The new, online age of coupons

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/08/2018 (2596 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Coupons sure have come a long way from when I was a kid. 

Back then I remember Mom grabbing the paper twice per week, making sure Dad was done with it (sometimes he wasn’t, but it didn’t matter) and taking the scissors to it as she clipped the coupons.

She was a master at it, with an accordion file labelled by category. Those she didn’t use she traded with friends or at the library, while others she held onto until double coupon days when the store sometimes paid her to take things away. Mom kept track of every penny she saved, and it was usually enough to cover the entire cost of our summer vacation.

If mom was doing that now she’d have to master technology. While paper coupons still exist, they are rapidly being replaced by electronic offers. Retailers of all types track your data. The news of shopping malls using facial recognition technology isn’t a surprise — tech companies have been doing that for years. Early efforts focused on attracting people to kiosks where they entered their name and some basic information and received that day’s offers.

It’s more sophisticated now. Sign up for apps, and via technology already in your phone, the store will know when you are approaching it. Based on your age and shopping history you can be presented with offers catered to your preferences. Companies are developing that facial recognition technology so you don’t even have to wait in line — it identifies your face, and upon leaving the store, your account is charged for the items in your possession. 

Imagine walking the aisles of your grocery store and receiving notifications of what’s on sale or on deals “just for you” only a few feet away. Load your cart, and in some cases walk right out of the store without waiting in line at checkout. That sure would be nice at Costco.

Heard of the “Internet of Things?” One of its features is connecting your car to the web, and if you opt in, you can even be presented with sales pitches while driving. Perhaps the app knows you favour a particular gasoline brand. Seeing your tank is below half, the technology can alert you to the nearest station in the area, while attempting to persuade you with a free snack.

Don’t know what you are going to do with those reward points? I have spoken to more than one company developing the technology allowing you to trade them for other points you may be able to use, much like a stock exchange.

It’s a world of difference from tearing apart the old paper or Chatelaine. Is it intrusive? Many think so, but as younger generations grow up not knowing anything different, they will become used to making it work for them.

Tony Zerucha is a community correspondent for East Kildonan. Email him at tzerucha@gmail.com

Tony Zerucha
East Kildonan community correspondent

Tony Zerucha is a community correspondent for East Kildonan. Email him at tzerucha@gmail.com

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