This year’s holiday season is expected to be stronger for retailers, but it will come at a price for them and a bargain for you: They’ll have to offer lucrative discounts, often in the form of coupons, experts say.
So it will pay off handsomely if you know retailers’ promotion strategies and the most useful online sites for 2010 holiday season gift-giving.
Consumers will be especially price-conscious this year, said Jack Kleinhen, chief economist for the National Retail Federation. “Retailers are expected to compensate for this fundamental shift in shopper mentality by offering significant promotions throughout the holiday season,” he said.
Here’s an early-bird guide to smart holiday shopping with coupons this year.
Online promo codes: Shopping online can be a great idea, because it’s easy to shop for good prices, and the Web provides a wide selection. Gifts are delivered directly to you or the recipient. But don’t finish checking out of your virtual shopping cart without hunting for a promotional code, also called a coupon code. You can get free shipping, a percentage off your order or dollars off. The easiest way to find a code is to use a search engine. Query the name of the retailer, and such phrases as “coupon code” or “promo code.” You can also visit a coupon aggregator, some of which claim to test codes so that you’re less likely to waste time with an expired one. Popular coupon aggregators include RetailMeNot.com and CouponCabin.com. Aggregator CouponWinner.com has a “coupon scout” that allows you to compare retailer coupon codes side-by-side.
Stack coupons: Savvy online shoppers know you can “stack” coupons — that is, use multiple coupons on the same order. For example, you might use one coupon code to get 15 percent off your order of $100 or more and then another code to get free shipping. The trifecta is stacking coupons on a sale item, if a retailer permits it, said Teri Gault, coupon expert and founder of TheGroceryGame.com.
Newsletters: Sign up for your favorite retailers’ e-mail newsletters, which can contain exclusive offers, such as coupon codes and printable coupons for in-store use, said Stephanie Nelson, founder of couponmom.com.
Social media: If you really have a love affair with a particular retailer, also “friend” the store’s fan page on Facebook and follow its Twitter posts. Retailers are experimenting with offering exclusive deals through these social media sites.
Mall and department-store coupons: One little-known trick is to visit the Web site of nearby malls. They often have printable coupons and sales alerts for retailers in the mall, Nelson said. Department stores often have coupons in various advertisements, newspaper inserts and mailers, but it’s worth placing a phone call to the department store of your choice to ask about available coupons, Gault said.
Toolbars and plug-ins: Billeo.com offers a toolbar that integrates with your Web browser and helps with shopping, discount codes and bill paying. It will also auto-fill your logins, passwords and credit card information, and keep electronic receipts of purchases. Rightcliq by Visa (http://rightcliq.visa.com) is a new browser tool that allows you to organize your online shopping research in a “wishspace” and get input from others on it. It also incorporates discounts and offers and helps you check out quicker by storing payment information, including non-Visa cards.
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