Confessions of a Coupon Clipper

It’s one of my oldest rituals: opening up my box of coupons as my partner and I plan our food shopping for the next week. She cooks, so first, she pulls out a notepad to work on the menu. I look through the manufacturer coupons and that week’s circulars that came in the mail, and then quickly check a few of our local supermarkets online. Living in one of the most competitive markets in the country, we have a lot of choices.

I credit my dad for raising me to be a careful buyer. Up until he began slowing down in recent years, he was, even more than my mom, a champion coupon-clipper. Maybe it was some hard times growing up post-World War II, but he always instilled in us kids the value of saving money where you can.

Come to think of it, it explains why he had a long career as a purchasing agent in the auto sector. He knew how to balance pricing, quality, and reliability. And he passed those important values down to me.

What sparked this blog post were two recent news stories, very much related to each other and one of my favorite topics: the power of print in driving retail connections, loyalty, and purchases.

Item #1: “Return of touch: Consumer engagement has an omnichannel revival.” According to a survey conducted by The Harris Poll in conjunction with Quad, a majority of consumers say that print and mail has prompted them to choose a brand with a physical, in-store presence.

Some findings:

• 81% of Gen Z shoppers say “I often wish I could disconnect from digital devices more easily.”
• 71% of consumers claim that physical store experiences deepen brand connections
• 62% of Gen Z and Millennials look forward to receiving mail from brands

Item #2: “Kroger brings back paper coupons in a new way.” After years of customer feedback, grocery chain Kroger has revived the paper coupon experience at its stores. The new “Weekly Digital Deals” flyers are now found in-store. When checking out, shoppers simply scan a single barcode to receive all of the promoted digital discounts.

A lot of people still prefer shopping in a slower, more tangible retail environment that invites comparison and discovery. I’ve found that shopping for groceries online is kind of dull and uninspiring. Not everyone wants every purchase tracked, and not everyone (e.g, seniors like my dad) can easily bridge the digital divide.

Now, with so many grocery prices rising in a shaky economy, the impulse to take an extra step or two to save a few dollars (or more) takes on added importance.

Don’t call it a coupon comeback just yet. “Extreme Couponing” isn’t likely to be back on the reality TV channels. And many brands and retailers are still going to rely primarily on digital coupons or other means and channels to offer discounts to shoppers.

But it is comforting to know that providing a bargain, promoting new experiences, and building loyalty are all possible with a small piece of paper that creates a big visual, tactile, and financial impact.

The preceding content was provided by a contributor unaffiliated with Printing Impressions. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of Printing Impressions. Artificial Intelligence may have been used in part to create or edit this content.