Street Fight Poll: Consumers See Coupons as Top Digital Promotion

Memo to merchants: If you want to attract new customers, digital coupons are your best bet, according to the latest Street Fight poll.

The survey asked 500 U.S. consumers which digital promotional tool — a coupon, daily deal, mobile advertisement, location-based ad, or something else — last encouraged them to shop or dine at a new local business. Forty-seven percent of respondents said coupons. The poll, conducted in November through third-party opinions platform Toluna QuickSurveys, also found that 22% were influenced by a daily deal, more than 3% were swayed by a hyperlocal ad, less than 3% by a mobile ad, and 25% by another, unlisted option.

Only small behavioral differences were detected among different age groups: Fifty-two percent of consumers aged 55+ selected coupons as did 42% of consumers 18-34. Also, 21% of those 55+ redeemed a daily deal voucher, and only slightly fewer than 25% in the 18-34 age bracket did so.

Given the penetration of daily deals into public consciousness, particularly those offered  giants Groupon and LivingSocial, it’s unclear whether consumers have begun to use “coupons” and “deals” interchangeably.

Patrick Duprey is an editorial assistant with Street Fight. Follow him on Twitter @PatrickJDuprey.