How Important Are Discounts To Holiday Shoppers?

The economy remains to be a challenge for many consumers.  Couple that with the devastation in New York & New Jersey and many people are really feeling things tighten up.  While shoppers are always looking for the best possible price – this year it could be extra important. A new report looks at how important discounts and sales are consumers this holiday season.

• Over 80% of shoppers feel that discounts and sales are important in making buying decisions for holiday gifts.

• Nearly 60% say it is
very important

• Only 6% say that discounts and sales are not important at all

• Over three-quarters of shoppers expect that at least half of the holiday gifts they buy will be at a discounted price

• Nearly one in 6 say that everything they buy for the holidays will be on sale

What Does This Mean To You?

Very simply, you need to promote your offers.
You also need to compare what you sales are with the competition.
Shoppers are out looking for the best deal and not knowing what your direct competitors are doing puts you at a disadvantage.  Think about the number of ways that you can discount, it don’t always mean you are devaluing your wares.
Things like free or discounted shipping and expanded savings with extended spending can counteract the affect of straight discounting.  Consumers just want to maximize their savings.  Also think about how you are going to get your offers and message in front of consumers.
Look at strategies that deliver the most efficient and effective solutions possible.
For more information on how to utilize solutions that keep your offers top of mind and deliver the highest return on investment, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: Mobile Commerce Daily; Accenture

Smart Phone Shoppers And Grocery Stores

We’ve had many posts showing how important smart phones are as shopping companions.  A new study has been released that focuses on smart phone shoppers and their behaviors at grocery & drug stores. The study brings up several interesting points about these “smart” shoppers, particularly with regard to mobile promotions.

• Three-quarters of consumers would switch brands if they were offered real-time promotions delivered to their smart phones while they were shopping

• Over 80% of 25 to 34 year old smart phone shoppers would be willing to switch brands if they received an offer from a competitive brand while they were in the store

• Over eight in 10 of “smart” shoppers have a prepared list when they go to a grocery or drug store, less than 10% list specific brands to purchase

• 76% of “smart” shoppers make decisions based on price & value

• Promotions and getting the most for their money was a determining factor for nearly 60% of consumers

• Over half said the ability to use coupons impacted their buying decisions

• Less than four in 10 indicated said that brand loyalty played a part in what they bought

• Just over one in four noted that the availability of generic or store brands impacted their purchase decisions and 22% bought new products from existing or emerging brands

What Does This Mean To You

This study might have focused on the activities of “smart” grocery & drug store shoppers, but the conclusions are transferable to many types of businesses.

• Consumers may not be a as brand dependant as once thought – With economic conditions as they are, discounts or promotions may sway shoppers into competitive brands

• Geo-location makes a difference – Smart phones give you the ability to create interactions where ever shoppers are.  Delivering messages to them when they are in store can bring your brand attention

• Coupons are still an influence – Over half of shoppers said that coupons impact their purchase decisions

There are several real-world applications that can be used by all kinds of businesses.  If you own a restaurant, you could deliver a geo-located offer for an up-sell.  If you own a retail store, talk to your vendors and see if there is any co-op programs that will help you brand you store paired with a coupon that saves shoppers money.  If you are in a shopping plaza with competitive stores, a geo-located offer could attract shoppers to your store vs. a competitors. For more information on how geo-location of your message can help you see bigger results, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: AisleBuyer

Mobile Coupons Lead To Action

People love to save money.  People are also addicted to their smart phones – so it only makes sense that mobile coupons are a hit with smart phone users. Not only do smart phones offer retailers an easy way to target customers, smart phones make it easy to store & redeem coupons.  Since device owners are seldom without their device, it’s hard for them to forget the coupons.

• 40% of smart phone users redeem mobile coupons

• Over 70% of mobile couponers said they were interested in an app to find deals

• More than four in 10 used a smart phone to specifically find mobile coupons for daily deal programs

• Nearly 40% were interested in finding mobile coupons specifically for
grocery stores

• Almost one in four consumers were interested in using mobile coupons
for free samples or trail offers

•`Nearly 30% of consumers were interested in using printable coupons
from their mobile devices

What Does This Mean To You

“Showrooming” is a big concern for many businesses and mobile coupons can be one solution that keeps consumers in your brick and mortar store vs. going online and making a purchase.  One of the keys to making mobile coupons successful is promoting the fact you offer them.  In store signage, store web sitye and promotion through mobile campaigns are important vehicles in getting the word out.  Having people sign up for mobile coupons also gives you a great database to mine later.  Just make sure you follow SPAM rules if you are going to email from it and make sure your offers remain relevant.   Nearly one in four Central Florida adults currently get coupons via email of text message.  For more information on how you can benefit from mobile coupons, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Manager
407.420.5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com
www.orlandosentinel.com/mediakit

Source: Mobile Commerce Daily; Harris Interactive; CouponCabin.com; The 2012 Scarborough Report, Release 1

Consumer Interest In Mobile Coupons

For over 120 years, consumers have relied on coupons as a way to save money and economically sample new products.  Couponing is also a great way to affect mobile customers.  A new study has been released documenting consumer interest in mobile coupons.

