Times are a changing. The digital revolution has really started to touch the couponing space over the past year. Gone are the days when newspaper inserts and postal mail ads were the only way you could find out about store sales and get store-specific coupons.
More stores are developing their own mobile apps and using them to distribute sales and coupons. Not all apps are created equal, however. Despite the proliferation of store apps, there are currently only a few really good ones.
We’ve taken a look at tons of different store apps and whittled them down to the five that we found the most useful.
This is the coupon app that stands atop the mountain at the moment. Couponers are absolutely in love with Cartwheel and for good reason. It’s extremely easy to use, requires very little effort or tech savvy and it offers some pretty significant discounts.
One of Cartwheel’s best features is that you can stack the coupons found on the app with manufacturer coupons and clearance sales to get massive savings. Another really nice thing about Cartwheel is that even if you’ve forgotten about it until you get to the checkout lane, you can quickly search for your items in the app and load the coupons at the last minute for the cashier to scan on your phone.
If you are a CVS ExtraCare member (it’s a free loyalty program that only takes a couple minutes to sign up for), then this app holds a lot of value. If you aren’t interested in becoming an ExtraCare member, then it’s probably not worth downloading.
Among the benefits this app provides is that you can access the local sales flyer directly from it and you can also use it as your ExtraCare card and scan it at the catalina machine to get coupons while shopping at the store. For those with prescriptions, you can use it to manage and refill your medicines. Another nice feature is that you can use it to order print photos right from your phone for pick up at CVS.
It’s not branded separately like the aforementioned apps, but it provides quite a few perks nonetheless. It’s more similar to the CVS ExtraCare app than the Target Cartwheel app and you need to be a Walgreens Balance Rewards member to take full advantage of the app.
In many ways, the Walgreens app combines the best parts of the Cartwheel and ExtraCare apps. You can get mobile coupons directly from the app like Cartwheel (unlike CVS, which requires you to scan it at the catalina machine) and you can refill prescriptions and order photos like you can with ExtraCare. Walgreens also offers cool features like the ability to create a shopping list and chat with a pharmacist.
Much like Walgreens, Dollar General has chosen not to come up with a catchy name for its app. It doesn’t need to, though, because it is so user friendly and helpful to its shoppers. The fact you don’t need to be a loyalty club member to get the most out of it is also a pleasant perk.
In addition to the standard store locator and store sale options, Dollar General also has exclusive coupons available right from the app. Another notable thing about the Dollar General app is how well its integrated with social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. You can peruse the store’s official feeds to see if any discounts have recently been announced and share any deals you get with your friends.
Unlike the above apps, Best Buy is not known for coupons. That said, it has built quite the app for couponers. It’s laid out very well and makes it easy for the customer to use, which is a good start point for any store app, but it goes far beyond just a pretty design.
With the Best Buy app, you can do a lot of cool stuff such as browse their huge product database, redeem Best Buy points, check gift card balances and discover trade-in values. What’s of more interest to us, however, is that you can take a look at their weekly ad, their deal of the day and their featured offers. You can score some awesome deals that way.
