Mobile Coupons in 2010

I have been discussing this a lot lately with potential clients. The reality of mobile coupons in the near feature.

According to this report by Media Post (citing Forrester), while businesses are interested in the possibility of serving coupons via mobile devices, technical hurdles and a limited audience mean that mobile coupons may not have their breakout year in 2010, but that the functionality is likely in the not too distant future.

There is the issue of multiple platforms for different phones (iPhone, Backberry, Android, etc.), then the cost of getting franchises to pay for any necessary hardware (scanners) and training, and the customer adoption rate, which according to this report seem to be a little lagging (only 3% of mobile consumers to date have asked for a coupon, and only another 3% have actually used one, according to Forrester).

Location based, mobile coupons are obviously going to be a big benefit to QSRs and retailers in the near future. The ability to offer someone a coupon for $1 off a sub as they are walking past your store, during lunch hour is a huge benefit to all parties. The ability to serve customized, real time deals,potentially even based on past behavior/purchases, and tie into a loyalty or rewards programs, ups the ante.

So the takeaway seems to be - start laying the foundation and be ready so that when the technology and consumer demand catch up, your brand is ready to deliver.
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