•  55% of consumers indicated they were interested in mobile coupons

•  Just 10% have actually received a
mobile coupon from an advertiser

•  45% of consumers said they were interested in storing coupons in a mobile wallet

•  36% want to automatically receive coupons from local merchants

•  Nearly half want to be able to replace loyalty cards with an app

•  Four in 10 want to receive reminders about available coupons

What Does This Mean To You?

On-the-go consumers are looking for a better way to utilize coupons – what could be a better delivery source than an item that they carry with them where ever they go?   The easier any business can make it on their customers, the better off that business will be.  Another aspect to mobile coupons is the ease at which consumers can share them.  If someone is going to share your coupon with a friend or family member, it’s almost like a mobile endorsement for your business.  One of the most fascinating findings isn’t how many people are interested in receiving mobile coupons, but that just 10% of consumers had received mobile coupons.  If you offer mobile coupons, you need to promote the fact. This is another great way to build a database to mine from. For more information on generating business with mobile coupons, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: Mobile Commerce Daily; Mercator Advisory Group

When Should You Send Commercial Email Messages?

Email blasts were probably the first type of digital marketing that online pioneers engaged in.  It still gives you the ability to target geographically and to  strategically segment your offers.  When you send your message can affect whether or not your message is read and acted upon.  A new survey from Informz gives us a global look at what goes into the success of an email marketing campaigns.

•  The average open rate for commercial email messages is 34% with a click rate of nearly 20%

•  Email sent in the morning receive the highest open rate at 39%

•  Email sent at night has the lowest open rate, 23% below messages sent during morning hours

•  Email sent during the late afternoon has the highest click rate at 21%.

•  What day of the week messages are sent have virtually no effect on open or click rates

What Does This Mean To You?

Email marketing is all about targeting.  The key to success is sending the right message, to the right people, at the right time.  While email sent in the mornings may the highest open rate, it’s probably not as effective to promote a happy hour special – unless the receiver is having a really bad morning.
It’s also very important to make sure you are targeting the right people.  If you are just collecting the email addresses of your customers, you are missing a huge pool of potential shoppers.  You need to strategically think about the offers you send.  Email should be used as part of an overall marketing plan – make sure your messages work together.  Email campaigns give you the ability to segment your offers – are you rewarding good customers with good offers?  Have you thought of luring back former patrons with deeper discounts?  Maybe introductory offers to acquire new customers.  For more information on how to make email marketing work for you, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: Informz

Coupon Use Continues To Climb

We’ve done several posts recently about the variety of tools consumers are
using to save money.  A new study shows us how many consumers are using coupons, what kind they are using and how much money consumers have
saved using coupons.

•   In 2011, over 80% of consumers say
they regularly use coupons – up from
78% in 2010

•   Nearly half of consumers said they
always or very often redeem coupons
– the number of heavy coupon users
is up 15% from last year

•  Over 300 billion coupons were
distributed in 2011, slightly down
from 2010

•   Consumers saved a collective $470 billion with coupons in 2011

•   Hair care products, eye care products and candy & gum were the three
largest growth segments for coupon use in 2011

•   Nearly 90% of coupons were distributed using free-standing inserts

•   From 2010 to 2011, there has been a 27% jump in consumers searching
online for coupons – currently nearly two-thirds of consumers regularly go online to find them

•   Nearly nine in 10 consumers use coupons when planning shopping

 What Does This Mean To You?

Coupons are a great way to set yourself apart from the competition and get
attention from consumers.  They also give you a great way gain more information about customers and create engagement.  More consumers are actively using and searching for coupons, there are ways to leverage this trend and generate more activity.  Think about offering coupons for filling out a survey or gathering personal information.  This will help you craft targeting profiles and forms avenues to connect with consumers.  Using group deal coupons are an excellent customer acquisition tool.  Just like any other acquisition method, don’t forget about strategies to produce loyalty.  For more information on coupons and other customer acquisition methods, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: NCH Marketing; The Center For Media Research

Shoppers Go Digital For Savings

Even though there has been some recent good economic news, shoppers are still looking to save money wherever they can.  A new reports shows that digital tools are providing them several great ways to help them stretch their budgets.

