Do you clip coupons? If so, you’re in the minority. Fewer than 1% of coupons ever get redeemed, according to coupon-processing firm CMS.
Vijay Chetty and Fred Paul, co-founders of ScanAps in Los Angeles, think they’ve figured out how to change that - and save manufacturers and grocers money and time.
ScanAps makes a USB scanner that fits on a keychain and lets shoppers scan paper-coupon bar codes at home and download them in the store.
“We’re taking the paper out of the cycle,” says Chetty, 45, adding that today’s coupons pass through eight pairs of hands between the consumer and store reimbursement, a process that can take four months and costs an average of 24 cents a coupon.
Photo by Les Jorgensen.
Gary Bourgeault (managersrealm.com) on September 17th, 2006 at 6:27 pm
For those who really want to have their products tested and tried, this should have a positive impact upon the increase of the use of coupons.
This is something I could see a lot of people using as they exchange the paper for a device that seems easy to use.
Whether the stores will accept it will probably be the determining factor of whether it will be successful or not.
Jermaine on September 18th, 2006 at 9:04 am
I want to create an informational website on southern cuisines. At the same time I want to offer coupons to my readers to same them some cash. In return I would like to make some cash off the coupons. How can this be done?