Electronic coupons gain momentum

PORTLAND, Ore. — Electronic coupons, arriving by cell phone, Twitter, e-mail and Facebook, are helping generate an old standby's comeback and bringing in new, younger customers.

Many shoppers, especially young consumers like 30-year-old April Englebert, used to reject coupons printed in newspapers and direct-mail booklets as passe or cumbersome.

But Englebert, an accounting clerk in Portland, Ore., was so thrilled when she cut her monthly grocery bill from $500 to $300, mainly with electronic coupons, that she recruited friends and co-workers to try them.

"It's awesome," Englebert said. "There is a lot of free stuff to be had."

Coupon use had been declining since 1992, as consumers found less need for or some embarrassment in using them. But as the economy worsened, frugal became cool, and their popularity grew.

Use of electronic discounts and coupons more than doubled in the first half of 2009, compared with the same period last year, as overall coupon use rose 23 percent, according to coupon-processing company Inmar Inc. They now account for more than 3 percent of all coupons used, up from roughly 2 percent in 2008.

While they still represent a small part of the total coupons used, they have strong potential — growing quickly and providing a new way for shoppers to stretch increasingly tight budgets.

"It does take some significant outside forces for people to wake up and pay attention to the savings opportunities available to them," said Matthew Tilley, director of marketing for Inmar.

On a recent shopping trip to the grocery store, Englebert tucked a clutch of offers under her tattooed arm. Besides the store's printed circular, there were manufacturers' coupons she'd gotten by e-mail and coupons she'd bought on eBay. Using in-store sales and coupons, she bought 14 items — including macaroni and cheese, meat and other items — for a grand total of $5.98, saving $24.88.

Englebert said she spends about five hours a week hunting for coupons — checking her favorite blogs for the hot deals of the day, searching manufacturer Web sites for special promotions and finding groups on Facebook or through Twitter feeds among other tools. She even hits eBay, where something like a $5-off coupon may not be of any value to someone who isn't going to use it but is worth the 99 cents she might pay for it.