•  During the 4^th quarter of 2011, nearly 40% of study participants downloaded coupons from a manufacturer’s web site

•  37% downloaded coupons from a retailer’s site

•  35% got coupons from a couponing site

•  Over a quarter of those surveyed had researched products on web sites
before purchasing

•  More than one in five visited an online deals site

•  All of these activities were higher in Q4 of 2011 than in Q2 or Q3

•  55% used a coupon &  49% checked newspaper circulars

 

What Does This Mean To You?

Consumers are actively looking for ways to save money.  Holiday credit card bills have hit and so has the money crunch with many consumers.  What has your business done to make it affordable for your customers to continue spending money with you?  We are not necessarily recommending the
Schooner Tuna approach (see the classic movie, Mr. Mom), but you should definitely look every opportunity to draw customers into your store.  Using coupons is a great way.  Also, price matching might be a tactic, depending on your business model.  It’s clear that consumers are doing their homework and preparing before they shop. For more information on ways to create awareness and draw more traffic, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: SymphonyIRI Group; Emarketer

Dining Behaviors And Lessons For All Businesses

The tough economic times have changed how and where consumers spend their money and what they consider important. The restaurant industry, in particular, has been dramatically affected.  A recent report outlined how diners have reacted to recent economic woes and what things might entice them to dine out more often.

• Nearly three-quarters all diners surveyed said they plan on eating out less often in order to save money
• Four in 10 diners felt that restaurants are offering a better value
  than in the past
• 38% said they would eat out more often if they had healthier menu options to choose from
• Half said they would likely try a new restaurant if they received a group deal on it

What Does This Mean To You?

While this study pertains to restaurants, there are conclusions that can be drawn for businesses overall.
Consumers are saving money and not purchasing things they don’t consider necessities.  They also believe that there are not receiving as much value out of purchases today as in the past.  Your marketing message should speak to consumers needs, stress how your product or service will be a benefit to them – how it will save them time or money in the future. This will also help you boost the perceived value of your merchandise.
More and more people are thinking about their health. If your goods & services can help consumers to become healthier, promote it in your message. Consumers are willing to try new things, if they don’t have to pay full price. Group deal programs are amazing acquisition tools and consumers love them. Use deals to reach new customers, but don’t ignore them after they have utilized the deal. Reach back out to them and create loyalty with other offers. Group deal programs can provide you a wealth of information on customers, but it won’t help you if you don’t use it. For more information on efficient and effective ways to reach customers, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: Equation Research

Group Deals Prove Effective

Group deals are all over the place and for good reason.  Not only are consumers interested in signing up for them and saving money, local merchants are seeing success from them.  Currently 12% of local merchants have offered a daily deal, that’s an increase 33% since June of 2011.

In a recent survey of merchants who signed up for a deals program:

• Three-quarters say they would offer another deal in the future
• 61% said that group deals were effective in customer acquisition
• 37% stated that the increased profitablity from deals programs would lead them to do more – that’s an increase of 54% in 6 months

What Does This Mean To You?

Consumers are looking to save money wherever they can.  Last year, we had several posts on consumer activity and group deals, some of the latest information points to over half of consumers using a deals program in the past 12 months.  As mobile couponing continues to climb, I expect deals participation will as well.  But deal participation is only one step.  Deals are a great customer acquisition tool, but what are you doing to extend that relationship?  What kind of information have you gathered on consumers who are buying your deals? Are you re-contacting them to build loyalty? For more information on increasing sales with deals programs and creating long-term loyalty, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: Center For Media Research; MerchantCricle; Borrell

Women Want Mobile Coupons

With so many mobile devices deployed, our reliance on them and the state of the economy, it makes sense that shoppers are interested for mobile coupons.  A new study shows that women in particular are looking for them.

• 55% of women said that they would opt-in to receive mobile coupons and offers
• 90% said they would be very or somewhat likely to redeem mobile coupons
• Over 70% said they would be likely to share mobile coupons they deemed valuable by via social network from their mobile device
• While 75% of women reported using coupons, over 20% said they used mobile coupons

What Does This Mean To You?

Mobile devices give your business many ways to share coupons & offers and put them in the palm of your customer’s hands.  They also give you an easy way to continue the relationship by offering deeper discounts for registration.  Shared offers also extend your message and could create peer-to-peer ecommendations.  For more information on how you can leverage mobile coupons and attract female shoppers, please contact your Orlando Sentinel Media Group representative or:
Al Fiala
Advertising Research Supervisor
407-420-5702
afiala@orlandosentinel.com

Source: Ping Mobile; Mobile Commerce Daily