11 Coupon Marketing Statistics You Can't Afford to Ignore

Key Takeaways

• Capturing your customers' attention
• A catalyst that motivates spending
• How to nudge undecided shoppers into making a purchase
• An indispensable marketing strategy

Coupons have long been one of the most widespread—and most effective—marketing strategies out there. Since the pandemic, online shopping habits have shifted dramatically, and coupons have become an even more powerful sales catalyst, driving conversions like never before.

Let's look at the numbers:

1. In 2020, 88% of U.S. shoppers used coupons
2. 86% of consumers tried a new product because of a coupon
3. 67% of consumers made a purchase they hadn't originally intended to make, thanks to a coupon
4. 92% of shoppers check for or search out sales and coupons before buying online
5. Online shoppers who use coupons spend 24% more than those who don't
6. 50% of shoppers prefer to receive coupons by email
7. When a coupon is available, 39% of shoppers buy a product sooner than they had planned
8. 30% of shoppers redeem their digital coupons within 24 hours
9. 60% of consumers say coupons have become more important to them in the COVID-19 era
10. In 2020, digital coupon usage at online grocery stores rose by 54%
11. 80% of coupon redemptions and gift claims are completed on a mobile device

Give customers a reason to buy

Coupons can encourage consumers to choose your product over a competitor's. By strategically setting expiration dates—paired with a to-the-second countdown timer to create a sense of urgency (a Call for Urgency)—you can effectively prompt shoppers who are already tempted to spend less time comparing brands during their research phase and buy from you instead. The coupon becomes the catalyst that gives them that final push to commit.

When launching a coupon, businesses often build a promotional campaign around it at the same time—giving consumers a creative, interactive experience they can see and feel.

Drive customers to buy more

We often talk about marketing bait—only bait that's genuinely enticing can successfully drive traffic. Free gifts are, of course, a powerful lead magnet, but your strategy should adapt to the nature of each promotion. Coupons exist to encourage customers to shop, and the same principle applies: lead with an attractive offer, pair it with a campaign that stimulates spending, and—ideally—incentivize customers to buy more, offering a bigger discount once their order reaches a set total.

In fact, a coupon is not just a promotional tool—it's also a way to build brand awareness and drive traffic to your online store. In some cases, even if a customer never uses the coupon, simply seeing your brand in an ad is enough to catch a potential customer's eye. So a coupon is, in itself, a form of promotion.

Just how high is a coupon's response rate?

You might not believe it, but research shows that coupons boast a staggering 75% response rate! By comparison, loyalty cards see just a 25% response rate. That's why, in an age where online shoppers habitually search for deals, using coupons to drive sales is an indispensable marketing strategy. When running a marketing campaign, businesses should make the most of coupons to create curated product offers—and the results may well exceed your expectations!