Target launches first scannable mobile coupon program, frugalistas going wild
By Laura June 
posted March 10th 2010 11:42AM
posted March 10th 2010 11:42AM
Target Launches First-Ever Scannable Mobile Coupon Program
MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Target is the first national retailer to offer a scannable 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.
"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"
"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.
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.
Target's point-of-sale scanning technology makes mobile coupons possible, and Target is the first major retailer with the ability to scan mobile barcodes in all of its stores. A leader in mobile retail, Target continues to offer innovative mobile solutions for guests. In addition to using the new mobile coupons, Target guests can access their Target Mobile GiftCards, view online assortments, check product availability and store locations, manage their Target gift registry and lists, browse the weekly ad, and receive text and e-mail notifications of great deals – all via their mobile phones.
About Target
Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) serves guests at 1,740 stores in 49 states nationwide and at Target.com. Target is committed to providing a fun and convenient shopping experience with access to unique and highly differentiated products at affordable prices. Since 1946, the corporation has given 5 percent of its income through community grants and programs like Take Charge of Education. Today, that giving equals more than $3 million a week. Target Corporation news releases are available at www.target.com. b
MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Target is the first national retailer to offer a scannable 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.
"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"
"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.
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.
Target's point-of-sale scanning technology makes mobile coupons possible, and Target is the first major retailer with the ability to scan mobile barcodes in all of its stores. A leader in mobile retail, Target continues to offer innovative mobile solutions for guests. In addition to using the new mobile coupons, Target guests can access their Target Mobile GiftCards, view online assortments, check product availability and store locations, manage their Target gift registry and lists, browse the weekly ad, and receive text and e-mail notifications of great deals – all via their mobile phones.
About Target
Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) serves guests at 1,740 stores in 49 states nationwide and at Target.com. Target is committed to providing a fun and convenient shopping experience with access to unique and highly differentiated products at affordable prices. Since 1946, the corporation has given 5 percent of its income through community grants and programs like Take Charge of Education. Today, that giving equals more than $3 million a week. Target Corporation news releases are available at www.target.com. b
Cool for self-checkout offering areas, but I don't want to hand them my phone if there is no self-checkout.
@ShinseiRyu
Don't think you would need to, they usually have handheld scanners in addition to the normal checkout scanners, for things like large boxes in your cart. I imagine they could just scan your phone that way.
@ShinseiRyu
i'm guessing you'll be able to just hold up your phone while they nail it with a laser scanner.
@cameronsipod
I think I saw that movie!
@ShinseiRyu
I don't think most of the cashiers will understand what your are doing when you hold your phone up with the barcode. I don't think explaining it will help.
@kjb434 I work at Target as one of the underpaid, under-appreciated cashiers. Believe me, we've known about this program for the past two months. I was wondering when they were finally going to implement this thing.
@cameronsipod
Our handheld scanners won't work on 2d barcodes.
@ShinseiRyu Wont need to. Just let the cashier know of the mobile coupon and they will scan it with the hand scanner.
I work at Target and we knew of this for a few months. We are also told NOT to touch the phones.
@bobjohn1
waaaaaa!! I'm underpaid. Go get an education and perhaps you will find another job. You should be glad you have a job!
I don't see many people using this feature anyway!
@bobjohn1
i doubt your under paid, i get paid minimum wage for being cashier, a one armed monkey could do what i do
@Evan I just went into Target a few weeks ago. I pulled up the gift registry on my iPhone and presented it to the cashier. After a few funny looks she scanned it with her handheld scanner and sure enough, it worked. I'm not sure about other phones but 2D barcodes sure do work on the iPhone with your handheld scanners.
Because frugal people own iPhones
@Peter Fox
Hey they sell em at walmart, so.....
@Peter Fox
The article is about "mobile phones".. This is Engadget, so they use an iphone for just about every article pertaining to "phones".
@Peter Fox Is out of the realm of possibility that people shop frugally so that they can save up for higher ticket items like an iPhone? You're closed-minded.
@yikesmoose That was cynicism - your "close-minded" comment immediately became ironic.
@Peter Fox
Really? Do you own anything that costs more than $299? Because if you do then you couldn't be considered frugal either, using your "logic".
@Jack I'm not quite sure what you are getting at here, Jack - you may have posted that response and immediately wanted to delete it but obviously there is no button to do so.
It's not the dollar amount we should be focused on when judging frugality - it's the availability of alternatives that would require fewer resources (money). I can acknowledge that some people may have switched from two phones, one for data, one for voice, to an iPhone in an attempt to consolidate and therefore save money in doing so. However, when talking about how much an iPhone costs someone in Total Cost of Ownership (TOC), both for the initial cost, and ongoing costs on a monthly basis, I can confidently say that someone who would be considered frugal may opt for an alternative.
fru·gal –adjective
1.economical in use or expenditure; prudently saving or sparing; not wasteful: a frugal manager.
2.entailing little expense; requiring few resources; meager; scanty: a frugal meal.
@Peter Fox
People actually own one phone for voice, and one for data? I think you're kinda sorta full of shit.
The amount of time saved by having the internet in my pocket whenever I want it has more than paid for the device in my opinion. Frugality is value per dollar, and I did pretty well.
@Martin C I merely suggested the option because I assumed some idiot would try to comment and argue that point - alas; I now know I can't stop the idiots from responding.
