Coupon Statistics: Is Couponing Growing or Slowing?

Is couponing a thing of the past?

Or has it found a way to get successfully digitized? 

Let’s warm up  with the latest coupon statistics now:

Top Coupon Statistics and Facts (Editor’s Pick):

• Over 90% of all consumers have used coupons in some way.
• 38% of consumers prefer getting coupons and discounts on their mobile devices. 
• Approximately 31 billion digital coupons were redeemed worldwide in 2019. 
• 68% of consumers believe that digital coupons generate loyalty. 
• 60% of consumers love receiving digital coupons. 
• 77% of consumers spend $10 to $50 more than intended when redeeming coupons. 
• The value of digital coupon redemption reached $47 billion in 2017.
• For 89% of consumers, price is the main factor affecting purchasing decisions. 

When paper newspapers were replaced with online newspapers, it seemed that cutting out coupons or receiving them in the mail will eventually come to an end. But, the latest coupon statistics show that couponing is not done yet.

The new modern and digitized coupons appeared. 

You know, those that you can use from your smartphone or computer. 

For some time, it seemed that this was enough to bring couponing back from the dead.

But what about now?

Were we ever ready to give up on finding ways to pay less? 

Not likely.

Take a look:

Latest Coupon Statistics 

Scroll down below for the rest of the latest stats and facts about couponing! 

1. Over 90% of all consumers have used coupons in some way.

(Source: Valassis)

According to the 2019 Coupon Intelligence Report done by Valassis, 92% of consumers have used coupons in 2019. Only 8% of the respondents stated that they hadn’t used coupons or weren’t sure if they had ever used a coupon.

In 2018, 94% of all consumers had used coupons. The year before, in 2017, only 90% of consumers had used coupons.

Regarding the frequency of using coupons, 45% of consumers reported that they use coupons always or very often. Only 15% reported that they rarely use coupons. 32% reported that they sometimes use coupons. 

2. 30% of millennial consumers always use coupons. 

(Source: Valassis)

The same report on coupon trends also gives us some info on millennial’s overall use of coupons and frequency. More than half of millennials use coupons frequently. 30% stated that they always use coupons, while 23% use them very often.

Only 6% stated that they don’t use coupons. The rest use them sometimes or rarely (30% and 11% respectively).

3. 50% of consumers prefer to get coupons in the mail. 

(Source: Valassis)

It seems that paper coupons are still preferred over paperless coupons. Half of all consumers reported that they like getting coupons in the mail. 44% stated that they like getting their coupons from a newspaper. Consumers also don’t mind printing out their coupons from the internet – with 34% of respondents stating they like this method of getting coupons.

In 2018, 48% of consumers said that they preferred getting their coupons in the mail. 42% of consumers liked getting newspaper coupons. The percentage of consumers who liked printing their coupons from the internet in 2018 was 35%. 

4. 38% of consumers prefer getting coupons and discounts on their mobile devices.

(Source: Valassis)

There has been an increase in the preference for paperless coupons. In 2017, the share of consumers that preferred getting paperless discounts and coupons on smartphones was 32%.  In 2018, 36% of consumers were fans of this method. And now, according to the latest report, this is the preferred method for 38% of all consumers.

In 2019, 42% of consumers stated that they liked downloading the discount onto their loyalty card. This is a 5% increase from 2017 when the share of respondents who preferred this paperless method was 37%.

5. 91% of all consumers use paper coupons. 

(Source: Valassis)

When asked about whether they use paper coupons received in the store, in the mail, from a newspaper or downloaded from a computer, 91% stated that they do. 

The group that uses paper coupons the most are millennial parents – 96%. Out of all respondents, baby boomers represent the smallest share (89%) of consumers that use paper coupons. 

6. 75% of all consumers use paperless coupons. 

(Source: Valassis)

As was the case with paper coupons, millennial parents are the main digital coupon users – 96%.

Millennials still are also very avid digital coupon users – 88% of them rely on paperless coupons. This doesn’t come as a surprise, as millennial spending statistics show that most of them prefer online shopping.

Gen Xers are close, with 83% of them using this method. Paperless coupons and discounts are the least popular among baby boomers – 64% use them. 

7. 68% of consumers turn to coupon websites for deals. 

(Source: Valassis)

Consumers are constantly looking for deals and discounts, with 68% turning to websites dedicated to this. However, the majority of them, or 71% to be exact, use the store websites when looking for deals. 70% look at the brand/manufacturer website. 

A large share of consumers (67%) use search engines to look for deals. Only half use social networking websites.

Yet again, millennial parents are the group that is the keenest on finding the best internet deals. 88% are using the various methods mentioned. 

Boomers are the least likely to research the best deals on websites. 61% of them are looking at store websites for discounts. 

