"Couponing is really inefficient and uses archaic methods to reach people. They go after chunks of consumers based on certain demographics," said Blake Shipley, a former auditor for Kroger who lives in Hyde Park.
Coupsmart allows users to get coupons and free samples based on products that they've bought and used in their homes. Here's how CoupSmart works: Users sign up for the program online, creating a profile that includes their gender, email and home addresses, and first and last name.
Then they download a CoupSmart app for their iPhone (plans are to make apps available for BlackBerry and Android phones soon - Shipley's Chief Technology Officer, Troy Davis, created the application.
The app allows users to scan the UPC for products they have purchased for home use.
CoupSmart stores that information and then provides it to companies, without any identifying info. A third-party distribution company will then send users free samples and coupons each month based on the products they have purchased in the past. Those samples could be for products they already use, or those that companies think they would be interested in based on what was purchased in the past.
Shipley said CoupSmart is beneficial for both buyers and sellers. Buyers get coupons they are more likely to use and sellers get access to people who are more likely to be interested in their products. CoupSmart will not sell identifying information to marketers, only the UPC information that users supply.
Shipley is currently working to add more companies to offer products and coupons through the site. As he works at building CoupSmart's offerings, the company is giving out gift cards and free products every month to the first 3,000 users who scan 30 items. Additionally, a drawing is conducted at the end of each month for $2,000 of Visa gift cards. Users earn an entry into the drawing for every 30 items they scan each month.
"We're about saving money, and great products. We're really just trying to improve people's lives," Shipley said.
CoupSmart recently expanded its services with CoupSmart Defender. Defender is an email alert system that notifies users when a product they've scanned into the system is part of a product recall. Companies can join the Defender program to personally contact customers during a recall and offering a coupon or other gesture of conciliation.
"It gives companies a chance to proactively contact customers and turn a recall into positive PR," Shipely said.
CoupSmart, in Columbia Tusculum, employs 7 full-time and part-time workers to run the site, develop applications and mine data. The company and will soon hire 6 part-time works.
Writer: Feoshia Henderson
Source: Blake Shipely, founder CoupSmart
You can follow Feoshia on twitter
@feoshiawrites