The discount code channel is one that has enjoyed impressive levels of growth in recent years. Owing largely to the rise of the ‘savvy shopper’ following the economic downturn, it has come to a point where customers simply refuse to purchase certain products on the web without some sort of deal.
This popularity combined with the simplicity of creating and managing your very own discount code site through the use of networks and sub-networks alike, has resulted in an apparent overcrowding. Customers are currently spoilt for choice when it comes to their deal-seeking and it has become increasingly difficult for individual discount code sites to stand out from the crowd.
So what exactly are discount code sites doing to get ahead of the pack? What separates your average discount code site from your market leader?
Customer side, there has been an increased focus on community and getting to know your members. With the social media obsession still in effect, discount code sites are able to communicate with their members on a more personal level through the likes of Facebook and Twitter. This feeling of community is further induced by the addition of blogs and forums found on discount code sites, allowing members to forward and discuss deals, products or specific retailers. All of this serves to keep their members involved and engaged for as long as possible and potentially prevent them from visiting competitor sites.
Offer targeting is another way discount code sites attempt to keep their members interested. With every new sign-up, discount code sites with the technical resources are able to begin tracking their members’ behaviour allowing them to target individual groups with specific offers and deals that would appeal to them. For example, new customers can be targeted with a better offer than existing customers.
Accessibility is also a key player here. Allowing their users to comfortably view the latest offers on mobile devices through mobile sites and applications is one thing, but the ability to supply them with deals that work in physical stores is another. Bridging the gap between online and offline through innovative technologies such as card-linked offers or till-based software is another way in which the elite separate themselves from the rest of the bunch.
Most important of all, discount code sites should always be looking to provide their users with the best possible deals. Displaying generic offers will keep the more loyal users interested but the majority will always stray in search of the absolute best. It is here that the competition opens up to the retailers as the discount code sites battle to receive their blessing in the form of exclusive codes. When it comes to convincing retailers to hand over their exclusives, having large amounts of members and traffic certainly goes a long way, but it is the quality of these that is king.
Ultimately, it is the technology and innovative ideas that separates the market leaders from the rest of the pack. By creating new ways to target and engage users into communities, discount code sites can ensure that their codes are going to be used by as many of the right customers as possible, thus keeping both the retailers and the users happy.
