Coupon Web sites attracting more visits
As consumer prices rise and the economy founders, Web surfers are scouring cyberspace for deals.
A new study released this week by market research firm Hitwise showed that online coupon clipping is on the rise.
Hitwise told Reuters that U.S. visits to certain custom coupon Web sites increased 66 percent from May 2007 to May of this year.
Heather Dougherty, research director at Hitwise, said shoppers are trying to cope with cost of living increases.
“While discretionary income is shrinking for some households, consumers are still shopping online, but making sure they find the best deals,” she said in a statement.
Coupons.com led the pack within the category, grabbing 29 percent of the market and chalking up a 190 percent increase since last year. Coupon Mountain and Eversave rounded out the top three with 14 percent and 6 percent, respectively.
When Hitwise measured traffic from the week ending June 6, they found that search engines directed 20 percent of penny-pinching shoppers to coupon sites. Of the top search terms, 60 percent included a reference to a specific brand or branded product.
Monthly visits to comparison shopping Web sites also increased 60 percent from May 2007 to May of this year, Hitwise spokesman Matt Tatham said.
Looking for a bargain? Here are some other coupon sites:
