Most consumers like to use coupons and prefer those coupons that offer convenience as well as savings. For marketers, this means that it’s crucial to provide shoppers with discounts that not only are easy to find, but also to use when making a purchase.

These are among the findings of a March 2019 report from coupon distributor Valassis. According to the report, about 92 percent of U.S. internet users use coupons, and 45 percent use coupons at least frequently.

Coupons—paper and paperless—are most popular among millennial parents (96 percent) and parents in general (95 percent), according to Valassis. The general population of Gen Xers (93 percent) was close behind, followed by millennials (92 percent).

Younger shoppers are more likely to use paperless coupons, with 88 percent of millennials indicating use vs. 83 percent of Gen Xers and 64 percent of baby boomers.
“Millennials are the most deal-sensitive generation today, and when they’re parents, there’s an intersection of a very active shopping lifestyle with the greatest deal sensitivity,” Valassis chief marketing officer Curtis Tingle said. “For this cohort, marketers can deliver relevant offers that ... drive a higher level of engagement based on messages and deals.”

Consumers also have preferences regarding discount distribution channels. Half of Valassis respondents said they prefer to receive coupons in the mail, and 44 percent prefer finding deals in newspaper coupon books.

According to eMarketer, it is expected that 66.2 percent of internet users will use digital coupons this year, and this will increase to 68.4 percent by 2022.

Above all, coupons provide consumers with the deals they’re looking for, but there’s room for improvement. More than half (58 percent) of Valassis respondents thought coupons should be easier to use. Nearly half (49 percent) would use more coupons if it was easier to find deals for the items they needed, according to eMarketer’s analysis of the report.