The blue envelope coupon giant Valpak just released the results of a consumer survey on coupon use and frugality. They talked to 1,000 American consumers in May. Here are the most interesting findings:
Digital coupons are the next big thing. 91% said they have used an Internet coupon, compared to 65% two years ago. 77% have used the Internet to look for coupons in the past 6 months, up from 62 percent a year ago. Redemption of mobile coupons increased by 250% in one year (although I’m guessing mobile redemption was basically nonexistent a few years ago).
Coupon use is still growing. 46% said they search for coupons and discounts more often than in the past. “Couponing is expected to increase more than 150 percent between 2009 and 2014,” the survey says. Saving money extends to other areas of life, with consumers across all demographics searching for ways to save, comparing prices, and reading reviews.
Forget staycation, the new buzz word is valucation. People are tired of vacationing at home. 65% said they plan to spend money on travel, including trips abroad, in other American cities, and on cruises. But nearly everyone is watching their budget: 79 % plan to spend about the same or less this summer compared to last summer.Valpak is an authority on consumer savings.
Savings habits are sticky. 75% said they will keep looking for coupons and ways to save after the recession blows over.
About the survey. It was conducted by e-Rewards Market Research. Results are within 3.1 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level. ValPak delivers coupons to almost 40 million households each month.
The results of this survey ring true for me. Most everyone I know is eager to find good coupons and is learning the basics of where to find coupons. Times certainly have changed from when us frugal folks were the only ones using coupons and waiting for sales!
What interests me is how Internet coupons are developing in response to demand and fraud. With newspaper circulation declining, fewer people are getting coupons through the mail so it makes sense that online coupons will fill the void. The Internet has dramatically altered many aspects of our economy. Do you think coupons will be effected, too?
August 3rd, 2010 at 9:50 am
The majority of stores around me won’t do Internet coupons unless they’re the PG esavers that load onto my customer loyalty card.
There is too much fraud with them according to my grocery stores.
Isn’t it like that elsewhere?
August 3rd, 2010 at 10:58 am
I use internet coupons all the time. I have not had a problem. I have a CVS, Walgreens, Kroger, Walmart, and Meijer in my area. All have been really good with internet coupons.
August 3rd, 2010 at 12:02 pm
I must be very lucky. All of the grocery stores in my area have accepted internet coupons.
August 3rd, 2010 at 12:09 pm
I prefer emailed coupons. I can easily file them into a folder in my inbox and search and print them when I am ready to use. I don’t use mailed coupons as often. If I don’t have the time to sort through them, they get tossed with the junk mail.
August 3rd, 2010 at 1:19 pm
I subscribe to 2 L.A. newspapers, and am a veteran coupon clipper every Sunday when the big inserts are circulated. I keep them in coupon pouches, and go through them regularly to discard those out of date. I do use coupons on a regular basis for products I often buy, and pass along the ones I don’t use to friends. My main dislike of ecoupons is having to waste ink and paper to print them… not eco-friendly!!! The newspapers can be recycled. I also look forward to ValPak for coupons not otherwise distributed.
August 3rd, 2010 at 1:26 pm
I use both newspaper/printed coupons and Internet printables. I think the Internet printables tend to be for better values, but stores do limit some aspects of using them. For example, all of the grocery stores in our area take Internet coupons unless they contain the word “Free” (such as for a free product or Buy one/two/whatever and get one Free), so I can use those only at Walmart and Target.
August 3rd, 2010 at 4:04 pm
LOVE the “valucation”… we had one of those, visiting a friend up in Lake Tahoe who had earned free rooms at the Hyatt through his involvement at the casino; he gave them to us (family of 6) for 4 nights, and we had a GREAT time. Scoped out every Subway around, had hot dogs for lunch in Virginia City (the original Lincoln Lunch, but actually only $3 pp for hot dog and drink!)… we did everything we could on a budget. It was great!
August 4th, 2010 at 8:54 am
@Jenni Porter Ohhh, you are making me yearn for time off. I’d like to take – gasp – an entire week off of blogging in late August or September. Just not sure where. Maine is tempting.
August 4th, 2010 at 8:57 am
@fairydust Not accepting coupons with the word “free” is an interesting way to reduce fraud. Not sure how effective it is, however. I think in a few years stores will have more uniform policies on Internet coupons.
August 4th, 2010 at 8:58 am
@EllieD You are quite the coupon connoisseur!
August 4th, 2010 at 8:59 am
@Linda You are definitely very lucky to live in an area where the stores accept all Internet coupons. Either the store employees are very well informed and know how to spot fakes, or the stores have not been burned yet.