You seem to have done some pretty extensive research on how much money you have saved by having the internet in your pocket - can you share some empirical data to back up your assessment? I get the sense that you are talking about the convenience of having the internet in your pocket, and not actually being able to save $ on, say, a monthly basis because of it. Frugal people in general will not base their purchasing prowess on convenience, but on saving dollars and cents.
Thank god, I was getting tired of filling my glove box with target coupons and then having to remember to grab them when i leave the car...And now you also get a big red coupon book in the mail. (oh the pressure!)
@One Love: just checked it out:
"receive exclusive offers once a month via text message. your first coupon will arrive within 2 weeks of sign up."
mobile phone number: [ ]
Forget that! thought it was a simple web page.
Shakes head. Why make it a barcode? Are you seriously going to have a clerk scan every barcode from your phone. Wait hold on I have another. Flips through phone to find next coupon. Hand phone to clerk. Repeat several times until the person behind you in line goes postal.
Why not a RF or blue tooth connection to communicate between your phone and the register. Clerk scans all items, dumps your reciept to your phone. Phone matches up any coupons that you have loaded on you phone. Sends all those coupons back to the register. Get total and be on you way.
Seriously, lets make the decades old system of coupons digital. Way to leap forward with this dumbass idea.
@wenuell
dont worry its just one bar code that gives all the discounts
I have a CardStar app for iPhone that will show all your store 'club' cards and what not. Its a pain on the iPhone sometimes because the glass is kind of reflective for the laser to read the pixels underneath.
At Target, shoppers are called "guests". Just sayin.
@NYC_ROCK When I first started there I kept saying customers and getting bitched at. Not my god damn fault y'all are a bunch of fuckheads using nonsense words like 'guest'.
@Woovie LOL!! Thats too funny. I was wondering if anybody would get my reference.
This sounds like a great program and I hope we get some decent coupons for electronics with this thing.
It's worth a try. I work near a Target and I'm in there at least once a week.
Registering on the site seemed to work best. The URL they texted back (m.target.com/cp) took me to a search results page for a baby pacifier. lol
"Frugalistas"?
OMG, I just Googled it... it's a "real" word. WTF?
Our existences are cheapened by the existence of this "word".
Also, I found this humorous: http://www.usnews.com/money/blogs/alpha-consumer/2009/9/18/frugalista-debate-one-blogger-stakes-claim.html
@Old fogie late bloomer
OMG, I had never heard the word, and then when I looked it up, it had such a history. :o Wow, so there are people actively involved in the transmigration of the commonly spoken English language into something we won't understand in 10 years...
does anyone know which company is providing this coupon service for Target?
Now what would really be cool is if you could link your gift cards to your account, and then just use the mobile barcode instead of the physical cards.
@yuorfaec you can already do this at target, and if you search on the mobile site for a product it tells you the aisle it is on as well.
"Welcome to 2004"
--Japan
I am sure Frugalistas are very happy about an app like this, but frugalistas already know not to shop at stores that take coupons (since they mark up the package to give you the discount) Also a True Frugalista would not own an iphone or Ipodtouch...
J/K But I am a pure Aldi Shopper for food, and I prefer Target over walmart, they may be more expensive, but the quality of service far outways the 3rd world country that walmarts have ALL become.
Why not just give everyone the discount instead of having to deal with coupons?
@crazyburns
Because the coupon IDs you, and by collecting as much info about your purchasing behavior as possible, they can further market to you through all the channels this program touches. And they can sell data about you to partners.
Both Target and Engadget lie. This is not the first "major retailer scannable coupon on cell-phone" program ever. Yowza!! (on the iPhone.. or Where on BlackBerry, Android and Palm Pre phones) has been doing this for quite some time now. And it covers multiple major retail chains like Sears, Toys r Us/Babys R Us, Game Stop, Sports Authority, Pier 1 Imports, Sax 5th Ave, Etc. And it does not require you to sign up for anything or tell the retailer your cell phone number thus ending up on tons of stupid mailing lists.
@Old fogie late bloomer: I agree, the ending words with -alista should be outlawed! Then only outlawalistas would be able to do it.
Every time I see that Target commercial where they describe the women in it as "frugalistas" I want to put my fist through the TV screen.
Guess I'm a bit of a ragealista.
@wjousts
My head hurts. Stop it. My head hurts. ;)
@wjousts Well it's Frugal-ista, so your a Rage-ista and I'm just an A-hole.
I've never had success with something scanning a barcode on my iPhone (or BlackBerry) screen. Would it be more of a "picture taking" scanner where it takes the picture of the barcode on your phone screen and then reads the barcode from that internal picture?
I have actually used this technique with an email coupon for walmart.
I just zoomed in on the bar code and asked the cashier to scan it.....and presto!
I have mixed feelings about this. While I like the concept and technology, it might turn out to be another "check-out line" hold-up. As it is oftentimes, someome stands there for 5 mins whilst the cashier scans all the items. Only THEN does the customer decide to begin digging into their carry-on - er - purse for their wallet. Now the customer may also start digging for their phone, find the right app, find the right coupon, explain how it works, get it to scan, answer a few texts, and THEN start to dig for their wallet.
Hrrrmmm...this reeks of big brother/AntiChrist...just sayins is all..
"frugalistas" = cheap hipsters
So they've perfected how to scan a glossy LCD with a laser scanner?
Last I checked my little Telxon PTC can't scan barcodes on LCDs with its fancy lasers.
Geez...everyone wants to just get on the iPhone banwaggon. When will the industry learn that this sort of stuff is way too gimicky. Lets make some apps that are actually useful for once:
NewPhoneInfo