They are also the group that uses social networking websites the least in order to look for deals and discounts. Only 23% of baby boomers do this. However, according to American savings statistics, they are also the group with the biggest nest egg, so perhaps they don’t need those coupons! 

8. 47% of consumers have used coupon apps. 

(Source: Valassis)

56% of consumers responded that they have used a grocery/drug/mass store and/or supercenter savings app. A little less than half, or 47%, stated that they have used a coupon app.

Cashback/points apps have been used by 44% of consumers. Only 40% used in-store shopping rewards apps. 34% have used a deal comparison mobile app. 

9. Approximately 31 billion digital coupons were redeemed worldwide in 2019.

(Source: Invespcro)

In 2014, an estimated number of 16 billion eCoupons were redeemed worldwide. Now, the amount of redeemed digital coupons has reached 31 billion.

It is also estimated that 1.05 billion coupons were redeemed via mobile phones. This represents a significant increase compared to 2014, when the estimated number was 560 million.

10. 68% of consumers believe that digital coupons generate loyalty.

(Source: Invespcro)

If stores are to listen to consumers, they should probably look into digital coupon marketing. The majority of consumers believe that digital coupons can build brand awareness. The same share of respondents think that they generate loyalty. 

11. 60% of consumers love receiving digital coupons.

(Source: Invespcro)

Who doesn’t want a good deal? Not surprisingly, 60% of consumers have responded that they love receiving coupons.

We also do, in case you feel like shooting some our way. Just saying.

What’s more, half of consumers have stated that they are more likely to visit a store if they have received a digital coupon. 

12. 77% of consumers spend $10 to $50 more than intended when redeeming coupons.

(Source: Invespcro)

When we redeem a coupon code, are we actually saving money? 

Well, in theory. The reality is a little bit different. 

Incentivized by a great deal we just found and the money we saved, most consumers usually end up spending more money than they originally intended.

The majority reported that they spend somewhere between $10 and $50 more when they are redeeming digital coupons using their mobile device. 17% of consumers have reported that they ended up spending $50 more than they anticipated. 

So, if you want to save some money by purchasing discounted items, stick to only buying the items you need. There is no need to add everything that is on sale to your cart!

Yes, we are calling ourselves out too.

13. The value of digital coupon redemption reached $47 billion in 2017.

(Source: Juniper Research)

A study by Juniper Research has estimated that the value of e-coupon redemption will increase from $47 billion in 2017 to $91 billion in 2022.

The study also found that in-app coupon redemptions will be an important part in the future of mobile and online coupons.

14. 89% of consumers claim price is the main factor affecting purchasing decisions.

(Source: PR Newswire)

Research regarding the behavior of consumers when seeking out the best deals has found that the majority of consumers value price and quality.

Price is the deciding factor for 89% of the respondents. 82% stated that quality is a top factor that affects their purchasing decisions. Less than half, or 45% named brand as a deciding factor. So it seems that while brand loyalty is important for a significant number of consumers, it doesn’t affect purchasing decisions as much as price and quality do. 

15. 48% of American companies use a mobile coupon for marketing. 

(Source: Ready Cloud)

Redeeming a coupon on your smartphone is fairly simple. Companies have caught up and started using this to their advantage. Offering an easy and straightforward way to get a discount will get them new customers, so they have turned to mobile coupon marketing.

In 2014, only 36.5% of US companies offered this type of digital coupons and now nearly half use them for marketing purposes. 

16. Consumers using coupons spend 46% during checkout than those who don’t.

(Source: Blippr)

Using coupons makes people spend more money. Coupon users spend 46% more on average on checkout than consumers don’t take advantage of special offers. 

17. 71% of consumers followed the social media of brands looking for coupons. 

(Source: Blippr)

Discount seekers are proactive when on the lookout for the best possible deals. The majority of consumers look for coupons on social media by following the pages of their favorite brands. 

18. 54% of consumers expect email offers during the holidays. 

(Source: Blippr)

When the gift-giving season starts, shoppers are checking their inbox for discount coupons and special offers. More than half expect to receive some kind of offer during key holidays via email.  

Mobile Coupons

With the prevalence of smartphones, a new era in coupon redeeming has appeared.

Redeeming coupons via a mobile phone is no news for the marketing industry. Digital marketing is an efficient and straightforward way to promote products and obtain new customers. Most mobile coupon statistics indicate the market for online coupons will grow as both consumers and retailers are switching over to online shopping. 

It is estimated that the global industry for mobile-redeemed coupons will grow at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 56.5% by 2025. 

A coupon marketing strategy is essential for businesses that want to cater to online shoppers. The target demographic prefers making purchases from the comfort of their own home. Being offered a discount at the checkout can help them seal the deal. 

