History Of Coupons. Have you ever thought about where coupons came from, or researched the history of coupons and how they relate to national and global commerce? Well, one initial interesting statistic about coupons is that companies have been using coupons to market products to the masses for over 110 years. Each and every day as we open up the newspaper, we are exposed to coupons. You know…the square and rectangular pieces of paper that show us how we can save money on products we normally buy in stores and on the internet.
Coupons have an interesting history dating back to the 1800′s. In 1894 the Atlanta businessman and co-owner of Coca-Cola, Asa Chandler, wanted to use an innovative way to market his new drink that was never tried before. With the goal of becoming a household name and selling a ton of product, he created hand written tickets for a free glass of Coca-Cola. This innovative advertising worked as more than eight billion free Coca-Cola drinks were given out for free. C.W. Sources. A Brief History of Coupons. Free Printable Downloads. Get 14 FREE binder pages & dividers from Obsessive Coupon Gals. Grocery Coupon Facts - Grocery Coupon Guide. In 2003, 77% of people reported that they have used coupons when shopping, saving an average of 11.5% on their grocery bills.
In 2003, manufacturers offered more than $250 billion in coupon savings. The average face value of manufacturer’s coupons offered to consumers increased 4.9% to $.85 — more than double the pace of the Consumer Price Index, which climbed 2.3% in 2003. 68% of people age 18 -24 use coupons. 75% of people age 25 -34 use coupons. 78% of people age 35 -44 use coupons. 79% of people age 45 -54 use coupons. 80% of people age 55 -64 use coupons. 75% of people age 65 or older use coupons. Coupon History. History of Coupons - Coupon Month. Coupons have been around the block a time or two. They are not a new idea and have continued to evolve over the last hundred years.
The idea of issuing goods for less than market value to build an enthusiastic buying base was revolutionary to consumer psychology. Just who would dream up giving away a free product in exchange for bigger sales? Wouldn't they have to close their doors? A quick survey of those early coupon pioneers reveals that...drumroll please...Coca Cola was among the first to offer free goods! In 1887 Coca Cola started offering slips for complimentary Coke and provided the vendors with free syrup to compensate.
And how did that strategy work out for the company? 1887 Coke offered the first widespread coupon for free drinks. 1909 C.W. 1930-1940 The biggest financial meltdown in U.S. history, The Great Depression, sends millions into poverty. 1940-1950 Larger supermarket chains grow across the U.S. and continue offering promotional offers via coupons. The 10 Best Coupon Sites That Will Help You Save Money | Finance Resource. In September, The New York Times gave a primer on the brief history of coupon use in America and highlighted a noticeable increase in the use of coupons since the decline of the economy.
“Coupon redemption in America peaked in 1992, at the end of a recession, when 7.9 billion coupons were redeemed, according to Inmar, a coupon-processing company. By 2006, that number fell to 2.6 billion and stagnated there through 2008. (if this and the paragraph below are all one quote, they need to be together…)As the economy worsened and consumer sentiment plunged, coupon redemption ticked up 10 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008, compared with the period a year ago — the first jump in coupon redemption since the early 1990s. In the first half of this year, coupon redemption climbed 23 percent. In this new age of technology, coupon clipping is no longer reserved to a pair of scissors and the Sunday paper.
Top 10 Coupon Sites Retail Me Not P&G Everyday Solutions Shortcuts Cellfire Red Plum Coupons.com. Cutting Costs with Online Coupon Sites. Web sites that offer money-saving discounts are enjoying a resurgence in the current economy, as consumers surf for bargains Coupons are making a comeback. In the face of rising food prices and a slowing economy, consumers are clipping coupons once again. Only, they don't need scissors and a local newspaper so much as a computer, printer, and maybe a mobile phone. The number of page views on Web sites that feature money-off coupons for all manner of consumer products surged 38%, to 281 million, in March from a year earlier, compared with 5% for the Internet as a whole, according to comScore (SCOR). Those visitors spent a total of 145 million minutes on the sites, a 37% increase. While the number of new users to coupon sites isn't growing faster than the larger Internet audience, existing coupon site users are certainly becoming more active.
"User engagement by deal-seekers appears to be ramping up," says comScore analyst Andrew Lipsman. Traffic Growth Bargains Via Computer or Cell Phone. The History of Coupons - It's Your Money - TIME.com. Continuing on with the riveting consumer-life lecture series, which covers topics such as “Self Checkout: Burden or Blessing?” And “Customer Service Confrontations Through the Ages,” today’s discussion takes a look back at the history of a marketing ploy that seems to give customers something for nothing. Apparently, coupons haven’t been around quite as long as the oldest profession (buy two, get one free?). Coca-Cola was the first product to get customers hooked via coupons, starting in 1887, as Coupon Sherpa tells it: Atlanta businessman Asa Candler had a brainstorm in 1887 when he created the first coupon. At the time, brainstorm referred to a brief period of insanity, but you can’t question the Coca-Cola co-owner’s sanity when he hit upon this invaluable marketing device.
Candler’s invention transformed Coca-Cola from an insignificant tonic into a market-dominating drink. His hand-written tickets offered consumers a free glass of Coca-Cola, then priced at five cents. Drilling Down - Trend of Declining Coupon Use Reversed in 2009. Cutting Costs with Online Coupon Sites. National Coupon Month. History Of Grocery Coupons - Grocery Coupon Guide.