advertiser behavior is changing and the door is opened wide for entrepreneurs who want to capitalize on the digital coupon trend. By running a local business directory and coupon website with Ideal Directories, for example, an individual can charge local businesses a modest monthly fee for a business profile page that includes digital coupons and deals. Local businesses can post all of their coupons, savings, discounts, and promotions for the community to download, share, and redeem from any desktop or mobile device wherever they are, 24/7. It's a win-win for both local businesses and consumers.


Key benefits of digital coupons vs. their print counterpart

Print coupons do still serve a purpose, but with the increased use of digital coupons, it's important to educate potential advertisers about the benefits of offering online discounts. These benefits include the following:

 
  • Digital coupons are less expensive to produce and distribute - With zero cost to produce, digital coupons are far more efficient to make and distribute than print coupons. A retailer can create a digital coupon and distribute it throughout the internet in a matter of minutes vs. the cost of printing and distributing them, not to mention the days or weeks required for that.
  • No clipping required - Digital coupons can be saved and redeemed with ease right from our smartphones. Ideal Directories websites are mobile responsive, which makes presenting and redeeming an online coupon even easier.
  • Share digital coupons with ease - Unlike print coupons, digital coupons can be shared over and over again with just a few clicks. Most online coupons can be shared via email or on social media with ease. Since everyone loves to get a good deal, a coupon could go viral locally, leading to exponential growth for a business.
  • Longer shelf life - Print coupons get misplaced, torn, and often thrown away. A print coupon is useless once it expires, but companies that advertise on Ideal Directories' network of local coupon websites can set their coupons on auto-renew, providing a hands-off approach to keeping coupons evergreen.
  • Update anytime, in real-time - Ideal Directories coupons can be updated anytime in real-time by your advertiser because each advertiser receives their own account when they create their listing on your directory website. This means you can focus more on sales and marketing to grow your directory and coupon business website.
  • Digital coupons are more trackable - Print coupons are notoriously hard to track. Digital coupons are much easier to track – both engagement and redemption. With Ideal Directories, not only are there statistics available for each coupon, you can use the data in your sales pitch to attract even more advertisers by showing them successful coupon campaigns.
  • Appeals to younger shoppers - While some Millennials are too embarrassed to present a print coupon, statistics show 93% use their smartphone to compare prices while shopping for items in brick-and-mortar stores. Studies show that younger people are more likely to use a digital coupon as opposed to a print coupon.


There's never been a better time to start a local business directory and coupon website for your community

It's clear that online coupons are growing and the recent pandemic only accelerated the popularity of local coupon websites. With Ideal Directories, you can start a local business directory and coupon website for their community. Ideal Directories' turnkey platform includes everything you need to get started including: a professional website dedicated to your town or city, sales and marketing material, training, and ongoing technical support.

If you're ready to launch your own business directory and coupon website, you can get started with Ideal Directories today!

 
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