I know I bore senseless by constantly repeating my theory that 'ease' is the single biggest factor in successful sales promotion, but daily i watch marketers erect unnecessary barriers for their consumers. Today I bore senseless about online coupons.
If anything ought to be the easiest thing in the world, then printing off a coupon from a website could be it. Should be it. When you consider British Airways have it cracked, with their boarding passes, you'd think the fmcg coupon business would have had this one nailed down some time ago.
I came across a mention of a Tate & Lyle coupon, so I typed in the link for their website and - after some searching - tracked down the bit about online coupons. It turns out you have to leave the site via a link, and re-emerge on a page of coupons. Then you can either select the lot, or just those you check. Next you click print... but - no it wants to install a bunch of 'bar-code' software on your computer. Okay - I accept - but my Mac starts squealing about dodgy applications. I override it. Now I have to agree to a load of terms and conditions. Next the machine wants my password. (Where did I put that?). Some time later I manage to click install and it comes down. Job done... but, no - I might have the software, but it's closed down my browser. Re-open Safari. Back to Tate & Lyle. Find the coupon bit again. Click the link. Get through to the page of coupons. Select the ones I want. Click print. It tells me it's printing... but I haven't told it where to print - it never gave me the option, so it's trying to send the signal by wifi to my default printer... which is 3 miles away in my studio at home. I give up. No ease. There you go Natalie.
