Coupon Clipping Has Declined? No Way I Say!
I can’t find coupons for what I am looking for! Coupons are just for processed foods! Coupon clipping has declined! The economy must be getting better because coupon redemption is down. Yikes! Well, pack my coupon binder up and call it a day because by the sound of the articles coming out left and right these days you would think that couponing is a thing of the past.
Lately, I have been reading article after article about how couponers are just not clipping anymore. That shoppers are turning to store brands because they can get them cheaper then name brands with coupons. I’ve already tackled the brand vs. store brand and I believe I won that argument. So, why are the media outlets spinning a story to make you think that coupon clipping is down. Well, besides the fact that they think it’s a hot subject, they simply don’t understand it.
Let’s start with some of the basic facts. If you look at the chart above you will see that the amount of coupons distributed by brands in 2012 is down from 2010 and 2011 but is still above where it was from 2004 – 2009. Plus, the amount redeemed by consumers is still at a high percentage, well if you can call that high to begin with. The biggest change comes in the shortened expiration dates. As you can see above, it dropped down to an average of 2.3 months for foods and 2.1 months for non-foods.
So, are couponers using less coupons? Technically yes but not for reasons that the media outlets will lead you to believe. No we all didn’t come into a windfall of money and yes the economy is still squeezing our wallets. So, then why do they think that couponers have found a new way to save. Well, it’s simple. So simple in fact that they just past over it.
If the amount of coupons being distributed are less and the expiration dates are shorter, then, yes of course you will see a decline in the amount redeemed. The question people should be asking is not why couponers are clipping less coupons but rather, why is the distribution down. Well, here is a simple answer…the economy.
Tough economic times hit everyone including corporations. It hits them with budget cuts and distributing coupons costs money and a lot of money. Corporations pay to place coupons up to be printed, they pay to have them placed in the weekly newspapers and they even pay the stores for processing the coupons. So, if corporations are experiencing budget cuts, one place they make cuts is by lowering the amount of coupons distributed, reducing the expiration dates and lowering the value of the coupons. And, common sense tells you that if you have cuts in the distribution of coupons then you will have lower redemption. Simply fact, less out there, less to redeem.
The other thing you have to take into account, when you compare directly to 2010 is the Extreme Couponing show, which aired December 2009 and peaked all through 2010. The show artificially boosted the rate of coupons distributed and redeemed with the flurry of shoppers trying to save like they saw people saving on that show, but that is a whole other story. So really, 2012 has brought us back down to exactly where we need to be and exactly where we have been for many years before Extreme Couponing aired.
Is coupon use dying? Absolutely not. Couponers are still out there willing to save big dollars on their grocery bill. This month alone we saw some great higher value, longer expiration date coupons and lots of them. And for those that think that coupons are just for processed foods, think again. Yesterday alone we posted coupons for fresh veggies and meat! Trying to eat more natural? Well, you still need paper goods, toothpaste, deodorant. Couponing and saving in that category alone is enough to put a pretty penny in your pocket. I am certainly not up for throwing my hard earned money in the trash! How about you? What do you think about all these articles.
Source:
Inmar
NCH Marketing
NCH Marketing
Today.com
NBC11 News
The Fiscal Times
coupons.org