You probably know this already, but prices have gone up, up, up in the past few months, and food is no exception. One way to save money during these inflationary times is to use coupons for necessities like groceries and fuel. Unfortunately, even something as simple as clipping a coupon may not be so straightforward.
In a recent article for WCPO's Don't Waste Your Money segment, which focuses on informing consumers, John Matarese describes the struggles that many senior citizens and others who are not so tech savvy encounter when trying to clip digital coupons on their smartphones. Matarese interviews some Cincinnati residents for his article. After one claims that digital coupon systems are too opaque, he describes the quandary this way: "Like millions of seniors, she struggles with her smartphone and has been unable to access digital coupons that could give her a dollar off on some items. As a result, [she] says she is forced to pay the full list price."
What can people who are struggling with the transition to digital coupon clipping do to circumvent these difficulties?
Clip and Snip
Matarese writes that "digital coupons are not going away anytime soon..." In the past, coupons could simply be clipped out of a newspaper or other print source and presented to a cashier for a discount. Digital coupons often require extra steps. You often need to make an account on each merchant's website or mobile app, which requires not only access to a computer but the know-how to set up an online account. If you aren't familiar with this process, you don't know what makes a good password or you don't have a dedicated email address, you now have extra layers of work to a process that previously only required a pair of scissors. You could see how this could be a problem for seniors or anyone else who hasn't made it a point to stay up to date with all of today's tech trends.
To make matters worse, many discounts are now only available digitally. According to a Pew Research study from January, over a third of senior citizens don't own a smart device. In addition, over half never use social media and about 25% don't even use the internet, although that number has continuously shrunk over the past few years. In other words, coupon connoisseurs who doesn't use digital platforms to find discounts are putting themselves at a disadvantage.
What is there to Do?
Luckily, those who are struggling with digital coupons can find help. There are numerous groups on Facebook, like Kroger Krazy and Couponers United, which can help connect you with coupon deals of both the digital and paper variety. If you're still at a loss for using digital coupons, we recommend you sign up for a computer basics class to help you develop the skills necessary for taking advantage of digital coupons. Paid classes are offered at the University of Cincinnati. If you're strapped for cash, several non-profit organizations as well as Ohio Means Jobs centers throughout offer free classes.
Contact Titan Tech today if you're interested in making your business more accessible to the not so tech savvy among your customer base.
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