No more coupon clipping?

Target customers will soon just need a mobile phone to receive discounts at checkout. The retailer announced last week that has become the first national retailer to offer a scan-able mobile coupon program that allows guests to receive exclusive offers directly on their mobile phones. Coupons are redeemed by scanning a barcode on the phone at checkout.

Guests can opt-in to the program on their PC at Target.com/mobile, on their phone at m.target.com or by texting COUPONS to 827438 (TARGET). After opt-in, guests receive a text message with a link to a mobile Web page that contains multiple offers, all accessible through a single barcode. Offers are single use and expire on the date listed. According to Target, it is the first major retailer to employ the technology needed to scan mobile barcodes in all of its stores.

"At Target, we know that mobile phones are an integral part of our guests' lives, and mobile coupons are just another way we're providing convenient, on-the-go shopping solutions," said Steve Eastman, president of Target.com.

Retailers of all sizes will likely be watching Target closely to see how well its mobile coupon program performs. As the first national retailer, so the company claims, to offer such a service, there are bound to be some glitches, which the next retailers to offer similar programs will look to fix and improve.