Coupons/ Rebates/ Pricing

Well informed. Well connected. Price sensitive.

Those three terms sum up the modern American female consumer, according to a new study from Blackhawk Engagement Solutions, which reveals that that price holds the most weight (75%) when it comes to influencing a purchase, followed by quality (55%). Other factors affecting women’s purchase decisions include brand (31%), store (26%) and availability (14%).

Despite their tech-savvy reputation, millennials are not above reducing their retail spending with the help of good old-fashioned print coupons.

Consumers are taking stock of their financial health and how it will affect their decisions to make CPG purchases in the coming months.

According to the new first quarter 2016 IRI Consumer Connect survey, 67% of respondents feel their financial health will improve in the next six months. As a result, CPG spending will generally improve, but shoppers have some specific needs and wants to fulfill.

U.S. consumers have named their top grocery chain, and for the first time in four years it isn’t Trader Joe’s.

Findings from an online study of more than 10,000 consumers conducted in February 2016 by Market Force Information revealed that Wegmans is America’s favorite grocery retailer. Wegmans was followed by Publix Super Markets and Trader Joe’s.

Market Track compared retail circular advertising in March 2016 vs. March 2015 and noted trends occurring across top retail chains.

Lowe’s Home Improvement had denser March print circulars with twice the ads per page and nearly 80 additional ads per drop. Lowe’s shifted the Spring Black Friday sale to the 3/31 drop; up from first week of May 2015.

Home depot did not counter this shift through print, but promoted Spring Black Friday on their website.

Many retailers’ long-held assumptions about consumer loyalty programs are no longer accurate, according to a new study.

Maritz Motivation Solutions surveyed more than 2,000 consumers regarding their feelings about brand loyalty and engagement. The data showed that there are at least five myths when it comes to consumers and loyalty programs. “When evaluating your brand, consumers also are evaluating your loyalty program,” said Barry Kirk, VP Customer Loyalty Strategy for Maritz.

Kirk detailed the myths in a webinar this week:

In what has been described as an historic rate reduction, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) will roll back postage rates on April 10.

The reduction – the first stamp prices have fallen since 1919 – is prompted by the removal of the 4.3% exigent surcharge. It will apply to several mail classifications, including letters, large envelopes, flats, and postcards.

A new study of 2,600 consumers by Blackhawk Engagement Solutions, titled "Where It's At: a Connected Shopper Study,” shows that across retail categories, shoppers would prefer a higher value rebate versus some lower value offers. Additionally, 68% of shoppers said rebates are an attractive offer in-store and 65% said rebates are an attractive offer when shopping online.

Consumers who rely on mobile coupons when food shopping are much more likely to experiment with new brands.

According to the latest edition of GfK MRI’s “The Survey of the American Consumer,” one in three (33%) U.S. adults agrees completely or somewhat with the statement, “I rely on mobile coupons while food shopping.” And almost half (44%) of these mobile coupon users say they like to “change brands often for the sake of variety and novelty,” compared to just 30% of the general population.

Target announced it is testing an expansion of its Cartwheel app, which launched in 2013. The retailer reported that the app has saved users, in total, $475 million (and counting) to date.

The new feature expands the app to allow for digital coupons from manufacturers that offer a dollar amount discount (rather than a percentage discount).

The service is made possible through a partnership with Quotient (formerly Coupons.com), a third-party provider of digital coupons, according to a report by TechCrunch.