Nearly Half Of All Shoppers Want Nothing To Do With Paper Coupons

There’s no denying that the shift from paper to digital as the dominant form of coupon is happening. A shift to all digital won’t happen overnight, if at all. But nearly half of all grocery shoppers wouldn’t mind if it did.

In the latest in a series of Consumer Digest reports, the retail data analytics company 84.51° found that “shoppers are becoming more comfortable with technology” when it comes to how they seek out and use coupons. So comfortable, in fact, that 41% say they will not use paper coupons – at all.

Breaking down that figure, 30% say they use digital coupons exclusively, while 11% say they don’t use any coupons at all, paper or digital. That adds up to 41% of shoppers who, for one reason or another, do not use paper coupons, ever.

The conventional wisdom is that younger shoppers prefer coupons in digital formats, and it’s only a matter of time before digital becomes ever more dominant as older shoppers and their old-fashioned habits fade away. But “those preferring digital coupons exclusively don’t necessarily skew younger,” 84.51° found. Millennials are most likely to prefer digital-only discounts, with 34% in that age group shunning paper coupons. Perhaps surprisingly, 30% of boomers will only use digital coupons. That percentage drops to 28% among Gen X shoppers, and only 24% among the youngest age group, Gen Z.

It’s a common fallacy that younger, tech-savvy shoppers would never pull out scissors to cut out a paper coupon when they could just clip one on their phone instead. This survey’s results back up earlier findings that younger shoppers, who may be starting families and don’t have the earning power of their older counterparts, are willing to seek out savings wherever and however they can find them.

After all, the flip side of the fact that 41% of shoppers want nothing to do with paper coupons, is that 59% of shoppers are happy to cut out and redeem a paper coupon if that’s what it takes to save money. While just 8% of shoppers say they will only use paper coupons and not digital, a majority – 51% – say they prefer a mix of both types of coupons.

Among all shoppers, 84.51° found that retailer websites or apps are the preferred source for finding coupons. Even among those who say they prefer paper coupons, 43% of them will still search for digital coupons from their favorite retailer, while 29% of those same shoppers will clip coupons out of newspapers or magazines as well.

When it comes to the type of discounts shoppers prefer, that’s one thing digital and paper fans can agree on – they like their savings up front. “Shoppers value tangible dollars off their groceries more than they value delayed discounts and donations,” 84.51° noted. Digital coupons are the most-liked savings format, followed by coupons that offer money off your total purchase, and coupons that offer money off a specific product. Less popular are digital rebates that require you to pay up front for cash back later, and loyalty rewards you have to earn by saving up points.

Of course, some shoppers would prefer not to have to clip any coupons at all. When asked the most important factors in choosing a grocery store, 60% said low everyday prices. Good sales and promotions was second, mentioned by 49%, ahead of “convenient location” and “good rewards program.”

In lieu of everyday low prices, though, most shoppers are willing to put in the work to save money. 71% of shoppers say they’re looking for sales, deals and coupons more often. That’s up 7% since last month, as 84.51° found that concern over inflation has risen to its highest level in a year and a half.

The 41% who won’t use a paper coupon may well be missing out on some savings. The 8% who exclusively use paper coupons certainly are. But the majority who are willing to use coupons in any format may have the right idea – because, preferences aside, having more money in your pocket is what really counts.

Image source: cpyles