Check it Out: An Offer Consumers (and Retailers) Can't Refuse

This issue's Check it Out profiles a company that couldn't be more aptly named for the department: Coupons at Checkout. Yes, check out what this company is doing on retailers' checkout pages. OK, enough with the bad forced puns and onto the serious business.

Here's how the app works: Coupons at Checkout provides a web browser extension that's quick and easy for a user to install. Once installed, the software remains silent until a user wishes to make a purchase on a retailer's website. At that time, Coupons at Checkout seamlessly delivers coupon code information directly to the promotional section of the participating retailer's checkout page. Entering and applying the applicable coupon code can be achieved in just two clicks.

Consumers benefit from Coupons at Checkout by no longer having to scour the internet for coupon codes, while retailers enjoy higher conversion rates as less consumers abandon their shopping carts. A PayPal/comScore study found that 27 percent of shopping cart abandonment cases occur when consumers navigate away from their cart to search for applicable coupons to redeem on their purchase, with only one of three shoppers returning to complete their order.

Retailers can add their promotions to Coupons at Checkout's service by submitting the coupon code on the company's website or simply tweeting their coupons. Leading brands such as Amazon.com, Home Depot, Toys"R"Us and Macy's are just some of the 100,000-plus online retailers offering their coupons to Coupons at Checkout users.

Ease of Adoption Attractive to Brands
"There's literally zero work required of the retailers," says Marc Mezzacca, creator of Coupons at Checkout, in regards to what retailers have to do to make the coupon codes appear on their website. "As long as they have a promotion code box, Coupons at Checkout will identify it automatically [and place the appropriate coupons]. If codes aren't displaying, we take care of it on our end."

Coupons at Checkout is also working on rolling out new features for its app, including one which encourages shoppers to share discounts as they use them, thereby supporting the retailer's coupon campaign while also helping it gain brand recognition and reach new audiences virally.

This application seems to be a win-win for everyone involved. Consumers get the convenience and cost savings of online couponing without wasting the time or energy searching for deals, while retailers convert more consumers who would have otherwise abandoned their shopping cart. While it's true that participating retailers may be giving up some product margin by processing more transactions with coupons — although in most cases these same deals can be found on various online coupon sites by savvy shoppers anyway — they're more than making up for that hit with the increased sales they're capturing.

Add in the fact that deploying the Coupons at Checkout app requires no extra work for the retailer (i.e., no reworking of the code on your checkout page is necessary), and it seems to be a no-brainer. At least for brands that are promotional in nature, such as Victoria's Secret, Target and American Eagle, which all offer the service to their online shoppers.

If shopping cart abandonment is a problem for your brand's website and you've found that incentivizing shoppers with discounts helps drive conversion, then Coupons at Checkout is an app that you want to check out. (Sorry, I couldn't help myself from one last pun.)