Couponing has been a popular way for consumers to save money while still enjoying their preferred products for a long time.
In the past, finding and cutting out newspaper coupons was the norm. However, this has changed with the availability of apps and websites that make finding coupons much easier and faster. More and more consumers are turning to digital couponing because it’s convenient and continues to influence shopping trends in Europe.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the current shopping trends that have contributed to the increasing popularity of couponing.
Shopping trends influencing today’s consumers
Across Europe, shoppers are scouring sites for the best deals because:
- Cutting Costs is Key
Inflation across Europe has been gradually falling since peaking in October 2022. However, this slow decline has remained the shifted consumer expenditure behavior. On the contrary, consumers are more keen on cutting costs now than ever. This can be attributed to the continuous rise in the price of living being experienced across the globe.
Today, consumers are opting to shop less to cut costs. Additionally, they are looking for codes and discounts to lower their shopping costs more than ever.
- Rise in Cross Border Shopping
In the search for better value for money on purchases, consumers today – especially millennials – are opting to buy outside their domestic market. Thanks to online shopping and door deliveries, cross-border commerce is booming as consumers seek cheaper products far and wide as long as convenience is guaranteed.
- Buying in Bulk is the Better Option
More consumers are choosing to buy in bulk and stock up on frequently used products such as school and home supplies to save even more. The popularity of bulk shopping is fueled further by social media, where people display their stockpiles and share their couponing tips and savings.
How do coupons work in different countries?
While finding coupons has primarily become digital, paper coupons are only partially extinct. Most local papers still have a section where you can find deals to cut out. Many stores still have cards at the cashier that you can check out to see if any deals come in handy.
However, whether you get coupons from physical copies or online sites, utilizing them is quite standard across European countries. You only need to input the code at the final stage of placing your order to get a discounted total when making online purchases. For in-store purchases, you must present your collected coupons to the cashier or print them out in advance if you got them from a site to show them to the cashier.
After scouring hundreds of sites in Europe, we at eCommerce Fast Lane found that Sweden seems to be spearheading the trend of making coupon codes easily accessible to all. For instance, the coupon site rabatthem.se caught the eye with its easy-to-navigate UI. Moreover, the UK is also catching up, with big discount sites such as Groupon and Vouchercodes gaining traction in the country.
The best sites properly group coupons according to shopping categories or brands and are store-specific, making finding them easy, even for beginners.
Sweden is at the forefront of coupon shopping
The Swedes take coupon shopping to a whole new level. You’ll find that most popular brands are featured on Swedish coupon sites. Better yet, they are regularly updated to guarantee discounts every shopping season.
Unsurprisingly, more brands and manufacturers are taking advantage of Sweden’s couponing culture to entice consumers to try new products by offering product-specific codes in stores.
If you are new to it, you can quickly get the hang of navigating couponing sites as long as you understand the following terms;
- Store Coupons – These can only be redeemed at a specific store. In most instances, the store’s logo will be on the coupon, and there will be text similar to “can only be used at XXX.”
- Manufactures Coupons —The manufacturers of specific brands issue these. This means you can use such coupons to get a discount on any product from the manufacturer or any store that accepts them.
- Coupon Expiry Date —Almost all coupons have an expiry date. Keeping track of these dates is essential to use them in good time since no store accepts an expired coupon.
- Coupon Stacking —This technique combines various store and manufacturer coupons to get the most significant discount possible on products. Combine stacked coupons with a sale, and you are guaranteed to save a lot of coins on your purchases.
- Coupon Overage —This refers to any excess amount in your coupons that can be used to cover the cost of other products in your shopping cart. For example, if you had a coupon for a $4 discount on a product, but the product happens to be on sale for $3, then you have $1 in overage that you can use to reduce the total cost of your purchase.
- Store Coupon Policy —As with every offer, there is always the fine print that you need to read. Stores that accept coupons will always have guidelines on redeeming them on purchases. The easiest way to get information about any store policy is to search for the store’s name and add the words “coupon policy.”
As a savvy shopper, you may find that using coupon codes can help you save a significant amount of money. With an abundance of coupon websites available across Europe, you can easily take advantage of the best deals to save big on your shopping. Once you become familiar with how couponing works, incorporating these codes into your shopping routine will become effortless. By investing some time and effort in finding the most valuable coupons, you can maximize your savings and make the most out of your shopping experience.
