Coupons have been around for a long time, with their first widespread distribution dating back to 1887, when Coca-Cola gave out coupons for a free bottle of Coke. Since then, various brands have used couponing to reward consumers with discounts or rebates on various products. Today, this marketing strategy has become so common that approximately 90% of consumers in the United States have used coupons at one time or another.
However, many consumers today find traditional coupons a hassle to use because they have to first cut these out from magazines or newspaper inserts. Then, they have to remember to bring and use these coupons when they’re at the store.
The good news is that there’s an alternative to traditional coupons that you can use: instant redeemable coupons (IRCs).
What are instant redeemable coupons?
Also known as on-pack or on-package coupons, IRCs are promotions that are attached directly to the product packaging. This means there are no additional steps needed. The customer simply needs to buy the product to use the coupon. It’s so simple to use, which is why it’s no surprise that IRCs have the best redemption rate of all coupons.
IRCs can be printed in full color in almost any size and shape and can adapt to almost any packaging type (e.g., boxes, bottles, jars). They can be added to product packaging as a secondary label, which is generally placed in a less prominent position on the bottom, at the back, or on the side of the product. However, since IRCs are usually meant to stand out from the product packaging, they are typically applied as extended content labels.
Read also: What are extended content labels?
There are two types of extended content labels: booklet and smooth-peel labels. Booklet labels contain multiple pages, which can either be bound together at the spine or designed into different folds, such as tri-fold, accordion fold, and map fold layouts. On the other hand, IRCs applied as smooth-peel labels typically have an adhesive side that sticks to the package and a label side (or a peel-off section) that can be easily removed at the checkout counter for redemption. There are also smooth-peel IRCs that wrap around the entire product.
What are the benefits of adding coupons onto product packaging?
Using IRCs offers a host of benefits:
Retailers are more likely to showcase your products
The average grocery store carries 18,000 brands and 30,000 stock keeping units, so trying to get prime real estate for your product can be extremely expensive. However, having an IRC on your product can help you land your desired shelf space without having to pay extra. Grocery stores are more likely to display products with discounts and other promos — like those with IRCs — more prominently or even dedicate an entire section to these items, as these sell faster.
Products with IRC stand out from the competition
Not all companies run discounts on their packaging, so adding an IRC will help your product stand out on retail shelves. In fact, a 2017 packaging and labeling survey revealed that 59% of US shoppers are drawn to products with a peel-off label (e.g., coupon, recipes), while 68% of them notice peel-off labels because these physically stick out from the package.
IRCs boost sales
A Popai Shopper Engagement Study showed that 76% of buying decisions are made in the store, and those decisions can be heavily swayed when there’s a coupon or any promotional deal involved. More than 25% of shoppers who come into the store with a particular brand in mind switched brands if they encounter a bargain. On the other hand, a deal won over shoppers who didn’t plan on buying a specific brand almost two-thirds of the time.
What’s more, placing a coupon on your product packaging can entice different types of consumers to purchase your product. Coupons may intrigue new customers into buying your product since they may want to take advantage of the opportunity to save a few bucks. Offering coupons also puts you back on the radar of old customers who haven’t bought from you in a while, and at the same time, you delight customers who already like your products and are loyal to your brand.
Adding IRCs drives impulse purchases at the point of sale. For instance, if your coupons offer three-for-two promo bundles, people are more likely to purchase more than what they planned to in order to take advantage of the promotion. Why buy only three items when they can buy six at a bargain price? The aforementioned 2017 packaging and labeling survey found that 90% of US consumers are more likely to purchase a product that has a peel-off instant savings coupon.
On-pack coupons help you move particular products
A great way to announce a new product and persuade shoppers to try it is by offering discounts through IRCs. On-pack coupons also allow for cross-promotion discounts, which encourage buyers to purchase other items in the product line, on top of the item they want to purchase. You can also get rid of old stocks by running discounts or two-for-one IRC promo bundles.
How can you get started with using on-package coupons?
To ensure that IRCs are properly applied to your packaging, you need a professional labeling expert like Pro-Motion Industries. We are an industry leader and have been providing decorating services to New Jersey businesses for over two decades. We also use top-of-the-line labeling equipment and follow the latest industry best practices.
Whether your products are flat or round, small or big, or have custom shapes or sizes, we can apply coupons onto them. We’ll help you select the best IRC type that meets both your functional and budgetary needs, and apply your chosen IRCs onto your products. We’ll make sure that your products will look pristine once they reach retail shelves since we hand-inspect each finished product and wrap them properly for shipping.
Ready to work with Pro-Motion Industries? Get in touch with us today at 856-809-0040.