And lastly, even when shopping at a brick and mortar store, 93% of millennials have admitted that they use their smartphones to compare prices and look for digital coupons.

Best Coupon Apps 

Leave your scissors and newspapers behind! 

Cutting coupons will soon be a long-forgotten thing of the past. It is time to download some of the best apps for frugal shopping and take advantage of all of the discounts that stores have to offer.

But there are so many apps to choose from! How to determine which is the best coupon app?

Well, you can start by downloading some of the well-known apps and seeing which one works best for you. The trial and error method is always effective!

Here are our suggestions:

Groupon can be used from your browser or smartphone. What’s great is that it allows you to search for deals based on location and category. Before you start searching, configure all the filters to find the best possible online deals. After you select your location and start searching by category, you can choose the deal you want to purchase. If a deal costs $50, you have the option to ‘buy’ the deal for $25. You can use it for yourself or buy it as a gift. 

However, please note that the deals have expiry dates!

Another famous app is Ibotta, which can be downloaded on both Android and iOS devices. It is considered to be one of the best apps for grocery shopping. And let’s face it: most of us are looking for coupons for food, or other ways to save on grocery shopping. According to consumer spending statistics from the Bureau Of Labor, the average household spends close to $8,000 on food! 

Bring in the coupons, please!

Another useful coupon app is SnipSnap, which allows you to take a picture of a paper coupon and have it digitized. 

Coupon Websites 

Whether you plan on shopping online or going to the store, there is no harm in trying to find a better deal, right? 

At best, you are going to save some bucks on buying groceries that you were gonna get either way.

Not sure where to start? Well, here are some of the best coupon websites. Check them out!

• Rakuten (formerly Ebates) – This site allows you to get cashback on your purchases from more than 2,500 stores. Signing up is free, and all you need to do to earn cashback is shop through their site.  That’s it.
• Groupon – We already mentioned the mobile app that Groupon has, but you can also access their deals through a web browser. 
• Coupons – Coupons is one of the best printable coupon websites – and it is easy to remember the name of the site.  Swagbucks is a great alternative, as it also offers the option to print out coupons.
• Amazon Coupons – Amazon is probably the best-known site for online shopping. Yet what many people don’t realize is that the site offers a great deal of coupons sorted by categories which you can apply to your purchase. And seeing how Amazon is one of the most used online retailers, the option to use coupons directly from the site will definitely come in handy.
• RetailMeNot – This is another great online coupon site that allows you to get great coupons, cashbacks and gift cards. 

Honorary mentions: SmartSource, Savings, DontPayFull and LivingSocial. 

Types of Coupons 

When it comes to coupons and discounts, the terminology can get confusing. Is there really a difference between each type? 

While there is a slight difference, it all boils down to the same thing – purchasing at a discounted rate.

You can find coupons online or you can cut them out or print them. We already mentioned that the ones you can find online are also called paperless coupons. These digital coupons are gaining traction and starting to replace those coupons that you had to print or cut out or store in your wallet. So, that’s two types depending on their form: digital (paperless) or paper coupons.

Then, depending on who issued the coupon, you can find manufacturers coupons or store coupons. 

The first ones are issued by the company that makes the product. They can be used to buy a product made by that company in a store that sells those products and accepts the coupons.

Unlike coupons issued by the manufacturer, store coupons are issued by the store and give you a discount on products they hold in stock. So if you have some grocery store coupons in your wallet check the fine print to read the terms and conditions. The store will have specified the expiry date and the stores where you can use them. This goes for all coupons though, as most of them have some restrictions. 

The majority of digital coupons come in the form of promo codes or discount codes. You enter them at checkout or when adding an item to your cart. 

Cashbacks are points you get for shopping in a certain store or ordering from a certain website. The main difference between presenting a coupon and getting cashback points is that with cashbacks you don’t get the discount upfront. After you accumulate enough points, you can get discounts on your future purchases. 

Lastly, gift certificates, gift cards or gift vouchers can be bought and given to someone to use as credit when shopping at a certain store. 

Key Takeaways

So, let’s sum up the stats:

Shoppers enjoy receiving coupons and special offers. Some prefer to get them by mail, some prefer digital coupons.

Millennials are the most frequent coupon users – especially parents. Both millennials and Gen Xers frequently use paper and paperless coupons. Baby boomers, on the other hand, use paper coupons more, yet not as much as millennials.

Millennials also use free coupon websites and savings apps more than older generations.

Consumers believe that digital coupons generate loyalty, though price affects their purchasing decisions more than brand loyalty. That doesn’t stop them from actively looking out for deals on the social media of their favorite brands! 

So… got any coupons to share with us?