An Internet site that can produce coupons from the user’s local retailers will test in the Boston area tomorrow.
The site CoolSavings.com Inc. (http://www.coolsavings.com) and Super Coups, Avon, MA, a subsidiary of co-op mailer Advo Inc., have formed an alliance to roll out the coupon program nationwide June 15. Coolsavings currently offers Internet visitors coupons from national retailers such as JCPenney, Chuck E. Cheese’s and Kids “R” Us.
Once the program is rolled out nationally, the site currently maintained by Super Coups, http://www.supercoups.com, will be converted into an information site for Super Coups. That site will offer tips for potential franchisees and advertisers about joining the Super Coups network. Consumers wishing coupons will be referred via a link to the coolsavings.com site.
During the test, Boston-based visitors will see the new system, while other visitors will see the Super Coups setup that still includes coupons.
“One reason we choose Coolsavings is we felt that their patented technology was state-of-the-art,” Don McKenzie, president and CEO of Super Coups, told DIRECT Newsline. “They have a national content and focus. We focus on the local content. We felt there was a marriage of the two content bases designed to offer consumers more value. We’ve taken the best of both worlds. Now consumers have a very strong destination site.”
Consumers receive targeted coupons because when they initially sign on to the site, they register their e-mail addresses and their ZIP codes. The ZIP signals the system to generate coupons exclusive to the businesses in the consumer’s local area. They also indicate what their areas of interest are.
Then, each month, the consumer receives an e-mail notifying them that they can download and print coupons of interest. Coupons come from businesses such as local pizza parlors, dentists and auto services, among others. These businesses are Advo mail clients.
Advo serves 30 regional areas across the United States.
The registration form contains blanks for a variety of personal information, which are optional. Coupons tend to mirror the kinds of deals the Advo co-ops generally offer: two-for-one restaurant offers or a free cleaning for making a dental appointment.
Coolsavings currently has 2.5 million registered members on its e-mail list. Super Coups wants to bolster that to 3 million by year’s end. “By reaching an online audience, we can help our clients extend the reach of their campaign,” McKenzie said.
Coolsavings currently drives consumers to its site through the use of banner ads online. Super Coups will air television commercials promoting the site starting this weekend and plans to advertise the site in its print co-op envelopes during the next few weeks.
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