August 25, 2011
By the ZippyCart Content Team
Finding ways to save money has always been a concern for savvy shoppers – especially parents when back-to-school time looms. This year online ecommerce solutions are changing the game for back to school shoppers. But the more things change, the more they stay the same, as many are reporting that they find traditional printed paper circulars the best source of back to school bargains. On top of that, extreme couponing – both online and in the real world – has led to some strange behavioral changes amongst shoppers.
Classic Circulars
Despite the persistent march of smartphones into the homes and hands of shoppers and their ability to give people access to coupons and deals through ecommerce solutions anywhere, anytime, only two percent of shoppers report that they’ll be relying on their smartphones for savings this back-to-school season. That’s according to a research study done by “The Checkout,” a constant shopper study done by the Integer Group and M/A/R/C Research.
Even without any change in the number of mobile users relying on their smartphones for savings, online shopping is seeing growth. 35% of respondents say that they will use an online ecommerce solution or other online resource when preparing for their back to school shopping. Whether they are just comparing prices, or actually filling online shopping carts, this number represents a 6% bump from last year’s numbers.
However, newspaper circulars still reign supreme, with 43% of respondents indicating that they were their preferred research for back-to-school deal hunting. Maybe there’s just something a little nostalgic about the end of summer and the return to school that reminds parents of a simpler time, when they too were returning to school and checked out store circulars with their parents, looking for the coolest new gear. Sure people do that on ecommerce solutions, but it’s not quite the same.
Mo’ Coupons, Mo’ Problems
Circulars and inserts in newspapers don’t just hold allure for parents and kids looking to save money on Trapper Keepers and new jeans. In these tough economic times, coupon-lovers have been sharpening their scissors and their deal-hunting skills. The love of a bargain has led to “extreme couponers” showing up at stores with quadruple-stacked coupon-combos that end up getting them huge discounts on extreme volumes of items. Some coupons only work really well when combined in massive numbers, but many stores are intervening to limit the amount of special offers that can be combined at any one time.
However, these limits aren’t stopping some people out there from pocketing extra copies of newspapers loaded with special offer circulars. Whether it’s someone stealing their neighbor’s Sunday inserts, or putting a quarter into a newspaper box and pulling ten out instead of just one, people are committing crimes in order to save a little green. This is one place that ecommerce solutions online have advantages over brick-and-mortar retailers or those who rely on physical items like circulars – there’s less theft and fraud of this kind (sure, there’s other types of fraud online).
Tying It Together Online
Last up, for coupon hoarders who want to come into the modern age, there are a variety of ecommerce solutions geared at giving you the best deals all in one place. While Amazon has a back to school app to help students buy and sell old gear to make some quick money or get a great value, websites like Grocery I-Q act as coupon clearing houses. They give you a bunch of coupons all in one place. Many of them can be downloaded directly to your smartphone and presented electronically. As more savvy shoppers start to embrace smartphones and technology like tablets, etc. expect the line between physical and electronic coupons to get blurrier and blurrier.
Jack Cieslak grew up in New York State where he attended the New School, emerging with a degree in Creative Writing. Seattle drew him in with its focus on personal health and fitness, as well as the environment, and of course the great weather. Three-thousand miles later he is all dug in and ready to throw himself wholeheartedly into writing of all types - including reporting new developments in e-commerce, and places where social media and e-commerce cross paths. Jack revels in a challenge, whether it's writing, running, or lifting heavy objects - Jack says "bring it."
