Coupon Usage in 2013 – State of the Industry (Yes, People Are Still Using Coupons!)

Back in early 2009, by necessity, I learned how to coupon. Then I told my friends. Then my husband convinced me to start this blog. Nearly 5 years later, I’m still couponing, and so are others.

A lot of people ask me if I think couponing is just a trend. My answer is nuanced – yes, I think it’s *HOT* right now (pun intended), but I also think that people have always couponed. In my seminars there is an interesting stat I give – those people who make more than $75,000/year are more likely to coupon than those who make less than $75,000. Surprising, right? But when you think about it, it makes sense. When people realize they can save money at the grocery and drug store, it gives them more money to spend elsewhere.

So do I think couponing is going away? It will probably cool off, but as long as people understand the value of a dollar, I think it will be around. With that said, I thought you might be interested in the findings of NCH Marketing Services, a Valassis Company, on coupon industry trends that helps give us a picture of the State of the Coupon World. (You can read the full report HERE and all of the below screenshots are credited to them.)

Here are the things I found interesting about the coupon trends for 2013.

People Are Still Using Coupons

In the study by NCH Marketing Services, they found that 84.4% of people either used more or the same amount of coupons in 2013 as they did in 2012. Only 11.2% said they were couponing less.  So are people still couponing? You betcha!

The Average Value of a Coupon Went Up

Did you notice higher value coupons last year? If you did, that’s because they were higher valued on average. In 2013, the average value of a coupon went up from $1.53 in 2012 to $1.62, an increase of 5.9%.  If you think about it, there are a lot of *HOT* coupons that come and go which are definitely in that high value category, which is why it’s good to check Addicted to Saving a few times a day to make sure you haven’t missed one. 😉

The Average Time to Use a Coupon Went Down

This is also not surprising.  Coupons are expiring earlier, which means the manufacturer’s are counting on us redeeming them sooner than later. The average coupon was valid for just 8.6 weeks as compared to 9.3 weeks in 2012. I actually like this fact, because I use a lot of printables anyhow, and print as I need them. I don’t have to hang on to all my inserts quite as long!

Why You Didn’t Redeem Coupons – Your Product Wasn’t Available

According to the study, the predominate reason we didn’t use coupons is because our favorite product never had a coupon! Totally understand this one – seems like coupons for peanut butter and Heinz Ketchup are rare, so I don’t buy them as much as I used to.  Then there were those who said we have to buy too much to be able to redeem the coupon – also makes sense. I love a $5.00 off coupon, but if I have to buy $50 worth of a certain product, I’m probably not going to use it.

The Most Coupons Were Redeemed at Walmart

Surprising? I don’t think so. Walmart is one of the biggest stores if not the biggest store in the country, so it makes sense couponers were redeeming them there. The first three spots – Walmart, Kroger, and Target – remained the same in 2013 from 2012.  But I like the fact that Publix, my favorite store, moved up to the 4 spot from number 5 last year. Interestingly enough, Walgreens moved down a spot – probably because they are not as coupon friendly! (IMHO). 🙂

Couponers Are Redeeming Coupons at Grocery Stores More Often

This is a good sign, I think. It means couponers are spending more time at their local grocers than hopping from store to store. Maybe this is because time is a premium and we don’t always have time to drive around time getting the best deal. But I also think it means couponers are becoming more educated, and grocery stores are becoming more accepting of couponers, even if their policies are getting more stringent. I think the rush of couponers after the 2008 recession has caught many of the grocery stores by surprise, which is why so many of them had differing policies from store to store. Now they got their act together, and we’re all on the same page.

There was a ton more in this article. For instance, 315 billion dollars worth of coupons were issued in 2013, which was an increase from 305 billion in 2013. That’s a good thing for us!

So is couponing still going strong? I think the answer is a resounding ‘YES’!  Things are changing, for sure, but as long as we have to eat and hate paying full price for anything, I think couponing will be around. Here’s to a great 2014!

You can read the full report on the 2013 coupon trends HERE. A big thanks to NCH Marketing Services, a Valassis Company, for their research.