Can coupons save Christmas?

As the global economy continues to shrink, businesses are feeling the pinch. Short of closing doors - even cyber doors - marketers are scrambling to find a viable way to compete with big box retailers who can discount products to the nth degree. Mobile Coupons (mCoupons) could be the answer according to a recent report from SmartReply.

by Kristina Knight

SmartReply surveyed mobile consumers to discover how they were planning to make it through the recession. Overwhelmingly, consumers said coupons were one way they planned to save. More than 65% of those surveyed said they were 'more likely' to use coupons during a recession and nearly 60% said they planned to increase how often they used coupons.

Another interesting finding is that nearly one-quarter of respondents said that they had used a mobile coupon in the past. Of the three-quarters who had not responded to an mCoupon, 33% said that was because they hadn't received any mCoupons to date.

With so many consumers looking for deals and coupons, and consumers apparently interested in using coupons to save it makes sense for etailers to invest a little time into a coupon campaign. Texting a coupon to a mobile user from a search query, for example, is a good way to get more customers in your local businesses door. Offering online coupons from coupon hubs or through an email campaign is a good way to get them to click through to your site and from there, to make a transaction.